I've written about the mental health situation in Kuwait. I've come across Soor Center while searching for English speaking counselors. Most of the counselors in Kuwait are Arab (of course) and don't speak English and if they do speak the language they have no concept of Western living. My daughter acts up and sometimes and it's good to have a third party for her to speak to. I was recommended by her school to speak with some counselor in Salmiya. She spoke English but was of European nationality, again she had no concept of Western life and didn't even speak to my daughter. It cost me 100 KD for nothing.
What interests me about the Soor Center is one of the founders is Kuwaiti Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa, the creator of THE 99 comics. There are several American and British doctors working there which would make me feel more comfortable. Sometimes you just need a neutral person to talk to who doesn't judge you but listens to all your problems. I know a lot of Arabs think it's taboo to speak to other people about problems but sometimes your mother and father can't help. I haven't visited the center with my daughter yet. If anyone has experience with this center please let me know.
http://www.soorcenter.com/ for more info
Sorry about your bad experience with the European therapist! I am wondering how she gets away with charging 100KD for the first session when the going rate in Kuwait is 50KD? Kuwait is full of charlatans so I would highly recommend that you visit the Soor Center which is headed up by that famous Kuwaiti comic book writer and a Canadian couple. They don't have any American doctors there but they are the largest clinic in the middle east and the first session is free! It would be most educational for your readers if you were to pay them a visit and then write about your experience.
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking me to soorcenter.com. very helpful.Mental Health Assessment Form
ReplyDeleteYes, Soor Center specializes in the professional use of educational and psychological assessment materials which are readily available to all on the internet: http://freementalhealthscreening.com/
ReplyDeleteI also heard that they do a 'learning styles' test which they get free online and charge clients up to 300KD for 'interpreting' it, and the 'report' is a series of numbers with no explanation. What is the connection between 'comic books' and 'psychological services' anyway?
ReplyDeleteThe reality is that many a mental health client is being led down a slippery slope in Kuwait. Some things to look for when looking for an ethical therapist include 1)Written Fee Schedule with Specific Cost per Service to be Revealed to Patient at First Visit, 2)Written Payment Receipts with Name and Credentials of the Provider, Date of Service and Type of Service, 3) Valid Psychology Doctoral Degrees Prominently Displayed indicating that the person referring to themselves as a 'psychologist doctor' has fulfilled the educational,training and licensing requirements to ethically use the titles 'psychologist' and/or 'doctor',4) Valid Licenses Prominently Displayed with the Name of the 'licensed professional', 5) Written Indications of Internationally Accepted Ethical standards to be followed regarding Patient Confidentiality, and 6)Patient Consent Forms. Some Red Flags include 1) therapists blogging about patients on the internet, 2) misrepresenting credentials, 3) exceeding limits of competence, 4)divulging patient test results to third party w/o written consent, etc.
ReplyDelete