About Sahaj
Sahaj Kaur Kohli, MA.Ed&HD, LGPC, NCC is a practicing therapist, writer, and speaker on a mission to make mental health care more diverse, equitable, accessible, and inclusive. As the first in her family to do a lot of things — be born in the West, go to therapy, and marry outside of her religion/race/culture — Sahaj understands the unique struggles of children of immigrants, and she uses her personal experience to create original resources and content for this underserved population.
As a therapist, Sahaj helps immigrant families, and adult children of immigrants identify their dominant stories — what they’ve been told, what they tell themselves — when it comes to feeling enough in their differing cultural identities. She also aims to mediate cultural brokering between loved ones to create healthier and more supportive relationships.
Prior to becoming a therapist, Sahaj had a 6+ year career in journalism where she worked as a senior editor working closely with a diverse network of freelancers on a daily basis. In this role, Sahaj specialized in mental health and identity-driven content, particularly essays involving disability, mental illness, sexuality/gender, race, and culture.
Sahaj's passion lies at the intersection of narrative storytelling and mental health advocacy. Sahaj continues to write as a freelancer, and she has a weekly advice column with The Washington Post and has a book, But What Will People Say?, coming out in May 2024.
In 2019, Sahaj founded Brown Girl Therapy, the first and largest mental health and wellness community organization for children of immigrants. Sahaj takes her role as a community advocate seriously, and through her career development, she has taken on additional roles as speaker, consultant, and educator. In 2024, Sahaj was named a Verywell Mind 25 Honoree. In her various positions, Sahaj aims to help others create healthier, more culturally inclusive relationships, workplaces, and lives.
Social Impact Service and Consulting
The Asian American Foundation Advisory Committee (2023-2024)
A member of the Community Advisory Committee to help TAAF create and conduct an AANHPI youth mental health study
Zoom Cares Advisory Board (2021)
A member of the Zoom Cares Grantmaking Advisory Council advising the Zoom Cares team – the social impact arm of Zoom – in evaluating and selecting grant recipients for $2M USD of unrestricted funds to support and center youth mental health services and resources;
Media and Mental Health Consulting
Provides subject matter expertise and consults in newsrooms, working with reporters to create and brainstorm diverse and inclusive mental health content for their sites
Served as a panelist for monthly mental health programming addressing needs of Asian American journalists for Asian American Journalists Association in 2021
Education • Professional Certifications and Licenses • Professional Leadership
George Washington University, 2022
MA.Ed&HD with a specialization in clinical mental health counseling from George Washington University, 2022
Licensed Graduate Professional Counselor in District of Columbia
Present - 12-31-2024
National Certified Counselor
National Board of Certified Counselors Minority Fellow
(2020-2021)
Spring 2021: Clemmont E. Vontress Cross Cultural Award
Presented to a counseling student who is best known for dedication to the promotion of cross-cultural understanding, social justice, and racial harmony
Spring 2021: Outstanding Master's Students awards
Awarded one of two Outstanding Master's Students awards by Rho Theta Chapter of Chi Sigma Iota.
Vice President, Rho Theta Chapter of Chi Sigma Iota
Vice President, Rho Theta Chapter of Chi Sigma Iota, an international honor society that values academic and professional excellence in counseling.
(2020-2021)
Public Relations Chair
Public Relations Chair, Maryland Counselors of Social Justice
(2020-2021)