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Dr. Reham Aly

The Practice & Research of CBT in Egypt

Biography

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Dr. Reham Aly has received her M.B.B.Ch. from Cairo University in 1999 with a “very good” grade. She was employed as a resident psychiatry on 2001 at Ministry of Health Mental Hospital (Abasseya). She received her first post graduate degree in Psychiatry in 2004 Diploma of Psychiatric Practicing- DPP from Kings College in association with Ain Shams University, Cairo.  After which she received her M.SC. in Neuro-Psychiatry from AIn Shams University, Cairo 2006. Dr. Aly completed her residency program then & was declared a specialist in the field of Psychiatry. Dr. Aly has also applied for the Arab Fellowship of Psychiatry on 2006 & completed it successfully on 2008.  In an attempt to complete her postgraduate studies, Dr. Aly has started her thesis “Internet-Delivered CBT for Anxiety disorders” in submission of MD. (PhD) degree.  In an attempt to receive state of art training in the field of cognitive behavioral therapy, Dr. Aly travelled to the United States to start training as a cognitive behavioral therapist. She then completed her diplomate status from the Academy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (a.k.a. Beck’s Institute) & was declared the first Egyptian fellow of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy on 2011.  On the same year 2011, Dr. Aly successfully presented her thesis in submission of MD (PhD) degree in Psychiatry & attained her degree on the same year.

 

After which Dr. Aly was dedicated to the training & continuous education field for professionals working with the Ministry of Health & Population (Mental health division). She was assigned the Director of the training & continuous education department to Abasseya Hospital of Mental Health. On 2013 Dr. Aly has been assigned the Director of Training & Continuous Education of the General Secretariat of Mental Health, Egypt;  the division of Ministry of health & population entitles managing & supervision of all eighteen Mental health Hospitals across Egypt. In order to continue training & education of the administrative field, Dr. ALy already was awarded a diploma of Health Care Economics from University of York, England on 2016.  On 2011; the need for an Egyptian Association for CBT has issued. Many therapists & psychiatrists requested education & training in this field but was obstacle with either travelling abroad issues or language barriers. Honored & associated with many of Egyptian pillars of psychiatry the Egyptian Association of CBT (www.EACBT.org) was initiated in 2013. Accordingly, Dr. Aly was assigned President of the EACBT.The EACBT had its 1st Congress on February 2014 & was highly & favorably received. Many International, Arab & Egyptian Professors & Experts on the field has participated. Since then the EACBT continues to organize a state-of-art annual congress on February of every year. On 2015; the EACBT headed by Dr. Reham initiated a 2 years diploma for learning & training of cognitive behavior therapy. The 1st run of the diploma has been graduated & the 2nd run is already employed.

Abstract

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Egypt has a central position in Africa and the Middle East. The country is the heart of the Arab world. Generally, the development and practice of psychotherapy in Egypt has followed the development of psychology. Yet, the evolution, development, and current status of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) have undergone a great step lately. Starting from times of the development of clinical psychology in Egypt, we discuss the theoretical orientation of contemporary psychotherapy in the country, its status in the health care system, its training and research opportunities, and its current and future challenges.

Moreover, the training and practice of cognitive behavior therapy have perceived many roundabouts in Egypt & mandates some cultural adaptation perspective. In local settings, the evidence based gold standard psychotherapy is subject to individual and cultural changes and progressions. Yet, no standard culturally adapted manual have been developed, till lately. In addition, the education & training of CBT in Egypt remains underdeveloped. The general goal of increasing awareness & knowledge of CBT can only be accomplished through cultivating an environment of structured training & research, not only in Egypt, but in the whole Arab region. Future expectations and provisional plans for implementing CBT in Egypt will finally be presented

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