Ekta Lather, M.A., RP

You've been the strong one for so long. You don't have to hold it all alone.

So many women I work with are holding everything: careers, families, culture and everyone’s feelings, while their own needs quietly slip to the bottom of the list. When life shifts through pregnancy, a diagnosis, midlife or a move across the world, that strength can turn into exhaustion and a loss of self. Often, the strain shows up first in our closest relationships.

My work is helping you reconnect with yourself and your partner, so you don’t have to carry it all alone. I believe relationships are where we get hurt, but also where we heal.

I grew up in Delhi and worked across Asia, Europe and North America with UN agencies, BBC Media Action and community organizations. Moving to Canada as an immigrant taught me what it means to build a life between two worlds, balancing the culture we carry with the life we’re creating.

As a therapist, I’ve supported women navigating fertility, pregnancy, early motherhood and perimenopause, as well as individuals and families facing cancer, caregiving, grief and crisis. These experiences taught me that strength and softness are not opposites, and that learning to turn toward each other in difficult moments can deepen our relationships.

What truly drew me to this work was seeing how alone women can feel, even when surrounded by people. There’s so much pressure to be the perfect mom, partner and professional while quietly losing sight of yourself. Whether you’re pregnant, navigating postpartum or raising little ones, motherhood can reshape your identity and relationships in ways you never expected. I want women and couples to know they don’t have to navigate these changes alone.

Work With Me

I’ve been practising as a Registered Psychotherapist since 2022, working with women, couples and individuals. Before that, I spent years in crisis counselling and community work, learning to sit with people through some of life’s hardest moments.

For nearly three years, I led individual and group counselling for people living with cancer and their caregivers. Alongside stories of fear, grief and loss, I witnessed remarkable gratitude. Even in uncertainty, people found meaning in the smallest moments. This taught me that gratitude holds a special place in healing, something I carry into my work today.

I’m especially drawn to South Asian and cross-cultural couples, immigrants navigating cultural expectations, and individuals and partners experiencing pregnancy, new parenthood, illness or midlife transitions. If you’ve ever felt that a therapist didn’t quite understand your family or culture, I want you to know you won’t have to explain everything from scratch here.

My approach integrates Eastern and Western perspectives:

• Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) helps couples understand recurring conflict patterns and see the cycle, rather than each other, as the problem.

• Internal Family Systems (IFS)-informed work helps you understand the parts of yourself that shut down, react or feel overwhelmed, with curiosity rather than judgment.

• CBT- and ACT-informed approaches offer practical tools for navigating anxiety, stress and unhelpful thoughts.

• Somatic and mindfulness-informed practices, shaped by my yoga training, help you reconnect with your body and regulate emotions.

My goal isn’t to decide who’s right or wrong, but to understand the different perspectives that shape your experiences. Together, we’ll explore your story, strengthen communication, and work toward rebuilding trust, emotional connection and a stronger sense of self. I want you to feel comfortable being honest, both in therapy and in your relationships.

What to Expect in Therapy:

Our first sessions are about understanding your story, what’s bringing you to therapy, and what you hope will change. With couples, I typically meet with you together and may also meet individually to better understand each partner’s experience.

From there, we slow things down. We’ll explore what’s underneath recurring conflicts—the fear, hurt or longing driving your reactions—and help you express feelings that may have been difficult to put into words.

I’m warm, but I’m also direct. I won’t just nod along. I’ll gently name patterns, offer new perspectives, and help you try different ways of responding. Sessions may include guided conversations, grounding exercises or practical tools to use outside therapy.

For me, a safe space means more than being non-judgmental. It means respecting your pace, honouring both partners’ experiences, and approaching your values, culture and family dynamics with sensitivity. When people feel understood and safe, they can begin to lower their defences and reconnect. That’s where meaningful change begins.

Beyond the Couch: My Personal Highlights

• Mom of two beautiful kids, and also a wife, daughter, sister and friend, so I know what it means to juggle many roles at once

• Blessed with three best friends on three different continents, and we've kept our bond strong across every time zone

• Published fiction author of Piper and Her Babas and Babes, and currently writing my second novel

• Trained for three years in Bharatanatyam, and I still love to dance

• 300-hour certified yoga teacher

• Happiest behind a camera or in a swimming pool

• Grew up in Delhi traveled many countries -and now call Toronto home

• Speak English, Hindi and Haryanvi