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Therapist Sahaj Kaur Kohli on How to Respond to, ‘But What Will People Say?

Dec 6, 2024
Sahaj Kaur Kohli, a therapist, mental health columnist for the Washington Post, and founder of Brown Girl Therapy, shares her journey as a child of Indian immigrants. She addresses the unique mental health challenges faced by children of immigrants, including high parental expectations and ‘thriver's guilt.’ Sahaj discusses the formation of bicultural identity and the emotional impact of intergenerational trauma. Her new book provides practical advice for navigating identity, love, family, and the personal stories that inspire her work in mental health.
57:45

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Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Sahaj Kaur Kohli discusses the duality of identity faced by children of immigrants, torn between cultural expectations and individual aspirations.
  • She highlights the mental health struggles stemming from parental pressures and the lack of support for navigating depression in immigrant families.

Deep dives

Cultural Expectations and Identity Struggles

Sahej Korkoli shares her experience growing up in a traditional Indian immigrant family, facing immense cultural expectations from her parents, who were concerned about her losing touch with their roots. She felt torn between her family's collectivist values and the individualistic culture of suburban Virginia. This duality led to feelings of inadequacy, where she struggled to identify as either Indian or American, ultimately feeling like she was not enough in both cultural spheres. This clash of identities is a common theme among children of immigrants, impacting their mental health and sense of belonging.

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