Our Mental Health Professionals

Yasmine Benali, CCH, RP (Q)

Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)

Yasmine is a compassionate and skilled Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO). She holds a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University and is a Certified Hypnotherapist, accredited by the National Guild of Hypnotists.

Specializing in trauma-informed and client-centered practices, Yasmine provides psychotherapy to individuals, couples, and youth, focusing on creating safe and supportive spaces for exploration, healing, and growth. Fluent in English, French, and Arabic, she ensures culturally sensitive and accessible care for clients from diverse backgrounds.

At JFS Ottawa, Yasmine is part of the Refugee and Vulnerable Newcomers (RVN) program, the Counselling Group, and the Counselling Walk-In Clinic (CWIC).

Yasmine integrates a range of evidence-based psychotherapy modalities to create personalized treatment plans, including:

  • Narrative Therapy, to reframe life stories and uncover personal resilience
  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), to foster emotional regulation and mindfulness
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), to address and shift unhelpful thought patterns
  • Logotherapy and Meaning-Centered Therapy, to explore purpose and meaning in life
  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), to embrace life’s challenges and focus on values-driven living

When relevant, she integrates hypnotherapy with these modalities to provide a holistic approach to mental well-being.

With over 10 years of experience in the corporate environment, Yasmine brings a unique perspective to psychotherapy, helping clients navigate organizational stressors and enhance psychological safety at work. By combining her corporate background with therapeutic expertise, she offers practical tools and strategies to support individuals facing workplace challenges, including burnout, conflict, and career transitions.

Passionate about advocacy and social justice, Yasmine is dedicated to empowering her clients as they navigate both personal and societal challenges.

Yoko Feinman, MSW, RSW

Registered Social Worker

Yoko is a registered social worker with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW). She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Maryland and a Master of Social Work from Carleton University.

Yoko believes in the inherent dignity of every person. No one is ever just one thing, and certainly cannot be reduced to their most challenging moment. Yet the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves, or the ones that we inherit, can often keep us feeling stuck, small, and alone. Within the safety of the therapeutic relationship, we can reflect on and even question these stories and how we come to know ourselves and our place in an ever-changing world. In addition to our sense of self are the skills and resources we call upon in the face of challenges. Yoko aspires to provide an empathetic brave space as well as a practice ground for new relational skills.

Yoko’s work with young adults, adults, and couples is informed by attachment theory, narrative therapy, internal family systems, and a developmental model of relationships. Her years of experience as a dancer, choreographer, and yoga instructor, along with her continued studies of neurophysiological approaches such as polyvagal theory and sensorimotor psychotherapy, have all contributed to Yoko’s understanding of the natural intelligence of our bodies. She is passionate about the connection between the body and mind and often incorporates body-based work to support trauma and grief processing, helping clients approach emotional regulation and self-awareness with gentleness and play.