Our Mental Health Professionals

Amal Ahmed, MA, RP

Registered Psychotherapist

Amal’s foremost focus is to provide a safe, warm, and validating therapeutic space where clients can feel heard and understood. She uses an integrated approach to help raise awareness and facilitate emotional processing, drawing from narrative and attachment family therapies with the hope of expanding on clients’ strengths.

Amal has experience working with a variety of clinical issues, such as depression, anxiety, burnout, life transitions, and relationship challenges. She has also worked with individuals struggling with anger, school difficulties, and challenging family dynamics.

Amal is a Registered Psychotherapist and has completed a Master’s Degree in Counseling and Spirituality.

Jesse Henneberry, PhD, RP, MA, CCC

Registered Psychotherapist

Jesse is a Registered Psychotherapist (RP) with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) and a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC).

He has worked with The Counselling Group since 2011 as a member of the adult individual team. In his practice he supports individual adults who present with a broad range of concerns including trauma (both current and historical), grief, anxiety, depression, life transitions, relationship stress, addictions, and anger management.

The primary therapeutic modalities that he draws upon in his work with clients include narrative therapy, existential therapy, attachment therapy, interpersonal therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy. He strives to bring a calm and relaxed energy to all his work with clients, working collaboratively, and at a pace that is respectful to all those with whom he meets.

In addition to being on the adult individual team, since 2014 he has also worked at the agency’s walk-in counselling clinic—as a therapist seeing clients who access the clinic, and as a clinical supervisor providing clinical support to both therapists on the team and to therapists-in-training. Jesse also offers clinical consultation and supervision to other clinicians in the community.

He has a wide breadth of experience in various non-profit public mental health settings, including previously working as a therapist at an Employee Assistant Program (EAP), and as a therapist in a Partner Assault Response (PAR) program—a program funded by the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General for clients who have been charged with a domestic assault and mandated to attend counselling as per probation conditions.

A lifelong learner in the field of psychotherapy, he frequently attends workshops and reads books on the process of psychotherapy to continually refine his practice. In addition, he has published articles in international academic journals on the topic of grief and bereavement and was a teaching assistant and guest lecturer in a Psychopathology and Assessment course in the University of Ottawa’s MA Counselling Psychology program.

He holds a master’s degree in counselling and spirituality from Saint Paul University, and a doctorate in education from the University of Ottawa where he conducted research on how psychotherapists effectively use brief narrative therapy to support the development of client preferred identities in single session settings.

Prior to his work as a psychotherapist, he completed a bachelor’s degree in criminology and criminal Justice at Carleton University and subsequently worked in various front-line social service settings across Ottawa. These included advocacy groups supporting victims of violent crime, a homeless shelter, and as a volunteer in the Ottawa Civic Hospital’s ICU family lounge where he provided emotional support to families with loved ones in the Intensive Care Unit.

 

Valerie Repta, MA, MSW, RSW

Registered Social Worker, Psychotherapist

One of Valerie’s greatest strengths is her ability to connect with other people, understanding their perspective, to create a safe and trusting therapeutic relationship. In this warm and nonjudgmental atmosphere, Valerie works with clients to develop a toolbox of strategies to support them toward their goals. Additionally, she extends her expertise by offering clinical consultation and supervision to other clinicians in the community.

Valerie has taught mindfulness since 2004 and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) since 2010 which remain a cornerstone of her practice. She uses mindfulness to increase awareness, acceptance, and self-compassion, and to support mental health when shown to be effective. She also draws on dialectic behaviour therapy, emotionally-focused therapy and interpersonal therapies. Valerie has been working in the Ontario Structured Psychotherapy program since 2018 providing cognitive behavioural therapy to people dealing with anxiety, depression, panic, avoidance, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and trauma including treating PTSD. She works with individuals of all ages, including children, adolescents, adults, and families. She values diversity in all of its forms, including working with people from marginalized communities.

Valerie holds a Master’s Degree in Psychology (neuroscience), in which she studied the effects of mindfulness on health and well-being. She also holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work. She is a member of the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers and the Ontario Association of Social Workers.

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.