Clinical Psychologist | Dubai
With 15 years of experience as a clinical psychologist, I relocated to the United Arab Emirates in 2019. I offer anxiety treatment, as well as therapy for adults struggling with depression, painful experiences, negative thoughts, uncomfortable emotional states, unhealthy behaviours, and undermining relationship patterns. Practicing as a clinical psychologist in Dubai, a multi-cultural metropolis, affirms the universality of humankind – similar mental health issues occur across all nationalities.
What do you see?
The image at the top of the page can be viewed as a rabbit or a duck and illustrates that what we apprehend is not always entirely accurate - alternate perspectives are possible. This does not mean that anxiety can simply be overcome by visualising a state of tranquility; this is too simplistic.
To stay with the example of anxiety, the rabbit/duck image illustrates that we do not always fully grasp the various factors underlying an anxious state. For example, we might seek anxiety treatment with a clinical psychologist in the United Arab Emirates following relationship difficulties. After examining the manifest symptoms of anxiety, the therapist will also probe beneath the surface of the symptoms to identify less visible factors contributing to the distressed state of mental health. For example, the anxiety may also point to an insecurity regarding personal value, issues with trust, or a fear of abandonment.
The question then becomes less about anxiety treatment and more about improving self-esteem, trust, and managing abandonment fears. Symptoms should not always be taken at face value. They often communicate less visible aspects of ourselves. Living as an expat is a time limited experience and offers a moment to stop and examine our mental health with a clinical psychologist in Dubai.
Is there something wrong with me?
Consulting with a clinical psychologist in Dubai may cause you to wonder if there is something wrong with you. The short answer to this is that we all have mental health issues which can at times become impossible to deal with on our own. Most importantly, anxiety treatment and the alleviation of depressive symptoms are essential to improving our quality of life.
These issues exist for particular reasons and have not appeared out of thin air. A therapist aims to understand how these issues developed, why they continue to operate, and to assist in affecting change. The sooner that we acknowledge and work with our particular mental health issues the better – both for ourselves and others.
Types Of Therapy
Clinical psychology is dissimilar to the singular model of modern medicine. There are many different types of therapy on offer in Dubai and it can be difficult to choose the best clinical psychologist for you. Broadly speaking, most types of therapy can be classified as either psychodynamic therapy or cognitive behavioral therapy.
Psychodynamic therapy evolved out of psychoanalysis. Common features include discussing the influence of past experiences on current difficulties, identifying recurring patterns, expressing emotions, deepening insight and emotional understanding, and recognizing unconscious factors.
Cognitive behavioral therapy grew out of a disillusionment with the psychoanalytic model and the difficulty with transforming insight into action. Cognitive behavioral therapy is less nuanced than psychodynamic therapy and offers practical tools for anxiety treatment and various psychological difficulties. Little to no emphasis is placed on the influence of past experiences or unconscious dynamics. The therapist achieves change by examining and challenging distorted thinking patterns and disrupting unwanted behaviours.
Most clinical psychologists in Dubai tend to practice either psychodynamic therapy or cognitive behavioural therapy. I primarily practice psychodynamic therapy, although I include cognitive behavioral therapy when necessary. For example, OCD and Panic Disorder respond well to cognitive behavioral therapy, although they also benefit from a psychodynamic understanding of underlying factors.
Diagnosis
Mainstream clinical psychology emphasizes diagnosis as the first port of call. Although diagnosis risks boxing individuality, it also helps to identify the precise nature of a mental health issue. In turn, this influences the focus of therapy. For example, a diagnosis of depression will require a treatment focus that differs from anxiety treatment.
That being said, diagnosis is only one aspect of therapy. A psychodynamically trained clinical psychologist will pay attention to various factors underlying a diagnosis. These include attachment style, cognitive and affective patterns, personality features, interpersonal themes, defenses, and unconscious factors.
Diagnosis can be understood as locating an area on a map. The exploration of the actual territory is analagous to therapy, and the clinical psychologist can be viewed as a guide.
Defences
Defences are an integral part of our psychology and we will find them occurring at home, in Dubai, and on holiday. They develop unconsciously during our childhood to protect us from painful experiences, thoughts and feelings. One of the problems with defences is that they become outdated as we move into adulthood and risk compromising our mental health. For example, let us imagine that the denial of emotion was used to manage hurtful childhood experiences. This works well until adulthood is reached and romantic relationships are entered into. The continued denial of emotion will negatively impact on the quality of a relationship. Adulthood requires the identification, examination, and reshaping of our particular defence strategies if we hope to have positive relations with both ourselves and others. Treatment by a clinical psychologist will facilitate this process.
Below are some of the common defences that we use, most of which operate at an unconscious level:
Projection
Projection involves transferring your thoughts and feelings onto others. It is used to avoid painful internal states. For example, you wake up not feeling that great about your physical appearance. You manage to shake away these sentiments, but notice how unattractive someone else looks during the course of the day. Projection allows you to distance yourself from self-loathing by placing the very same issue onto others.
Introjection
Introjection is the reverse of projection and involves the adoption of specific experiences. For example, a child grows up with a critical parent. The child absorbs the messages passed on by the parent and develops an intense internal critic.
Suppression
Suppression involves consciously forcing certain thoughts and feelings out of awareness. For example, you find yourself sexually attracted to your partner’s best friend. You deliberately choose not to think about the person.
Intellectualization
Intellectualization involves the avoidance of uncomfortable emotions by focusing on logic and facts. For example, faced with an unwanted break-up, you obsessively research ways to overcome rejection.
Rationalization
Rationalization involves the bending of facts to justify our thoughts, feelings or behaviours. This allows you to feel better about yourself. For example, you secretly look through your partner’s Whatsapp messages and say to yourself that lots of people do this.
Passive-aggressive behaviour
We avoid confrontation and find an indirect way to convey our frustration. This allows a partial discharge of emotion, although it occurs at a cost. For example, you feel hurt by someone and instead of raising the issue, enter into a period of sulking.
The Study of Personality
The study of personality is a fundamental aspect to improving your mental health. Understanding your personality make-up in a fast-paced and demanding city like Dubai is vital. A clinical psychologist has a number of personality measures at their disposal.
The most valid personality test is the Big Five Model of Personality. It is made up of 5 factors (easily remembered as OCEAN) which drive our thoughts and behaviours. These factors are Openness To Experience, Conscientiousness, Extroversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism. The specific combination of these 5 factors determines our individual personality make-up. This helps to explain why we all react differently, behave differently, and view the same situation in different ways.
Each of the five personality characteristics have high and low levels of expression. In turn, both high and low levels of expression have healthy and less healthy ways of expressing themselves. For example, high levels of Conscientiousness will generally show in a responsible character, although an excess of the trait can result in rigidity. Contrastingly, low levels of Conscientiousness typically indicate an easy-go-lucky quality, although a surplus of low Conscientiousness can result in unpredictability.
There is no ideal combination of personality attributes. That being said, our mental health may benefit from the improved regulation of certain aspects of our personality. For example, a person with high levels of agreeableness may find it advantageous to moderate this quality if they are repeatedly taken advantage of.
1. Openness to Experience
This factor relates to curiosity and a willingness to try novel experiences. High levels of openness to experience are associated with the pursuit of adventure and the holding of less traditional beliefs. Taken too far, this trait will show in risk-taking and unpredictability. On the other hand, low levels of openness to experience indicate a pragmatic and traditional quality. Contrastingly, very low levels of openness to experience show in a close-minded and rigid mindset.
2. Conscientiousness
This factor relates to self-discipline, responsibility, and a striving for achievement. High levels of conscientiousness reflect in a focused and determined approach. Taken to an extreme, this can manifest as inflexibility and an overly serious quality. Contrastingly, low levels of conscientiousness indicate a flexible and spontaneous disposition. Pushed too far, this risks disorganization and unreliability.
3. Extraversion
This factor relates to a pronounced engagement with the external world and is often mistakenly assumed to be a preferred attribute (in contrast to introversion). On a positive note, high levels of extraversion reflect in a cheerful and sociable disposition. However, exaggerated levels of extraversion manifest in attention-seeking behaviour and a difficulty with spending time alone. On the other hand, low levels of extraversion (i.e. introversion) indicate a reserved and deliberate quality. Taken too far, this manifests in a tendency to withdraw and feelings of loneliness.
4. Agreeableness
This factor relates to a preference for social harmony. High levels of agreeableness show in a kind, trusting and forgiving disposition and are often seen in the caring professions (e.g. nursing, teaching, and the NGO sector). Taken too far, this can result in conflict avoidance, a lack of assertion, and the adoption of victimhood. Contrastingly, low levels of agreeableness reflect in a competitive and challenging disposition. Taken to an extreme, low agreeableness manifests in an argumentative and unfriendly interpersonal style.
5. Neuroticism
This factor relates to negative emotions. High levels of neuroticism indicate emotional depth, empathy and realism. Taken to an extreme, this manifests as emotional instability, vulnerability to stress, and pessimism. On the other hand, low levels of neuroticism reflect in emotional stability and a resilience to stress. Excessively low levels of neuroticism are typically seen in an emotional flatness and insensitivity to risk.