Speech Therapy in Dubai

What is it like to provide speech therapy in a city where your clients and colleagues come from all over the world?

In Part 2 of my interview with Mahasin Daniels, M.S., CCC-SLP, we explored what everyday clinical practice looks like in Dubai, including the challenges and rewards of working with multilingual families, adapting to different clinical settings, and learning from other cultures.

Mahasin spent four years working in the UAE, including Dubai and Al Ain. During that time, she worked in special education, private clinics, and a government-run program.

Her experiences offer some wonderful insights for SLPs interested in working internationally—or simply becoming more culturally responsive clinicians. Watch my full interview with Mahasin on Facebook.

This is Part 2 of our two-part interview series. The experiences described reflect Mahasin’s time working in the UAE.

Where Do SLPs Work in Dubai?

One thing I found interesting was the variety of clinical settings Mahasin experienced. She worked in special education centers, private clinics, and a government-run autism program. While her caseloads were primarily pediatric, she explained that each setting had its own structure, expectations, and workplace culture.

Special Education Centers
Mahasin described her first position as similar to working in a school in the United States. Students received services throughout the school day, and she collaborated with other professionals, including occupational therapists, physical therapists, and fellow SLTs.

The setting was familiar, but working with colleagues trained in different countries provided new opportunities to learn.

Private Clinics
Private practice was a different experience! Mahasin typically saw seven or eight individual clients per day, often in back-to-back sessions. Productivity expectations could be high, and she sometimes found herself completing reports after work.

She explained that some clinics operated with a strong business focus, particularly when owned by individuals outside the therapy professions.

Her advice for SLPs considering international employment?
Find out who owns the clinic, how it operates, and what productivity expectations you’ll be expected to meet. Ask about caseloads, documentation time, schedules, and opportunities for collaboration before accepting a position.

Government-Run Programs
Mahasin also worked for the Zayed Higher Organization at a government-run autism center in Al Ain, approximately two hours from Dubai. She was recruited for this position through an international agency that discovered her professional background on LinkedIn.

Compared with some of her private practice positions, she found this setting more relaxed, with a different pace and structure. She also worked with a larger number of Emirati families, giving her opportunities to learn more about the local culture.

These differences highlight something important: Your experience working abroad may depend as much on your employer and clinical setting as on the country itself.

Working With Multilingual Clients

Dubai’s international population creates unique opportunities and challenges for SLPs. Mahasin worked with children who spoke English at school while hearing Arabic, Tagalog, European languages, or other languages at home.

Many were growing up in multilingual environments and had already lived in several countries. As clinicians, we know how important it is to consider a child’s complete language background when evaluating communication skills.

Mahasin described learning to distinguish between language differences and potential communication disorders while working with children who had diverse linguistic experiences. She also discussed the importance of interviewing families to understand which languages were spoken, how frequently they were used, and in what settings.

Assessment and Therapy Resources

I was curious whether Mahasin had access to the same diagnostic and therapy materials she used in the United States. Her answer? It depended on the setting.

Some clinics were well-equipped with assessments and therapy materials, while others had more limited resources. She recalled using assessments similar to those available in the United States, along with some developed in the United Kingdom.

This creates another important consideration when working internationally: Is an assessment appropriate for the child’s linguistic and cultural background? Standardized assessments developed for one population may not accurately represent the communication skills of children from another.

Mahasin’s experiences reinforce the importance of collecting a thorough case history, considering all languages a child uses, and drawing on multiple sources of information when making clinical decisions.

We also discussed the importance of selecting therapy materials that are familiar and meaningful to families. For example, it’s helpful to consider the toys, routines, and everyday experiences a child has at home rather than assuming that materials commonly used in American therapy rooms will be familiar to everyone.

Family Involvement and Communication

One of the most interesting parts of our conversation involved communicating with families. Mahasin described parents and caregivers as highly involved in their children’s therapy, particularly in private practice.

However, communication sometimes required additional planning. For example, some children were brought to therapy by nannies rather than their parents. The nanny might speak a different first language, creating another step between the SLP and the family.

Mahasin sometimes sent written notes home to explain what had been addressed during therapy. In other situations, she communicated directly with the caregiver and asked them to share the information with the parents.

She also learned to adjust her communication style depending on the family. Some parents appreciated direct, detailed feedback, while others preferred a different approach. One strategy she found helpful was simply asking families how they preferred to receive information.

I love this reminder because it’s something we can apply in any clinical setting. We don’t have to know everything about a family’s culture beforehand. We can observe, listen, ask questions, and learn from them.

Therapy Costs and Family Expectations

Mahasin explained that many families paid out of pocket for speech-language therapy, occupational therapy, and other services during her time in Dubai. Some insurance plans provided coverage, although she wasn’t directly involved in billing and insurance decisions.

For families paying privately, the financial investment could be substantial, especially when combined with school fees and other expenses. This sometimes influenced parental expectations.

Mahasin described families who wanted frequent updates and clear evidence that their children were making progress. We discussed how important it is to understand the reasons behind those expectations.

A parent asking repeated questions about therapy progress may be worried about finances, access to services, or their child’s future—not necessarily questioning the clinician’s abilities. Taking time to explain therapy goals, celebrate smaller gains, and discuss realistic expectations can help build a stronger partnership with families.

Of course, insurance coverage, school services, and costs may have changed since Mahasin worked in the UAE.

Cultural Considerations in Clinical Practice

Working with families from around the world also required Mahasin to pay attention to cultural differences. She described learning about religious practices, family roles, communication styles, and everyday social expectations.

For example, greeting someone with a handshake might feel natural to many American clinicians, but not everyone is comfortable with physical contact, particularly across genders.

Mahasin learned to observe body language and allow individuals to indicate how they preferred to greet others. She also discussed being mindful of prayer times, modest dress, and local customs. However, she emphasized that expectations varied between individuals and families.

Rather than assuming everyone from a particular culture behaves the same way, she learned to pay attention to each person’s preferences. One of my favorite parts of our discussion was recognizing how much we learn simply by observing and asking thoughtful questions.

Cultural responsiveness isn’t about memorizing a list of rules for every country. It’s about approaching people with curiosity, humility, and respect. For SLPs planning to work overseas, it’s also important to research current local laws and professional expectations before relocating.

Learning From International Colleagues

Mahasin worked alongside professionals trained in countries including Belgium, the Netherlands, Australia, and South Africa. Her coworkers brought different educational backgrounds, clinical experiences, and approaches to therapy.

In some settings, she collaborated directly with OTs, PTs, and other SLTs. Opportunities for co-treatment varied depending on the organization. She especially enjoyed learning how professionals educated in different countries approached assessment and intervention.

We also discussed how impressive it can be to provide clinical services and write professional reports in a language other than the one used during your own education. Learning professional terminology in another language is a unique skillset. Working in this environment encouraged Mahasin to be flexible, ask questions, and consider perspectives beyond her own training.

Life Outside the Therapy Room

Of course, our conversation wasn’t entirely about work! Mahasin shared what it was like to build a social life after moving overseas on her own. Her colleagues became an important part of her support system, and she developed friendships with people from around the world.

She also enjoyed exploring the UAE, including its beaches, desert landscapes, and opportunities for outdoor activities during the cooler months. Dubai’s location made international travel relatively convenient, which was especially appealing to someone who already loved exploring new places.

Like any major move, there were challenges. But Mahasin explained that the experience helped her develop greater independence, confidence, and adaptability.

Final Thoughts

I really enjoyed hearing about Mahasin’s experiences working with multilingual families and learning from professionals with different cultural and educational backgrounds. What stood out to me was how much her perspective evolved—not just as a clinician, but as a person.

She became more adaptable, confident, and comfortable navigating unfamiliar situations. She also emphasized that working internationally helped strengthen her clinical skills by exposing her to different approaches, populations, and healthcare systems.

I think that’s one of the greatest benefits of international experiences. We don’t have to travel overseas to become more culturally responsive clinicians, but we do need to remain curious, flexible, and open to learning from others.

If you’re interested in international opportunities, read Part 1: Working in Dubai as an SLP – Licensing & Relocation for Mahasin’s advice on finding a job, obtaining professional licensure, and preparing for the move.

Connect With Mahasin

Mahasin operates Shining Light Therapy in Las Vegas and offers international SLP consulting.

You can also follow her on Instagram at @ShiningLightTherapyLV.

Have you worked as an SLP in another country? What surprised you most about the experience? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!