Atrena Azordegan

Student Counsellor
(she/her/hers)

In-Person and Virtual Sessions

Atrena is accepting new clients to her waitlist for January 2025!

Please email us at connect@collective-healing.ca to connect with Artena for counselling services.

I find joy in witnessing people uncover their authentic selves-their inner worth and wholeness. My work is about supporting others in living with intention rather than reactivity, to align with their inner experiences and move from a place of shame to empowerment. I am deeply committed to helping people find meaning in life. In a world filled with reminders of struggle-whether through social media, the news, or systemic pressures-it can be difficult to stay grounded in core values such as authenticity, choice, individuality and connectedness. When these are overshadowed, they can leave us with a sense of existential angst. I aim to support people in reconnecting with their values and embracing the present moment on their path of healing.

About Me

My name is Atrena Azordegan (she/her) and I am Iranian-Canadian, bisexual, neurodivergent and sex-positive with experience exploring both monogamy and nonmonogamy. I am currently a student-counsellor, completing my Masters Degree at City University of Seattle, in Vancouver.

As an Iranian-Canadian, my cultural background has strongly influenced how I approach counseling. Growing up with immigrant parents who had different views from mine taught me to value different perspectives and understand how culture shapes our experiences. I've also seen how culture affects people's experiences of trauma and the challenges of intergenerational trauma in my own family. Cultural stigma can make it hard to ask for help, and this has inspired me to create a welcoming space, especially for people from immigrant or marginalized communities who may feel uncertain about seeking therapy.

As someone who is neurodivergent, I bring both personal and professional experience to my work with neurodivergent clients. My own journey has taught me how to overcome self-doubt and negative beliefs that can come with a diagnosis, and I work to support my clients in doing the same. My work experience with neurodivergent children has also helped me understand the unique challenges they face. I am dedicated to breaking the stigma around neurodivergence by creating a supportive and empowering space for my clients.

I offer sessions mainly in English but can also incorporate Farsi. I value how language shapes meaning, identity, and experience, so I aim to respect how you express yourself in our work together.

I believe everyone deserves a chance to heal, no matter who they are or what they've done. Just by virtue of being human, you are deserving of love. I am honoured to walk alongside you on your journey, helping you reconnect with your true self and move toward a life of meaning, authenticity, and growth.

Artena’s Availability

Location: Art Therapy Studio, Virtual

Days and Hours:

Friday 11:00am - 7:00pm (Art Therapy Studio or Virtual)

Approaches in Therapy

Integrative: My approach to counseling is integrative, meaning I mix a variety of therapies in my work. I view people as multidimensional beings - your body, thoughts, emotions, spirit and behaviour all contribute to your experiences. I believe in working with all aspects of who you are, but my priority is to meet you where you are and focus on the parts you're most comfortable exploring in the moment. No one-size-fits-all approach works in therapy, so I aim to apply whichever approaches are most effective for you. Whether it's processing emotions, addressing bodily sensations, exploring childhood experiences, challenging negative thought patterns, or finding practical solutions, I am here to support you through it all.

Client-Centered: I take a client-centered approach to healing, which means that the client's needs and goals are the primary focus of our work. The client determines the objectives, speed, and limits of our sessions, while I serve as a facilitator to help them become their desired self.

Trauma-Informed: My approach is also trauma-informed, meaning I see trauma symptoms as coping strategies developed to handle overwhelming experiences, not as signs of illness. Trauma-informed care focuses on asking "What has happened to you?" instead of "What is wrong with you?". It helps people see how their trauma affects their thoughts, feelings, and actions, so they can break free from its hold and live more intentionally. I help clients move from surviving to thriving by tapping into their natural resilience and reshaping beliefs formed by their trauma. My own experience with trauma therapy, where I regained self-worth and overcame self-doubt from childhood trauma, inspires me to support others in turning their pain into strength and empowerment. I also approach trauma through an anti-oppressive lens, acknowledging the role of systems and institutions in shaping people's experiences. By addressing these larger influences, I aim to help clients reclaim a sense of agency in the face of marginalization and systemic barriers.

I resonate with a range of therapeutic lenses including but not limited to:

Client Centered
Trauma-informed
Somatic Approaches
Emotion Focused
Harm Reduction
Kink-Affirming
Neurodivergent Affirming
Queer Affirming
Sex-Positive
Strength Based
Psychodynamic Narrative Existential
Anti-oppressive
Third-Wave approaches (e.g., CBT, ACT, DBT)
Internal Family Systems

Practicum ends August 2025.