Why this pharmacist became a psychotherapist after nearly two decades in pharmacy

When Rami Safi began working in community pharmacy nearly two decades ago, he thought his role was helping patients manage medications. What he quickly realized instead was how crucial he could be in helping them navigate much bigger health journeys. “Nobody comes to the pharmacy because they’re happy,” said Safi, who manages the Wellness Wave Pharmacy Clinic in downtown Hamilton. “Most people come into a pharmacy because they’re sick, someone they love is sick, or they’re worried. Much of the time, you’re handling emotions much more than you’re handling prescriptions.”It’s this realization that led Safi to become a registered psychotherapist—a role he expects will help him better support patients living with mental illness and substance use disorders.Originally from Jordan, Safi studied pharmacy before immigrating to British Columbia and eventually settling in Hamilton. Here, much of his career has been spent serving patients experiencing homelessness, poverty, substance use and other social challenges.“The more I worked in that community, the more I realized people needed much more than medication,” he said. “They needed to be understood. They needed collaboration and care.”The recent pandemic became the catalyst for Safi to seriously consider pursuing a second career path. While managing a busy community pharmacy, he chose to offer walk-in COVID-19 vaccinations for people who faced barriers accessing care, including those without internet access, stable housing or English language skills.By hiring staff based on community need rather than corporate metrics, his pharmacy administered nearly 30,000 vaccines, many to marginalized patients.However, watching the emotional toll of the pandemic unfold convinced him he wanted to better understand the psychological side of healthcare. He enrolled in a master’s program in counselling psychology while continuing to practise pharmacy and, earlier this year, became a registered psychotherapist.Today, he spends about 10 hours each week providing psychotherapy, primarily to people living with anxiety, depression and substance use disorders, while continuing to operate his community pharmacy.Access remains one of the biggest challenges his patients face, Safi said. Many people living with disabilities or facing financial hardship cannot afford psychotherapy because it is often not publicly funded. Whenever possible, he offers sliding-scale fees or partners with community organizations to provide pro bono care.“I can’t stop seeing my pharmacy patients through the lens of psychotherapy now,” he said, noting that pharmacists are uniquely positioned to recognize emotional distress because they often know their patients better than any other healthcare provider.“Sometimes just understanding what’s behind a person’s fear or anxiety changes the whole conversation.”Safi plans to expand his psychotherapy training with additional certification in several areas, including Deep Brain Reorienting—a neuroscience-informed approach to trauma—as well as pain management, substance use, trauma disorders and internal family systems.He wishes to keep advocating for a more integrated model that brings mental health and pharmacy practice closer together. In fact, he’s recently presented several education sessions for social workers and psychotherapy professionals on “ADHD Medications: What Psychotherapists Need to Know” and “Working with Arabic-Speaking Communities in Canada.”“I can see patients from two different professional aspects now,” said Rami. “It gives me a much deeper understanding of what they’re going through.”

Why this pharmacist became a psychotherapist after nearly two decades in pharmacy

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