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About Dr. Belal Zia
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Meet Your Psychologist

Dr. Belal Zia, Ph.D., C.Psych.
Psychologist | Clinic Director

Dr. Belal Zia is a Clinical Psychologist and Clinic Director at Discourse Psychology Centre. He provides evidence-based psychotherapy for adults and teens, and couples therapy across Ontario. He treats a range of concerns, including anxiety, depression, OCD, ADHD, trauma, relationship difficulties, and problem emotional or personality patterns. Dr. Zia’s approach aims to help clients achieve meaningful, lasting change.

In treatment, Dr. Zia uses evidence-based treatments and careful ongoing assessment. His style is thoughtful and direct, helping clients better understand what is causing their difficulties, and arrive at practical strategies to help them move forward. He brings cultural humility and sensitivity to his clinical work. Dr. Zia is experienced working with clients from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds, with particular depth in cross-cultural and Muslim mental health.

Dr. Zia trained in hospital and specialized clinical settings, including the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). He has worked in both public and private practice serving individuals with complex presentations. He provides virtual psychological services to clients in Mississauga, Oakville, Milton, and throughout Ontario. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Zia is an active researcher and author whose work has been presented in peer-reviewed journals and international conferences. He also routinely delivers public talks about mental health, including his Mental Health Literacy program Mental Health 101: For Muslims.

Dr. Belal Zia is currently taking patients

He offers a free brief consultation to prospective patients.
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Beyond the Clinic

Dr. Zia actively engages in research and community work outside the clinic. Below are some selected works.

Peer-Reviewed Publication

  1. Zia, B., Kouser, T., Helal, H. & Awaad, R. (2024). A brief overview of the Islamic ethics of suicide and suicide-related contemporary issues: A primer for clinicians and researchers. Journal of Religion and Health. 
  2. DOI: 10.1007/s10943-024-02007-6
  3. Humam, F., McBryde-Redzovic, A., Mahoui, I., Ali, S., Abolaban, H., Zia, B. & Awaad, R. (2023). The Role of Muslim Religious Leaders in Mental Health: A Community-Based Participatory Research Study in the Bay Area. Pastoral Psychology. DOI: 10.1007/s11089-023-01077-9
  4. Suleiman, K., El-Gabalawy, O., Zia, B. & Awaad, R. (2023). Suicide responses in American Muslim communities: A cultural formulation of suicide among Muslims utilizing two case studies. Journal of Muslim Mental Health, 17(1), 1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3998/jmmh.1457
  5. Zia, B., Abdulrazaq, S. & Mackenzie, C. S. (2022). Mental health service utilization and psychological help-seeking preferences among Canadian Muslims. Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health, 41(1), 35 – 45. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7870/cjcmh-2022-003
  6. Ali, S., Elsayed, D., Elahi, S., Zia, B., & Awaad, R. (2022). Predicting rejection attitudes towards utilizing formal mental health services in Muslim women in the US: Results from the Muslims’ perceptions and attitudes to mental health study. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 68(3). 662-669. 
  7. DOI: 10.1177/00207640211001084
  8. Awaad, R., El-Gabalawy, O., Jackson-Shaheed, E., Zia, B., Keshavarzi, H., Mogahed, D., & Altalib, H. (2021). Suicide Attempts Across American Religious Groups: A National Population-Based Poll. JAMA Psychiatry, 78(9), 1041-1044. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2021.1813
  9. Zia, B., & Mackenzie, C. S. (2021). Internalized stigma negatively affects attitudes and intentions to seek psychological help among western Muslims: Testing a moderated serial mediation model. Stigma and Health. DOI:  https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/sah0000314
  10. Zia, B., Heisel, M. J., Peckham, S. B., & Rosen, S. (2019). Screening for suicide risk among middle-aged and older men: Investigating the psychometric properties of the 5-item suicidal behaviors questionnaire (SBQ-5) and the geriatric suicide ideation scale-screen (GSIS-Screen). Clinical Gerontologist, 43(1). 
  11. DOI: 10.1080/07317115.2019.1656695

Manualized Interventions

  1. Awaad, R., El-Gabalawy, O., Kouser, T., & Zia, B. (2022). The Muslim Community Suicide Response Manual: On Suicide Prevention, Intervention & Postvention for Community & Religious Leaders.
  2. Mackenzie, C., Reynolds, K., DePeazer, J., Brousseau-Snider, T., Pelletier, M., Zia, B., Sareen, J., Sala, T., Wong, J., Whitney, D. & Kinley, J. (2018). Turning Pages Manual. CBT-M for Older Adults.

Community Workshops

  1. Zia, B., Mackenzie, C. S., & Helal, H.. Mental Health 101: For Muslims.
  2. Awaad, R., El-Gabalawy, O., Kouser, T. & Zia, B.. The Muslim Community Suicide Workshop: On Suicide Prevention, Intervention & Postvention for Community & Religious Leaders.

Non-Academic Articles

  1. Suicide Prevention for Muslim Communities. Muslim Matters
  2. Clinical Pearls for Muslim Patients with Suicide Risk. Medscape Psychiatry.
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