American psychologists in Dubai | Thrive
At Thrive, our team consists of four US-educated and trained psychologists: Dr. Chasity O’Connel, Dr. Kate Prozeller, Dr. Elif Celebi, and Sonia Singhal. All professionals are highly experienced and have undergone extensive training over many years.
Dr. Chasity holds a doctorate degree from Southern University, California, Master’s degrees in counseling and psychological science from Georgetown University and Seton Hall University. She is a USA board- certified counselor (NBCC).
Dr. Kate holds a master’s and doctoral degree in counseling psychology (Saint Mary’s University, Minnesota). Her therapeutic practice is client centered, rooted in compassion and patience.
Dr. Elif holds a doctorate in counseling psychology from University of Missouri, USA and a master’s degree in Clinical psychology from Ball State University, USA.
Sonia is the lead assessment specialist at Thrive. She holds a Master’s of Education in Psychology from Columbia University, New York.
Areas of expertise and presenting problems managed by Dr. Taregh and Dr. Dana:
Post Traumatic Stress disorder
Phobias
Perinatal mental health
Burnout and work stress
Life transitions
Finding meaning and purpose in life
Family therapy
Severe and persistent mental illness
Psychological assessments
British-trained Dubai Therapists
Our team of Dubai-based American clinicians provide individual psychotherapy, couple’s therapy, family counseling and psychological assessments (educational, career, diagnostic and personality).
Individual therapy refers to therapeutic work in a one-on-one setting, each session usually lasts between 45 minutes to an hour. The process is primarily goal driven: reduction of symptoms and distress, better quality of life, handling triggers, or managing difficult emotions. Talk therapy can help in significant ways to improve mental health.
Couples therapy offers a safe space for both partners in a relationship to be supported by a therapist. It encourages better communication patterns and productive conflict resolution. Couples therapy sessions last from anywhere between 60 to 90 minutes and can address practically any concerns a couple may be going through.
Family therapy is a form of psychotherapy that aids families to communicate effectively, manage conflict, support one another, and deal with difficult circumstances in a functional and sensitive manner.
Psychological assessment is the process of evaluating mental health, behavior, cognition, intellectual abilities, and personality traits. This can be achieved in many ways, some of which are: standardized tests, observations, interviews, self reports measures, and physiological and psychophysiological measurement devices.
Dr. Chasity O’Connel
Dr. O’Connell works with individuals, couples, and families from all over the world to help them through the pain, distress, and challenges that may be preventing them from living a fuller and more engaged life.
She has over 10 years of experience both in the US and in the UAE. She is a USA board-certified counselor (NBCC). In addition to providing therapy, Dr. O’Connell is the Clinical Director at Thrive and is a professor at the American University of Sharjah (AUS) where she teaches and conducts research.
Dr. O'Connell uses an integrative approach to psychological therapy, incorporating Humanistic Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). This integrative approach enables her to rely on evidence-based therapies while tailoring a treatment approach that is specific and unique to the individual.
Licensed and trained in the USA, Dr. O'Connell has multiple advanced degrees:
Master of Arts from Georgetown University
Post graduate degree in Counseling from Seton Hall University
Master’s in psychological science from Seattle Pacific University
Doctorate in psychology from Southern University, California
Dr. Kate Prozeller
Dr. Kate is a US trained and educated Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) licensed by the CDA in Dubai. She has clinical experience both in the US and the UAE, serving a variety of patient populations.
She approaches therapy from a client-centered perspective, rooted in compassion and patience. She primarily utilizes evidence-based treatment modalities and tailors her therapeutic approach to fit the client’s needs, incorporating elements of: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT), Narrative Therapy, and psychodynamic therapy.
Her educational background includes:
Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Counseling Psychology from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota (American Psychological Association accredited).
Master’s degree in Business Administration from Hamline University.
Certified in Maternal Mental Health through Postpartum Support International (PSI).
Dr. Elif Celebi
Dr. Elif is an experienced psychotherapist with a genuine passion for helping individuals feel less anxiety and stress so they can develop confidence and thrive in their personal and professional relationships.
In her various professional training sites, she has become skilled in evidence based psychological assessment and intervention with a strong emphasis on the scientist-practitioner model. Prior to joining Thrive, she worked as an Associate Professor of Psychology for 10 years.
Dr. Elif’s qualifications are as follows:
Postdoctoral Fellowship in Primary Care Family Therapy, University of Rochester Medical School, USA (2009)
Doctorate in Counseling Psychology (PhD), University of Missouri, USA (2008)
Masters (MA) in Clinical Psychology, Ball State University, USA (2003)
Sonia Singhal
Sonia is a CDA Licensed Psychologist in Dubai (recognized by KHDA) and Lead Assessment Specialist. She is also a Licensed Marriage & Family Counselor (California).
She provides individual, family and couples therapy and holds a special interest in attachment theory and family systems. She is passionate about supporting teenagers and adults to overcome emotional and psychological difficulties.
She specializes in the following psychological assessments:
Psychoeducational assessments for children (4+) with learning difficulties or ADHD (WPPSI, WISC, WAIS, WIAT, DASH, TOC, Conners, BASC, DKEFS)
Memory, language, auditory, visual skills screening (CMS, EVT, PPVT, TAPS, TVPS)
Screening for emotional difficulties (BYI, SDQ)
Career assessments (aptitude, interests, emotional intelligence)
She also provides individual or group supervision to mental health practitioners.
Her educational background is as follows:
Masters of Education in Psychology from Columbia University in New York.
Our psychologists also offer services in Arabic, Armenian, Bosnian, Croatian, English, French, Greek, Hindi, Malayalam, Romanian, Serbian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish and Urdu.
