Dr. Ava Ghasemi
Dr. Ava Ghasemi, Psy.D., is a Co-founder and board member of Hoopfull.com, UAE’s first online directory of qualified mental health professionals. She is a psychologist in private practice in Dubai having previously co-founded Aurelia Psychology LLC and Insights Psychology DMCC. She holds a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and a Masters in Counselling Psychology (Adler University, Chicago) as well as a B.Sc. in Psychology (Honors)(York University, Toronto). She has also trained at the Synthesis Institute as a legal psychedelic practitioner. She has an interest in novel treatments for PTSD and depression. She is licensed in Dubai with the DHA, as well as Ontario, Canada with the College of Psychologists of Ontario. Ava has been living and working in the UAE since 2014, working with a wide range of psychological difficulties resulting from stress and trauma. She is passionate about helping the public have access to qualified mental health professionals.
What are clients and therapists wanting - and needing - in the MENA region? Insights from an online therapist directory.
Hoopfull, an online therapist directory, was launched in March 2022. The purpose of Hoopfull was to benefit the public as well as the therapist community in the UAE. In this presentation, we will share data that we have collected from our website, social media pages and discussions we have had with our members. We will share data on what directory searches visitors are making, what information is most popular among our readers and social media followers, as well as how therapists experience working in the region. We will present and discuss:
1. What the public is looking for when searching for a therapist. Are there services that are under-represented and services that are, perhaps, over-represented?
2. What kind of therapist profiles attract the most attention. What does this tell us about creating a profile or the needs and preferences of the public?
3. Which blog posts written by mental health professionals are most popular. What conclusions we can make on the basis of this?
4. What needs do mental health professionals working in the region have? Are these needs being met, and if so, how?