Our Musings

Panic attacks can be awful. Dr. Marie Thompson explains what they are and offers some strategies to assist when you’re in the middle of one.

Dr. Maisa Ziadni provides sleep advice, which Dr. Marie Thompson puts to the test.

Being a male clinical psychologist in Dubai presents unique advantages and challenges. Dr. James Hurley shares his experience.

ADHD presents differently in women. Dr. Miranda Gaylor explains what ADHD in women can look like.

Dr Dina Bedair, Child and Adolescent Psychologist, answers common questions asked by parents contemplating child therapy in Dubai.

Everything you need to know if you’re considering a cognitive assessment for your child.

Females and males on the autistic spectrum present differently. Dr. Miranda shares her thoughts on assessing and supporting girls and women with ASD.

What does DBT stand for? Questions answered by Dr Rebecca Ferguson about our popular DBT Skills Group.

Certain factors are associated with birth trauma. In cases where PTSD following birth develops, psychological treatment can quickly and effectively get you back on track. Dr. Marie Thompson explains more.

EMDR typically involves using eye movements and other modes of bilateral stimulation, and many of my existing and new clients have asked whether it is possible to provide EMDR online. I am happy to say with hand on heart, armed with my clinical experience and the research evidence, that providing EMDR online is effective.

Managers have a crucial role in supporting employees return to work during the Pandemic, while simultaneously challenged by the crisis themselves. Cheryl Warsama, Counseling Psychologist, shares some suggestions as to how managers can protect their employees.

Talking about finances with your partner isn’t always easy but it is important, especially when finances are an issue. Cheryl Warsama suggests some ways to talk effectively with your spouse about finances.

Juggling work and children in lockdown is stressful. Cheryl Warsama shares some strategies for parents working from home.

Our Child Psychologist addresses some common concerns of young people regarding COVID 19 and provides ways parents can help foster children’s resilience during difficult times.

Being in isolation for extended periods of time can have a significant impact on our mental health. Dr. Rebecca Ferguson shares some tips to help cope with social isolation and protect our mental health.

Cheryl Warsama has been providing effective counseling online since way back when. She explains why she gives online therapy the thumbs up.

When a new virus affects the population, it’s bound to cause some anxiety in most people. Dr. Marie Thompson, Clinical Psychologist, shares some tips to manage anxiety abut Coronavirus.

Whether you have a diagnosable mental health condition or if you simply experience the usual ups and downs in mood, energy and mojo that we all do, there are things you can do to improve your mental health that don’t involve therapy. Singing is one such way that has been proven to improve mental health – so Vivamus has set up a choir!

Panic attacks are really disturbing and can have a profound impact on functioning. Yet they’re highly treatable. Dr. Marie Thompson, Clinical Psychologist, explains how.

It’s hard not to see school refusal as defiance sometimes, but it’s important to understand what emotions are driving your child’s reluctance to attend school in order to help them re-engage. Prathna Singh shares how.

Parents often have lots of questions about bringing their child to see a psychologist. From length of therapy to whether to be present in the sessions, Prathna Singh (Child and Adolescent Psychologist) addresses these and other important questions.

Soothing (or rather, difficulty in self-soothing) is a notion that comes up a lot in my work. When people report a difficulty managing emotions, where experiences like anxiety or anger come on quickly and intensely, and escalate until the point of what people often...

Expats often spend extended periods of time with family over the summer months. Dr. Marie Thompson shares some tips in helping to manage difficult family dynamics.

How can I be more mindful?

Ever wondered why highly successful people often have low self-esteem? Read on….

Certain factors predict conflict, depression and anxiety postnatally. Talking about these topics ahead of time can reduce the likelihood of postnatal depression

We need anger in our lives. Being angry is a signal that we need to assert ourselves. It’s important to communicate our anger in ways that are not aggressive.

What is bullying? I get asked this question a lot from parents and young people and when I ask the same question back each person has their own definition. These definitions range from ‘any name calling or teasing’ to ‘anything physical from one child to another’ or...

Christmas isn't always easy. Sometimes family dynamics can come to the fore, making the festive period particularly challenging. Perhaps you're coping with loss at Christmas. Or perhaps it is the volume of things to be done and expectation you're finding challenging....

 Why now? One of the first questions I ask people who come to see me at their first appointment, is “why now?”. Often people struggle for a long time before they seek professional support. And sometimes there is a clear event that leads people to make an appointment....

Who is the Best Psychologist in Dubai? Who is the Best Counselor in Dubai? It's always interesting to me to think what people type into Google when they are looking for psychological support. Assuming they have reached the point that would like some assistance, do...

Like many aspects of our seemingly irrational selves, the basis can often make perfect sense. Self-criticism and self-blame are at the heart of many of our negative thoughts and have an impact on self-esteem and in turn our ability to tackle challenges and setbacks...

  If you've ever wondered why children form such a strong attachment to soft toys, psychologists can shed light on this universal phenomenon. In a nutshell, creating and later internalising a compassionate other helps us tackle relationship and life challenges as...

As life marches on, we often experience much change and uncertainty, especially in a transient city such as Dubai. Tolerating uncertainty and frequent change can be challenging. I share below the biological reasons we find uncertainty difficult and I offer some...

  A very happy and healthy 2018 to you and your family. I love new year. I don’t like the crowds and the fuss and the hoo ha, and I loathe new year resolutions. But I do love to reflect on the year that’s gone and to feel grateful for the people I cherish, and to...

Big festivals without loved ones can be really painful. Especially at first. I’m hoping the following tips might help you deal with Christmas when someone's missing. Manage your expectations. Don’t expect Christmas to be the same; it will be different. Change things...

Dealing with PTSD symptoms yourself The main factor that keeps PTSD symptoms going is avoiding thinking about the event. It’s entirely understandable that people should not want to think about what happened. It’s unpleasant, can be terrifying and can lead to symptoms...

Sometimes. In fact, in most cases, the brain can make sense of the event itself, assimilating the event with pre-existing experiences and making sense of what happened. This is why professionals do not diagnose PTSD within the first 4 weeks of the trauma....

  When a traumatic event occurs, a certain set of responses tend to follow. Avoidance Firstly, you may find yourself avoiding reminders of the event. This could include avoiding certain people or places and trying not to think about what happened. The trouble...

My patients never cease to amaze me. I’ve just finished skyping with a client I had the privilege to work with a couple of years ago, soon after she experienced an awful event. She’s so incredible! Something terrible happened to her. Yet the strength,...