By Zayed Alzyoud
The University of Jordan (UJ) hosted an international workshop titled “Clinical Psychological Services: Models from the West and the East,” in collaboration with Nova Southeastern University (NSU) in Florida.
The workshop brought together academics and practitioners from both institutions, along with UJ faculty, staff and students, to compare clinical approaches across different cultural settings.
The opening session was attended by UJ Vice President for Scientific Schools Prof. Ashraf Abu Karaky, Vice President for Humanities Schools Prof. Nahed Emaish, and Dean of the School of Arts Prof. Mohammad Al Qudah.
Abu Karaky said the workshop reflects UJ’s efforts to expand academic partnerships in areas linked to community needs.
Al Qudah said the discussions focused on improving psychological services through shared experience and exposure to Eastern and Western models, noting the Department of Psychology’s role in strengthening clinical knowledge and international cooperation.
Chair of the Department of Psychology Prof. Marwan Al Zoubi highlighted the importance of international collaboration amid rising demand for psychological support.
The program opened with a lecture titled “Cultural Intelligence in Clinical and Medical Practice,” delivered by NSU Adjunct Professor Dr. Oriab Toukhy, who also serves as director of Child and Family Psychology LLC.
In the second session, Dr. Yasmeen Al Hasawi, Director of the Resilient Mind Center at NSU, spoke on “Psychological Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Population,” focusing on inclusive service models, adaptive communication tools and professional training.
In a third lecture, Dr. Nehjlah Meshal, a researcher at UJ’s Department of Psychology and a research fellow at the Child Mind Institute in New York, presented “Integrating Islamic Values to Support Teenagers’ Mental Health,” discussing how values can be incorporated into evidence-based practice to strengthen engagement among adolescents and their families.
The workshop concluded with a panel discussion titled “The Jordanian Experience in Providing Psychosocial Support to Refugees,” featuring UJ counseling psychologist Prof. Ahmad El Shaikh, UJ clinical psychologist Dr. Ashraf Al Qudah, and Dr. Ahmad Bawaneh, Director of the International Medical Corps (IMC) in Jordan. Panelists shared field experience and discussed context-sensitive interventions that support resilience and psychosocial well-being.