ABNA24 - The Family Culture Center—affiliated with the Office of the Senior Official for Women's Affairs at the Al-Abbas's (p) Holy Shrine—provided over 500 online consultations last September. These consultations covered psychiatry, marital affairs, childhood and adolescence, and family medicine.
Ms. Sarah Al-Haffar, the Center’s director, stated that the total number of consultations provided last month reached 529. Psychiatry topped the list with 270 consultations, followed by marital affairs (95), childhood (83), adolescence (74), and family medicine (5), in addition to two consultations received via the Center's website.
She added that the inquiries spanned psychological, familial, and educational aspects. Topics included mental health, fostering psychological balance, coping with personal pressures and challenges, and building self-confidence, alongside cases requiring specialized guidance or follow-up.
Al-Haffar explained that the Marriage and Family Unit’s consultations addressed guidance-related topics concerning marital and family life, enhancing communication skills and healthy family interactions, preparing women for marriage, and providing advice on child-rearing and addressing children's needs—particularly during adolescence. She explained that the broad scope of psychological counseling stems from the unit's diverse areas of expertise and its capacity to serve various age groups, as well as the center's multiple specialized units; this allows each client to be directed to the most appropriate specialist based on the nature of her inquiry.
She noted that counseling helps the client gain a clearer understanding of her issue, express her feelings, and discover more effective ways to cope with challenges. This process is facilitated by a specialized counselor who employs effective communication, understanding, and empathy, while referring cases to a medical specialist when necessary.
The center’s director emphasized that online counseling enables women—both within and outside Iraq—to easily access the center, thanks to the flexibility and privacy it offers, particularly regarding sensitive topics. She highlighted that the center’s staff includes counselors and specialists in psychological, family, and educational fields, ensuring each client is directed to the appropriate specialist based on her specific needs.
She also stressed the center's commitment to professional confidentiality and the protection of information and data provided by clients, noting that counseling details are never discussed outside the professional context. She affirmed the ongoing effort to refine counseling mechanisms and expand areas of expertise to better meet the needs of beneficiaries and enhance the effectiveness of the services provided to them.
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