CAIRO: The American University in Cairo (AUC) launched its International Counseling and Community Psychology (ICCP) graduate program - the first of its kind in the region. The program offers MAs in family and child counseling, family and couples counseling and community psychology, as well as graduate diplomas in general family counseling and community psychology. "We are confident that this program will introduce Egypt and the region to a new paradigm of mental health that stresses the role of cultural and social contexts on the psychological functioning of individuals and their families, Hani Henry, assistant professor and head of the psychology unit, told Daily News Egypt. Graduates of the program will be the first practitioners trained in Egypt and the region, capable of providing a multi-layered range of family and community intervention. They also provide assistance to people struggling with mental illness and psychological problems. "This new paradigm challenges the predominant 'disease model' that treats mental health problems as a medical issue that needs to be fixed by medication. If this paradigm is applied in Egypt, people will seek professional help to experience personal growth and will not feel stigmatized by doing that, he explained. Egypt's Ministry of Family and Population offered its support for the new program "because it meets the needs of Egyptian society, according to a press statement by AUC. AUC will work with the ministry to offer internship opportunities for students, where they can conduct interventions with families and within communities. AUC also indicated prospects of future collaboration between both entities, where ministry employees can be granted scholarships. ICCP students will use psychological principles to help family members improve their interaction and communication patterns. They will also help communities by introducing them to effective prevention and intervention programs that deal with mental health problems, such as teen depression, drug abuse, and anger. In addition, they will also be trained to deal in a culturally competent and sensitive way with their clients. A challenge expected to face the program's graduates is the social stigma associated with counseling in Egypt and the Middle East. "We understand that family members will be hesitant to talk about their problems with mental health professionals, however, if we are to apply this new paradigm, the stigma of seeking professional help will no longer be an issue. "If families understand that the therapist will help them connect and communicate with each other instead of labeling them as sick or diseased, the idea of seeking help may be very appealing to many, Henry explained. The programs will follow international guidelines for similar degrees at accredited institutions in the United States; seven faculty members in the graduate program have acquired their PhDs from the US in various fields of psychology, including clinical, community and social psychology and family therapy. "These programs will place AUC and its graduates at the forefront of advancing global trends towards multi-cultural and systemic psychological practice that promotes culturally relevant family, child, and community interventions in Egypt and the region, said Elizabeth Coker, associate professor at AUC said in a statement. ICCP works under the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, and Egyptology which offers Bachelor of Arts major and minor programs and a Master of Arts program in Sociology-Anthropology. Henry noted, "Psychological principles are still underused in our region and we hope that families will utilize them in a very efficient way.
