About Me

Hi, I’m Asa (they / them / iel), a certified LGBTTQQIP2SAA POC music therapist (MA, MTA, MT-BC, NMT). I’m a multidisciplinary creative too, and play the qanoon / organ / piano as well as creating whatever makes me feel present in this world.

I work with children, teens, adults, couples, and families with diverse backgrounds in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Specifically, I have been working with individuals in transition/ cultural conflicts and those in LGBTTQQIP2SAA / BIPOC communities. I’m also supporting creatives to strive in their creative journey. Difficulties related to hormonal wellbeing during the perinatal period and change of life (menopause) is another area that I focus on.

My passion for anti-oppressive, trauma-informed, culturally-centered, gender-affirming work with diverse population stems from my own experiences of multiple transitions among different countries as a visible minority.

Before moving to Canada, I resided in Japan, Italy, Egypt, and India over extended periods of time, during which I studied, worked, married, gave birth to children, parented, temporarily single parented, rebuilt a career, and pursued a new career. During my stay in Egypt, I experienced two emergency displacements with my children due to the Arab Spring and subsequent coup d’etat. When I was in India, I realized the power that music therapy had, and made the decision to shift to Canada with my children for my own dream.

These personal experiences have helped me to better understand some of what you have went through. I understand how hard it is to cut off all ties with what you have built up and rebuild new lives in a new place. I know how isolated it is to be away from your family and friends and raise children by yourself, in your non-native language and culture. I know how hard it is to integrate yourself into a new community without sufficient social and cultural support, while at the same time dealing with the traumatic events that you have experienced. I understand how difficult it is to manage your mental and biological health while moving from country to country.

I hope my personal experiences can aid me in supporting you and your wellbeing journey in addition to music therapy.