Thriving vs. Surviving in the South Asian Community
Growing up with immigrant parents and in a community with high South Asian representation, I felt a closeness and pride in all things Indian. How lucky I was to have access to not one – but TWO – cultures which meant a diversity in foods, arts, and activities. I eventually noticed the pressures of living with a bicultural identity including a push to be academically driven, be “the good kid” in class, to be grateful for my parents’ sacrifices and an expectation to NOT disrupt, even when things were not ok.
As I pursued a career in Clinical Psychology with a focus on South Asian mental health, I realized that I, along with many of my peers, had been taught to do our best to SURVIVE. We were taught that excelling, not making trouble, and following a stable path were ideal.
Many of us were not encouraged to ask ourselves questions like “What gives me JOY?” or “What do I need to FLOURISH?”. More importantly, I never considered what it meant to SURVIVE vs. THRIVE. Sure, cutting coupons to save money and choosing “safe” professions to ensure financial stability are important but when can we stop being in survival mode? When are we allowed to take space in ALL arenas, ask for more and question norms that are outdated?
The question I want to encourage my fellow South Asian Americans and fellow children of immigrants is this – when can we stop simply surviving? How do we design a life characterized by THRIVING?
About Shanta
Shanta N. Kanukollu, Ph.D. (a.k.a “Dr. K”) is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and has over a decade of clinical experience working with clients of diverse backgrounds in the forensic and medical settings. She has also taught courses related to diversity and gender at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology and Northwestern University. Shanta was a recipient of the Minority Fellowship Award during her graduate career at The University of Michigan, where she obtained her doctorate in Clinical Psychology and Women’s Studies. She currently has her own private practice in downtown Chicago where she provides psychotherapy to adults from diverse backgrounds, with a focus on South Asian clients. Shanta provides education and outreach regarding mental health outcomes in ethnic minority communities through her writing and professional speaking engagements across the country. She is an educator of patients through her clinical work and to the larger community through her Instagram account (@snk_therapy). She is also co-founder of Connect2Therapists, which is a service that connects people to the right therapist, based on their specific needs and preferences. This service is close to Dr. K’s heart given her belief that everyone deserves culturally-appropriate, evidence-based mental health care.
