Consultant Psychiatrist & Director

Dr Nasser Loza MBBCh, DPM&N, MSc, FRCPsych

Dr Loza, President-Elect of the World Federation for Mental Health (2019–2021), graduated from Kasr al-Ainy Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University and completed his psychiatric training at the Institute of Psychiatry & the Maudsley Hospital in London. He became a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in 1987 and a fellow of the college in 1995. In addition to his academic achievements, Dr Loza served as the Secretary General for Mental Health, Egypt (2006–2011), Chairman of the Scientific Council of the Arab Board of Medical Specializations (2012–2017), and Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (2014). He is also a member of the editorial board of the Arab Journal of Psychiatry and the British Journal of Psychiatry and served as the chairman of the Middle East Division of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (2013–2017). Dr Loza is currently director of The Behman and the Maadi Psychology Centre and practises at several Behman Consultation Clinics in Cairo, as well as at the International Clinic in London.

Areas of Interest: General adult psychiatry, history of psychiatry, and cross-cultural research in clinical symptomatology.

Consultant Psychiatrist
& Medical Director

Dr Sherif Atallah MBBCh, MSc, BCPsych, FRCPsych

Dr Atallah graduated from Ain Shams University in 1981 and started training at The Behman at senior house officer and registrar levels. In 1987, Dr Atallah obtained his MSc in neuropsychiatry from Ain Shams University after which he continued his training at Oxford University and the Oxford Rotational Scheme in the UK. By 1992, he had obtained Board Certification in Psychiatry from the Institute of Psychiatry, London University and first membership, then fellowship of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, UK, where he also served as clinical tutor and vice chairman of its Middle East Division. Dr Atallah is a member of the Egyptian Psychiatric Association and of the Royal Society of Medicine (UK) and holds a diploma in total quality management in health care from the American University in Cairo. Since 1993 and until today, Dr Atallah has practised at The Behman, first as consultant psychiatrist then as medical director.

Areas of Interest: General adult psychiatry including depression, anxiety disorders and bipolar affective disorders, as well as trans-cultural psychiatry, gender-related disorders, and hospital management.

Consultant Psychiatrist
& Managing Director

Dr Ahmed El-Dosoky MBBCh, MSc, FRCPsych

Dr El-Dosoky graduated from Benha Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University in 1983. He continued his postgraduate training at Benha University Hospital where he obtained his master’s degree in neurology and psychological medicine in 1989 after which he joined The Behman as a registrar. In 1991, Dr El-Dosoky started training with the Charing Cross General Psychiatric Training Scheme in the UK. He was elected first as member then as a fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. He was later instrumental in the inauguration of its Middle East Division in 1998 and has been an overseas college tutor since 1999. Upon returning to Cairo in 1996, Dr El-Dosoky started work as consultant psychiatrist at The Behman and continues the tradition of practicing in psychiatry within the settings of both the hospital and private offices in Cairo. He was elected board member of the World Association of Cultural Psychiatry in 2009. In addition to his work as a consultant, Dr El-Dosoky has held the position of executive director of The Behman since the year 2000.

Areas of Interest: General adult psychiatry, psychopharmacology, trans-cultural psychiatry, and hospital management.

Consultant Psychiatrist

Dr Shahira Loza MBBCh, DPM&N

Dr Loza graduated from Kasr al-Ainy Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University in 1979 and started her basic training in psychiatry at The Behman while completing her DPN&M degree at Cairo University. She continued practicing at The Behman with a special focus on rehabilitation programmes and children with special needs. In addition to her work as consultant psychiatrist at The Behman, Dr Loza assumed the position of director of Dar al-Toufoula for Rehabilitation in 1985 and served in many benevolent NGOs with the same interest. Training at the Cleveland Clinic, Ohio and Stanford University, California in 1996 stimulated her interest in sleep medicine. In 1997, she successfully completed the sleep medicine course at the Stanford School of Sleep Medicine. She was also granted the Diploma of Sleep Medicine from the University of Montpellier, France. Currently, Dr Loza is the director of the Cairo Center for Sleep Disorders (CairoSleep) and leads the Learning Disabilities Unit and the Neurophysiology Unit at The Behman.

Areas of Interest: Sleep medicine and intellectual disabilities.

Consultant Psychiatrist

Dr Waguih Roufael MBBCh, DPM&N

Dr Fares obtained his MBBCh from Ain Shams University in 1971. After spending one year as a house officer at the university hospitals, he joined The Behman as registrar psychiatrist until 1977, then as senior registrar until 1988 after he obtained his post-graduate DPM&N degree from Cairo University. Dr Fares was then assigned the post of consultant psychiatrist, rotating on varied psychiatry branch and subspecialty wards. During this period, he received nomination from Professor Linford Rees, the previous President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, for the position of senior registrar psychiatrist at the Charter Clinic, London. Dr Fares held the position of senior consultant at The Behman until 1997 when he became head of the Addiction Unit. As a senior staff member, Dr Fares continues to actively contribute to the tradition of practice in psychiatry both within the hospital inpatient setting and the private outpatient clinics in Cairo. In addition, Dr Fares regularly attends regional and international conferences and participates in various academic and research activities. He currently holds the position of consultant psychiatrist at the Men’s General Adult Psychiatry Unit at The Behman.

Areas of Interest: General adult psychiatry including depression, anxiety, and psychotic illnesses.

Consultant Psychiatrist

Dr Karima Saleh MBBCh, MSc

Dr Saleh obtained her MBBCh from Kasr al-Ainy Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University in 1978 and started working at The Behman at the registrar level. After obtaining her master’s degree in neuropsychiatry from Cairo University, Dr Saleh resumed her work at The Behman, first as specialist, then as consultant psychiatrist in the Women’s General Adult Psychiatry Unit. In addition to her role as consultant psychiatrist, she also leads the Patients’ Rights Committee at The Behman.

Areas of interest: General adult psychiatry, women’s mental health, and human rights.

Consultant Psychiatrist & ASST. Medical Director

Dr Nagy Mikhael MBBCh, ABPsych

Dr Gamil graduated from Ain Shams University and started his training in psychiatry at Dar el-Mokattam Milieu Therapy Hospital for Mental Health with Prof. El-Rakhawy. He then obtained his diploma of neuropsychiatry from Zagazig University. Dr Gamil is certified by the Arab Board of Health Specializations and is also a member of the Egyptian Psychiatric Association (EPA), the Evolutionary Psychiatric Association, and the Egyptian Association for Group Therapies and Processes (EAGT). He has attended several training workshops in risk assessment for HCR-20 and group and individual psychotherapy. He currently works as consultant psychiatrist in the Men’s General Adult Psychiatry Unit at The Behman.

Areas of Interest: General adult psychiatry, old age psychiatry, and psychopharmacology.

Consultant Psychiatrist

Dr Malak Doss MBBCh, MSc, MRCPsych, MD

Dr Doss graduated from Kasr al-Ainy Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University in 2005, where she also completed her residency programme and obtained her master’s and doctorate degrees. She became a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in 2019 and has undertaken clinical training in psychiatry at the Maudsley Hospital and King’s College, London. Dr Doss has published her research internationally and presented her work at national & international conferences. She is a member of the American Psychiatric Association and the Egyptian Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Association. She now holds the position of head of Addiction Department at the Behman Hospital.

Areas of Interest: Child & adolescent psychiatry, women’s mental health and general adult psychiatry with an interest in anxiety, depression, bipolar, psychosis, eating disorders, and substance use disorders.

CONSULTANT PSYCHIATRIST

Dr Nayla Grace MBBCh, ABPsych, MRCPsych

Dr. Grace is a Consultant Psychiatrist and Medical Psychotherapist at The Behman Hospital, Cairo Egypt. She is experienced in the assessment and management of a wide range of complex mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar affective disorder, adjustment disorders, eating disorders, personality disorders and psychotic disorders. Her approach includes treating clients more holistically, by combining both pharmacological and psychotherapeutic techniques. Dr. Grace has 10 years’ experience of working in both inpatient and outpatient units.

Dr. Grace has a special interest in Personality Disorders, including borderline personality disorder and other disorders of emotion dysregulation. Dr. Grace is trained and experienced in a range of psychotherapeutic modalities, including Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Prolonged Exposure Therapy. She also has experience in using Dialectical Behavior Therapy for clients with history of complex traumas. She has specialist expertise in the assessment and management of eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, as well as those with complex presentations e.g., comorbid personality disorder, substance abuse, and other psychiatric or medical conditions.

Dr. Grace completed her medical training at October 6th University – School of Medicine, class of 2010. She had her internship at Kasr il Aini, Cairo University, as well as a trainee at The Behman Hospital. She started working as a registrar at The Behman Hospital in 2012 and was appointed as senior registrar in 2014. Dr. Grace received training in St. Marys Hospital, London, Neurology Department, Stroke Unit.

She was awarded The Arab Board of Psychiatry (ABPsych) in 2016, and became a member of The Royal College of Psychiatrists in 2017. She became Consultant Psychiatrist at The Behman Hospital in 2020, and Deputy Medical Director.

She also dedicates time for awareness of mental health conditions in the media.

Dr. Grace is bilingual in both Arabic and English.

Specialist Psychiatrist

Dr Mina Fares MBBCh, MRCPsych

Dr Fares obtained his MBBCh from October 6th University – School of Medicine in 2010. After finishing his internship year at Kasr al-Ainy University Hospital, Dr Fares joined The Behman in 2012 as a psychiatry registrar. He then received training in Goldie Leigh Hospital and Queen Elizabeth Hospital in London in 2015. After successfully completing the MRCPsych, Dr Fares was elected a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in 2015 and registered in the General Medical Council–UK in 2019. He currently practises at The Behman as a specialist psychiatrist in the Men’s General Adult Psychiatry Unit.

Areas of interest: General adult psychiatry, personality disorders, and substance use disorders.

Specialist Psychiatrist

Dr Heba Tharwat MBBCh, MRCPsych

Dr. Heba Tharwat

Dr Tharwat is a graduate of the Faculty of Medicine at Ain Shams University, class of 2015. She finished her internship year at al-Demerdash University Hospitals and joined The Behman in 2017 as a registrar in psychiatry where she rotated through various psychiatric branch units. In 2018, she undertook a clinical attachment at Homerton University Hospital in Hackney, London with the liaison psychiatry team where she attended the clinics in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and learning disabilities.In 2019, she became the senior registrar at The Behman. In 2020, she gained her membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and was head of the old age department at the Behman Hospital until March 2023 when she started co-leading the Addiction team at the Behman Hospital. She studied CBT and is practicing an integrative psychotherapy approach with her patients.

Specialist Psychiatrist

Dr Nardene Saad MBBCh, DPN

Dr Nardene Saad obtained her bachelor’s degree of Medicine and Surgery from Alexandria University in 2017 and finished her internship at Alexandria University Main Hospital in addition to one month Training at Maamoura Hospital for Mental Health. She immediately started her psychiatric training as a registrar at The Behman Hospital in 2019 where she received training in different departments including adult, old age, addiction and learning disabilities. She was appointed as a senior Registrar in 2021 and joined Quality Assurance Team of BH in 2022. She obtained her Diploma of Psychiatry and Neurology from Ain Shams University in 2022. Currently, based as an assistant specialist of Learning Disability department at the Behman Hospital.

Dr. Saad is a member of European Sleep Research Society and received several trainings in psychotherapy and DBT Group Skills. She is in the process of obtaining her MRCPsych and Certification as Sleep Medicine Specialist.

Dr. Saad has a special interest in General Adult Psychiatry including depression, anxiety, Bipolar Affective Disorder, Schizophrenia in addition to Sleep disorders, Psychoanalysis of Dreams, Attachment Disorders, Intellectual and Learning Disability.

Head Addiction Psychologist

Dr Nehad Sanan , DPhil, PHD , DPhil, PHD

Dr Sanan joined The Behman in 1981. During her years there, she obtained her diploma in general clinical psychology from Cairo University in 1995, master’s degree in clinical psychology from the Arab Open University in 2010, her PHD in 2012, and her DPhil in 2014. Dr Sanan trains counsellors and psychologists, while at the same time directing and managing the Addiction Rehabilitation Programme. She is also programme director at ‘Befrienders’, an NGO for HIV & harm reduction support, and academic supervisor at the Online Institute Academy for Higher Education (since 2014). Dr Sanan is a member of the Egyptian Association for Group Therapy, the International Association for Group Psychotherapy, the Arab Council for Social Sciences, and the Gulf Project Management Consortium. She has also been a member of the American Psychological Association (APA) since 2019. Since 1999 until the present, she has been team leader and head psychologist of the Addiction Unit at The Behman

Clinical Psychologist & Head of Psychology

Sara Mallawany, MBPsS, AFBPsS, FACCPH

Ms. Mallawany joined The Behman Psychology Unit in 2012 after completing her BA in Clinical Psychology at the American University in Cairo (AUC). She then obtained her MSc in Trans-Cultural Mental Health from Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) in 2015 and is also a graduate member of the British Psychological Society (BPS). She has also completed an MSc in Clinical Mental Health Sciences at University College London (UCL) in 2018. She has been elected as a Fellow member of Accredited Counsellors, Coaches, Psychotherapists and Hypnotherapists (ACCPH) in February 2022. Ms. Mallawany is also qualified to use both Occupational Ability Tests and Personality Assessments and is on The Register of Qualifications in Test Use (RQTU).

Ms. Mallawany is currently Head of the Psychology Unit at The Behman and provides psychotherapy and psychological testing and assessment for inpatients and outpatients. She is also in charge of all psychology-related training programmes, as well as of Journal Club Academic Sessions at The Behman Hospital. In addition, Ms. Mallawany provides clinical supervision for practicing Psychologists.

Ms. Mallawany is fluent in English, Arabic and German and can hold sessions in those languages.

Clinical Psychologist

Joseph Ghobrial, BA,MSc

Joseph obtained an MSc in Clinical Psychology from Erasmus University Rotterdam after completing his BA in Psychology at The American University in Cairo (AUC). He completed various internships at Al Mashfa, Adel Sadek and The Behman Hospital before joining the Psychology department at The Behman Hospital in 2020.

Joseph offers individual, couples, family and group psychotherapy sessions to adolescents and adults. He uses an eclectic approach with an emphasis on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) that is catered to his clients’ needs. He has completed several certificates in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) taught by Dr. Russ Harris.

Joseph emphasizes on creating a safe space for individuals dealing with emotional difficulties, self-esteem issues, sexuality and trauma. Joseph has experience working with individuals suffering from but not limited to depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), schizophrenia and personality disorders.

He provides psychometric assessments for personality, IQ, depression and anxiety.

Joseph is able to conduct therapy sessions in Arabic, English and Frenc

Board Certified Behavior Analyst

Tarek Ascar, MS, BCBA

Tarek has been working with individuals with learning and developmental disabilities for 13 years. He started his career in Egypt at the LRC but moved to the United States where he earned his Masters degree in Autism Spectrum Disorders and practiced in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis for 10 years. Tarek became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in 2014 and has worked as a Behavior Analyst for children and adults with autism of all ages. In addition to his work as a Behavior Analyst, Tarek was the Clinical Director for Adult Services at Eden II, a not-for-profit organization which served individuals with autism in New York. Tarek moved back to Egypt in 2021 where he hopes to give back to the community where he began his career.

Educational psychologist

Dr Sandy Tahan DEdPsy.

Dr. Sandy Tahan has worked for the past twenty-one years as an Educational Psychologist in Egypt. She has completed a bachelor’s degree in the field of psychology at the American University in Cairo, a Master’s Degree as a School Psychologist at the University of British Columbia in Canada, and a doctorate degree in Educational Psychology at the University College London in The United Kingdom. Dr. Tahan has received a great deal of training in the integration of assessment and intervention for school-aged children experiencing learning difficulties. In Canada, she participated in research related to early literacy skills, assisted schools to determine eligibility for special education services, maintained an up-to-date test library of standardized tests, and completed a practicum involving several psycho-educational assessments. Through her studies in the UK, she researched the relationship between early literacy skills and bilingual children, in addition to, developing assessment measures to assess children learning in both Arabic and English. Her research highlighted the importance of improving assessment materials in order to identify bilingual children struggling with literacy skills at an early stage.Dr. Tahan conducts comprehensive assessments ranging from cognitive abilities to academic abilities to emotional & behavioral issues for children and adolescents to determine the reasons behind academic struggles and provide appropriate interventions to support their learning and overall development.

Bachelor degree in Psychology from American University in Cairo, Egypt

Masters in Education in School Psychology from University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

Doctorate in Educational Psychology from University College London, London, United Kingdom

CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST

Farida Ismail Faird, MSc, GMBPsS

Age: 2-25
Specialties: Child and Adolescent, Parenting, Learning disabilities

Farida is a Clinical Psychologist specialized in Child and Adolescent Mental Health, as well as Psychotic Disorders in young adults. She recently completed a clinical rotation in Kasr El Eini’s Child Psychiatry department and now works at The Behman Hospital’s General Psychiatry Department and the Learning Disability ward with adolescents and young adults.

Farida holds an undergraduate degree in Psychology & Behavioural sciences from McGill university, and a Masters degree in Clinical Mental Health Sciences from UCL with a focus on child & adolescent psychology. She is a member of the British Psychological Society and an international affiliate of the Canadian Psychological Association.

She received medical training from International Medical Aid in Kenya at the Coast General Hospital’s psychiatric ward and Gender Based Violence Recovery Center in 2019, and completed a clinical training at Adel Sadek Psychological Medicine Hospital in 2020.

Farida has experience working with young people in the UK at the NHS Early Intervention Service for Psychosis, and is a certified practitioner & supervisor of the Comprehensive Assessment for At Risk Mental States (CAARMS). She has co-led the development of an At Risk Mental States pathway at CNWL NHS – a psychosis prevention program for young people with subclinical symptoms.

She also has previous experience working with children with neurodevelopment disorders, profound learning disabilities, and emotional disorders at ELF in Egypt. Farida is ADOS-2 certified, and uses DIR Floortime and ABA principles in her practice.

She is trained in CBT by the Beck Institute, has attended the DBT intensive training by B-Tech, and works with parents using elements from different parenting programs such as NVR (Non-violent Resistance Parenting) and SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions).

clinical psychologist

Aida Galal, BA

Aida completed her Master’s degree (MSc) in Psychological Therapies at Queen Mary University in London in after her Bachelor’s degree (BA) in Psychology from the American University in Cairo in 2019.
She joined The Behman Hospital Addiction Unit in 2020 following her completion of both the General and the Addiction internship training at the hospital.

Aida offers individual and group therapy for both inpatients and outpatients. She assists with facilitation of the addiction follow-up group sessions for individuals who have completed their addiction inpatient program at the Behman Hospital. She specializes in addiction but also works with individuals struggling with anxiety, depression, emotion management and regulation as well as self-esteem issues.

Aida works with the cognitive behavioral therapy approach (CBT) and integrates different skills and techniques tailored to each client’s individual needs. She believes in providing clients with unconditional positive regard and a safe space to explore and deal with difficult emotions.

Aida conducts sessions in both English and Arabic.

Equine Psychotherapist

Joana Gray

Head Addiction Counselor

Karim Nagi

Kareem is a certified addiction counsellor and holds an Addiction Skills certification. Kareem has been working at the substance misuse unit at the Behman Hospital since 2013 and is currently the Head of Addiction Counsellors. He has experience working with individuals, couples, families and groups struggling with addiction.

Kareem offers both inpatient and outpatient services, and also works at an NGO with individuals diagnosed with HIV, and need help with harm reduction.

Kareem prefers to use a client centered approach and integrate cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

Titles: Addiction Counsellor & Head of Addiction Counsellors

Counseling Psychologist

Dana Lasheen, MA

Dana earned a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from the American University in
Cairo (AUC). She pursued it shortly after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology
and Integrated Marketing Communications from AUC. She has been practicing as a
counselor mainly, but not limited to, adults from the ages of 18-35. She has experience in
working with individuals who struggle with depression, anxiety, grief, trauma, self-esteem
and identity issues, various personality disorders, and relationship & familial issues, among
other concerns.
Dana believes that self-awareness is a vital step in creating change in one’s life; we need
to understand what we are dealing with before trying to overcome it. She helps clients reach
that through self-exploration and finding tools that can help them manage their challenges
and eventually eliciting positive change in their lives.
Dana believes that each client has their unique story and perspective on their own
challenges. She aims to provide a safe, judgement-free space to help them express
themselves freely and confidently. She adopts an integrative approach based in Client-Centered and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. She also applies interventions from
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Interpersonal therapy (IPT), and Trauma-Informed Care. She also conducts various psychometric assessments for depression, anxiety,
IQ, ADHD, and personality assessments.
Dana conducts sessions in English and Arabic.

Clinical Psychologist

Amina Ottozbeer, MSc, GMBPsS

Clinical Psychologist

Amina Ottozbeer is a Clinical Psychologist with a strong passion for helping adults and adolescents overcome mental health difficulties. Amina completed her MSc in Theory and Practice in Clinical Psychology at the University of Reading. During this time, she gained valuable clinical experience as an Assistant Psychologist at a NHS clinic specialized in children and young people with anxiety and depressive disorders. This experience exposed her to an array of clients with culturally diverse backgrounds and individual needs. She also received training in psychological assessments and treatments at the Behman Hospital.

In her practice she applies an evidence-based approach to treatment where she uses Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and CBT informed therapies.She places a strong emphasis on creating a secure and compassionate space where clients can express themselves, feel heard, and find acceptance, all of which contribute to their healing journey.

Amina seeks to create a safe and accepting space where clients can develop the tools to navigate social, emotional, and behavioral challenges. She has experience working with a range of difficulties such as emotional dysregulation, anxiety disorders, depression and low mood, ADHD, among others. She mostly works with clients within the age range between but not limited to 14-35 years. She believes in adopting a client centered approach through tailoring treatment plans to the specific needs and situation of each individual.

Amina’s therapeutic philosophy revolves around empowering clients to play an active role in their healing journey through developing self and emotional awareness . Her ultimate goal is to instill hope and equip clients with the skills needed to confront challenges, manage difficulties, and realize their full potential.

Degrees

MSc in Theory and Practice in Clinical Psychology (with clinical placement) from University of Reading

BA in Psychology from The American University in Cairo

Memberships: 

British Psychological Society Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership

PSI CHI Society Membership.

Clinical Psychologist

Linah Aboukathir

Clinical Psychologist

Linah Aboukathir is a Clinical Psychologist committed to empowering individuals to harness their internal resources for better self-awareness, enhanced decision-making, and effective problem-solving.

She obtained her Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Psychology, with Honours, from King’s College London, followed by a Master of Science (MSc) in Organizational Psychology & Psychiatry, graduating with Highest Honours from the same institution. In addition, she is a member of the British Psychological Society.

Linah’s clinical journey began with an internship at the Behman Hospital, where she received clinical training and deepened her understanding of various psychological disorders and the implementation of diverse therapeutic modalities.

Linah uses various therapeutic approaches such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and combines the rigor of assessment methodology and up-to-date knowledge of various theories in the psychotherapy and counselling process.

Linah is fluent in English and Arabic and can hold sessions in those languages.