A Dubai-based online therapy service is aiming to break down stigma and make mental health support more affordable across the United Arab Emirates.
Counsel Clinic, launched in 2024, offers fully digital sessions that allow Emiratis and expatriates to seek help from the privacy of their homes. The platform has seen strong uptake in its first year, reflecting growing acceptance of therapy when delivered in a discreet, accessible format.
Tackling stigma and access barriers
Mental health remains a sensitive subject for many in the UAE, where cultural stigma and limited services have historically kept residents from seeking support. By removing the need to travel or visit a clinic in person, Counsel Clinic hopes to encourage more people to take the first step towards therapy.
“Our vision has always been to make therapy less intimidating, more affordable, and truly accessible to everyone in the UAE,” said Ibrahim Hamid, CEO of Counsel Clinic. “Since launching in 2024, we’ve seen an encouraging response. Emiratis and expats alike are opening up to therapy when given a safe, private, and respectful space online.”
Affordability and inclusivity
The clinic’s pricing model aims to reduce financial barriers, with sessions starting at 180 AED. Sessions are available in a wide range of languages — including Arabic, English, Urdu, Bengali, Malayalam, German, French, and Spanish — to serve the UAE’s diverse population.
By tailoring services to both Emirati nationals and expatriates, Counsel Clinic positions itself as a culturally sensitive provider in a multicultural society.
Services offered
Counsel Clinic’s team covers a broad spectrum of mental health needs, ranging from common challenges such as depression, anxiety, and anger management to specialised support for eating disorders, ADHD, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It also offers marriage and family counselling, grief support, and couples therapy.
The platform emphasises strict privacy protocols to ensure that clients feel comfortable sharing sensitive concerns, while its therapists focus on creating a culturally aware, judgment-free environment.
Growing demand
Mental health services across the Gulf have seen rising demand in recent years, particularly after the Covid-19 pandemic brought renewed attention to issues such as anxiety, stress, and social isolation. Analysts say digital platforms like Counsel Clinic are well-placed to meet this demand, especially among younger residents who are more open to virtual services.
Counsel Clinic’s approach, combining affordability with accessibility, is part of a wider shift towards normalising therapy in the UAE. For many, it represents not only a practical solution but also a cultural step forward in addressing mental well-being.
