Speakers
Keynote Speakers
Sahar Obeid
Dr Sahar Obeid is an Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychology and Education at the Lebanese American University. She is also a clinical psychologist and cognitive-behavioral psychotherapist. Her main areas of expertise include projects in psychology and psychiatry, focusing on both adolescents and adults.
Leyla Akouri Dirani
Dr. Akoury-Dirani is a child and adolescent clinical psychologist, and associate professor at the Department of Psychiatry of the American University of Beirut. She is the founding president of the Lebanese Order of Psychologists. Dr. Akoury Dirani has been clinically active since 1986 with patients and their families, providing diagnostic assessment, parent guidance and child psychotherapy. She is involved in many initiatives pertaining to child and adolescent mental health at a strategic level to develop more equitable policies. Her research and her teaching encompass child development, child psychopathology, child protection and parenting.
Alumni
Katherine Bassil
Dr. Katherine Bassil is an assistant professor at University Medical Center Utrecht in the Netherlands, and the recent recipient of the Niels Stensen Fellowship at the Technical University of Munich in Germany. Her research interests include a number of different topics, such as implantable neurotechnology, predictive biomarkers and digital mental health tools. Katherine received her BS in biology and psychology from LAU, and specialized in neuroscience and neuroethics at Maastricht University in the Netherlands where she received her MS and PhD. Dr. Bassil is actively involved in outreach and science policy within professional societies and international organizations, including the International Neuroethics Society (INS), Neuroethics Canada, IEEE Neuroethics Framework, and the International Brain Initiative (IBI), among others. She is also the founder of Neuroethics Today, an educative platform raising awareness on neuroethics worldwide and democratizing neuroethics literacy.
Marianne Azar
Marianne Azar is a PhD candidate at the Neuroscience of Language Lab in New York University. Using Levantine Arabic and English, her current research investigates the brain basis of how a system of word formation in a language (morphology) mediates how we connect across meanings of words meanings, in addition to how that system allows us to understand and invent new words with ease. Before neuroscience, Marianne’s main interest was in language and emotions, where she assessed the differential emotional use and perception of different languages in Lebanon, and developed an affective norms corpus for Lebanese Arabic emotional words.
Student Speakers
Rudy Younes
Is a researcher at the IDEES Multidisciplinary Research Group at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK), Lebanon. He holds a Master’s in Intervention and Social Work and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Clinical Psychology at USEK. He has authored/co-authored 10+ scholarly publications. His research centers on community psychology, social psychology, and sociology. Most notably, he was the recipient of a grant by the American Psychological Association Peace Psychology Division for his action-research project on the impacts of Lebanese crises and conflicts on families in 2023.
Marianne Ghoch
Is a Master’s student in Gender Studies and a Psychology graduate at the Lebanese American University. She is the holder of second place in the psychology category at the 12th Undergraduate Research and Innovation Competition (URIC), the largest undergraduate research competition in the MENA–GCC region, for her study “The Impact of War Trauma on Lebanese Youth: The Role of War-Related Media and a Comparative Analysis of Regional and Political Differences.” Her research interests explore the intersections of psychology and systemic inequalities, with attention to how cultural norms and social structures influence both individual wellbeing and collective life.
Yara Rouhana
Is a clinical psychologist and mental health educator with a background in research and practice. She holds an MA in Clinical Psychology from the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK) and a BA in Psychology from McGill University. With the support of a Research Partnership Grant from HES-SO Switzerland, she collaborated with the University of Fribourg on a study of youth mental health in Lebanon, published in the International Journal of Public Health. Her work continues to focus on trauma-informed care, youth well-being, and mental health education
Lea Elias Abi Khalil
Is a Clinical Psychologist and Chief Operator at Embrace Lifeline. She holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK) and has passed the Lebanese clinical colloquium. She completed her clinical training at Embrace Mental Health Center and currently works as a Mental Health Provider at ECIL, supporting children and families through early intervention. Her research focuses on suicidality, meaning-making, and crisis intervention. Her thesis explored the correlation between meaning in life and suicidal ideation among Lebanese frontline volunteers during the 2024 war.
Naya Saadeh
Is a MED4 medical student at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK), currently completing an internship at Notre Dame des Secours Hospital in Jbeil. She has recently worked on a urology article that is currently under peer review for publication and is interested in conducting research across various medical specialties.
Elie Nabil Kesrewani
Is a seventh-year medical student at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK), Lebanon, where he also earned a Bachelor of Fundamental Health Sciences. Through clinical rotations in surgery, internal medicine, psychiatry, and emergency medicine, he has developed strong skills in patient care and multidisciplinary collaboration. Open to diverse research fields, he has one paper published in Scientific Reports and several manuscripts currently under review. He has also participated in advanced medical courses and workshops, including exposure to robotic surgery and urological oncology, which have broadened his clinical and academic perspective.
Ninar Atieh
Is a fourth-year medical student at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK), passionate about combining clinical practice with research to advance evidence-based medicine. After completing a bachelor’s degree in Fundamental Health Sciences at USEK, she entered medical school in fall 2022. Initially believing that clinical work alone defined a medical career, she later discovered that research forms the foundation of best practice. Her interests include psychiatry, psychology, and internal medicine. She has contributed to a published study on Paternal Peri-conceptional Physical Activity and Congenital Heart Disease and recently worked on research exploring Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome and the lack of bodily awareness.
Raya Khaty, Yendi Khadra and Myriam Yazbeck
Raya Khaty is a second-year clinical psychology master’s student at USJ, currently working on her thesis and in the ENSA team for 3 years now. Yendi Khadra and Myriam Yazbeck are both first year clinical psychology master’s students at USJ and have been contributing to ENSA for 2 years.
Toufic Imadeddine Yaktine
Is a licensed Clinical Psychologist specializing in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). He practices at a primary healthcare center, working with patients presenting a wide variety of mental health concerns, and also collaborates with NGOs serving marginalized communities. His research interests include psychotherapy outcomes and therapeutic processes, and he has published on the psychological impact of the Beirut Blast. By bridging research and clinical practice, he aims to advance evidence-based care and improve psychotherapy delivery in Lebanon.
Marianne El Khoury
Completed her BA in Psychology at LAU, where she received the Best Senior Study Award for her project titled “The Psychological Basis of Fanship and Its Repercussions on Well-Being.” She went on to complete her Master of Public Health, concentrating in Health Promotion and Community Health, at AUB. She is currently pursuing her MA in Clinical Psychology at AUB and serving as a research assistant at AUB’s Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine. Her background spans research, health communication, education, and mental health support. Her interests include gender equity, social determinants of health, psychological safety, and qualitative research.
Nour El Hassan
Is a clinical psychology graduate student at the University of Balamand, driven by a deep passion for understanding human behavior and supporting individuals through life’s challenges. Her training spans hospitals, NGOs, and community settings, where she has provided psychosocial support, co-facilitated therapy sessions, and worked with both children and adults facing difficult circumstances. Nour also served as a psychological subject-matter expert for a mental health app, contributing to the development of evidence-based tools for a broader audience. Her current research focuses on coping strategies and behavioral interventions aimed at promoting resilience and emotional well-being.
Karel Harb
Is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology at the University, having previously completed a master’s in Clinical Neuroscience at King’s College London. Her academic journey reflects a strong interest in integrating the two fields within therapeutic practice. During her studies, she developed a particular interest in sleep and its role in memory formation, exploring how this knowledge can be applied in clinical settings. Her thesis, titled “The Effect of Loneliness on Hypertension and Diabetes: A Combined Analysis of Direct Associations and Depression as a Mediator,” allowed her to examine the impact of loneliness on physical health and its broader implications in the medical field.