“I realized this is what good therapy is. This is what bad therapy is. There were a lot of things that came up with my culture that required a lot of explaining. I realized I wasn't alone in this.” Saniya Soni’s a South Asian mental health advocate studying clinical psychology. Saniya ALSO co-hosts a podcast called “Loudmouth Ladkhi’s” (ladkhi’s means “girl” in Hindi) with her former debate rival Sapna — which focuses on the intersection of South Asian + Western identities with an emphasis on mental health. Saniya's early career has really been at the intersection of mental health and tech, and she's hoping to improve access to mental health service for all — especially those in her community. She's a student of psychology and criminal justice, she's conducted research on BIPOC mental health, she's implemented suicide prevention strategies. Saniya’s spoken publicly about the importance of not just representation, but cultural understanding in mental healthcare with The JED Foundation, the Epic Foundation, Morgan Stanley, MTV, and CNN. Saniya was introduced to us by FrieMMd of the Pod Jay Veraldi of the podcast Animalia. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation that goes many places - from dating, to parents, to indian dance teams. As an advocate for change in our culture - you’ll hear through her vulnerability and willingness to share her own story how we all have room to grow in our understanding and acceptance of this space. LEARN ABOUT SANIYA instagram.com/saniyasoniii/ Loudmouth Ladkhis (PODCAST): apple.co/3xRBLel // spoti.fi/3C3OE6n instagram.com/loudmouthladkis MENTIONS DESI DANCE TEAMS: youtube.com/c/DesidancenetworkOrg BOOK: Milk & Honey (Rupi Kaur) - goodreads.com/book/show/23513349-milk-and-honey SHOW: Ms Marvel - imdb.com/title/tt10857164/ This episode is sponsored by the Department of Health & Human Services, who’s encouraging you and your community to make sure you’ve got the COVID-19 Vaccine & Booster. We can do this, together. Find vaccines and boosters near you @ VACCINES.gov Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices