About TherapaJi
The Short Version
I’m Amar Banga. TherapaJi is the South Asian mental health advocacy platform I built because our communities deserve more than silence when it comes to mental health — they deserve infrastructure, real conversations, and tools that actually fit.
The Longer Story
I grew up navigating two worlds. Sikh family at home, American school outside. Working the register at my family’s dollar store on weekends, code-switching between Punjabi and English depending on who walked through the door.
I went into sales after that. Then credit repair. Then real estate. Different industries, same pattern — I was always the person people came to. Not for business advice. For the real stuff. The stuff they couldn’t say out loud to their families. Career confusion, relationship pressure, that feeling of being stuck between two cultures and not fully belonging to either one.
My wife is a therapist. She’s the one who finally said, “You should try this yourself.” So I did. And in that process, I got an ADHD diagnosis as an adult. Everything clicked. The restlessness, the career jumps, the way my brain worked — it all made sense for the first time.
That experience changed me. Not in some dramatic overnight way, but in the way that a door opening changes a room. Suddenly there was light where there hadn’t been.
My purpose is to conquer my mind. My passion is listening to people. TherapaJi is where those two things meet.
Why TherapaJi Exists
This isn’t another therapy website. It’s not a directory. It’s not a wellness brand selling candles and affirmations.
TherapaJi is a movement to build South Asian mental health infrastructure.
Too many people in our communities suffer in silence. Not because they’re weak — because the systems weren’t built for them. The therapy options don’t reflect their reality. The resources assume a Western default. The stigma runs deep and nobody’s building the bridge.
I’m building the bridge.
Through community networks, podcast conversations, and culture-first toolkits, TherapaJi creates the trust layer that connects our people to the support they actually need — without the extra explaining.
The Ecosystem
TherapaJi doesn’t try to do everything alone. It’s one piece of a larger system, and each piece serves a different need:
TherapaJi — The advocacy and trust layer. Community networks, podcast conversations, cultural research, and toolkit development. This is where relationships start.
Pomwell — The digital wellness product. Built from real community insights gathered through TherapaJi. Culture-first tools that track what actually matters.
DeepSikh — The spiritual identity layer. AI-powered Sikh spiritual tools that honor the connection between faith and mental wellness.
Each piece feeds the others. TherapaJi builds trust and gathers insights. Pomwell turns those insights into tools. DeepSikh serves the spiritual dimension. Together, they form the ecosystem our communities have been missing.
What’s Next
TherapaJi is still early. We’re recording podcast episodes, building out the Founding Circle, developing our first cultural toolkit, and growing a network of therapists, advocates, and community members who want to be part of something real.
If any of that sounds like you — whether you’re a mental health professional, a first-gen kid who’s been through it, or someone who just believes our communities deserve better — I want to hear from you.
Join the South Asian Mental Health Network | Explore the Ecosystem
TherapaJi — South Asian Mental Health Advocacy