Farooq Naeem is a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto and a psychiatrist at the Centre for Addiction & Mental Health. He was trained in Psychiatry in Merseyside training scheme in Liverpool, England. He completed MSc in Research Methods in Health and later a Ph.D. in CBT and Culture from Southampton University, England. He also received training in Lean thinking and quality improvement in England. He has worked in senior management positions in Pakistan, England and Canada.
Farooq pioneered techniques for culturally adapting CBT. These techniques have been used to adapt CBT in South Asia, North Africa, Middle East, Kenya and China. Currently, this methodology is being used to adapt and test CBT in Canada in a multicenter study. His significant contribution in implementation science is establishing a national organization to train and accredit CBT therapists, deliver therapy, promote research and educate the general public- the Pakistan Association of Cognitive Therapists. This remains the only example of national implementation of CBT in a low-income country.
His belief that “evidence-based psychosocial interventions are a human right, not a privilege” drives his translational work. He works with a team of IT experts to deliver CBT through a mobile application (www.eguru4life.com). He currently leads a special interest group for the World Psychiatric Association (WPA) on implementing mental health Apps in low and middle-income countries.
Areas of Research
His research areas include CBT, psychosis and culture, with an overall aim to improve access to CBT. He has also published on issues related to health services and quality improvement. He works with a team of IT experts, and has developed a CBT-based therapy program – called eGuru – that can be delivered through web and smartphone apps.
Publications
View Dr. Naeem's publications on Google Scholar.