Resources · Mental Health
Muslim students often carry the weight of academic pressure, Islamophobia, and stigma around mental health all at once, with few therapists who share their faith and background. Research on Muslim college students has linked everyday discrimination to higher rates of anxiety, depression, and PTSD, and has found that Muslim adults report a history of suicide attempts at nearly twice the rate of other religious groups in the U.S. Faith-sensitive care, delivered by clinicians who understand the religious and cultural context, has been shown to lower those barriers to seeking help.
Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. Both are free, confidential, and available 24/7. The directory below is for ongoing support, not for emergencies.
Organizations and platforms that provide faith-sensitive mental health care to Muslims across the US.
Directed by Dr. Rania Awaad, this lab is developing the Mental Health and Multifaith Initiative (MMHI), a framework that helps college and university students build culturally and spiritually responsive mental health programming on their own campuses.
Visit Resource →An online therapy platform that connects users with licensed Muslim therapists through phone and live video sessions.
Visit Resource →A comprehensive information hub for the Muslim community on mental health and wellness, aimed at raising awareness and reducing stigma around seeking treatment.
Visit Resource →Offers outpatient therapy for individuals, couples, families, and youth alongside Islamic spiritual care (chaplaincy). Trains community leaders and imams in suicide prevention and mental health support, and hosts workshops, healing circles, and student support initiatives on college campuses.
Visit Resource →Wellness centers that integrate Islamic spiritual approaches into professional psychology, offering a wide range of mental health services aimed at holistic, faith-centered wellbeing.
Visit Resource →Founded by three counselors to bridge the gap between mental health needs in the Muslim community and access to licensed Muslim counselors in the DFW area. Also supports local organizations with cultural competency training and offers peer support for Muslim counselors.
Visit Resource →Rahma Rounds is not affiliated with the researchers below.
We're sharing their published work because it's the clearest blueprint we've found for standing up faith-sensitive mental health support at a university. The Muslim Mental Health Initiative (MMHI) model has already been adopted at three campuses:
The first campus to fully launch MMHI, funded by grants from the start. Pioneered the three-part approach: consultation hours, community talks, and workshops. Also runs a student wellness blog and social events like movie nights.
Housed under Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), with consultation hours provided through a partnership with the Khalil Center. Conducted an informal needs assessment through a student survey before launching.
A standalone program (not under CAPS) housed at the Markaz, the campus's Muslim student center, allowing it to offer full clinical therapy, not just consultations. Partners with Maristan and replaced community talks with peer support groups.
Regardless of campus, the published research points to the same seven-step path:
Source: Awaad, R., Rajeh, N. B., Jalal, H., & Manjra, H. (2025). The Muslim Mental Health Initiative: An Overview and Steps for Development and Implementation on American College Campuses. Journal of College Student Mental Health, 39(3), 498–519. Read the full paper →
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