Samar DAGHER
Chargé de Cours
Faculty of Nursing Science
+961 (1) 421 000 samar.dagher1@usj.edu.lb
After a successful school career, at the end of which I ranked 3rd in Lebanon on the official Lebanese baccalaureate exams, I began my academic and professional path working as an educator and youth facilitator with children and adolescents. Since then, I have gained experience working with children, adolescents, and adults through varied internships (in a special school for learning difficulties, and in hemodialysis, psychiatry, oncology, and palliative-care departments in various hospitals). After earning a Master's in clinical and pathological psychology from Saint Joseph University of Beirut, I am currently a doctoral candidate in psychology at the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences, with a particular interest in the interplay between clinical practice and research, notably in the field of oncology. I also work as a clinical psychologist in the oncology and palliative-care departments of Hotel-Dieu de France, providing support to hospitalized patients, their families, and the treating medical team. In parallel, I contribute to supporting USJ students within the USJ Psychological Support Service, where we mainly address issues such as anxiety, depression, relationship problems, self-image, eating-behavior disorders, stress management, and time organization. After conducting my Master's thesis on protective factors against depression in cancer patients, I volunteer with the Barbara Nassar association dedicated to accompanying adult cancer patients, especially on the psychological and social levels. In addition, I worked as an operator on the national suicide-prevention helpline in Lebanon with the Embrace Organization for about two years, receiving calls from patients in suicidal crisis and assessing and managing suicide risk. Since 2024, I have been teaching a course on palliative care (the psychological aspect) to USJ nursing students, focusing especially on grief, the challenges encountered, and how to care for oneself and guard against burnout in the face of work-related stress. I also supervise these students during their visit to the palliative-care department of Hotel-Dieu de France, offering them a safe space to express themselves regarding the potentially moving cases they encounter. In addition, I have worked as a consultant with the World Health Organization since 2024, delivering trainings on breaking bad news, managing panic attacks, coping with emotional crises, and self-care. I also see patients in private practice. The main populations I work with are adolescents and adults. The issues addressed range from cancer, grief, chronic illness, self-image, personality disorders, and anxiety and depressive disorders to the management of suicidal crises. Finally, I have been supervised in clinical practice from the beginning of my professional career by an experienced clinical psychologist with whom I discuss the clinical cases I encounter, as well as professional and personal challenges.
Education
| Degree | University | Country | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master - Psychologie Clinique et Pathologique | Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth | Liban | 2022 |
| Licence - Psychologie Clinique et Pathologique | Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth | Liban | 2019 |
| Doctorat - Psychologie Clinique et Pathologique | Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth | Liban |
French