"I'm not okay." Three short words that many of us carry for months before we say them to anyone. That is why Life Pulse Team opened Jisr, a program within our Nasmaak ("We Hear You") project that offers free, confidential online mental health support, through one-to-one sessions and support groups, to any adult in Bahrain. Jisr has run quietly since it opened two months ago, and today we are opening it to everyone.

Jisr was launched in partnership with Lazem Holding Group, which provided the training for our support providers, and with support from Bahrain's National Civil Protection Platform, Skype Medical Devices Establishment and KIMS Bahrain Hospital. Charitable, social and volunteer organisations attended the opening ceremony.

Since 2014, Life Pulse has provided first aid cover at events and taught people first aid. Over the years we kept seeing the same thing: people arriving at our first aid post physically unhurt, but worn out inside and needing someone to listen. That is where Jisr began.

At Jisr you talk with a trained support provider, in a one-to-one online session or in a support group, and providers from several tracks have now joined us. They listen without judging and help you sort your thoughts and find your next step. It is completely free for anyone aged 18 or over, every session is confidential, and your data is protected under our privacy policy. More on our free mental health support in Bahrain page.

How to book a session

  1. Go to the Jisr booking page.
  2. Choose a support provider and a time, and answer a few short questions about your safety.
  3. You receive a confirmation and a session link, and join at your appointment time.

Jisr does not diagnose or prescribe, and it is not an emergency service. If you are looking for a mental health number in Bahrain: in any emergency call 999, for children there is the Child Helpline 998, and for Psychiatric Hospital appointments call 17279311 (Ministry of Health).

We chose World Mental Health Day to open Jisr to everyone. This year's theme asks that people's experiences be heard in their own voices (World Federation for Mental Health). If you are thinking "I need someone to talk to", you are not alone, and this is for you: book your free session.

And if you know someone who has changed lately or keeps saying "I'm fine" a little too often, ask them again: "Really, how are you?" Then send them this article.

Thank you to our partners and supporters, to every volunteer and support provider, and to the tech team who built the platform.

About the author: Ebtisam Ali Al-Dubaini is President of Life Pulse Team, a Bahrain volunteer group working since 2014 in first aid, first aid training and event medical cover. Life Pulse launched the Jisr mental health support platform in 2026.

Jisr is not an emergency service. In an emergency, call 999.