History is full of examples of those employing what we might consider psychotherapeutic interventions today. Socrates argued that through reason and logic he was able to transcend his predisposition to laziness and lechery. Ibn Hazm, a scholar in Islamic Spain during the 12th century, proposed a specific imagery-based exercise to combat chronic envy, having his patients visualise that the person they envied came from a distant land. People tend to envy those they view as similar to themselves, and Ibn Hazm's treatment was designed around that observation.
Despite the existence of psychotherapy throughout history and across cultures, the emergence of the psychoanalytic tradition in the latter part of the 19th century is typically viewed as the birth of modern psychotherapy. Rooted in the work of Sigmund Freud, psychoanalysis still reigns in the popular imagination as the archetypal talk therapy where people lay on couches, talking about their troubled childhoods.
But Freudian ideas can't always be applied across cultures, and they are also often at odds with people's religious and spiritual beliefs: how exactly would an Electra complex work in a polyandrous household? In today's multicultural societies ensuring that psychotherapeutic interventions are culturally appropriate is a vitally important challenge for those involved in the delivery of mental health care.
One therapy that appears to meet this challenge is cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT). Unlike psychoanalysis, CBT is very much focused on the present. One of its central therapeutic ideas is that dysfunctional but modifiable patterns of thinking are responsible for most psychological distress. Several researchers suggest that CBT can be culturally and spiritually modified. Dr David Hodge, an assistant professor at the Arizona State University School of Social Work, argues that CBT is highly congruent with Islamic values, given its emphasis on reason, logic, scientific exploration, consultation, and education, all widely endorsed within Islamic discourse.
Spiritual or cultural modification of CBT is achieved by drawing on concepts and examples from the client's own cultural or religious background. For example, in the context of CBT for depression, the widely know Islamic concept of "husn al dhun" can be an important reference. Husn al dhun is typically translated as "good opinion" - meaning that one should assume the best of people and situations. CBT holds that in many cases depression is maintained by the client holding negative opinions about themselves, other people, and the future.
Another part of CBT, encouraging people to make appropriate social comparisons, is also part of Islamic tradition, which encourages people to contemplate those less fortunate. Many social comparisons with those who have more are often implicated in depressive illness.
"Self statements," where a patient articulates how they will challenge a dysfunctional belief that they want to modify, are also an important part of CBT. Dr Hodge advocates the adoption of self statements derived directly from the client's spiritual narrative. As an example of a self statement that might be aimed at countering dysfunctional beliefs related to achievement and acceptance, Dr Hodge suggests the following: "Although human approval and accomplishment are beneficial, they are not necessary for a productive life. As it says in the Quran, he who relies on Allah, Allah is enough for him."
Critics may question whether these modifications are clinically effective, but unless a client stays in therapy, no intervention is effective. And the evidence suggests that, with selected clients, spiritually and culturally attuned interventions are more acceptable and provide a better chance that a patient will buy in to the treatment and forge a stronger therapeutic relationship with their doctor. Studies undertaken in Saudi Arabia and Malaysia aimed at evaluating the efficacy of spiritually modified CBT have shown promising results. CBT clients who used the treatment showed clinically significant decreases in symptoms, were found to make faster progress, and complete treatment quicker.
As evidence-based psychotherapies such as CBT become more broadly embraced by the mental health care community in the UAE, it is important to ensure that clinicians are culturally competent, and flexible enough to adapt the content and frame of the therapy to best serve their clients.
Justin Thomas is a psychologist in the department of health sciences at Zayed University in Abu Dhabi
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Tickets
Tickets start at Dh100 for adults, while children can enter free on the opening day. For more information, visit www.mubadalawtc.com.
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
THE BIO
Favourite place to go to in the UAE: The desert sand dunes, just after some rain
Who inspires you: Anybody with new and smart ideas, challenging questions, an open mind and a positive attitude
Where would you like to retire: Most probably in my home country, Hungary, but with frequent returns to the UAE
Favorite book: A book by Transilvanian author, Albert Wass, entitled ‘Sword and Reap’ (Kard es Kasza) - not really known internationally
Favourite subjects in school: Mathematics and science
The End of Loneliness
Benedict Wells
Translated from the German by Charlotte Collins
Sceptre
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Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
UAE - India ties
The UAE is India’s third-largest trade partner after the US and China
Annual bilateral trade between India and the UAE has crossed US$ 60 billion
The UAE is the fourth-largest exporter of crude oil for India
Indians comprise the largest community with 3.3 million residents in the UAE
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi first visited the UAE in August 2015
His visit on August 23-24 will be the third in four years
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, visited India in February 2016
Sheikh Mohamed was the chief guest at India’s Republic Day celebrations in January 2017
Modi will visit Bahrain on August 24-25
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