According to the World Health Organization , “In the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, global prevalence of anxiety and depression increased by a massive 25%”. Dévora Kestel, Director of the Department of Mental Health and Substance Use at WHO, stated that “While the pandemic has generated interest in and concern for mental health, it has also revealed historical under-investment in mental health services.” Now scale that 25% to consider the underrepresented immigrant population. As our communities spent the past few years in isolation, Sahaita volunteers sought to build unity in community. In 2021, Mind Matters was born.

Mind Matters is an emotional wellness initiative catered toward immigrant & diasporic communities with a cultural perspective. Our goal is to improve & expand the availability of mental health resources for South Asians and host in-person safe spaces to work through a multitude of issues that affect our community. Together we can reduce the stigma around acknowledging mental health issues and shift focus to awareness & treatment. 

Urgent Topics

Our incredible team of health professionals has planned a series of discussions on crucial topics & their cultural nuances, coupled with resources for finding help. These issues and the social structures that enable them to exist are often intertwined with one another, adding to the complexity of mental health.

• Basics of mental health
• Anxiety & Depression
• Domestic/Family Violence
• Alcohol Addiction & Substance Abuse
• Postpartum Depression (PPD)
• Pain, grief, and suicide
• Bullying
• Eating disorders
  

Helpful Reading

• South Asian Therapists – blog posts 
• “How to Support a Friend or Family Member Who’s Struggling with their Mental Health”  by Sahaj Kohli 
• “5 Benefits Of Therapy For First Gen Communities” by Sahaj Kohli