Khine Myint Oo (Agnes) is a counsellor at Open Briefing. Agnes is an experienced counsellor, specialising in mental health in crisis and emergencies, Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), and mindful self-compassion practices. Committed to promoting wellbeing and access to mental health services without barriers, she provides individual counselling and group therapy as well as training to promote community mental health. Agnes is a certified EMDR therapist and holds a masters in counselling psychology and a post-graduate diploma in applied psychology. She is pursuing a PhD in women’s gender and sexuality. Originally from Myanmar, Agnes now lives in Thailand.

Nyachomba Kariuki-Schofield is a wellbeing and resilience coordinator at Open Briefing. As a coach, she has designed and delivered impactful wellbeing programmes, such as a comprehensive burnout prevention initiative for a major creative fund in Africa, and supported women leaders through personal coaching. Prior to this, she spent six years consulting on resilience-building projects across Eastern Africa, leading initiatives that focused on climate change adaptation; monitoring, evaluation, and learning; and project management. Originally from Kenya, Nyachomba lived in the United Arab Emirates for two years before moving to the Netherlands. She holds a diploma in transformational coaching and a BSc in environmental science.

Vanda Mulenda is a psychologist at Open Briefing. Vanda specialises in trauma and the treatment of PTSD, depression, and anxiety. He has supported the mental health of refugees and the victims of armed groups for the last 10 years, including with Action contre la Faim and Save the Children International, and has provided staff psychosocial support at UNOCI and an addiction recovery clinic. He has lived and worked in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Niger, Cameroon, South Africa, and the Netherlands. Vanda is a member of the Association of Psychologists in DR Congo and of the Health Professional Council of South Africa and holds a master’s degree in clinical psychology from the University of Pretoria.

Mohamed Lamaa is a psychologist at Open Briefing. Mohamed provides counselling and emergency mental health response for media and humanitarian organisations working in conflict-affected and high-risk areas. Alongside his work with Open Briefing, he has a private practice where he serves clients with complex trauma and PTSD as well as survivors of gender-based violence in the Middle East and East Africa. Mohamed worked for more than a decade with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, providing mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) to asylum seekers and refugees in Lebanon. He holds a degree in clinical psychology and a master’s in adjustment and clinical psychology. He is a member of the European Association of Psychotherapy and the Lebanese Psychology Association. Mohamed speaks English and Arabic.

Dr Veronica Lugris is a psychologist at Open Briefing. Veronica provides assessments, psychotherapy, organisational consultation, and professional development in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Much of her 20-year career has centred around acute stress and chronic trauma, and their impact on interpersonal relationships and work satisfaction. She has published works on trauma, trafficking, homophobia, and immigration. Her private clients are culturally diverse, and many of them work in the international humanitarian sector, often in conflict-affected and high-risk areas. Veronica holds a PhD in Counseling Psychology and a post-graduate Certificate in Organisational Development and Consultation. She is a member of the New York State Psychological Association and an adjunct faculty at the City University of New York.

Liz Pycroft is a counsellor and trainer at Open Briefing. Over the last 20 years, Liz has lived and worked in the United Kingdom, South Africa, Thailand, DR Congo and Sudan and is currently based in Abuja, Nigeria. She specialises in supporting humanitarians, development professionals, diplomatic staff and their families. As a trainer, Liz provides wellbeing training, facilitation and organisational support across a variety of sectors. She was previously a visiting lecturer in the School of Psychology at the Ahfad University for Women in Omdurman, Sudan. Liz has a master’s degree in counselling and psychotherapy and is registered and accredited by the British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP).

Liz is an independent consultant acting on Open Briefing’s behalf.

Hannaa El-Sayed is a counsellor and psychologist at Open Briefing. Hannaa provides counselling in English, German and Arabic. She specialises in providing culturally-sensitive therapy to diverse ethnic groups, including refugees and asylum seekers, and those who present with complex trauma, depression and PTSD. Hannaa has worked in crisis settings and refugee camps in Jordan, Greece, Kenya and the United Kingdom. She has worked with the Red Cross, Room to Heal and Refugee Action and in community day centres and private practice. She holds a degree in psychology and a master’s in transcultural mental health, with additional training in trauma-focused therapy and mindfulness. Hannaa is a member of the British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP).