A child and adolescent psychologist is a trained clinical psychologist who works with children from birth to 18. The clinic’s FAQ page says every clinician holds a licence from the DHA or the CDA. Young Valens on Al Wasl Road is the clinic’s child and adolescent mental health centre.
What does a child psychologist in Dubai do?
The clinic’s child psychology page describes a process. It starts with an initial consultation to assess difficulties and concerns. A shared understanding and treatment goals come next. Evidence-based intervention follows, which may include parenting support or family work.
The developmental stage of your child shapes the approach. Intervention may involve play-based techniques or drawing. The page says psychologists may collaborate with other professionals, such as psychiatry and speech therapy, and may consult with your child’s school or recommend referrals to other specialists.
Listed difficulties include stress or anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, low mood and depression, behavioural difficulties, adjustment difficulties, grief and loss, and self-esteem issues.
What does an educational psychologist do?
The educational psychology page describes assessments, interviews and observations which evaluate a student’s learning and behavioural needs. Services include academic intervention strategies for mathematics and language skills alongside reading and writing, and support for dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia.
The page also lists counselling for behavioural and emotional factors affecting academic performance, such as anxiety and stress management. It adds individual education plans built with schools and parents, regular communication with parents and teachers, and group sessions for students facing similar academic challenges.
Dr Rama Kanj is the clinic’s Lead Educational Psychologist. Her profile describes comprehensive psycho-educational and neuropsychological assessments, and lists a CDA licence and Young Valens on Al Wasl Road as the place you meet her. The listed areas include ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, childhood anxiety, developmental delay, giftedness and learning difficulties.
What types of school assessment does the clinic offer?
The school assessments page lists five types. Cognitive assessments cover reasoning, memory, attention and problem-solving. Academic assessments cover mathematics and language skills alongside reading and writing. Assessments for learning disability identify dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia. ADHD assessments evaluate attention span, impulsivity and hyperactivity. Emotional and behavioural assessments look at aspects affecting academic performance.
The page’s FAQ says an assessment usually involves multiple sessions of testing, then a detailed report and a feedback meeting with parents. It also says parents decide whether and how results reach a school.
Where do the two roles overlap?
Anxiety appears on the child psychology page and, as counselling for anxiety and stress, on the educational psychology page. ADHD appears in the school assessments and in Dr Kanj’s listed areas. The clinic says children sometimes benefit from seeing each role. Ask the first clinician how referral to the other role works.
Who else supports children at the clinic?
The special education service page describes a special educator as a teacher who supports children with specific learning disabilities such as dyslexia, dyscalculia and dysgraphia, developmental delay, ADHD and learning gaps. It says special educators hold a CDA licence. Per the learning support page, the clinic evaluates progress every three months.
Listed services include screening for reading and writing alongside maths, an individualised educational plan, and literacy support with approaches such as Orton-Gillingham. Upon parents’ consent, the special educator collaborates with the school.
How can parents prepare?
The child psychology page suggests explaining the visit calmly and age-appropriately beforehand, and reassuring your child the psychologist is there to listen, not to get them into trouble. Afterwards, offer encouragement and talk through the session. Over time, the page advises regular attendance, patience, and involvement which respects privacy for older children.
Book a consultation for your child
The Valens Clinic offers child psychology and educational psychology, and every clinician holds a licence from the DHA or the CDA. Book through the child psychology page or the educational psychology page.