Mental health is still a hidden struggle in many parts of the Middle East, surrounded by silence and shame. Sandra Salame is changing this with Siira, a platform she created to help people connect, understand their feelings, and heal together. Based on her own experience, Sandra Salame founded Siira to offer real support beyond therapy. She combines expert advice, community care, and technology to make mental health easy to access and free of judgment. Siira helps thousands of people every month, working with both individuals and companies across the region.
By focusing on emotional health at home, work, and in communities, Sandra Salame is leading a movement that makes mental health something we all share and support. Her vision is a future where no one has to face their struggles alone, and kindness and care guide well-being across the Middle East.
Let’s delve into the interview details below!
Sandra, can you share your personal journey and the inspiration behind founding Siira and what gap you set out to fill in the healthcare landscape?
Siira, or “Life journey” in Arabic, started with my own story. A few years ago, I went through personal struggles. I didn’t talk to anyone about it and kept moving, working, thinking I had to hold it all together until I couldn’t anymore. I hit a point where everything felt too heavy, and that’s when I finally reached out for therapy. It was only then that I realized: I had waited too long.
Like so many others, I didn’t know the signs. Our emotional struggles unfold behind closed doors quietly and invisibly. We are not taught how to care for our emotional well-being. We often lack the language, the tools, or even the awareness that what we carry isn’t ours to carry alone.
Siira was my response to that realization. As a tech entrepreneur, I felt a deep responsibility to build something tangible, something that responded with empathy, science, and real-world tools. Siira became a platform where emotional struggles are not hidden but heard, where people could start learning about themselves, find their community, and know that they are not alone.
Because wellness doesn’t begin in a therapist’s office. It begins in our homes, our workplaces, our relationships and most importantly, in how we learn to relate to others and to ourselves.
How has Siira evolved since its inception, and what have been the defining moments or milestones in your journey so far?
Siira is a female-led enterprise, born from lived experience, run by a team of passionate women experts in the field of mental health.
Siira is built on two pillars: The first rooted in social impact, and the second in corporate collaboration. Together, supporting over 20,000 individuals every month across the Middle East.
On the community side, we offer free mental health support through our platform to those who need it the most. This includes psychoeducational sessions led by experts where users can ask their questions anonymously, as well as support groups for cancer patients and their families, teachers, mothers, trauma survivors, and even parents who have lost a child. We also offer free one-on-one emotional guidance sessions for 30 minutes with a licensed mental health expert. It is accessible, stigma-free, and based on shared struggles.
All of this is funded by the second pillar of our work: Our partnerships with corporates, multinationals, public and private sector entities, and forward-thinking government bodies across the GCC. These organizations not only believe in our mission but have placed employee well-being at the forefront of their priorities. Through our corporate programs, we deliver transformative well-being experiences in the workplace, creating micro-communities based on learning journeys covering themes like financial well-being, health awareness, focus, and productivity.
A key milestone was being recognized as the Most Innovative Mental Well-being Company in the Middle East by Mentl in 2025. Another one was forming a strategic partnership with Cosmic Centaurs, the region’s only certified firm focused on psychological safety and cultural transformation.
But the milestones that matter most to us are quiet and personal: a burned-out teacher who found room to breathe, a grieving parent who finally felt held, a young employee who learned to speak up for the first time.
How is Siira uniquely positioned to address some of these issues, especially from a mental wellness and holistic care perspective?
Our work is based on the latest research in social and behavioral sciences, especially social learning. We design programs that target three key areas: Organizational culture, leadership behavior, and individual well-being. The goal is to drive real behavioral change across teams and throughout leadership.
We use collective learning methods to make our programs more effective, increasing learning and user retention. By creating small peer communities within companies, we encourage shared learning, reflection, and support. This approach helps embed well-being into daily routines and makes long-term cultural change more achievable.
What role does technology or innovation play in Siira’s model, and how do you see it shaping the future of care in the region?
Technology began as a practical enabler, helping us scale delivery, maintain user anonymity, and reach broader audiences. Over time, it has become a core pillar of our model. Today, we operate dedicated mobile applications that not only expand access but also support structured learning and skill-building in mental health and emotional well-being.
We are now advancing our platforms with AI-driven features that analyze emotional patterns and deliver personalized learning journeys in real time. These include interactive tools such as role-play and scenario-based simulations to help users navigate real-life challenges.
Central to this evolution is the intentional scaling of learning communities where users engage, reflect, and grow together.
Can you tell us about any strategic partnerships or community initiatives Siira has engaged in that reflect your broader vision?
Strategic partnerships and community engagement are at the heart of our mission. This year, we have partnered with Cosmic Centaurs to deliver Arabic-certified psychological safety programs across organizations in the region and are collaborating with the Lebanese American University to strengthen our AI architecture and integrate AI into our learning pathways.
On the community side, we collaborate with NGOs to support cancer patients and their families with emotional guidance and group sessions. We are also active in the education space offering free support to teachers, parents, and schools to foster emotional resilience in young people.
Looking ahead, what’s next for Siira in 2025 and beyond? Are there new programs, expansions, or innovations we can expect to see?
Siira’s growth is focused on expanding impact across the Middle East, particularly in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, where our work aligns with national well-being strategies. We’re committed to delivering community-based mental health support, not only in high-investment regions but also in underserved areas like the Levant where stigma remains high and systemic support is limited.
Our goal is to shift mental health from a “nice to have” to a non-negotiable part of organizational and societal infrastructure. Looking ahead, we plan to engage in policy advocacy, including efforts to promote the Ministry of Family Affairs -where needed- in order to focus on early childhood development, school-based prevention, and stronger social support systems.
Finally, what advice would you offer to aspiring healthcare entrepreneurs and changemakers in the MENA region who want to lead with purpose and create lasting impact?
The road is not easy and it is not meant to be. There will be doubt, setbacks, and moments of real challenge. But there will also be immense growth. In the end, it is not about the journey and not even the destination, it is about who you become in the process.
My advice: Start from a cause that truly moves you, something you are deeply obsessed with. Purpose alone isn’t enough unless it’s personal because when things get tough (and they will), only genuine conviction will keep you going.
