This pioneering event, held under the theme “Shaping the Future of Endocrine Surgery - Together,” will bring together leading endocrine surgery & related medical professionals, researchers, and key stakeholders from Kuwait and the wider region. The symposium aims to highlight the latest advances, innovations, and multidisciplinary approaches in endocrine surgery and related fields.

Prof. AlHadi is a Professor and Consultant in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, and past chairman of department of psychiatry, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He is the supervisor of SABIC Psychological Health Research and Applications Chair (SPHRAC).

He is a certified CBT therapist by the Academy of Cognitive Therapy in USA and Founding member in Canadian Association of Cognitive Behavioral Therapies (CACBT) since 2011. He got Psychotherapy Clinical Fellowship and Clinical Teacher Certificate from University of Toronto, Canada. and Clinical Fellowship in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) from McGill University, Montreal, Canada.

He had Saudi Specialty Certificate of Psychiatry SSC-Psych (Saudi Board of Psychiatry), since Dec. 2006, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He conducted and attended more than 200 workshops, courses and conferences in psychiatry and psychotherapy. He published more than 50 scientific papers and book chapters. He participates in many research projects currently.

Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa, is an award-winning serial entrepreneur, clinical psychologist, clinical sexologist and clinical hypnotherapist who is the founder of Socoon Clinic for Professional Therapy and Assessment, Kuwait’s leading professional source of a broad range of psychological services and founder of Neuropsychcare, Kuwait’s first Neuropsychology Center. He is also the founder of Tenweem, the first Arabic hypnotherapy application and the cofounder of Tuhoon, a mental health tech startup.

A licensed psychologist in the State of New York, Dubai, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait, he has extensive experience working with adolecents, adults, couples (married or otherwise) and families. He is a member of the American Psychological Association, and American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT). As a clinical hypnotherapist, he underwent training at the New York Milton H. Ericsson Society for Psychotherapy and Hypnosis (NYSEPH), and has been certified by and is a member of both the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis and the National Guild of Hypnotists. He is an approved Albert Ellis Institute Rational Emotive & Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Supervisor and is a member of their board of directors. He is a sex therapist certified by AASECT and is certified in Psychadelic Assisted Therapy by Mind Medicine in Australia and in Perinatal Mood Disorders by PSI International.

An Assistant Professor in Clinical Psychology, Dr. Naif is a member of the academic staff at Kuwait University’s Faculty of Medicine, where he has been teaching clinical psychology, communication skills and cognitive behavioral therapy since 2005. He is also a former Chief Psychotherapy Training Supervisor at the Kuwait Psychiatric Hospital.

Dr. Naif has a PhD in Clinical Psychology from Long Island University where he also earned a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology. He was awarded a second doctorate (an honorary one) by Long Island University in May 2019 and a third doctorate in Clinical Sexology from the Modern Sex Therapy Institute in 2021. He holds a Masters in Organizational Psychology from Teacher’s College, Columbia University and an MBA, also from Columbia University. He holds a certification in conflict resolution from Columbia University. He earned his undergraduate degree from Tufts University, where he triple majored in clinical psychology, English literature and history.

Dr. Naif has extensive clinical experience working with former prisoners of war in Kuwait and the Survivors of Political Torture unit of Bellevue Hospital in New York. He has seen first-hand the cancer that intolerance can bring to any society. His direct contact with the horrors of people tortured because of their religious and political beliefs, led to his writing a timeless children’s tale that won a UNESCO Prize for Literature in the Service of Tolerance.

Dr. Juliet Dinkha is an author and a Licensed Clinical Psychologist born and raised in Kuwait before pursuing her education (bachelor’s, master’s, and a doctorate in Clinical Psychology) in the United States.

Upon returning to Kuwait, she affiliated with the American University of Kuwait (AUK) as a professor teaching psychology courses and mentoring students, while also doing research on cultural issues as they relate to body image, depression, individual satisfaction, and complex trauma. Additionally, she published books exploring navigating identity and resilience.

Dr. Dinkha currently resides in the United States, where she oversees Organizational Development for the Veterans Administration. She also maintains a private practice in both countries, providing virtual and in-person psychotherapy to a diverse client population.

• Dr. Abdullah Al-Ozairi MD MSc MHPE DipABPN FRCPC
• Acting Head of Psychiatry Department, Kuwait University, Kuwait
• Chair of National Psychiatry Program, Kuwait Institute of Medical Sciences
• Neuropsychiatrist, Amiri Hospital, Kuwait
• Head of Consultation Psychiatry, Kuwait Centre Mental Health, Kuwait
• Wilson Centre Fellow, University of Toronto, Canada
• Faculty at Harvard Macy Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA

Dr. Sulaiman Alkhadhari is a distinguished psychiatrist with a deep commitment to advancing mental health care in Kuwait. As an associate Professor of Psychiatry at Kuwait University, he played a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of mental health professionals. He is actively involved in both clinical practice and research, contributing to various publications and presenting at international conferences.

Dr. Alkhadhari's has done his training at the University of Toronto in Ontario, Canada. His leadership in psychiatry is further demonstrated through his roles in several key positions, including Chairperson of the Department of Psychiatry at Kuwait University and the chief psychiatrist at Kuwait center for mental Health. He is the cofounder and the first president of the Faculty of psychiatry at Kuwait Institute for Medical Specializations and was the president of Kuwait Psychiatric Association. He held many consultancy and advisory positions including overseeing mental health services at Kuwait Oil Company Hospital and Dasman Diabetes Institute. His work is marked by a commitment to improving mental health services and education on both a national and international level.

Dr. Joanne is a Psychologist with a License as a Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and Professional Counselor (LPC), from the state of Louisiana, USA. In addition, she is a Certified Counselor by the American National Board of Certified Counselors (NCC) as well as Certified in Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) personality inventory. She is the President of the Middle East Psychological Association (MEPA) and the Clinical Director of Kuwait Counseling Center.

Dr. Joanne graduated with a PhD in Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Chicago Illinois, USA, earned her Master’s in Science degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Loyola University, New Orleans Louisiana, USA and her Professional Clinical Psychology degree from The Rafael Urdaneta University in Venezuela. She has over 27 years of experience working with individuals in private practice as well as in educational and corporate settings. Dr. Joanne has received several awards and the latest is a Presidential Award by the American Psychological Association for bringing Mental Health in the Middle East to a higher level.

Dr. Sofia Pappa is a Professor of Practice in Psychiatry at the Dept of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London and a Specialty Lead in Mental Health for the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR,UK). She also works as a Consultant Psychiatrist and Mood & Psychosis Research Lead at West London NHS Trust.

She has dual training in Neurology and Psychiatry and was awarded a European scholarship for the completion of her PhD in neuropsychopharmacology. She subsequently obtained a fellowship for postdoctoral research at the Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London, evaluating the neuromotor dysfunction in early psychosis.

Her main clinical and research interests include neuropsychopharmacology and novel treatments in the management of affective and psychotic disorders as well as neuropsychiatry (particularly in movement and sleep disorders).

Dr Pappa has received a number of awards and grants and has acted as Principal Investigator for several clinical trials. She has published in high impact journals and regularly reviews manuscripts for top ranked journals and NIHR applications.

She has significant experience in teaching including in her role as Imperial Medical School Tutor and Associate Clinical Professor in Psychiatry, RUSM Medical School (Florida, US) and in clinical management, having served as Clinical Lead for Adult Mental Health Services in the past.

Dr. Aziz Alfeeli is a Consultant Physiatrist at Amiri Hospital in Kuwait, with a clinical focus on chronic pain, fibromyalgia, and the interface between physical rehabilitation and mental health. He regularly manages patients whose symptoms sit at the crossroads of pain, mood, anxiety, and trauma, with particular attention to the cultural meanings of illness in Kuwait and the wider Gulf region.

Dr. Alfeeli is also an author with a special interest in narrative medicine. His publotherapeutic novel “Taming the Tantal” uses an Arab mythical creature as a metaphor for chronic pain, offering patients and clinicians an imaginative framework to understand fibromyalgia and related conditions in a less stigmatizing, more compassionate way.

He is currently developing narrative-based clinical frameworks derived from this work and beginning to share them in regional professional forums. His main interest lies in exploring how myth, story, and evidence-based pain neuroscience can be integrated into everyday psychiatric and rehabilitation practice to enhance patient engagement, reduce suffering, and promote culturally sensitive, person-centred care within Gulf mental health services.

• B.M., B.CH Bachelor Degree of Medicine and Surgery. Kuwait University, Faculty of Medicine
• Certified French Board of psychiatry, Rouen-Normandie university.
• Senior Psychiatry specialist, Head of Kuwait addiction treatment center
• Trainer in the Kuwaiti board of Psychiatry
• Clinical tutor in the psychiatry department at Kuwait University.
• Passionate about bridging the gap between psychiatry and the wider medical community, and is committed to training healthcare professionals to better understand the psychological dimensions of patient care.

• 2013 - 2018 Medical director of KCMH
• 2015 - 2024 Medical director of Kuwait alcohol and drug rehabilitation services
• Had a managerial and clinical role in the transformation of the alcohol and drug treatment center into a full rehabilitation service
• Has a clinical interest in the field of personality disorders especially emotionally unstable personality disorder

Dr. Husain AlSaraf is a board-certified psychiatrist who heads the Consultation Liaison and Neuropsychiatry Unit at AlAmiri General Hospital. He is also a residency site director and a tutor at the Kuwait Institution for Medical Specialization. In addition to his clinical practice and teaching, he is the Cognitive Sciences Director at the Dasman Diabetes Institute, where he actively participates in multiple research projects, emphasizing the intersection of cognitive and mental disorders with other medical conditions. Currently, he is the president of the Kuwait Psychiatry Association.

Sis. Reham Emad is a senior Specialist clinical instructor and quality Accreditation coordinator in mental health.

Dr. Ibrahim is a board-certified psychiatrist who currently works in the Kuwait Center for Mental Health. He completed his residency training with the Kuwait Board of Psychiatry. He is currently the senior in charge of the Hawalli governorate Acute Psychiatric Inpatient Unit at KCMH.

Dr. Tarek Mahmoud Shoukry is currently consultant psychiatrist and head of the sleep disorders unit in KCMH. He graduated 1993 from FOM, Cairo University. He had master degree in neuropsychiatry in 1997, a master degree in physiology of sleep in 2000, and PhD in physiology of sleep in 2008. He was certified as a somnologist and expert in sleep medicine by the European Sleep Research Society (ESRS) in 2024. Moreover, he is an associate professor of medical physiology, FOM, Cairo University. His interest is in the field of sleep and mood disorders. He is a clinical tutor in Kuwait board of psychiatry and for 7th year medical students in FOM, Kuwait University.

Dr. Hamad Alsafi is a Senior Registrar Psychiatrist at the Psychiatry Unit of Mubarak AlKabeer Hospital in Kuwait. With expertise in psychotic disorders and psychotherapy, he combines clinical practice with evidence-based interventions and maintains active membership in the International Society of Interpersonal Psychotherapy (ISIPT).

Trained at Kuwait University (MD) and Queen's University, Canada (FRCPC), Dr. Alsafi applies international insights to regional mental health challenges. His work focuses on early intervention in psychosis and integrating psychotherapy into public health systems, developing scalable patient-centered approaches. He particularly focuses on culturally adapted treatment models for the Arab Gulf population.

Committed to advancing mental healthcare, Dr. Alsafi actively works to reduce stigma and improve access to services. By combining clinical research with community engagement, he translates academic knowledge into practical improvements for patients and healthcare systems.

• Consultant Psychiatrist
• Head of the Psychiatry Department – Kuwait Center for Mental Health
• Canadian Board in Psychiatry – University of Toronto
• Bachelor of Medicine – University College Cork – Ireland

• From 2017 till now professor of psychiatry faculty of medicine, Cairo university.
• September 2012 till October 2017 Assistant professor of Psychiatry. Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University.
• March 2007 till September 2012: Lecturer of Psychiatry in Psychiatry department, Faculty of medicine, Cairo University.
• July 2002 until 2007: Assistant Lecturer of Psychiatry in Psychiatry department, Faculty of medicine, Cairo University
• Consultant of psychiatry kuwait, Kuwait Centre for mental health
• Head of geriatric unit kuwait, KCMH

• Consultant Psychiatrist
• Kuwait center for mental health
• Professor of psychiatry at Ain Shams university
• Head of rehabilitation unite KCMH
• Conducted several reasearch on affective disorders ,personality disorders ,panic and cognitive remediation in schizophrenia
• Has composed the ECT and OCD chapters in the official text of department of psychiatry institute of psychiatry ain shams medical school

Professor and Consultant of Clinical Neurophysiology. Faculty of Medicine, King Saud University, King Khaled University Hospital (KKUH) and King Abdul Aziz University Hospital (KAUH), Riyadh Saudi Arabia.

Hold a Bachelor degree of Basic Medical Sciences from Kuwait University, Graduate of Medicine (BM BCh, Glasgow Universty, Scotland, UK), a PhD in Neurophysiology (Leicester, UK) & BScMedScHons (Hyperbaric Med.) from Stellenbosch University. Experienced in teaching, research, research collaboration & consultation. Over 22years of research experience in the Neurobiology of ASD. Authored and co-authored over 200 original research publications, and supervised over 19 masters and PhD dissertation.

Dr. AlNouri is a Board-Certified Psychiatrist based at the Mubarak AlKabeer Hospital. She completed her residency training at the University of Toronto in Canada. After completing the program in 2022, she then further specialized in early intervention in psychosis also in Toronto, Canada. She currently works as part of the consultation liaison team at MKH and also has a clinic for early psychosis at the Kuwait Center for Mental Health. Dr. AlNouri is also involved in postgraduate education and is the current Program Director for the Kuwait Board of Psychiatry.

Aseel Alibrahim is a senior specialist women health psychiatrist in kuwait center for mental health and maternity hospital. She graduated from the Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University. She did her Psychiatry residency training in Kuwait. Then, she joined the University of Toronto, where she did her training in Women psychiatry. Currently, she works as head unit, and as an assistant to program director of psychiatry.