Mental health initiative gives Iranians private access to compassionate, guided support amid widespread trauma, lack of professional counseling resources, and longstanding repercussions of Sharia Law

PRESS RELEASE

GLENDALE, Calif., [Nov. 5, 2026] – As Iran nears a mental-health emergency status, Transform Iran launches a free, nationwide, guided digital counseling program designed to help Iranians begin processing trauma, abuse, shame and emotional distress when traditional professional counseling remains out of reach.

Part of Transform Iran’s Pearl of Persia initiative, the groundbreaking program combines concise digital content, bite sized video sessions and tech-assisted guidance where in-person counseling is unavailable, unaffordable or unsafe. 

This counseling program offers a confidential, gentle first step for millions who have nowhere else to turn. It helps them understand that their responses to trauma are not signs of weakness or failure and guides them toward practical steps they can take safely.

The revolutionary initiative has been developed by a team with extensive experience serving Iranians, along with professional therapists and a U.S. psychiatrist with expertise in professional and human-services counseling, marriage and family care, complex trauma and grief. The accompanying digital tool (Zoe—the Greek word meaning ‘life’), is built by the team behind Transform Iran’s successful Kairos biblical AI platform. 

Participants move through 26 self-paced online sessions addressing 15 core areas of trauma and emotional healing, with counselor-led videos, practical exercises, reflection prompts and optional faith-based content. Zoe, a digital assistant, responds to each participant’s unique situation, questions and needs, offering personalized guidance and support as they move through the program. Crisis-support information and pathways to further counseling are also available to those who need more intensive care. 

Decades of restrictive laws, economic hardship and limited access to trusted support have left many Iranians with few places to turn for help. In a study of married women across Iran, 74% of those who had experienced sexual violence said they had never disclosed it. A national mental-health survey found that 23 million Iranians older than 15 screened positive for mental-health problems, while the World Bank estimated that 33.2% of the population lived below its upper-middle-income poverty line in 2024. These statistics pre-date the magnified devastation and humanitarian crisis over the last year in Iran. Continued threats of renewed conflict add another layer of uncertainty for Iranians already facing economic devastation, regime brutality and near-absence of mental health resources.

Read more about the scale of the crisis and the work of Pearl of Persia

“The level of trauma among the Iranian people is catastrophic,” said Transform Iran President and CEO Lana Silk. “There will be tens of millions of people who need help processing what they have endured, and no single organization could provide enough one-on-one counselors to meet that need.”

The sessions are designed to help people begin to understand and process what they have experienced, release shame and false responsibility, re-establish a sense of identity, dignity and worth, and find practical ways to protect themselves and move forward safely. Sessions unlock in sequence so participants can move through the program at their own pace while following an intentionally designed progression. 

Every element of the program has been designed around the needs of the person seeking help. Its language, pacing and progression draw on Transform Iran’s decades of experience serving Iranians and understanding the cultural sensitivities, fears and barriers they face. 

“This is not technology for technology’s sake,” Silk said. “This program doesn’t replace the vital role of human counselors. It allows us to provide foundational support to people who may otherwise receive no help at all—and direct those who need deeper care toward one-on-one counseling and additional support. We hope this becomes a safe first step toward healing.” 

The initiative officially launched in Iran on November 5 as a free, nationwide resource for Iranians seeking trauma support, accessible at pearlofpersia.org.  

“We anticipate lives changed and perspectives shifted in ways that would not otherwise be possible,” Silk concluded. “The program allows us to offer strength, encouragement and guidance at a scale we could never reach through one-on-one counseling alone—not a replacement for human care, but a way to help people take a safe first step toward healing, dignity and freedom.” 

ABOUT TRANSFORM IRAN: 

Transform Iran is a Christian ministry serving Iranians through evangelism, discipleship, church planting, trauma care and humanitarian outreach. Its initiatives include Pearl of Persia, a trauma-counseling and response ministry providing education, pastoral training, human counseling and culturally sensitive support resources, and Kairos, a secure, biblically grounded AI discipleship platform. Learn more at transformiran.com.