Author: Pardeep Kaleka

There are no shortage of discussions that highlight how we are more disconnected now than ever before. We hear it endlessly in conversations regarding politics and contemporary social issues. The landscape of America seems to constantly reinforce our divisions. However, are we really all that divided? Are we really all that different? And, are we really all that disconnected? Admittedly, my imagination has always longed for relationship and interconnection rather than disconnection and division. Therefore, when I am bombarded with information that informs me that there is constant strife and disunion, it takes a spiritual toll on me. I...

“President Biden’s decision to set aside half of Afghanistan’s frozen reserves to 9/11 families is short-sighted, cruel, and will worsen a catastrophe in progress, affecting millions of Afghans, many of whom are on the verge of starvation.” – Lida Azim According to the most recent data collected by the United Nations, “about 90% of the Afghan people live on less then $2 dollars per day, and nearly half of the population is currently facing starvation.” That is nearly 23 million people. This is one of the most severe forms of a humanitarian crisis today, and there should be no...

The month of May is both “Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month” and “National Mental Health Awareness Month.” In recognition of the many layers and complexities that show up in the South Asian experience, I’m reviewing the work of author, Mrinal Gokhale in her first published book, Saaya Unveiled: South Asian Mental Health Spotlighted. As a clinician myself, I am always in search for great resources that could help inform the many diverse mental health treatment modalities, planning, and goals for my clients. Gokhale, in her book, intimately explored the lives of 11 South Asians with upbringings connected...