Jaya Obidiya

APPROACH TO COUNSELLING

Counselling with me is a collaborative process — one built on the belief that you are the expert on your own life, and that my role is to walk alongside you, not lead the way. From our very first session, I work to create a space that feels welcoming, unhurried, and genuinely safe: a space you actually want to return to.

I draw from a range of therapeutic modalities — including Person-Centered Therapy and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) — selecting and adapting techniques based on what fits you, not a one-size-fits-all framework. Together, we set meaningful goals for both the immediate future and the long term, and I continually invite your feedback on how the therapeutic relationship is working for you.

Clients often describe me as gentle but firm. I bring warmth, patience, and a measured pace to every session — and I won't shy away from offering honest reflection or helping you stay accountable to the goals you've set for yourself. I also believe that humour, when it fits the moment, can be a genuine part of healing.

Above all, I approach every client with curiosity, humility, and deep respect for who they are — not just what they're going through.

SPECIALTIES

Depression

You may be experiencing a persistent low mood, a numbness, or a loss of interest in the things that once brought you joy. You might be moving through each day on autopilot — or struggling to move through it at all. Perhaps you're carrying thoughts of self-harm, or a quiet but frightening sense that this is just how life is going to be.

If this sounds familiar, I want you to know: feeling stuck does not mean you are stuck. In our work together, we'll explore what's underneath that heaviness, identify what has kept change feeling impossible, and begin to build a life that feels worth living — one that is genuinely yours.

Anxiety & Stress

Do you find yourself worrying about things before they happen, or replaying events long after they're over? Do you over-plan, avoid, or feel your body activate — heart racing, chest tight — even in moments that don't call for it? That constant state of alertness is exhausting. It pulls you out of the present and makes it hard to trust yourself or your surroundings.

Together, we can work on recognizing anxiety as it arises, developing tools to regulate your nervous system in the moment, and gradually loosening the grip that worry has on your daily life. You don't have to keep bracing for what's next.

Trauma

You may be carrying memories that surface without warning. You may feel on edge, emotionally numb, or disconnected from the people around you. Trust — in others, and perhaps in yourself — may feel far away. Trauma runs deep, and its effects are wide-reaching, even when the original experience feels distant or difficult to name.

I want to be clear: we will not rush. Our first priority is equipping you with the skills to manage what you're experiencing day to day. We will not revisit the details of what happened until you feel ready — and that timeline is yours to set. When we do move into processing, we do it together, at a pace that feels safe. Whatever you've been through, you deserve a space that meets you with care, not urgency.

Psychotherapy

You may have received a diagnosis, or you may simply notice patterns in yourself that feel out of your control — difficulty communicating, trouble expressing or even identifying your emotions, thoughts and impulses that seem to act faster than you can catch them.

Understanding what's happening beneath the surface is the first step toward changing it. In our sessions, we'll work to make sense of your experience, build insight into your patterns, and develop practical strategies for finding stability and agency — even in the moments that feel most unpredictable.

What Clients Have Said About Jaya

We regularly survey our clients and appreciate all who take the time to provide feedback to our counselors. The following are quotes from clients about their experience with Jaya. We do not use client’s names to protect client confidentiality.