A Pioneering Mental Health Advocate and Renowned International Speaker

With over 26 years of experience as a Mental Health Clinical Specialist, HH Sayyida Basma Al Said stands as a pioneering force in mental health advocacy, humanitarian work, and global awareness. Renowned for her expertise, compassion, and visionary leadership, she has become one of the most influential figures shaping the mental health landscape in Oman and across the Gulf region.



In 2011, she founded Whispers of Serenity, the first private mental health clinic of its kind in the Sultanate of Oman, setting a new benchmark for accessible and compassionate mental health care. Through her clinic and beyond, Sayyida Basma has introduced innovative therapeutic approaches to the region. She is among the few psychotherapists in the Gulf trained in Clinical Hypnotherapy and Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PET) from Harvard University, and she holds Mental Health First Aid certification from Johns Hopkins University. She has trained professionals from leading companies such as Omantel, ASYAD Shipping, Oman Airports, MB Holdings and the American Universities of Sharjah and Cairo, among many others.



Sayyida Basma’s impact extends well beyond clinical practice. In 2014, she launched the Not Alone campaign, a landmark mental health initiative aimed at increasing public awareness and reducing stigma through creative, accessible outreach. The campaign gained international recognition for launching a crisis support messaging hotline during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has since provided psychological assistance during major emergencies, including crises in Beirut, Palestine, Türkiye, Syria, Morocco, and Libya.



Her advocacy work is deeply rooted in inclusivity and humanitarian service. She has led the design of child-friendly, trauma-informed interrogation rooms now used in courts and police stations across Oman, and co-authored a Rehabilitation and Guidance Manual with therapist Nourhan Sakhsoukh to support reintegration after incarceration or trauma. In 2025, she signed formal partnership with a local organization addressing drug addiction and HIV/AIDS, offering targeted mental health support groups, workshops and counseling. She also led a cross-border women’s abuse support initiative in collaboration with Lea Solidarité Femmes in France.


A prominent voice on international platforms, Sayyida Basma has delivered five TEDx talks and conducted over 1,500 workshops and trainings globally. Her work has been featured in Forbes (US and MENA), CNN Arabia, Vogue Arabia, GQ Men, Marie Claire and Harper’s Bazaar. She also hosts a podcast where she engages regional leaders and public figures in meaningful conversations to raise mental health awareness across the Gulf.

Her leadership and humanitarian efforts have earned her numerous accolades. In 2020, she was recognized as one of the country’s 50 influential women shaping the nation’s development and honored by the First Honorable Lady of Oman on Omani Women’s Day. That same year, she was appointed as the International Social Responsibility Ambassador by the International Union for Social Responsibility (IUSR), a title she has held for five consecutive years (2020–2025). She was later welcomed as a distinguished member of the Medical and Health Programming Board by the World Humanitarian Forum. From 2022 to 2024, she served as the first Omani Arab judge for The Diana Award, a charity established to honor Princess Diana’s legacy, and in 2023, she made history as the first Omani personally invited by Prince William to attend the award’s official ceremony in the United Kingdom.



HH Sayyida Basma Al Said remains a visionary force in mental health, whose trailblazing work continues to inspire change, empower communities, and transform lives across borders.