Counsellors' Bios

All JFS counsellors have Masters Degrees in their chosen disciplines and are registered members of their professional associations. They receive supervision on a regular basis and access professional development opportunities.

Rebecca Fromowitz, MSW RSW

Director of Counselling Services
Rebecca, as JFS Intake Worker, is your first point of entry to our counselling services. She will assist you to explore how our counselling services can best serve your goals. Rebecca has extensive experience working in various settings with youth and adults from diverse cultures. Rebecca has expertise in working with clients with depression, anxiety, abuse/neglect, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), grief/anger and loss/attachment issues. Rebecca is LGBTTQ positive. Working predominantly from a structural/ relational perspective, she guides clients towards accepting themselves, recognizing and utilizing their strengths and becoming active participants in their own journey. Further areas of interest include relational development in couples and individuals, interpersonal skills, self-esteem, disordered eating, self-harm, intimacy and sexuality. Rebecca has completed an externship as an Emotionally Focused Couples Therapist and is trained in EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing). rfromowitz@jfsottawa.com

Marlene Cherun, MSW RSW

Clinical Supervisor
Marlene received her Masters Degree in Social Work from the Maritime School of Social Work. Marlene began her career with JFS when it opened its doors as JSSA in 1980. She has thirty years of counselling and supervisory experience. Marlene’s expertise is in working with individuals who have experienced trauma or loss, childhood sexual abuse and loss of trust. Marlene is delighted to speak with community members who have identified a need for services not currently offered by JFS. mcherun@jfsottawa.com 

Reina McSheffrey, M.ED Psychotherapist, CCC

Reina graduated from the University of Ottawa’s Master of Education (Counselling) program. Reina’s specialties are relationship issues, enhancing communication skills, working with incest survivors (both genders), sexual matters, and parenting issues. She counsels individuals and couples and is LGBTTQ positive. Reina also manages and facilitates our Transformations anger management workshops. Reina also provides field supervision to university interns training for a counselling career.rmcsheffrey@jfsottawa.com

Lynn Sherwood, MSW RSW

Lynn graduated with a Masters Degree in Social Work from Carleton University. She has more than twenty years of experience counselling children, adolescents and adults, with a particular expertise in using play therapy with children. She has extensive experience in crisis intervention, in working with issues of childhood sexual abuse, grief and family violence. Lynn also has extensive experience with cross-cultural issues, in working with developmentally delayed clients and with the legal aspects of social work. Lynn is very involved in advocacy, both personally and professionally. In addition to providing general counselling, Lynn also supervises the Student Support unit. lsherwood@jfsottawa.com

Stacey Young, M.ED (Counselling Psychology) CCC

A graduate of the University of Toronto and the Ontario Institute for Studies of Education, Stacey has practiced in the field of psychology for ten years, with extensive experience counselling children, adolescents and adults, including work with families. Stacey also has experience in working with depression, custody and access issues, anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, in adults and children. Stacey also has experience with providing student support, both within a school setting and as a consultant to students, teachers and parents. As JFS Student Support worker at both Hillel Academy and Torah Academy, Stacey assists students and their families with school-related concerns. Stacey also has the capacity to administer psycho-educational assessments and to provide evaluation of children aged six to sixteen. syoung@jfsottawa.com

Sarah Caspi, MSW RSW

Using a strengths/feminist-based perspective, Sarah works exclusively with Jewish women who are or have been in abusive relationships. Sarah’s specialties include relationships, eating disorders, sexuality, bereavement, sexual abuse, gender issues and depression/anxiety. Sarah is the coordinator of Shalom Bayit, a program for abused Jewish women, as well as coordinating the StreetSmarts Program (a street outreach program to homeless people). Sarah has experience working with multicultural, interfaith and LGBTTQ clients. scaspi@jfsottawa.com

Stephanie Dugdale, M.A. CCC

Stephanie graduated with a Master of Arts in Pastoral Counselling from St. Paul’s University. She has particular proficiency in working with survivors of sexual abuse and trauma and has had training in sexual therapy and the treatment of dissociative disorders. Stephanie has completed an externship as an Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) Couple/Family therapist. She has an interest in women’s issues, gender and masculinities, eating disorders, parenting, spirituality and healing. Stephanie is LGBTTQ positive and works from a strengths/feminist based perspective. sdugdale@jfsottawa.com

Please direct all inquiries to Rebecca Fromowitz, Intake Counsellor,Counselling Group Manager, at 613.722.2225 ext. 410, rfromowitz@jfsottawa.com.

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