GAVIN BEJAIMAL [they/he] MSW,RSW

Registered Social Worker

Individual sessions for $120/hr

I believe we are all born with a diamond compass that guides us to safety and supports us in fulfilling our highest potential. However, in the mystery of life, we can get a bit lost on our way. As your therapist, I aim to assist you in reconnecting with your inner guidance system to achieve your personal goals. In the words of Alok Vaid-Menon, “being ourselves is a collective journey”, and I am grateful that you are considering therapy as a part of yours. 

As an Indo-Caribbean, queer, neurodivergent, spiritual, creative human, I draw upon the wisdom of my identities to understand the complexity of you within your social context. Though I often present as a male, I identify as non-binary and gender-fluid, and survival for me has meant compartmentalizing my gender in order to cope with the violence of cis/hetero-normativity and colonialism. My wish through our therapeutic work together is to explore, practice and experience healing from the oppressive and violent forces in our society. I recognize myself as a settler on Indigenous land, currently based in Tkaronto, covered by Treaty 13, and am grounded by the wisdom of queer theory, feminism and the practice of decolonization. 

I adopt a trauma-informed, strengths-based, and person-centred perspective, trusting in your inherent wisdom and resources. My approach can be described as warm, compassionate, sensitive and intuitive. I strive to support you with identifying the “self” (or inner compass) through an eclectic range of therapeutic modalities (IFS, EFT, narrative, somatic, mindfulness, DBT…). I am also open to the alternative, so astrology, tarot, and other meaning-making tools are welcome! 

I bring a diverse professional background to my practice, with over six years in the HIV sector focusing on sexual health and harm reduction. I have also supported arts-based therapeutic practices at Access Alliance and provided social work support in the Complex Malignant Hematology and Breast Cancer wards at Sunnybrook. Additionally, I have contributed to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, leading discussions on intersectionality and acceptance in various corporate environments. 

I enjoy working with individuals navigating complex life transitions, grief and loss, relational issues, experience of racialization, gender or sexual identities, and challenges relating to a sense of belonging or purpose. 

In my personal life, I am passionate about listening to and creating music, with Joni Mitchell, Utada Hikaru, and composer Ryuichi Sakamoto as some of my main influences. My love for music and travel led me to see Joni Mitchell live in Washington, and Utada live in Japan. 

If interested in exploring how we could work together in a therapeutic context, please reach out for a free 20-minute consultation!