Tara Syed
MSW, RSW | Clinical Director | Registered Social Worker & Psychotherapist
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Stress & Burnout Therapy in Scarborough
Stress can follow you from work into sleep, relationships, and everyday life. Therapy for burnout and stress offers space to understand what is draining you, build realistic boundaries, and find a more sustainable way forward.
Who this is for
Support for what you are carrying
Burnout, exhaustion, or dread before workWorkplace conflict or performance anxietyBoundary difficulties or people-pleasingStress related to caregiving, culture, identity, or major career transitions
How therapy can help
A steadier way forward
Understand stress patterns and warning signs
Build boundaries and communication skills
Develop coping strategies for high-pressure environments
Reconnect with values, capacity, and choices
When stress starts taking over
Work deadlines, caregiving, family responsibilities, and major changes can leave little room to recover. You may notice irritability, worry, exhaustion, trouble switching off, or feeling disconnected from things that matter to you. Therapy gives you room to look at your stress load and your available support.
Not every period of tiredness is burnout. Ongoing exhaustion can have different causes. Counselling can support coping and emotional wellbeing, while persistent or concerning physical symptoms are also worth discussing with a healthcare professional.
Therapy for burnout beyond workplace pressure
Our existing workplace stress support also makes room for the wider picture: relationships, caregiving demands, cultural expectations, health, and life transitions. Rather than treating coping as another task you must do perfectly, sessions can explore realistic choices within your circumstances.
You and your therapist can consider boundaries, communication, unhelpful thought patterns, and ways to reconnect with your values and capacity. Therapy cannot change an employer or remove every external pressure, and it does not promise a fixed recovery timeline.
Our approach
Evidence-based care, gently applied
CBT
Mindfulness
Solution-focused therapy
Strengths-based therapy
Trauma-informed therapy
What to expect in your first session
Your therapist will ask about your work context, stress load, supports, and what you want to feel different. Together, you can identify immediate coping steps and longer-term goals.
Insurance & payment
Start with a free 15-minute consultation. Direct billing is available for many insurance providers, and receipts can be provided for reimbursement when needed.
Therapist fit
Meet therapists who can support this work
Therapist fit matters. You can learn more about each clinician or visit the About page to meet the full team.
Mansureh Khatam
MSW, RSW | Registered Social Worker & Psychotherapist
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Nabila Al-Dobaye
MSW, RSW | Registered Social Worker & Psychotherapist
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Kajan Thevendran
MSW, RSW | Registered Social Worker & Psychotherapist
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Anju Nair
MSW, RSW | Registered Social Worker & Psychotherapist
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In-person therapy in Scarborough, virtual therapy across Ontario
Stress and burnout therapy is available by appointment at our Scarborough office, 4544 Sheppard Ave East, Suite 230. We welcome clients from Toronto and the east GTA, with virtual counselling available across Ontario when appropriate for your needs.
Related services
Explore connected supports
FAQ
Common questions about workplace stress & burnout therapy in scarborough
Is stress therapy only for workplace concerns?
No. Sessions can also explore caregiving, family responsibilities, transitions, cultural expectations, and the wider pressures affecting your wellbeing. Therapist fit and the focus of counselling are discussed individually.
How long does burnout therapy take?
There is no fixed timeline. Your goals, circumstances, available support, and therapist approach all matter. You can discuss an initial plan and review it together as therapy progresses.
Can therapy help if my workplace is the problem?
Therapy cannot change the workplace directly, but it can help you clarify boundaries, choices, coping strategies, and next steps.
Is burnout therapy only about work?
No. Burnout often connects to identity, caregiving, stress history, health, culture, and relationships. Therapy can look at the whole picture.
Do you offer workplace stress & burnout therapy in person in Scarborough?
Yes. Optima offers in-person therapy at 4544 Sheppard Ave East in Scarborough by appointment only.
Is virtual workplace stress & burnout therapy available across Ontario?
Yes. We offer secure virtual therapy for clients across Ontario when it is clinically appropriate and a good fit for your needs.
Can I use insurance or direct billing?
Many extended health plans cover psychotherapy or social work services. Direct billing is available for many insurance providers, and receipts can be provided when needed.
Do I need a referral?
No referral is required. You can contact us directly to request a free 15-minute consultation.
Start with a free consultation.
If workplace stress & burnout therapy in scarborough feels like the right next step, we can help you find a therapist fit and answer questions about in-person, virtual, and insurance options.
Book your free consultation