About TherapaJi
The Short Version
I’m Amar Banga — therapist intern at EPPA Advisory Group and founder of TherapaJi. TherapaJi is the South Asian men’s 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 Men’s Mental Health
I started TherapaJi with South Asian men specifically in mind — because that’s where the silence is loudest.
We’re raised to provide, to protect, to keep it together. Asking for help feels like failure. Talking about feelings feels like weakness. And when the weight gets heavy, most of us just push harder.
I know because I did the same thing for years.
Men’s mental health is the entry point — not the boundary. When men start talking, families heal. When fathers show vulnerability, sons learn it’s safe. When brothers open up, the whole community shifts.
TherapaJi focuses on men because that’s where the door needs to open first. But everyone benefits when it does.
Why TherapaJi Exists
TherapaJi isn’t a therapy practice. It’s not a wellness brand selling candles and affirmations.
TherapaJi is a movement to build South Asian mental health infrastructure — and the trust layer that sits on top of it.
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, culture-first toolkits, and a curated directory of therapists who speak our language — TherapaJi 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