About Mishkah Therapy

Our Origins

Dr. Neira's journey to founding Mishkah began with a unique perspective shaped by her formative experiences. Born and raised in America until her early teens, she later pursued her calling in psychiatry, driven by her deep curiosity about human behavior and the untold stories behind people's actions.

Discovering the Gap

During her residency at Al-Maamura Hospital and throughout her psychiatric training, Dr. Neira and her colleagues—including Dr. Doaa and Dr. Omnia—began observing troubling patterns in their field. They noticed that many psychiatric practices seemed disconnected from Islamic principles, sometimes incorporating approaches that conflicted with their faith.

This disconnect isn't coincidental. Modern psychology and psychiatry emerged primarily from Western secular frameworks that often emphasize individual autonomy over community values, sometimes promoting concepts that contradict Islamic teachings about human nature, morality, and the soul.

More concerning was witnessing fellow Muslim practitioners gradually distance themselves from their religious commitments as they progressed through psychological training. The intensive self-analysis required in psychological training—often rooted in psychodynamic theories that may view religious beliefs as psychological constructs rather than religious truths—can challenge practitioners' foundational faith.

The Cultural Disconnect

When Dr. Neira began working with international clients online, her multicultural background proved invaluable in uncovering a critical gap. Muslim women living abroad—particularly in Canada, the US, and across Europe—often wait months for mental health appointments due to overwhelmed healthcare systems.

When they finally receive care, they frequently encounter providers who don't understand their cultural and religious context, sometimes receiving advice that directly contradicts their Islamic values regarding family, gender roles, and religious practices.

The relief Dr. Neira witnessed in her international clients revealed a profound truth: In traditional Western therapeutic settings, Muslim women often find themselves choosing between effective treatment and maintaining their religious identity. Western therapists don't give religion special consideration or view it as sacred, often seeing it merely as personal preference rather than a fundamental truth.

Mishkah's Mission

What started as informal discussions among like-minded colleagues evolved into Mishkah Therapy. Dr. Neira created a collaborative team with fellow psychiatrists who shared her vision. Together, they began sharing resources from Islamic scholars like Dr. Abdel Rahman Zaker, Dr. Khalid Al-Jaber, and Anas Sheikh Kraiem, discussing cases requiring religious consideration, and conceptualizing how to bridge Islamic principles with evidence-based mental health practice.

The name "Mishkah"—meaning "niche of light" from the famous Light Verse in the Quran—was thoughtfully chosen to reflect the platform's mission of providing illuminating guidance rooted in both clinical excellence and Islamic wisdom.

Evidence-Based Islamic Care

As medical doctors who completed rigorous psychiatric training, we at Mishkah maintain an unwavering commitment to scientific rigor and evidence-based practice. We prescribe medications when clinically indicated, utilize proven therapeutic interventions, and stay current with the latest psychiatric research. Our Islamic approach doesn't reject modern medicine—we embrace it and work with it.

The key difference lies in our framework of understanding. While we fully embrace neuroscience, pharmacology, and validated therapeutic techniques, we interpret mental health through an Islamic lens that honors both the biological and religious dimensions of healing.

We understand that depression requires both antidepressants and prayer (duaa), that anxiety disorders benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy on a foundation of increased trust in Allah (tawakkul), and that trauma healing involves not only medical interventions but also Islamic concepts like patience (sabr) and acceptance of divine decree.

Our medical training ensures that we can distinguish between religious struggles requiring guidance and clinical conditions needing psychiatric intervention. We won't hesitate to recommend hospitalization for severe cases or adjust medications based on the latest clinical guidelines—all while maintaining complete respect for our patients' Islamic identity.

Why We Exist

At Mishkah Therapy, we believe Muslim women deserve mental health support that strengthens rather than conflicts with their faith. Our platform eliminates the false choice between effective treatment and religious authenticity. We understand that for many Muslim women, Islam isn't separate from mental health—it's central to it.

We don't see Islamic principles as obstacles to overcome, but as powerful resources for healing. Islamic teachings about patience (sabr), trust in Allah (tawakkul), and self-purification (tazkiah) offer profound frameworks for understanding and treating mental health challenges while fully embracing modern psychiatric tools.

Mishkah's Vision

We envision a world where Muslim women can access mental health care that honors their complete identity—professional, cultural, and religious. Through Mishkah Therapy, we're not just treating symptoms; we're nurturing whole persons within the context of their faith, helping them find healing that strengthens rather than challenges their relationship with Allah.

Our methodology represents a unique paradigm in mental health care—one that proves you don't have to abandon your values to heal your mind, nor abandon science to honor your faith. We believe the best healing happens when both work together.