We Create Change and Rewrite Stigmas
"When I began therapy with JiVA, I didn't realize how much of my pain was connected to my family's past. The stories of struggle and survival I grew up hearing weren't just history, they were alive in me, affecting my relationships and sense of self. JiVA has helped me see the connections and start the process of untangling my own identity from the trauma of previous generations."
About Us
In Sanskrit, JiVA (जीव) generally means “soul,” “life,” or “living being”
JiVA means life. And we believe every life deserves to be held with compassion, culture, and care.
JiVA Mental Health is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit initiative transforming how South Asian communities understand, access, and experience mental health care. Born from a deep recognition of the stigma, shame, and generational trauma many carry, JiVA was created to meet our community where we are—with compassion, culture, and clarity.
Why JiVA Matters:
The Power of Therapy Backed by Data
Too Few Get Help
Only 22% of Asian Americans with a mental health condition receive treatment. South Asians represent an even smaller fraction.
Stigma Still Hurts
Stigma, shame, and lack of culturally attuned care are the top reasons South Asians don’t reach out for help.
Culturally Matched Care
In 2023, less than 1% of certified postpartum mental health providers in the U.S. identified as South Asian.
Silence Creates Struggle
Language barriers, cultural guilt, and fear of family judgment keep many from seeking therapy, even when they’re struggling in silence.
Care That Understands Your Culture and
Transforms Your Life
Book a Free
Consultation
Take the first step by booking a free 15-minute discovery call. Our therapists will guide you toward care that affirms your story, your heritage, and your emotional well-being.
Experience Culturally Conscious Therapy
Our integrative therapy combines clinical care with cultural insight. Together, we’ll explore the root of your challenges and build emotional strength, peace, and self-trust.
Create Change and Rewrite Your Stigmas
Whether you’re the cycle-breaker in your family or Just beginning your Journey, JiVA offers you a place to be seen, supported, and empowered, every step of the way.
Who We Serve
South Asian Women & Mothers
Whether you're navigating relationships, career expectations, fertility journeys, or postpartum transitions, we provide a supportive space that honors your voice and your culture.
Multicultural Couples & Families
We help partners and families bridge generational gaps, cultural expectations, and communication challenges with compassion and curiosity, not Judgment.
→ Because healing family dynamics starts with
shared understanding
LGBTQIA+ South Asians
We offer affirming care for queer and questioning individuals facing family pressures, identity challenges, or cultural stigma. You deserve to feel seen, safe, and celebrated.
→ Therapy that centers your truth without
compromising
Your roots.
Youth, Teens, & Cycle-Breakers
For teens and young adults navigating identity, anxiety, and academic pressure, we offer culturally conscious therapy that empowers resilience and self-worth.
→ You’re not too young to feel this much. And
You’re not alone.
Perinatal Mental Health Training
In partnership with Postpartum Support International (PSI), JiVA offers scholarships to train South Asian clinicians and community members in perinatal mental health, expanding support for new parents and dismantling cultural silence around postpartum struggles.
Workshops That Center Your Stories
Our wellness workshops are safe spaces where South Asians explore mental health through community, storytelling, and cultural insight. Whether it’s navigating shaadi pressure, identity, or generational dynamics, JiVA blends ancestral wisdom with modern tools to support healing that feels familiar.
Cultural Events That Bring Us Together
From chai & chat circles to 5K awareness walks, our events create collective spaces for joy, learning, and reflection. JiVA events are more than social—they're a form of resistance and renewal for South Asians reclaiming mental well-being as a right.
Meet The JiVA Team
Board of Directors
Ektha Aggarwal
Poorvi Mehta
Arun Ponnusamy
JiVA Impact Board
The JiVA Impact Board is a dedicated leadership circle designed to collaborate on strategic initiatives, community partnerships, and program development—playing an active role in shaping the future of mental health advocacy for South Asian American communities.
Neesh Riaz
Huma Qureshi
Volunteers
Volunteers are the heart of JiVA. They support us across community awareness, event planning, and grant writing.
Sanjana Mendon
Aanya Jajoo
Almanya Narula
