Ferial Youkhanna , LMSW

Ferial Youkhanna is a licensed social worker practicing in Michigan with more than 24 years of clinical experience. She holds a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Detroit Mercy and a Master of Clinical Mental Health/Micro Social Work from Wayne State University. Ferial is an LMSW - a Licensed Master Social Worker - reflecting her graduate-level training and professional licensure in social work.

Fluent in English, Arabic and Chaldean/Aramaic, she provides counseling to individuals and couples from diverse backgrounds. Her work spans a wide range of concerns including anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, addiction challenges such as gambling, grief and bereavement, relationship and intimacy issues, parenting and family dynamics, and mood disorders including bipolar disorder. She also supports people facing life transitions, caregiver stress, chronic illness and end-of-life matters.

Ferial draws from a variety of therapeutic methods to tailor care to each person - incorporating cognitive behavioral strategies, dialectical behavior techniques, solution-focused interventions, client-centered principles, and motivational interviewing. She has extensive experience with couples and people living with serious mental health conditions, helping them build resilience, improve communication, and develop practical coping skills. Her approach emphasizes collaboration, empathy, and skills-based work to address immediate concerns while supporting longer-term growth.

Ferial offers therapy through multiple modalities and works with clients to find approaches that match their needs, goals, and preferences.

Bringing Attachment and Acceptance Work to Online Care

Ferial uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, which helps people clarify personal values and build psychological flexibility by learning to accept difficult thoughts and emotions while committing to meaningful actions. This approach can be useful for anxiety, depression, and coping with life changes.

She also integrates Attachment-Based Therapy to explore how early relationship patterns shape current intimacy, trust, and communication. This work often helps with relationship struggles, abandonment concerns, and connection issues within families and couples.

Ferial draws on Client-Centered Therapy principles to create a respectful, nonjudgmental space where the client's perspective guides the pace and focus of treatment. This supports self-esteem, grief work, and recovery from trauma by honoring each person’s priorities and strengths.

Finding the right therapeutic approach is part of the process, and Ferial collaborates with clients to determine which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences. She tailors interventions and adapts techniques as progress unfolds.

Online therapy offers flexibility - sessions by video, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging let people access licensed professionals from home or work, fit care into busy schedules, and continue treatment during life transitions. These options make it easier to engage in consistent, effective therapy that adapts to each person’s circumstances.