ABOUT US

Everyone can benefit from using therapy. In fact, therapy is not only intended to treat people who suffer from extreme psychological ailments, but it can also be used to solve relationship challenges, career-related issues, confusion over various life matters and many more. In other words, you don’t even have to have a specific problem to use therapy, as therapy is just sometimes a means for self-discovery through giving you a better insight as to who you are. Therapists are non-judgmental listeners and are trained to help you live a better, fuller life. 

To make therapy accessible to more people, we have passionately provided a platform that offers confidential, convenient therapy services in multiple languages.

Our online therapy sessions are tailor-made to help you increase your immunity to life’s minor and major troubles. Our therapy sessions and online classes give you access to learning and knowing more about the fundamental concepts of a happy life. You can rely on our experts’ advice to increase your emotional intelligence and to transform your lives. 

We, at Bright Shift, are here to listen to you.

If you are looking for the best psychologists in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, or any of the other emirates or just anywhere else in the world, we can connect you to a licensed psychologist whom you can trust.

MEET OUR TEAM

Leila Estifaie Quinn
Founder

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Leila has been enthusiastically learning about human psychology from different angles/ schools of thought for many years. She holds a Master’s degree in Strategic Marketing from the University of Wollongong in Dubai and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychological Counseling And Guidance, from Eastern Mediterranean University located in Northern Cyprus. She has been determined to create a platform which could help create change in people’s lives, hence Bright Shift was born. In a way, Bright Shift came about from our faith and belief in the ability of humans to shift, change and evolve towards a brighter direction in life. We have developed this platform because we believe it doesn’t really matter where you were, or where you are right now, there is always room for improvement in life regardless. Sometimes it is a slim possibility and sometimes it’s vast. What matters is, we as humans have the ability to evolve and flourish. We believe Bright Shift can be of great help to actualize the possibility of change and self-discovery. What we are the proudest of, is, of course, our highly qualified and most importantly “compassionate therapists”. We are extremely glad to have such a great team collaborating with us on this platform.

Dr. Raoom Qureshi
Counselling Psychologist

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Dr. Raoom Qureshi earned her Professional Doctorate in Counseling Psychology from the University of Manchester, United Kingdom, in 2016. She completed her Bachelor degree in Psychology from Staffordshire University (UK) in 2008 and her Masters in Forensic Psychology from the University of Central Lancashire (UK) in 2011. Furthermore, she has completed diplomas in the Psychology of Criminal Profiling, Counseling and Psychotherapy, and a Certificate in Counseling Concepts.

Dr. Raoom is a member of the British Psychological Society (BPS) and Health and

Care Professions Council (HCPC) in the UK and endeavors to apply these standards of practice wherever she works in the world. 

Dr. Raoom has over 10 years of experience in various countries including the United Kingdom, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. She is accustomed to working with adults that have complex and high-risk mental issues and is experienced in treating adult clients on a 1:1 basis for various acute mental health problems including personality disorders, schizophrenia, depression, trauma, abuse, psychosis, suicide ideation, anxiety, self-harm, etc. In addition, she provides assessments, formulations and treatments for patients presenting with high-risk.

When working with patients a Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and integrative approach is taken, where elements of Psychodynamic, Person-centered therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) are also implemented. Dr. Raoom is also trained in Mindfulness, which she likes to incorporate into her work. Her sessions are 50 minutes long and she is  happy to conduct her sessions in English and Arabic, both of which she is fluent in. 

Tahneya Alboraiki
Counsellor

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Tahneya Alboraiki is a qualified integrative counsellor, member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) of UK.

She holds a Master’s degree in counselling from the Birmingham City University (UK) and a Bachelor of Science in psychology, from University of Wolverhampton (UK).                                                      

Tahneya uses an integrated approach, as she feels one approach does not fit everyone, therefore she has adopted different approaches. In her work, she uses person-centred psychotherapy, attachment, and interpersonal neurobiology, and uses a variety of therapeutic techniques to suit her clients’ needs. She has also completed further training in bereavement.                                                                

She provides clients with a safe, honest, and empathic space to explore their thoughts, feelings and behaviours without Judgement. She makes her clients feel seen, heard and safe, and can support and accept them for who they are.

Tahneya works with bereavement/loss, family difficulties, anxiety, depression, anger, self-harm, behaviour issues, internet addiction, racial identity, self-esteem, stress, trauma, and social needs.

 he works with adults, children and adolescents. She speaks fluent English and Arabic and her sessions are 50 minutes long.

Nawar Surij
Integrative Psychotherapist

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Nawar is a UKCP (UK Council for Psychotherapy) registered, licensed psychotherapist. She has been working with a diverse range of people of all backgrounds, vulnerable individuals, and ethnic minorities of all ages. Nawar lives in Birmingham, UK and she holds a Master’s degree in Integrative Psychotherapy from Birmingham City university as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience from Leeds university. She is also an NLP, Hypnosis and Time Line Therapy Practitioner. Nawar views therapy as a healing relationship between therapist and client. She supports her clients to figure how their early experiences has lead them to their current situation and she can help them change it.

She provides her clients with a safe, non judgmental space where clients can explore the root cause of their deepest fears and worries that are holding them back from becoming the best possible version of themselves.

Her extensive experience in psychotherapy allows her to help her clients to reach their full potential in life. Nawar speaks English and Arabic fluently.

Sara Salih
Counselling Psychologist

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Sara Salih is a member of the British Psychological Society (BPS) and the British Association for Counseling and Psychotherapy (BACP)- educated and trained in the UK, US and Norway.

Sara holds two Master’s degrees, one in Clinical psychology with family specialisation from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology (Los Angeles, USA) and a Master’s degree in Clinical Counselling from Birmingham City University (UK). She also has a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Psychology from the University of Oslo, (Norway).

Besides adults, Sara also works with children and young people. Sara is experienced in working with a variety of mental health problems in different settings including both public and private sectors.

Sara has an integrated person-centred approach where she has a broad knowledge of various therapy approaches that she adapts to the client’s wishes and needs. Some of those approaches include: Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Emotional-focus therapy and Solution-focus therapy. In addition to treating anxiety, depression, self-esteem, self-harm and other difficulties, she offers trauma therapy with the TF-CBT approach.

She also likes to supplement her practice with psychoeducational tools where the client gains greater insight into their difficulties in light of the brain functioning. Her sessions are 50 minutes long. Sara speaks fluent English, Arabic, Norwegian and Swedish and is able to provide therapy in all of the above languages.

Michele Lamonaca
Psychotherapist

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Michele is a registered, licensed psychotherapist at BACP( British Association for counseling and psychotherapy) and an accredited psychodynamic counselor at UKCP( United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy) living in London, UK. Michele holds a Master’s degree in Psychodynamic Practice from Oxford University. Michele has undergone extensive training in the principles and practices of an Integrative Psychotherapy Model, which has featured Humanistic, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Psychodynamic approaches and EMDR Therapy. Michele particularly specializes in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy. His deep knowledge and expertise enable him to provide therapy for a wide group of people including adults, children, couples, older adults and young people. Michele works with the following cases: Anxiety, Bullying, Depression, Post-Traumatic Stress, Relationship issues, Trauma, Work-related problems and more. Michele speaks English and Italian fluently.

Dr. BERTHE KOBERSY
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST

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Dr. Berthe KOBERSY Clinical Psychologist Berthe is an LPA (Lebanese Psychological Association) registered, licensed clinical psychologist and an EMDR therapist (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, EMDRIA, MOPH, EMDR Lebanon Association) and IPT (Interpersonal Therapy, Columbia University) therapist, and a lecturer at La Sagesse University (Lebanon). Berthe lives in Beirut, Lebanon. She holds a Doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology, from the University of Paris-Descartes 5 – Institute of Psychology in France and a Master’s degree in Clinical and Pathological Psychology, from St. Joseph University, in Lebanon. She was also a member of the THÉMA « Group, family, institution »: a group of the laboratory of Clinical Psychology, Psychopathology, Psychoanalysis (PCPP) at the university of Paris- Descartes 5. She has a professional affiliation with Médecins Du Monde and Skoun (Lebanese Addiction Center). She is experienced in providing psychotherapy for individuals, couples, families and children. Berthe rely on a biopsychosocial model and utilizes a variety of techniques, including EMDR, IPT, and mindfulness techniques. She is specialized in treating stress and trauma, substance use, internal conflicts (panic attacks, phobias, OCD, depression,…), interpersonal difficulties and family systems. Throughout the years, she has used her knowledge and expertise in different settings such as schools, universities, NGOs, clinics and her own private practice. Berthe speaks French, Arabic and English fluently.

Mahita El Bacha Urieta
Psychologist, Therapist & Coach

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Mahita is a psychologist, a therapist and a coach, educated and trained in the UK at the Middlesex University in London and the Institute of Psychosynthesis . She is a registered member of the British Association for Counsellers and Psychotherapists in the UK.

 

Mahita offers psychotherapeutic counselling as well as life coaching sessions.

 

She specializes in supporting adults with a variety of challenges, including: stress, anxiety and depression, childhood trauma, narcissistic wounding, family and relationships. Mahita’s other area of expertise are as follows: work-related difficulties, loss, bereavement and grief, mid-life crisis, spiritual and existential crisis, managing chronic health problems emotionally and psychologically, terminal illnesses, working with artists dealing with creativity-related challenges, managing difficulties posed by cultural differences and integrating into a new cultural context. 

Mahita’s approach is based on Psychosynthesis Psychology.

Psychosynthesis includes elements from psychodynamics, CBT, somatic experiencing, and mindfulness among many others.

Psychosynthesis is the psychology of hope, with its eye not only on individuals’ history, but also on envisioning a purposeful future, to reorient their lives in the direction of meaning and values.

Mahita’s approach is integrative and holistic, with a transpersonal perspective, rooted in Psychosynthesis Psychology. In addition to talk-based work, She uses other complementary approaches such as: art, movement, role-play, writing, journaling, breath work, guided meditation, inner dialogue, dream-work, somatic experiencing, shadow work, chakra opening and balancing and Reiki among others.

Her sessions are 60 minutes long and she offers therapy in English, French, Spanish and Arabic.