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Mental Health Insights from the Therapy Room

When a child refuses to let go — clinging, crying, unable to explore — parents often wonder whether they've done something wrong. Ms. Sarah El Nabulsi explains the neuroscience behind attachment styles, the difference between secure and anxious bonding, and why the single most powerful thing a parent can offer isn't a technique — it's presence.

When a child dies at the hands of other children, the first question is always: who is responsible? Ms. Sarah El Nabulsi's answer is carefully clinical — we cannot blame the child, but we cannot excuse the environment either. She explains what drives children toward violence, the role of the prefrontal cortex, peer pressure dynamics, and why even genetically predisposed children have significantly better outcomes when raised well.

When JOMO — the Joy of Missing Out — became a cultural trend during the pandemic, it was celebrated as the healthy antidote to FOMO. Ms. Sarah El Nabulsi's clinical read is different: JOMO is not the solution to FOMO. It is the same anxiety expressed in the opposite direction. She explains why, when either becomes pathological, and what genuine balance looks like.

We hear a lot about people who can't let go — who are excessively attached to a person, a routine, or even a used plastic cup. But what Ms. Sarah El Nabulsi is actually seeing in her clinic is the opposite: a generation increasingly quick to exit any relationship that requires effort. She explains both ends of the attachment spectrum, how disorganized attachment patterns draw people into unhealthy pursuit, and the self-referral consciousness that anchors us in ourselves.

When a woman claimed to have brain cancer, shaved her head, and used the story to fund her wedding and travel — was it a mental illness? Ms. Sarah El Nabulsi explains the crucial clinical difference between Factitious Disorder, malingering, and Antisocial Personality Disorder, and why the answer matters.

When you return to a series you've already seen a dozen times — one where you know the dialogue and the ending — your nervous system is sending a signal worth paying attention to. Ms. Sarah El Nabulsi explains the cortisol science behind familiar viewing, what anxiety has to do with predictability, and when the remote becomes a problem.

Why do comments about our appearance sting so much — and how do we build real confidence instead of just coping? Ms. Sarah El Nabulsi breaks down the psychology of appearance-based criticism, how to raise children who don't tie their worth to looks, and the assertiveness skills that keep other people's opinions from becoming your reality.

How do you recognize a psychopathic personality before it costs you years of your life? Ms. Sarah El Nabulsi breaks down the childhood warning signs, why these individuals are so resistant to treatment, and the self-worth and mindfulness practices that protect you from manipulation.

What does "mental health" actually mean, and why do so many people in Arab communities wait years before seeking help? Ms. Sarah El Nabulsi breaks down mental health as a spectrum, the risks of untreated teenage depression, and the daily habits — from stillness to genuine connection — that protect it.

Why does social media affect a teenager's brain so much more intensely than an adult's? Ms. Sarah El Nabulsi explains the neuroscience of adolescent vulnerability, why criticism backfires when parents try to intervene, and the parenting style shown to protect teenagers from anxiety.

Why does the Middle East report some of the highest anxiety and depression rates in the world — and why do so many people here hide their struggles rather than seek help? Ms. Sarah El Nabulsi unpacks the WHO's definition of mental health, the cultural taboo behind our silence, and why early intervention changes everything.

When a public figure cuts her hair after a divorce, it's often dismissed as impulsive or attention-seeking. Ms. Sarah El Nabulsi explains the real psychology behind it — the oxytocin-driven science of self-care, why hair carries deep symbolic weight in Arab culture, and how to tell healthy self-expression apart from a more troubling pattern.

The most common framing of domestic violence — that it is family conflict that escalated too far — is not just inaccurate. It is dangerous, because it leads us to look for solutions in the wrong place. Ms. Sarah El Nabulsi explains what violence against women is actually about, why women cannot simply leave, and what the research shows about the impact on children.

Transcending trauma does not mean forgetting what happened. It means accepting it — and choosing not to let it hold you back.

When a public figure takes their own life and everyone says "but they seemed so happy," it is not a contradiction — it is the clearest illustration of how well people learn to hide suicidal pain. Ms. Sarah El Nabulsi explains why ideation is always gradual, how cultural factors play a role in people communicating their pain to others and the specific signs that a person may be approaching a crisis.

Dubai psychologist Ms. Sarah El Nabulsi on why emotional repression runs so deep in Arab culture, what it does to the brain, when to see a therapist — and the controversial truth about how Arab men should handle emotions in their relationships.

When a woman discovers her husband has been unfaithful, two questions tend to follow almost immediately. The first is emotional: should I make him pay for what he did? The second is almost always the same question asked differently: was she younger than me? Was she more beautiful? As a DHA Licensed Clinical Psychologist who works with couples in Dubai, I am asked both of these questions regularly. My answers tend to surprise people — because what I see in the clinic, and what

Not all psychological advice travels well across cultures. This is something Ms. Sarah El Nabulsi, M.Sc., M.A., M.A., DHA Licensed Clinical Psychologist and UAE Director of the Transcendental Meditation Organization, speaks about with unusual clarity — and it is one of the most important conversations missing from mainstream mental health discourse in the Arab world. Watch The Interview Clip In a conversation on MBC1 Kalam Nawa3em, she challenged one of the most widely

Ms. Sarah El Nabulsi, M.Sc., M.A., M.A., DHA Licensed Clinical Psychologist and UAE Director of the Transcendental Meditation Organization, joined the DubaiCatch Podcast for a candid, wide-ranging conversation on what it really means to protect your mental health in one of the world's most fast-paced cities. Watch Now Across nearly an hour, she covers burnout culture, social media limits, the loneliness epidemic hiding inside Dubai's 200 nationalities, the neuroscience of Tra

By Sarah El Nabulsi, M.Sc.,M.A.,M.A. DHA-Licensed Clinical Psychologist & Medical Director We’ve all been there: staring at the same email, rereading the same sentence, circling around a single thought you can’t shake. This mental state has a name: preoccupation. Unlike ordinary distraction, preoccupation hijacks the present moment. It consumes your mental bandwidth, making you feel paralyzed even when you want to focus. The harder you push the thought away, the louder it gro