About Thera and our Founder

Sharmeela P. is the founder of Thera, a mental health platform born from deeply personal experience and a commitment to changing how care is delivered globally. With roots spanning Paris, London, and Dubai, not Emirati herself, she is driven by a belief that mental health support must embrace cultural diversity, safe spaces, and true empathy.

Human story and mission

After personally facing burnout, Sharmeela witnessed firsthand how stigma, lack of access, and cultural misunderstandings can prevent people from seeking support. This journey shaped her mission: to build a therapy platform that is not just “online,” but meaningfully local and culturally intelligent. Her professional background fuses Clinical Psychology at Birkbeck, University of London, and extensive experience in building campaigns and identities that connect brands with diverse audiences. 

Why Dubai?

Though Dubai is Thera’s home base, Sharmeela’s choice was intentional, drawn not by nationality, but by the city’s unique position as a crossroads of East and West, where cultures meet and new ideas thrive. For Sharmeela, Dubai’s multicultural environment echoes the platform’s core ethos: therapy that resonates across languages, religions, and lived experiences. The city’s diversity inspires her to create service models where Arab women and men alike, expatriates, and global citizens alike can access support that speaks to their identities and realities.

The global dimension

Thera was never built for a single market. Informed by international collaborations and research, it is growing from GCC and Arabic-language roots toward a broader, global audience. The platform’s therapist network is chosen for cultural sensitivity and multilingual abilities, actively breaking barriers for people who seldom see themselves represented in mainstream mental health spaces. Thera offers pay-per-session options, ensuring quality care for clients worldwide.

Values and vision

At the heart of Sharmeela’s work is a belief in ethical, relational, and transformative care. She partners closely with therapists, communities, and clients, learning from their stories to shape programs that are practical, research-driven, and compassionate. Every decision, from platform safety to clinical model, is guided by an unwavering respect for privacy, inclusion, and the reality of what it means to seek help in today’s connected, multicultural world.

Licensing, diversity, and quality

Thera is not solely a Dubai-specific service. It is a global platform tailored to the diverse backgrounds of its users, acknowledging that DHA and CDA are respected licensing bodies but not the only authorities capable of validating professional quality. For every therapist, Thera provides clear credentialing and encourages clients to inquire and make informed choices for their care, with full support from the care team.