Jenae White

Specialty and Specific Interest Areas

Client Populations:
I work with adults (18+) to support a broad range of clinical concerns and life optimization goals. I have a special interest in working with OCD and supporting families of those with OCD. Some of my other strengths are working with ADHD, helping people navigate life transitions, and supporting assertive communication skills and boundary setting. My goal is to help people feel authentic, alive, and connected to themselves and others. I often focus on in-depth values work to support decision-making.

Clinical Concerns:

I have a special interest in working with:

• Anxiety
• OCD and families of those with OCD
• Attachment challenges and related disorders
• Emotion regulation
• CPTSD, PTSD, and Trauma

Non-Clinical Concerns:

I have a special interest in working with:

• Financial trauma & wealth-related anxiety
• Identity & Self-esteem
• Life transitions
• Stress, burnout, and perfectionism
• Reducing people-pleasing and over-responsibility
• Values-based action and decision-making

Expertise and Additional Areas of Study

I have the following additional courses / workshops / training:

• EMDR – Basic Training & Advanced Skills
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) – ACT Basics, ACT for ADHD, ACT for Anger Management
• Complex PTSD: A Comprehensive Approach to Accurately Assess and Effectively Treat Clients with Chronic, Repeated and/or Developmental Trauma
• Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) Skills
• Narrative Therapy: Foundations 1 & 2
• INVEST: Framework for Neuro-affirming Care
• Motivational Interviewing
• Suicide & Crisis Training
• Multiple Yoga and Yoga Nidra Trainings

I have expertise and experience working with:

1. OCD – Combining ShiftGrit’s core protocol, a 4-step behavioural intervention, and the core processes of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to understand OCD and reduce the influence of Obsessions and Compulsions.
2. Anxiety & Depression – Using evidence-based interventions to help people challenge unhelpful thought patterns and commit to value-driven actions that promote well-being.
3. Emotion Regulation – Helping people develop skills for tolerating and managing intense emotions and urges.
4. Trauma & PTSD – Supporting people in processing past trauma, building emotional resilience, and developing strategies to move forward with a greater sense of safety.
5. Perfectionism & People-Pleasing – Helping people overcome perfectionistic thinking and people-pleasing behaviours through psychological flexibility and values-aligned decision-making.

Clinical Orientations, Methods, and Theories

Some of the clinical orientations, methods, and theories I draw from are:

1. 1. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) – I use this approach to help people develop psychological flexibility and take meaningful action toward their goals.
   2. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) – This is great for building emotional regulation skills, increasing distress tolerance, and improving interpersonal effectiveness.
   3. Mindfulness & Compassion-Based Interventions – I incorporate techniques to help people increase awareness and emotional resilience. I also teach self-kindness and common humanity.
   4. Narrative Therapy – Exploring problem stories that are shaping people’s realities, and uncovering sparkling moments and unique outcomes to re-author their lives.

About Me as a Human…

When I am not in therapy-land, you can find me:
Spending time outdoors – I love hiking, climbing, camping, and basking in the sun with a great book. In colder months, you’ll find me trying out new recipes, plotting future adventures, or being active in indoor spaces… I enjoy barre, yoga, spin, boxing, and aerobics.

Self Care:
I bring balance and intention to my life through yoga, meditation, yoga nidra, movement practices, and spending time in nature to recharge. Climbing helps me build mental resilience while having fun with my community.

For Fun:
Many people are surprised to learn that FUN is actually a value… I consider it an underrated driver of innovation and health, so I make it a personal priority to pursue novelty, hobbies, playfulness, and friendship regularly. Spin, yoga, ice-cream, climbing, hiking, board games, enjoying performance art, and using whimsical soap, are a few personal examples. Many people that I’ve worked with have prioritized more FUN and NOVELTY to accelerate growth, creativity, and a more positive outlook.

For Growth:
I love to expand my knowledge and strengthen my skills, whether that’s through professional development in trauma-informed and neuro-affirming care, financial literacy, or physical challenges (like improving my climbing or scrambling skills). Witnessing resilience and hearing people’s stories and insights are also profound sources of growth.

Something unique about me is:
I have a diverse professional background that spans mental health, financial literacy, fitness, yoga, marketing/communications, and culinary nutrition. This allows me to approach therapy from many angles that integrate both practical and creative strategies. My background reflects my belief that growth is not always a linear path.

What are your academic credentials?

I hold a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University and have completed additional coursework in behavioural psychology and career development at Athabasca University. I also bring an eclectic body of knowledge and experiences from obtaining a Bachelor of Business Administration with minors in Small Business & Entrepreneurship and Marketing from Mount Royal University, a Certified Holistic Nutrition Diploma from the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition, and several Yoga and Yoga Nidra certifications.

Before I was in the mental health field, I was…

I worked in multiple capacities at a financial advisory group for 7 years, and taught yoga and culinary nutrition prior to that… I even spent a brief time as a Spin Instructor one summer, just for fun! I have a deep appreciation for how different aspects of well-being are interconnected, and I love hyping people up, whether they are making physical, mental, emotional, or financial changes.

The most impactful thing about my experience here was:
In my most recent role before becoming a Registered Provisional Psychologist, I created content and events that helped people overcome financial avoidance. The event that I was most proud of was an annual Women’s Divorce Preparedness event that created community and covered financial, legal, logistical, and psychological topics. There were many stories of women that gained confidence, clarity, and independence.

Three things I am currently interested in and why:

1. Climbing – It’s the perfect mix of problem-solving, physical challenge, mindfulness, and social connection.
2. Art & Performance – Whether it’s dance, theatre, or visual arts, I love that creative expression is a way to process emotions and connect with others.
3. Cute Soaps –  I know it’s random, but I love the smells, colors, and textures of fun and quirky soaps. Unicorns, gnomes, and hedgehogs are just a few in my collection!

One of the most helpful books I have read is:

Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown
My biggest takeaway from it was:
Understanding the wide range of human emotions and how naming and identifying them can improve self-awareness and emotional regulation. One key insight was the distinction between stress (which is manageable) and overwhelm (which exceeds our ability to cope). Knowing the difference can help us respond to challenges more effectively.

One of the most interesting books I have read is:

Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
Because:
It provides a valuable perspective on resilience, meaning, and the choices we make in responding to suffering. A classic quote from that book is:
“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”

My favourite podcast is:

‘Ologies’ with Allie Ward
The best thing about it is:
It covers a variety of fascinating topics, including mental health, in a way that is well-researched yet lighthearted. The balance of depth and humour is perfect for a road trip.

People like working with me because…

I take mental health seriously, but I also bring a healthy dose of humour to the process. Therapy is about healing, growth, and change, but that doesn’t mean it has to be heavy all the time. I create a space where people feel safe, heard, and gently encouraged while also providing enough structure to keep sessions focused and effective.