Open to opportunities

Fatima Ijaz

@fatimaijaz1

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I am a mental health counselor specializing in chronic pain and trauma.

Canada

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What I'm looking for

I seek a trauma-informed clinical role integrating OT and psychotherapy to treat chronic pain, grief, depression, and anxiety within collaborative teams that value client-centered care and professional growth.

I am a mental health counselor specializing in chronic pain, grief, depression, and anxiety who uses a trauma-informed, strengths-based approach combined with occupational therapy principles to provide holistic care. I focus on client-centered goals and practical skills to support recovery and daily functioning.

I have provided intake assessments, group and one-on-one therapy using trauma-focused CBT, ACT, and motivational interviewing, and I have applied milieu and psychosocial techniques to increase client engagement (25% increase) and program participation (30% increase in activities). I have completed clinical placements in community mental health and hand/orthopaedic settings where I used manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, guided imagery, and tailored home programs to reach intervention goals while maintaining HIPAA-compliant documentation.

I hold a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (D'Youville University, 2021–2024) and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology (University of Alberta). I am skilled with standardized assessments (BDI, MMSE, COPM, MMPI-2, DSM-5) and EMR systems (ChartLogic, TherapyNotes), and I aim to integrate occupational therapy and psychotherapy to improve clients' quality of life and functional outcomes.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Hand Therapy Intern

Pinnacle Orthopeadics and Hands Specialists

Sep 2023 - Dec 2023 (3 months)

Performed evaluations and developed individualized treatment plans for patients with orthopaedic conditions using manual therapy, therapeutic exercises, and guided imagery to meet intervention goals.

Therapeutic Exercises Manual Therapy Pain Management Treatment Planning Guided Imagery

Mental Health Therapy Intern

Restoration Society Inc.

May 2023 - Jun 2023 (1 month)

Conducted intake assessments and delivered group and one-on-one therapy using trauma-focused CBT for individuals with substance use and behavioral disorders to increase self-awareness and build coping strategies.

Trauma Focused CBT Group Therapy Individual Therapy Trauma Informed Care Documentation

Psychosocial Volunteer

Aurora Adult Day Services

Apr 2022 - Jun 2022 (2 months)

Led leisure group activities in an adult day-centre to increase social participation, introducing tailored activities that increased member participation by 30% and building therapeutic rapport with members.

Social Participation Program Development Therapeutic Use Of Self Reporting

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

D'Youville University

Master of Science in Occupational Therapy, Occupational Therapy

2021 - 2024

Activities and societies: Research project on Lifestyle Redesign; clinical placements addressing post-orthopaedic care, home-program education, and pain management techniques.

Master of Science in Occupational Therapy focused on lifestyle redesign to enhance health and wellness. Conducted research and clinical interventions using CBT and ACT to support clients with post-orthopaedic self-image and home-program education.

University of Alberta

Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Psychology

2016 - 2020

Activities and societies: Updated EMRs and documentation; psychosocial volunteer work at Aurora Adult Day Services involving leisure group facilitation and activity development.

Bachelor of Science in Psychology with clinical exposure; maintained electronic medical records, progress notes, and discharge summaries.