OPA Breakout Community Psychiatry Advocacy Award Winner (2019)

Dr. Yusra Ahmad, MD, FRCPC, is a community psychiatrist in Toronto.  She has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Chicago and an MD from the University of Toronto where she also completed her residency in psychiatry in 2013. 

Dr. Ahmad created Mindfully Muslim after she witnessed the impact of repetitive trauma on her community, culminating in the Quebec City mosque shooting.  Mindfully Muslim is an anti-oppressive, trauma-informed, faith-based group therapy program that blends her interests in mindfulness, neurobiology, poetry, self-help, psychotherapy and religion.  It has been adopted by Women’s Health in Women’s Hands, a community health centre in Toronto.

Dr. Ahmad has lived in 4 countries and grew up with 5 languages.  A poet at heart, she is guided by a deeply-held desire for a more peaceful world.  She is known for her sensitivity to suffering and her gentle approach to therapy.  She is also a passionate advocate for social justice and a more nuanced and inclusive approach to mental health services.  

Dr. Ahmad loves to live in between the lines because she believes a lot of power & beauty springs from these liminal spaces.  She cares deeply about people and their stories.

Read National Post's Article highlighting Dr. Ahmad's work on culturally sensitive treatments for depression https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/lets-talk-about-culturally-sensitive-treatments-for-depression