Building Community and Connection Through Mental Health and Wellness with Sahaj Kohli

Sahaj Kohli is the founder of Brown Girl Therapy, a mental health and wellness organization for children of immigrants. In this work, she creates resources that promote bicultural identity exploration and the de-stigmatization of therapy in immigrant communities.  Sahaj joins Alaa at the table today to discuss her passion for being a mental health advocate, the unique immigrant experience when it comes to mental health and wellness, and how western mental health may not necessarily understand cultural differences and expectations.

Being At The Table means:

“Doing the work in these spaces and creating our own tables, or creating the whole house and the whole neighborhood, for people because even the idea of a table, for me, feels limiting.” – Sahaj Kohli

Highlights from the Conversation:

• Sahaj’s inspiration for creating Brown Girl Therapy and why it is so important
• Finding her own personal identity
• Mental health is very Eurocentric and other cultures are not taught how to care for their own emotional wellness to the same extent
• Sahaj’s experience as a senior editor of identity driven stories
• “Holding Space” for people to show up as they are, no matter where they are in their journey
• The practice of gratitude to boost mental health
• The gender norms for men and how that impacts their own mental health
• Therapists don’t necessarily understand the culturally appropriate and responsive techniques and interventions
• Self-care can look differently for a child of immigrants
• Finding the courage to build this community
• And more

About the Guest:

The daughter of immigrants, Sahaj Kohli is the founder of Brown Girl Therapy (@browngirltherapy), the first and largest mental health and wellness community organization for children of immigrants. A writer and speaker, Sahaj is on a mission to provide decolonized and inclusive mental health care to underserved populations.

https://sahajkohli.com/

https://www.facebook.com/browngirltherapy/

About the Host:

Alaa Murabit is an award-winning medical doctor, global security strategist, women’s rights advocate, and United Nations High-Level Commissioner on Health, Employment & Economic Growth and Sustainable Development Goal Global Advocate.

https://alaamurabit.com/

https://www.instagram.com/alaamurabit/

https://twitter.com/almmura

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alaamurabit/

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