The clinic holds DHA and CDA licences, with sites in Business Bay and Jumeirah. A psychologist in Dubai needs a licence from their home country plus one from the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) or the Community Development Authority (CDA). Check the licence first. Research adds a second layer to check.
Why would a psychologist’s research matter to you?
The research page says the clinic’s clinicians contribute to peer-reviewed literature, collaborate on multinational studies and teach. The clinic’s FAQ says ongoing research keeps practitioners current with psychiatry and psychology. Patients benefit from practitioners who help shape best practice rather than simply follow it.
The clinic also says its evidence-based treatment draws on clinicians’ research backgrounds in mood disorders, trauma, psychopharmacology and neuropsychological assessment. Treat the claim as the clinic’s view, and test it with the checks below.
A publication list cannot measure warmth or trust. The clinic’s FAQ on fit calls the therapeutic relationship one of the most important factors in therapy. It adds no one can measure the relationship objectively. Judge the fit in a first session as well.
What can the best psychologist in Dubai show you on paper?
The research page profiles six clinicians. Two are psychiatrists: the page credits Dr Joseph El-Khoury with over 70 academic publications and Dr Danilo Arnone with over 137. Here is what the page says about three psychologists.
Rassil Ghazzaoui is the clinic’s Academic Director. She earned her master’s degree in clinical psychology at Columbia University. She worked at the New York State Psychiatric Institute and later directed the psychology department at the American Hospital of Dubai. Her published research covers psychosis, eating disorders and bariatric psychological assessment.
Rama Kanj, the lead educational psychologist, is completing a PhD at the University of Reading. Her doctoral research looks at language development and assessment in multilingual children. She has also taught as adjunct faculty at Curtin University Dubai.
Dr Rudy Abi Habib is a senior clinical psychologist and psychodynamic psychotherapist. He is an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology at the Lebanese American University and directs its Institute of Psychotraumatology. His research interests include personality disorders, trauma and attachment.
How do you check a psychologist’s research before you book?
Start on the research page and find the clinician’s profile. Follow the ResearchGate link where one exists, and read the topics and dates of the work. The clinic says visitors can review publication history and academic credentials there before booking.
Match the topics to your concern. Kanj’s work centres on language development in multilingual children, for example, while Ghazzaoui’s work centres on psychosis and eating disorders.
Then compare titles and specialties on the team page. The clinic’s FAQ on choosing a clinician says to open any profile and review full qualifications before booking.
Ask in the first session which approach the psychologist would use for your concern, and why. The clinic’s FAQ says a clinician selects the method, or blend of methods, best suited to your diagnosis and goals. If the fit feels wrong, tell your therapist. The clinic also points you to its medical director for alternative suggestions.
Meet the psychologists and read their research
Read the research page and meet the clinic’s psychologists. Email info@thevalensclinic.ae with your concern and ask which clinician fits.