|
UAE’s first publicly
neurodivergent-owned mental
health center launches in
Dubai
(DUBAI)
-
Uniquely You Mental Health
Center, the UAE’s first
publicly
neurodivergent-owned and
operated mental health
clinic, has officially
launched in Dubai. Founded
by Elaine Maichin, an
American neurodivergent,
CDA-licensed psychologist, a
US-Licensed Professional
Counselor (LPC), and a
licensed trauma therapist,
the clinic has been
established as a
neurodiversity-affirming
specialized mental health
center, designed to support
clients from ages 13 to 60+,
individuals and families,
across healthcare,
education, and workplace
settings in the UAE.
The launch comes as mental
well-being becomes a
stronger priority across the
UAE. Cigna Healthcare’s
International Health Study
2025 found that mental
well-being in the UAE
improved to 64%, with
residents ranking it above
physical well-being as their
top health priority. The
center was founded to offer
care, recognizing that every
person has unique nervous
system needs, which shape
how they process and
experience the world. Its
approach brings together
evidence-based therapy,
trauma-informed care, and
cultural responsiveness
practice, with a strong
focus on helping clients
feel understood rather than
reduced to symptoms or
diagnoses.
The clinic
supports clients navigating
emotional, relational,
workplace, and life-stage
challenges. Elaine observed
that many individuals were
keen on seeking therapy to
manage anxiety, depression,
trauma, self-esteem
concerns, parenting
pressures, grief, major
transitions, and overall
psychological well-being.
Additionally, across the
UAE’s multicultural
community, people are also
navigating relocation,
expatriate life, loneliness,
and limited support
networks, not always knowing
where to turn for timely
care.
The launch of
the clinic responds to these
concerns as well as areas of
mental health that remain
underreported or
misunderstood.
Neurodiversity remains a key
area, especially in how
autism and ADHD can present
in girls, women, adults,
high-achieving
professionals, and people
who have spent years masking
their differences.
Elaine Maichin, MSc, NCC,
LPC, Psychologist (CDA) and
Owner of Uniquely You Mental
Health Center, said: “Mental
health awareness in the UAE
has grown significantly, but
many people still need
spaces where their
experiences are understood
with depth, compassion, and
respect. Especially, when it
comes to neurodiversity, it
is perceived as something
that needs to be fixed or
overcome, but it is a
natural form of human
diversity rather than a
deficit to be cured. Greater
public awareness is needed
around the importance of
acceptance and
individualized support. At
Uniquely You, we are
passionate about bringing
neurodiversity-affirming,
accessible, and genuinely
responsive care into the
heart of the community. We
aim to help people feel
seen, build practical
skills, and access support
that reflects who they truly
are.”
Uniquely You’s
range of services includes
Individual Psychotherapy and
Counseling Sessions, Family
Therapy, Autism and ADHD
Assessments, DBT
Skills-Based Group Therapy,
Training and Workshops, and
Support Groups. These
services are structured to
address diverse clinical,
developmental, and emotional
needs across individuals,
families, and groups.
The center prioritizes
care that is collaborative,
personalized, and guided by
each individual's goals and
lived experiences. It works
with individuals through a
structured clinical process
that begins with an initial
consultation focused on
understanding concerns,
personal history, and
therapeutic goals, followed
by the development of a
personalized treatment plan
that defines clear
objectives and direction of
care. Moreover,
neurodiversity-affirming
care supports autistic
individuals and those with
ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia,
dysgraphia, and other
neurotypes in developing a
deeper understanding of
their unique ways of
thinking, learning,
communicating, and
experiencing the world. This
approach fosters
self-awareness,
self-advocacy, and
well-being while helping
individuals navigate school,
work, relationships,
communication, sensory
experiences, executive
functioning, and societal
expectations in ways that
honor their strengths,
needs, and authentic
identities. This aligns with
Dubai Health Authority’s AED
105 million Mental Wealth
Framework, a five-year plan
built around ten initiatives
focused on early detection,
intervention, prevention,
and community support.
Uniquely You MHC has
also worked with
organizations in Dubai and
Abu Dhabi to support mental
health awareness and
employee well-being. The
center is expected to expand
its team over time, with
future growth focused on
adding more psychologists
and increasing access to
specialized services.
PRINT
THIS ARTICLE
|
