British psychologists in Dubai | Thrive
At Thrive, our team in Dubai consists of two British-educated and trained psychologists: Dr. Taregh Shaban and Dr. Dana Jammal. Both professionals are highly experienced and have undergone extensive training over many years.
Dr. Taregh holds a PhD (University of Reading, UK), a Master’s degree in psychoanalytic studies (University of London) and a Master’s equivalent diploma in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). He works with adults and his practice is grounded in research and evidence.
Dr. Dana holds a doctoral degree in counseling psychology (City University, London). Her approach is client centered and integrative, she tailors her approach in unique ways to adapt to each individual client. She works with adults for individual as well as couple’s therapy.
Areas of expertise and presenting problems managed by Dr. Taregh and Dr. Dana:
Panic attacks
Post Traumatic Stress disorder
Phobias
Burnout and work stress
Life transitions
Finding meaning and purpose in life
British-trained Dubai Therapists
Both of our Dubai-based British clinicians provide individual psychotherapy. 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.
Additionally, Dr. Dana provides couples therapy in Dubai. 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.
Dr. Taregh Shaban
Qualifications
Dr. Taregh holds a Master of Arts degree in Psychoanalytic Studies from the University of London and a Postgraduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) from the prestigious Charley Waller Institute. He has received training in schema therapy, mindfulness-based cognitive behavioral therapy, and compassion-focused therapy. He specializes in supporting adults experiencing anxiety, depression, and trauma. He is also trained to support people with obsessive-compulsive disorder and borderline personality disorder.
He has successfully graduated from a Ph.D. program under the clinical and academic supervision of professors from the notable University of Oxford, UK.
Experience
Dr. Taregh spent six years working as a Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapist and supervisor at the Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust. During that time, he was being supervised by highly experienced British and world-renowned experts.
He led a successful project training Arab psychiatrists and clinical psychologists in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. This was a joint venture with the Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre (OCTC). He also led, co-designed and fully coordinated the CBT module of a diploma in psychosocial interventions run by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in a North African Country.
Additionally, he regularly runs very successful training workshops for clinicians and trainees in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Low Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
Specialized Training Courses
British training courses:
CBT (Ehlers and Clark’s Model) for PTSD - Professor David Clark, University of Oxford
CBT (Salkovskis’ Model) for Health Anxiety - Professor Salkovskis, University of Oxford
Mindfulness based CBT for depression and health anxiety - Professor Mark Williams, University of Oxford
Compassion Focussed Therapy - Professor Paul Gilbert, British clinical psychologist, founder of compassion focused therapy
Schema Therapy: The Model, Methods & Techniques & Working with Complex Presentations including BPD – Dr. Arnie Reed, British psychologist
‘Supervision’ - Dr. Michael Townend, University of Derby
International training courses:
CBT (Dugas’ Model) for GAD - Professor Michele Dugas
CBT for Treatment resistant OCD - Professor Radomsky
Getting the best out of using the CTS-R in supervision - Dr. Peter Armstrong
Dr. Dana Jamal
Qualifications
Dr. Dana holds a doctorate in Counselling Psychology (City University, London), an MSc (King’s College, London) in mental health studies as well as a BSc in Psychology. She incorporates a holistic approach to therapy and practices using an integrative framework – meaning that she draws from different therapeutic approaches to adapt to what works for each individual client.
She is trained in several approaches including Humanistic Therapy, Trauma-focused Therapy as well as Third-wave cognitive-behavioral therapies such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Compassion-focused Therapy and Mindfulness-based interventions.
Her focus is on building non-judgmental and empathic relationships with clients, with the intention of creating a safe environment that facilitates and actively supports their path towards growth and wellbeing.
In addressing concerns such as anxiety or low mood, her approach is two-fold. She integrates practical techniques grounded in evidence-based research, while also delving into deeper, underlying patterns that may be impeding progress. These patterns often serve as barriers to meaningful change in one’s life.
Experience
She helps to discover and utilize each client’s own internal strengths. This process is instrumental in helping build resilience: the capacity to find meaning in life’s hardships and to bounce back in the face of challenging experiences. She works on the feeling of empowerment with deeper awareness and therapeutic tools to navigate life’s complexities with newfound meaning and purpose.
Specialized Training Approaches
Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Compassion-focused Therapy (CFT)
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
Positive Psychology
Resilience Training
Humanistic Therapy
Transpersonal Therapy
Clinical Research
Dr. Dana has conducted extensive research within the area of organizational well being for the development of bespoke workshops designed to help with occupational burnout, to build resilience under pressure and to develop skills to cope with work-related stress.
Her latest research focuses on cyberpsychology; specifically on how individuals experience themselves and other people on social networking sites as well as how they experience their relationship to social media from the epistemological standpoint of phenomenology.
She has also conducted research at King’s College London investigating the role of interpretative biases in distinguishing social anxiety from paranoia.
Dr. Ash Shishodia
I am a Western-trained General Adult Psychiatrist (Addiction Psychiatry endorsement) and Neuropsychiatrist with over 15 years experiencing working with an ethnoculturally diverse population. I am comfortable working with mild, moderate, and severe cases, including major mental illness, and neurological disorders with mental health.
I have a strong background in psychopharmacology and an interest in responsibly measuring outcomes of new modalities. I am an adept communicator with an ability to engage my patients and partner effectively with other team members to provide collaborative, interdisciplinary care.
Expertise
Adult ADHD
Anxiety-related disorders (anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder)
Behavioral symptoms associated with physiological and physical factors
Mood disorders (depression, bipolar affective disorder)
Personality disorders (borderline personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder)
Psychotic disorders
Substance misuse
Specializing in diagnosing and treating mental disorders caused by conditions affecting the nervous system, such as head injuries, epilepsy, dementia, or obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Experience
Provided direct clinical services such as psychiatric evaluations, psychopharmacology, and referrals to off-campus agencies and professionals.
Delivered trainings for professional and paraprofessional staff; consulted with faculty and staff.
Prescribed directed and administered psychotherapeutic treatments or medications to treat mental emotional or behavioral disorders
Collaborated with physicians, psychologists, social workers psychiatric nurses or other professionals to discuss treatment plans and progress.
Qualifications
Royal College of Psychiatrists (UK)
Board-certified specialist in adult and substance misuse psychiatry, General Medical Council (UK), 2021
Specialist training residency in adult and substance misuse with neuropsychiatry, North West Deanery School Training Programme (UK), 2018-2021
Senior psychiatry residency, Auckland Psychiatry Residency Training Programme (New Zealand), 2012-2014
Core psychiatry residency, Charing Cross Psychiatry Training Programme (UK), 2003-2007
MBBS Mumbai University (India) 2002
DHA-licensed Consultant Psychiatrist (2024)
DOH-licensed Consultant Psychiatrist (2023)
Our psychologists also offer services in Arabic, Armenian, Bosnian, Croatian, English, French, Greek, Hindi, Malayalam, Romanian, Serbian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish and Urdu.
