Episodes
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In this episode of the Chai Break Podcast, we dive into the transformative power of education with Sumana Shetty, co-founder of Commit2Change. Sumana shares her inspiring journey from her early days in Bangalore to leading a nonprofit focused on empowering underprivileged girls in India and South Asia. Through innovative programs and a custom curriculum, Commit2Change is creating sustainable change, one girl at a time.
Key Highlights:
Sumana’s journey from Bangalore to the United States and her inspiration to co-found Commit2Change.How her experiences volunteering in India shaped her mission.Building Commit2Change
The story behind Commit2Change and its focus on empowering girls through education, healthcare, and economic development.The significance of "sustainable change" and how C2C ensures impact through their programs.The 4 C’s Curriculum
Learn how Commit2Change’s custom curriculum helps girls master English and math in record time while fostering creativity, confidence, and communication.Success stories that highlight the ripple effects of educating girls in rural India.Education and Climate Change
How climate change disrupts education for vulnerable children in rural areas.Insights into C2C’s upcoming mobile tech lab initiative, bringing digital education to underserved communities.Collaboration and Community Support
The importance of partnerships with local NGOs, government bodies, and community leaders in scaling impact.Lessons learned from working in diverse cultural and economic landscapes.Closing Reflections
Sumana discusses the intersection of her roles as a General Counsel and nonprofit leader.Rapid-fire fun: Sumana shares her favorite book, chai preferences, and more!Resources and Links:
Learn more about Commit2Change: Read the World Bank report: The Impact of Climate Change on EducationGet Involved
Inspired by today’s episode? Here’s how you can support Commit2Change:
Donate to fund education programs for underprivileged girls.Volunteer your skills or resources.Spread the word about C2C’s mission to create sustainable futures through education.Don’t forget to subscribe, share, and leave us a review.
chaiversations.org
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In this special edition of the podcast just in time for Thanksgiving in America, I welcome back Rema Chaari for a heartfelt and thought-provoking discussion on the power of gratitude, especially in challenging times. As the world grapples with crises and injustice, many of us are left questioning how to practice gratitude without feeling disconnected or self-centered.
We revisit themes from our previous gratitude episode while diving into deeper, more nuanced reflections. Together, we explore:
The state of the world and the toll of witnessing global suffering.Why gratitude might feel self-indulgent in the face of widespread injustice.The impact of hyper-individualistic mindfulness practices and their role in perpetuating systemic issues.How to balance personal gratitude with collective empathy and action.Drawing from philosophy, history, and spirituality—including lessons from the Stoics and the Bhagavad Gita—we unpack how gratitude can be a transformative force that fuels hope, resilience, and meaningful action.
We talk about the nuances of Gratitude which include:
How to acknowledge pain and injustice while cultivating gratitude.Finding gratitude in small, meaningful moments and connections.The role of gratitude in promoting collective well-being and combating cynicism.How gratitude practices can evolve to address societal challenges and inspire empathy.Lessons from resilient communities and their stories of hope amidst adversity.Key Quotes:
“If we are to harness the revolutionary potential of mindfulness, we have to liberate it from its neoliberal shackles and focus on collective awakening.” – Ron Purser“In every moment, there is something to be grateful for, and it is in that acknowledgment that we find strength, meaning, and peace.”Takeaways and Resources:
Approaching Gratitude During Difficult Times:Recognize and honor emotions like anger and sadness as valid responses to suffering.Seek gratitude in connections and acts of kindness.Appreciate small moments of peace as sources of quiet resilience.Reflect on your own ability to contribute to positive change, no matter how small.Gratitude as a Collective Practice:Use gratitude to deepen empathy and solidarity with others.Allow gratitude to fuel hope and inspire action for a better world.Recommended Reading:
Beyond McMindfulness: How Mindfulness Became the New Capitalist Spirituality by Ron PurserThe Bhagavad Gita – Reflections on surrender, resilience, and gratitude.Tune In Now: Join us for this deeply personal and reflective conversation that challenges conventional ideas of gratitude and offers fresh perspectives on finding balance in a turbulent world.
Connect with Us:
Instagram: @Chai_Break_PodcastWebsite: chaiversations.orgEmail: [email protected]Let’s brew some gratitude, sip some chai, and navigate these complex times—together.
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Missing episodes?
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Welcome to Season 4 of the Chai Break Podcast.
In this episode of the Chai Break Podcast, we dive into the world of climate-conscious gifting with Prateeksha Chandraghatgi, founder of Greenr Gifts. With a tech background at industry giants like Yahoo and Microsoft, Prateeksha shifted her path to build a business rooted in sustainability and meaningful impact. Greenr Gifts enables climate-positive gifting by partnering with reforestation organizations worldwide, allowing individuals and businesses to plant trees in their loved ones’ names.
Introduction to the episode/seasonPrateeksha’s Background – From Yahoo and Microsoft to eco-friendly entrepreneurship.Roots in Sustainability – Growing up in a culture of mindful living and its influence on Greenr Gifts.Diary of a Founder – Prateeksha’s reflections on purpose and pace, and what inspired her shift from tech to entrepreneurship.Launching Greenr Gifts – How Greenr Gifts started and what it offers as a climate-positive gifting service.Customer Journey & Emotional Impact – Exploring the meaningful experiences Greenr Gifts creates for its users.Corporate Gifting for Impact – The response to Greenr Gifts’ new corporate offerings and its potential for broader climate action.Insights for Women Entrepreneurs – Challenges of funding, building a small but powerful team, and advice for other female founders.Community Support and Future Goals – How listeners can support Greenr Gifts and what’s next for the company.Rapid Fire Round – Fun insights about Prateeksha’s chai preferences, favorite book, and how she spends her downtime.Join us for an inspiring chaiversation on innovation, purpose, and building a business that nurtures the planet. For more on Greenr Gifts, visit greenr.gifts.
Here's the link to the Climate Solutions Prateesksha mentions: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwYnpej4pQF7UPnt0nkZEa8sxR9TmWR1B&si=6LKPqc9jNqFk5jgu
chaiversations.org
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We're in #chaiversation with Ektha Aggarwal, a licensed clinical health worker, Ektha is a distinguished mental health leader, pioneering holistic therapies at Shakti Therapy and Healing Services, and addressing the unique needs of the South Asian community as the Founder of Jiva Mental Health.
She combines ancient Eastern practices with modern science to deeply heal and transform lives, focusing on sustainable mental wellness rather than temporary solutions.
We talk to her about her "holistic mental health" approach and what it constitutes"Love" as an emotionMisconceptions about "holistic mental health" A fun rapid fire round you don't want to miss!To discover more about Ektha's transformative approach or to schedule a consultation, visit www.shaktitherapyhealing.com or email [email protected]. Join a community where healing is integrated, respected, and celebrated.
chaiversations.org
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4 women, 4 unique experiences - this episode is unlike anything we've done in the past.
To begin, Shwetha hadn't even heard of peri-menopause until Rema, who's actively in the throws of it, mentioned it to her. It was then that it occurred to us that this is yet another swept-under-the-rug, rarely talked-about phenomenon and that we need to hear from more women.
In this episode, we feature:
The lovely founders of the very popular NRI Woman Podcast, Bettina Tauro & Ninorah Fernandes Brookshire, volunteered to join our #chaiversation and share their raw, real experiences.
Arti Dussane Rao, a finance professional who's on a much-needed career break
They, each share their unique journeys with peri-menopause and its effects on their mental health.
Our hope with this episode is for you to experience the warmth of sisterhood, unwavering support, and a space where judgment is left at the door.
You can join the #chaiversation on Instagram or email us at [email protected]
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We're in #chaiversation with Seema of the Mindful Parent and Child Journals. Seema shares with us why she started this venture, her self-publishing journey, and how the journal can benefit you, your child, and the overall harmony of your home and family dynamics.
You can find The Mindful Parent and Child
On Instagram
On Etsy
Chaiversations.org
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Meet, Mrinal Gokhale, an Indian-American writer who began her career as a freelance journalist in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the most segregated city in the United States. She reported on Mental Health Awareness Month events for Hispanic and African-American publications as part of her work. She realized that these conversations were lacking in Asian and South Asian representation. To increase education and acceptance of mental health among South Asian generations, while also showing non-South Asians how intersectionality looks in the diaspora, she went on to author 2 books, both anthologies, the first one in 2021, called “Saaya Unveiled” and “Taboo: South Asian Mental Health Stories” published in 2023.
Chaiversations.org
You can purchase her books on Amazon
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So far in this season, we have been talking about normalizing conversations around mental health and we’ve also talked about the fact that seeking professional help isn’t always tied to big life events.
In this episode, we talk to Shruthi Bharath about one of the biggest life-changing times in a woman’s life - motherhood. We delve into those vulnerable, often loney moments of early motherhood and the challenges it presents.
Here are some of the topics we discuss
Early motherhood challenges and how it impacts mental health and well-beingWe’re 3 women on this episode, all of us mothers, each of whom have had their unique, yet common struggles being new mothers - we discuss identity crisis, feeling lonely in those early months of motherhood and so much moreAs a platform, what are the various elements of early motherhood that you envision on the platform, and where does maternal mental health fit in?Chaiversations.org
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Dr. Monica Shah is a licensed psychologist and certified school psychologist based in
Manhattan. She specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy
(DBT), and rational-emotive behavior therapy (REBT).
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Chapter 1: What is Good Girl Syndrome? How the phrase "good girl" is ingrained in the vocabulary of our Indian culture and where it stems from? Shwetha & Rema share anecdotes from their personal experiences.
Chapter 2: The personality and mental health implications of "good girl syndrome"
Chapter 3: Shwetha & Rema answer a series of questions to find out if they have Good Girl Syndrome and you can play along too.
chaiversations.org
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Our guest today is Kareena Mehta, a mental health professional with a B.A. in Psychology from Bryn Mawr College and further education from Teachers College, Columbia University, where she earned an Ed.M. in Mental Health Counseling and an M.A. in Psychological Counseling.
Kareena brings with her a plethora of cross-cultural experiences, both from her own personal life growing up in Belgium, moving to India and then the USA; as well as professionally, wherein her clients are spread throughout the globe from Africa to India, USA, Cannada and beyond.
We talk to her about:
Her forray into the mental health spaceThe basic differences between a psychologist, psychotherapist and psychiatristThe differences she experiences being a mental health professional in India vs here in the USAThe most common mental health challenges in India and the USAThe gaps in the mental health space5 things everyone can do to work on their mental well-being on a daily basisCheck out the full episode and Subscribe to our monthly Substack newsletter at
chaiversations.org
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We discuss the barriers we faced whilst trying to access mental health services in the US, and South Asian organizations that are doing the groundwork in creating databases of a network of therapists and services, Plus, Rema shares a few ground-breaking mental health books that were a huge part of her journey.
We hope you enjoy this episode! You can check out our website chaiversations.org and Subscribe to our monthly Substack Newsletter chaibreakpodcast.substack.com
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We, Shwetha & Rema, address the elephant in the room - mental health and well-being by sharing our own personal journey of how/why/what got us to seek professional help. It's raw, it's real and it's just the beginning of a power-packed season of personal stories, chaiversations with expert guests, and continuing the chaiversation online via Instagram and the launch of our Substack Newsletter.Sign up for our newsletter via our website chaiversations.org or at chaibreakpodcast.substack.com for your monthly fix of exclusive behind-the-scenes of the world of podcasting, exclusive guest interviews, the latest episode drops and so much more.
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Jashima Wadehra is the co-founder and CEO of Ode, a brand strategy, talent management and business development firm catering predominantly to children of immigrant brands, businesses and artists.
While companies rely on third-party metrics, Jashima specializes in taking a “lived experience meets data” approach to representing talent and brands. Specifically from communities whose consumption patterns and preferences are often not aggregated by general marketing data firms or cultural nuances that talent agencies are not well versed in.
Ode’s talent roster has worked with Audiomack, Netflix, Tunecore, Amazon, VEVO, Lincoln Center, Meta, Applaus, Kulture Khazana, Brown Girl Mag, 5XFest, DesiFest and many more on both the talent representation and brand strategy side.
With a background in music journalism, consumer psychology and events, Jashima is the link between brands and companies to create intentional and impactful campaigns.
chaiversations.org
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With a background in behavioral psychology, Chandani wears many hats. From co-founding a marketing tech agency to more recently becoming an angel investor and venture capitalist, she is here to talk to us about the world of finance and importance of financial wellness in the South Asian space.
In our chaiversation, we talk to her about the journey to entering a largely man's world AKA the world of finance. She gives listeners handy tips on investing, and how to navigate a world that is somewhat overwhelming for newbies.
chaiversations.org
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Amrita Doshi, is the co-founder and Executive Director of South Asian SOAR, a national organization dedicated to ending gender-based violence in the US, within the South Asian diaspora. She is deeply committed to advancing healing and justice for South Asian survivors and communities. Amrita comes to this work with her own experiences of survivorship as well as several years of work across public health, technology, and art.
chaiversations.org
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Today’s episode is all about how one woman’s mission to share the truth turned into a 40 thousand strong following. From gender inclusivity, fighting the patriarchy, breaking stigma, supporting marginalized voices and curating South Asian content beyond the ordinary, Divya Soneji, Founder of South Asian Nation, has made it her life mantra to use her platform and voice for the greater good.
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Mental health in the South Asian community has always been taboo. Although we've made great strides, we still have ways to go in normalizing conversations around going to therapy/seeking professional help, not just when you experience a life changing event, but on a regular basis, it's like taking your vitamins!
Our chaiversation this week is with Ragini Jha, a trained counselor, based in the UK, she specializes in the area of cultural-relations and cognitive behavioral therapy, focused in the South Asian diaspora space.
https://www.cardamomcounselling.com/
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Niha Elety is a sustainable fashion advocate and designer/founder of Tega Collective. She uses fashion, art and heritage to bring awareness about sustainability and its importance.
When joining the sustainability space full of advocates and leaders, Niha noticed that there weren't many discussions about culture and ancestral knowledge. Since then her goal has been to bring inclusivity and a variety of perspectives from BIPOC creators (the original sustainability leaders) to the environmental movement.
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In this episode, we chat with Indian-American actress Anjali Bhimani, so much talent packed in one person, its astounding! Her "why not me" attitude helped her pave a unique path in a world where she did not see representation, so she decided to lead the way and not be bogged down by rejections!
From the world of TV, theatre, film, virtual gaming world, voice over — you name and she has delved deep into each of these mediums and excelled in it, no less!
And today, she adds yet another feather to her cap, "BESTSELLING AUTHOR", with the release of her very first book, "I'm Fun Size & So Are You" - a raw, real, engaging book, that actually feels like a conversation with your BFF!
PS: We have a very special GIVEAWAY with Anjali. Be sure to check out our Instagram page - @chai_break_podcast
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