Mental Health Program
Nurturing the mental health
of ExMuslims worldwide
Leaving faith can be emotionally heavy—filled with fear, guilt, confusion, or isolation. Many Ex-Muslims struggle in silence, unsure where to turn for support. At Faithless Hijabi, we offer a safe, non-judgmental space with therapists experienced in religious trauma. You deserve to be heard, understood, and supported as you rebuild your life on your own terms.
Religious Trauma
is Real
Religious trauma shows up in ways many Ex-Muslims recognise—fear that lingers, guilt or shame you never chose, and emotional patterns that can follow you long after leaving faith. These reactions make sense, and what you’re feeling is valid. You deserve support as you work through it, and you don’t have to navigate any of it alone.
Emotional Isolation
Leaving faith can feel like losing the people who once made up your whole world. That kind of loneliness is hard to explain unless you’ve lived it. This program gives you a space where your experiences make sense and your feelings actually have a place to land.
Path to
Healing
Healing isn’t about becoming someone new—it’s about finding your way back to yourself after everything you’ve been through. Bit by bit, you can make sense of your past, rebuild your confidence, and create a future that feels like it finally fits.
140+
Individuals
Supported
12
One on One Counselling
Sessions
3
Languages:
English
Arabic
Urdu
14
Partnered Licensed Therapists across regions
How does the program work?
Please note: Our mental health program is not a crisis center and is not equipped to offer immediate assistance for individuals who are at risk of suicide or experiencing a mental health emergency. If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call your local emergency number or go to the nearest emergency center.
S.E
“Working with Alvaro has been transformative in my healing journey. As an Iranian refugee from an ExMuslim background, I felt that mental health wasn’t taken seriously in the Netherlands. Alvaro helps me recognize and reflect on my traumas. Each session leaves me feeling lighter and more confident. He has supported me through tough decisions and taught me to prioritize myself. His gentle, kind approach, including breathing exercises, has been key in my healing process.”
Amina
“The guilt of leaving my faith was a weight crushing my spirit. I wore my family’s expectations like a suffocating mask, hiding my true self. The fear of their judgment kept me trapped. Faithless Hijabi’s program was a turning point. Finally, I found a space where I could shed the mask. Their therapy helped me confront the shame and fear. Now, I’m finding peace with my choices, and the strength to build a life that’s authentically mine.”
Mustafa
“Living in the Middle East as a gay man, I faced immense difficulty finding support due to laws criminalising assistance for LGBT+ people. This program became a lifeline. The therapist helped me navigate the anxiety of living in an unsafe environment, process the pain of losing my family, and find self-acceptance. I’m deeply grateful for the care and understanding I received.”
Safia
“Sally has been a great support in my journey as an Ex-Muslim. She creates a safe space where I feel understood and validated. We’ve worked on regaining control over my thoughts, handling family challenges, and healing from past trauma. Her guidance has truly helped me grow and feel more motivated about the future.”
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get started?
Fill out the form on this page, when a spot is available, we’ll send you a link for a 20 minute chat to walk you through the program and discuss your situation briefly before sending out a referral. After the initial chat, if you’re eligible for the program, your therapist will get in touch with you directly within 2 weeks for your first session. If you’re funding your own sessions, the therapist will invoice you directly, if Faithless Hijabi is funding your sessions – you don’t need to worry about invoices.
How are the sessions conducted, is it online?
Faithless Hijabi’s mental health sessions are conducted virtually, using video conferencing platforms such as Zoom or Skype. To ensure that your therapist can effectively support you, you need to be able to use both video and audio during your sessions. If you do not have a private and quiet space where you can use both video and audio, we suggest waiting on starting the program until you have a suitable environment for virtual therapy.
Are my sessions confidential?
Yes, your mental health sessions are confidential. Your therapist is legally and ethically bound to keep everything you say in your sessions private. This means that they cannot share your information with anyone else, including your family, friends, insurance company, or employer, without your written consent.
There are a few exceptions to this rule. For example, if your therapist believes that you are a danger to yourself or others, they may need to break confidentiality in order to protect you or others. Additionally, if you are involved in a legal case, your therapist may be required to share your information with your lawyer or the court.
However, in general, you can be assured that your mental health sessions are confidential. Your therapist is there to help you, and they will take all necessary steps to protect your privacy.
What if I can’t make it for my session?
Please let your therapist know in advance if you are unable to make your session. This will help them to plan their schedule and to make sure that they are available to meet with other clients who may need their support.
If you miss a session without prior notice, Faithless Hijabi is still charged for the session. This is because we believe that it is important to honor the commitment that our clients make to our program. However, we will deduct the cost of the missed session from the client’s remaining sessions.
If you miss two sessions, we will discontinue your participation in the program. This is because we want to make sure that our sessions are available to as many people as possible. We also want to ensure that the sessions are as effective as possible, which requires that clients are able to attend regularly.
When filling out the form, what does Faithless Hijabi do with the information?
Faithless Hijabi uses the information you provide on the form to connect you with a qualified therapist who can provide you with mental health support. They will also use this information to track the number of people who are seeking support and to improve their services.
Here is more detail about how they use your information:
To connect you with a therapist: Faithless Hijabi will review your information and match you with a therapist who has experience working with ExMuslims. They will also consider your location, language preferences, and other factors to ensure that you are matched with the right therapist.
To track program usage: Faithless Hijabi tracks the number of people who submit the form and the number of people who are matched with therapists. This information helps them to understand the need for their services and to make sure that they are reaching as many people as possible.
To improve services: Faithless Hijabi uses the information they collect to understand the challenges that ExMuslims face and to develop new and innovative services. They also use this information to identify areas where they can improve their existing services.
Your information is stored securely and will not be shared with anyone else without your permission. Faithless Hijabi is committed to protecting your privacy and confidentiality.
Will I be connected to other ExMuslims?
The mental health support program is designed for one-on-one sessions with a trained therapist. This allows for a safe and confidential space for you to explore your thoughts and feelings without feeling judged or exposed.
If you would like to connect with other ExMuslims, we can recommend some Discord channels. However, please be mindful that these channels are not affiliated with Faithless Hijabi and may not have the same level of privacy and safety protections in place. It is always important to be cautious about sharing personal information online, especially in spaces where you may not know everyone who is participating.
What do I do if I need more than 12 sessions?
Due to limited funding, Faithless Hijabi can only offer up to 12 free therapy sessions. If you require additional sessions, you’ll need to arrange it directly with your assigned therapist and cover the costs yourself.
Do you offer group sessions?
Faithless Hijabi does not offer group sessions. We believe that one-on-one therapy is the most effective way for ExMuslims to receive the support they need. This is because one-on-one therapy allows for a more individualized and personalized approach to treatment. Therapists can tailor their interventions to the specific needs and experiences of each client, which can help to ensure that they are getting the most out of their therapy.
In addition, one-on-one therapy can help to protect the privacy and confidentiality of ExMuslims who are in vulnerable situations. By meeting with a therapist in private, they can avoid the risk of their identities being exposed to others. This can be especially important for ExMuslims who live in countries where apostasy is a crime or who face discrimination from their families or communities.
We are however part of a larger ExMuslim Coalition https://www.ex-muslim.org.uk/intl-coalition with whom we have aligned values and goals, many of them offer meetups regionally or online that you can connect with other ExMuslims, some of them have thorough vetting processes to ensure that individuals who join are ExMuslims, but as always please proceed with caution when you join support sessions available.