Yasmin Elkhair, LICSW

Yasmin Elkhair is a licensed independent clinical social worker with 25 years of experience serving people in the Washington, DC area. She helps with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma and abuse, relationship concerns, addictions, self-esteem, and coping with life changes. Her approach aims to create a calm, respectful space where clients can say what they need to say and be heard.

Yasmin uses a mix of practical tools from several therapy styles so sessions fit each person's needs. She draws on client-centered work to keep the focus on the client's goals. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques are used to spot and change unhelpful thinking patterns. Mindfulness and journaling are often added to help with grounding and emotion regulation.

Sessions are collaborative. The therapist and client develop a treatment plan together. Yasmin emphasizes compassion and gives people choices about the pace and direction of therapy. Techniques mentioned include cognitive reframing, reality testing, relaxation exercises, and journaling.

Her practice supports people dealing with relationship and communication problems, caregiver stress, aging and geriatric issues, bereavement and end-of-life concerns, codependency, and post-traumatic stress. She also addresses career worries, parenting challenges, and feelings of emptiness or isolation.

Throughout therapy, Yasmin keeps the client in control of decisions and progress. The aim is to help people move toward their own version of optimal functioning and self-care.

Therapeutic approaches and online care

Yasmin draws on Client-Centered Therapy to keep the focus on each person’s goals and preferences. That approach emphasizes listening, empathy, and collaboration so clients guide the pace and direction of work. It is useful when someone needs to feel understood and to set personal goals.

She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which breaks down problems into thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. CBT provides hands-on tools like cognitive reframing and reality testing that help with anxiety, depression, and unhelpful thinking patterns.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Yasmin discusses options with clients and adjusts methods based on needs, goals, and what feels most helpful. The therapist and client decide together which techniques to try and when to change course.

If you are considering online therapy, confirm the specific session options before booking because the biography did not list formats. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, shorten travel time, and allow check-ins that work around work or caregiving responsibilities. Some formats can also be simpler when bandwidth is limited or when a shorter check-in is needed.