Our Team
Abu Dhabi Campus
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Amal Alawi Bin Alawi Amal Alawi Bin Alawi is a Senior Student Counselor and a licensed psychologist by the Department of Health (DOH), currently serving at the Student Counseling Center, Zayed University – Abu Dhabi Campus. She holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology and Counseling from the College of Medical and Health Science, United Arab Emirates University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Human Services with a specialization in Sustainability Sciences and Humanities from Zayed University, Abu Dhabi. With a passion for mental health and well-being, she is a highly skilled Clinical Psychologist specializing in diagnosing, evaluating, and treating individuals with mental and emotional disorders. Her extensive expertise spans multiple therapeutic approaches, including CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy), EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), and SFBT (Solution-Focused Brief Therapy). She is dedicated to crafting personalized treatment plans for individuals of all ages to address their unique challenges and foster growth. Throughout her career, she has worked with individuals from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, empowering them to overcome challenges such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, self-esteem issues, anger management, interpersonal difficulties, psychosis, and adjustment challenges associated with chronic and medical conditions. Her compassionate approach ensures that clients feel heard and understood in a non-judgmental space, enabling them to develop effective coping strategies and improve their overall well-being. She has gained invaluable experience in leading medical and mental health centers, including Beautiful Mind Medical Center and Kids Heart Medical Center, providing therapy, assessment, and intervention for children, adolescents, and adults. Known for her organizational skills and ability to handle crisis situations, she has consistently demonstrated her commitment to enhancing mental health services. As a passionate mental health advocate, she is dedicated to reducing stigma and creating safe, supportive environments where individuals can thrive. Do not hesitate to reach out for advice, even if it seems small. Remember, problems often start small but can grow and accumulate, potentially turning into crises or disorders if not addressed, managed, or accepted in a healthy way." Student Affairs Deanship - Student Counseling Centre |
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Ankita Magdani Ankita Magdani holds a Master’s degree in Organizational Psychology with Coaching and a Bachelor’s in Abnormal Psychology. As a Senior Student Counselor and Licensed Psychologist accredited by the Community Development Authority (CDA), she brings a holistic approach to therapy, specializing in anxiety, depression, grief, loss, trauma and many more. Ankita integrates evidence-based modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure Therapy, Somatic Therapy, and Hypnotherapy to support her clients effectively. Ankita believes that people don’t need to be fixed—they need someone to understand them. Known for her warm and welcoming presence, she helps clients shift their perspectives and gain a deeper understanding of themselves. Her mission is to help individuals achieve freedom in the areas where they feel trapped, empowering them to move forward with clarity and confidence. Beyond counseling, Ankita is an ICF-PCC certified coach, guiding individuals in leadership development, conflict management, and organizational skills to enhance personal and professional growth. She also serves as a supervisor for master's program interns, mentoring aspiring counselors and equipping them with the necessary skills to excel in their practice. With a deep passion for mental well-being and personal transformation, Ankita is committed to helping people navigate life’s challenges with resilience, self-awareness, and purpose. Student Affairs Deanship - Student Counseling Centre |
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Ayesha AlJaberi Ayesha is a psychology graduate from Zayed University, she's passionate about making a positive impact on student life. With her strong research and psychology background, she's equipped with the knowledge and skills to make a difference. Ayesha began her professional journey in the provost's office before finding her calling in the innovation and entrepreneurship center. Now, she is pursuing her passion for helping others as a member of the counseling center. She plays a key role in planning and executing major university events, and collaborating with internal and external partners. Ayesha works closely with faculty and student communities, spreading awareness and encouraging the use of the center's services. If you want to connect with Ayesha and tap into her passion and expertise, don't hesitate to reach out. She's ready to make a difference. Student Affairs Deanship – Student Counseling Center |
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Sumaiya Almansoori Sumaiya graduated from Zayed University with a major in Early Childhood Education in 2014. She worked as a pre-kindergarten teacher for seven years at the Early Childhood Education Center at Zayed University, Abu Dhabi campus. Then, she worked at the College of Education in the Field Training Office. Now, she works as an Administrative Officer in the Student Counseling Center. She is very happy in her job, finding great joy and satisfaction in her work. She is always ready to help both staff and students with a warm and welcoming attitude. Her friendly and open approach fosters a positive work environment and helps achieve everyone's goals. Student Affairs Deanship – Student Counseling Center |
Dubai Campus
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Nourhan Mohamed Nourhan Mohamed is a Senior Student Counselor with a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology and a Bachelor's Degree in Philosophy from Egypt to be a part of our ZU Student Counseling Center in Dubai Campus. She is also a licensed psychologist from Dubai Community Development Authority (CDA). She obtained her Master’s degree from The American University in Cairo (AUC) in 2017. She has excellent experience working as an At-Risk Counselor at the Center for Student Well-being at AUC. Her experiences cover both academic and psychological areas. In addition, Nourhan was exposed to clinical settings for two years while pursuing her MA degree. She will help you look into your experiences with no judgment, understand the circumstances and the reasons behind the action, and then employ the changes that fit your goals. Nourhan uses an eclectic approach tailored to meet the client’s needs in a safe, empathetic, and non-judgmental environment that consists of Psychodynamic, Humanistic, Interpersonal, and other evidence-based treatments. The primary approach she uses is the Humanistic approach that allows the individual to play an active role in their treatment, while the therapist acts as a knowledgeable, trusted guide. Throughout her journey, she found out that people are more resilient than we think of them. Therefore, her role is to help you find out your inner strength, believe in yourself, and develop new skills to improve the quality of your life. Student Affairs Deanship - Student Counseling Centre |
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Farida El Ghandour MSc in Mental Health and Clinical Psychology from London South Bank University in the UK and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the American University in Cairo. She is also an international affiliate member of the American Psychological Association. In England, Farida received training at Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust in London as part of her program. She has experience working with young adults from different backgrounds and cultures. She implements an eclectic approach which helps her tailor her therapeutic process to every person’s needs and unique experiences. Her Techniques include but are not limited to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, psychodynamic approaches, narrative therapy as well as motivational interviewing.Farida is particularly trained to help clients work on understanding and expressing their emotions, self-esteem issues, anger problems, relationship problems as well as depressive symptoms and anxiety. Due to her extensive training and work with addictions, Farida is specialized in substance abuse problems. Miss El Ghandour is comfortable conducting sessions in both Arabic and English. Student Affairs Deanship - Student Counseling Centre |
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Shaikha Alhemeiri Ms. Shaikha Alhemeiri is a licensed psychologist by Dubai Healthcare Authority (DHA) and currently is working as a senior student counselor at Zayed University – Dubai campus. She obtained her master’s degree in clinical psychology from UAE University after completing her Bachelors in Psychology and Human Services from Zayed University. Ms. Alhemeiri is a compassionate psychologist with 6 years’ experience working with children, adolescent and young adults in mental health settings. She worked with various conditions, from anxiety, depression, OCD, first episode psychosis and adjustment with chronic and medical conditions. With her experience in clinical and hospital settings, she’s equipped with tools to help you feel listened to and understood in a non-judgmental manner. She will also help you navigate your current difficulties by using different tools including developing your own coping strategies in order to improve your overall wellbeing. Ms. Alhemeiri has a strong interest in working with first episode psychosis and at-risk populations. She is a trained CBT for psychosis provider as well as a certified SIPS (Structured Interview for Psychosis-Risk) assessor from Yale University, trained under Dr. Barbara Walsh. Ms. Alhemeiri research interest areas are: early interventions for psychosis, cultural adaptation of CBTp, understanding risk factors of psychosis, all within the Arab population. She has published in various peer reviewed journals. Ms. Alhemeiri is keen in developing early intervention services for psychosis in the United Arab Emirates. She also hopes that this would serve an opportunity to further understand at-the risk youth in the Arab population to develop culturally appropriate interventions and treatment. Student Affairs Deanship - Student Counseling Centre |
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Meera Al Falasi Meera Al Falasi is a Psychology graduate from Zayed University with experience at Al Amal Hospital and as an early childhood educator. She currently serves as the Outreach Officer at the Student Counseling Center on Zayed University’s Dubai campus, where she focuses on initiatives to promote mental health awareness and support within the university community. Passionate about fostering emotional well-being, Meera works to create open spaces for meaningful conversations about mental health. With strong communication and public speaking skills, she is dedicated to connecting students with the resources they need while advocating for a supportive and inclusive environment. Student Affairs Deanship - Student Counseling Centre |
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Sara Al Marzooqi Sara is an Administrative Officer at the Student Counseling Center at Zayed University. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology and Human Services from Zayed University in 2017. Sara’s work experience was as an intern with the Community Development Authority, and as a volunteer at Senses Care Center for people of determination. Sara would be more than glad to introduce you to staff members at the Student Counseling Center. Student Affairs Deanship - Student Counseling Centre |
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