Natasha Patel l South Asian Therapist in NJ

A little bit about me- the face and person behind this instagram 😅 If you are interested in exploring working together, you can contact me [email protected] or find me on

I see this come up a lot with clients despite what generation or age group they’re from: the difficulty of accepting something fearing that means accepting defeat or giving in. Many of us think acceptance means we don’t care or we are tolerating wrong behavior. But it’s far from that 🪷 For therapy inquiries for those who are in NJ and SC, reach out via the link in bio!

Boundaries have become a buzzword. No Contact is made to sound like such an easy way to deal with difficult family problems. 🚫Yes, boundaries are important for relationships with others and with ourselves. But boundaries look different depending on the cultural context. There’s nothing wrong with you since you struggle to set boundaries or navigate conflict with your family. Ready to process and work through it? If you’re in NJ or SC, schedule a free consultation with me via the link in my bio! 🪷

“Feelings are much like waves. We can’t stop them from coming but we can choose which one to surf.” Healing doesn’t happen overnight—but it does happen. #healingjourney #mentalhealthmatters #growth #therapyhelps

Taking care of your mind is just as important as taking care of your body. Save this for a reminder #mentalhealthmatters #selfcare #emotionalwellbeing #therapy

Inspired by a conversation with therapist & friend @boldbrowntherapist as she prepared to launch her therapy practice! We both resonated with the fact that as child of immigrants we rarely take the time to pause and celebrate. We are always focused on reaching the next thing or thinking our accomplishments are not a big deal. Let’s start being intentional about celebrating ourselves. We are more than our hard work but let’s not forget to celebrate it too. 🤎

Root and Rise Therapy’s first time tabling at an event! 🌱 I had the opportunity of tabling for my practice on April 25 at @geminisistersfarm ! What a lovely experience connecting with the community and “putting myself out there!” This was a milestone for my practice which was not just a great way to connect with the community and other holistic therapists, but also a learning experience. What a nice reminder why I love doing this work and grateful for the opportunity to do things like this for my business 🙏🏼 Also my booth was right near the goats, which is very on brand for me 😆 Being telehealth only (for now) and a private pay practice, this was a nice reminder that there are many ways we can still be accessible even if we don’t take insurance!

What a SUMMIT! I’ve been thinking a lot about the panel workshop on “3 Generations, 1 Conversation” at the @saaforchange Healing Through Art Summit. The panel brought together voices from 3 generations to explore mental health, family expectations, and cultural identity in the South Asian diaspora— blending a history lesson, lived experiences, and a growing openness to understand one another, while sharing practical tools to navigate it all without losing the values that ground us. So many people shared how deeply they relate to challenging dynamics and relationships within their families- parents, siblings, in laws, kids —and how much that can impact mental health and the feeling of emotional safety at home. (I know this too well too!) It’s clear there is still so much work to be done to normalize and bring awareness around mental health and intergenerational family dynamics. But the Summit left us all feeling hopeful. There were many generations in the room—showing up, listening, reflecting, and wanting to be part of the change for our future generations. That meant a LOT! (Note to self for next year to bring my parents!) Absolutely love the healing and reflection that was happening during the Summit. Thank you to Surbhi @healing_lotus_mental_health for moderating this session so craftfully (not an easy task!), and to the volunteer team @barbelletash @deeeepali @rootandrisetherapy_ , and my copanelists Rohan and Parantap @parantappandya for your insights. I genuinely learned so much from both of you. And wow- @saaforchange . You all are doing incredible and impactful work. Curious to hear from you:
Is there a conversation you wish you had in your family? What would that have looked like? What does intergenerational healing look like in your life? Swipe to see some conversation starters, save it for later and share it with someone you want to have this with (a parent, sibling or spouse). Sometimes we do need to heal backward… to move forward 💛

Stereotypes ≠ rules or conditions we have to follow I also wrote a blog about this on my website as well- sharing the link on my story! 🪷

If I could describe how @saaforchange Healing Through Arts Summit & Gala left me feeling, I’d describe it’d as feeling seen, heard and knowing I belong x10. How truly incredible to be in a room full of other people who are also passionate about South Asian mental health. There was so much kindness and positive energy during both events that left me feeling fulfilled and I will hold this feeling very close to my heart. 💛 From volunteering on a panel for Intergenerational Trauma, to spending time and making memories with fellow therapists and meeting new connections who are also passionate about the mental health—it was an unforgettable day. One of the many wonderful things about this day was I felt so much hope for not just all of us in the room —but for our future generations too. There were so many insights and words that will stay with me. From hearing @sit.with.that share about AI and mental health, @dr.ammarakhalid sharing about how “we are our ancestors’ wildest dreams” to @browngirltherapy speaking about belonging and not dimming our own light. I am thankful for their inspiring work from these amazing women whose work has helped me further help my own therapy clients. I am so thankful for the opportunity to volunteer for a wonderful organization who is doing this very important work. I talk to people who are also passionate and care about South Asian mental health but have not gotten in the field professionally, but organizations like South Asian Americans for Change is a wonderful example of how you can contribute to destigmatizing South Asian mental health, providing education and resources and continuing to make mental health less taboo in our culture, without being a licensed mental health professional. Spaces like this help create hope and change for our present and future—whether it’s one conversation, one insight shared or feeling heard and knowing you belong 🤎

This past weekend, I had the honor of moderating a panel at the @saaforchange Summit focusing on conversations and topics to help bridge generations amongst the South Asian Diaspora. Our panel was filled with rich insights and discussions and it was clear that 45 minutes was just barely scratching the surface! Thank you to our amazing panelists @parantappandya , @niki.patell_ and Rohan for their perspectives and loved experiences that deeply resonated with many attendees! Special thank you to our team behind the scenes that helped this vision come to life! @rootandrisetherapy_ , @deeeepali , @nythbusters , @keerthi.chann & @tinkerbelladt Let’s keep the conversation going!

A reminder that you don’t need to make decisions based on others’ perspective of you 🪷