Mohammed Bin Rashid Knowledge Award: Bridging Knowledge and Healing

Innovative psychological treatments play a crucial role in addressing the growing complexities of mental health in today's world. This year, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Award honored two pioneers in trauma and mental health research—Professor David M. Clark and Professor Anke Ehlers. Their groundbreaking work has revolutionized our understanding of mental health, earning prestigious recognition for its profound contribution to science and its lasting impact on humanity.

Founded in 2014, the award recognizes outstanding achievements in knowledge and innovation that go toward the betterment of society. It is a testament to the important role that psychological science plays in fighting some of the biggest challenges facing humanity at present. Well-deserved and timely, considering the growing awareness of the crisis in mental health worldwide.

Making Mental Health Accessible with CBT Therapix

This recognition inspires us further in our commitment to making evidence-based mental health solutions more accessible. At CBTtherapix.com, we aim to provide culturally relevant resources in animated formats, designed to support trauma recovery and promote mental health awareness.

Our animations were inspired by the principles of Cognitive Therapy for PTSD (CT-PTSD) as developed by Professors Clark and Ehlers. These are simplified in the animation to be visually catching and more relatable in a manner intended to help people understand and work through their trauma. These resources are particularly valuable for Arabic-speaking populations, especially in the Middle East, where access to professional therapy may be limited.

We wish to make use of CBT Therapix as a means of bridging the gap between paradigm-shifting research and practical, accessible interventions. Additional work is being done on adapting and implementing evidence-based treatments into more culturally diverse contexts where they become more relatable for many different individuals.

A Call to Action

The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Award reminds us that innovation and knowledge creation are indeed global imperatives. As has been said, psychological research inspires change in people's lives-not just in the West but worldwide. Most importantly, it gives hope that by working across cultures, we will be able to bring the fruits of these developments to the people who need them the most.

We at CBT Therapix have a humble ambition to make that vision real. We want our method to ensure that everyone-anywhere in the world and despite the overwhelming challenges within the Middle East-receives equal access to mental health by using evidence-based treatments put together with innovative modalities such as animation and self-help exercises.

Moving Forward

The recognition of Professors David M. Clark and Anke Ehlers encourages all of us to prioritize trauma-focused mental health interventions. At CBT Therapix, I am delighted to be part of this effort by working on instruments that transform the latest research into interactive, engaging resources.

Prof David Clark is NHS England's Clinical and Informatics Advisor for NHS Talking Therapies for Anxiety and Depression, Emeritus Professor of Experimental Psychology at the University of Oxford, and honorary member of the Oxford Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma, which is run by Oxford Health in partnership with the University of Oxford under the umbrella of OH BRC.