The Sikh Mental Health Summit

Centering Sikh voices in mental health

The Sikh Mental Health Summit was created to build a platform for honest conversation, learning, and connection — bringing together professionals, advocates, and community members to advance culturally responsive mental health care in Sikh spaces.

400+
Registrants from around the world
16
Speakers across the community
1st
Summit of its kind for the Sikh community

The Inaugural Summit

A first-of-its-kind gathering

On December 6, 2025, the inaugural Sikh Mental Health Summit brought together more than 400 registrants across generations and time zones for a free, full-day virtual event, open to all. Founded by Sikh psychiatrists Dr. Avneet Kaur Soin and Dr. Poojajeet Kaur Khaira, the Summit was the first gathering of its kind to focus specifically on mental health within the Sikh community.

The day featured fireside chats, expert panels, and community discussions — alongside a networking session connecting attendees in interest-based breakout groups. Conversations spanned:

  • Stigma reduction
  • Youth and family mental health
  • Trauma and intergenerational healing
  • Building culturally responsive systems of care

Voices at the Summit

Speakers

The Summit brought together leading clinicians, educators, and advocates from across the mental health and Sikh community landscape.

Dr. Avneet Kaur Soin, MD
Co-Founder, Sikh Mental Health Summit
Dr. Poojajeet Kaur Khaira, MD
Co-Founder, Sikh Mental Health Summit
Karman Ghuman
PR Chair; networking session lead
Sahaj Kaur Kohli
Special Guest — Founder of Brown Girl Therapy; author & Washington Post columnist
Rawle Andrews Jr., Esq.
Executive Director, American Psychiatric Association Foundation
Dr. Kavita Kaur Atwal
School psychologist & researcher; Cal State East Bay
Parwinder Badyal
Founder, Sikh Initiative for Mental Health Awareness (SIMA)
Harleen Bhatia
Prevention Education & Outreach Coordinator, Sikh Family Center
Harmit Kaur
Director of Operations, Sikh Family Center
Harsimran Kaur
Executive Director, United Sikh Movement
Komal Kaur, LMSW
Founder & Mental Health Hub Director, Umeed-Hope
Puneet Kaur
Program Director, SALDEF
Dr. Rucha Kaur
Managing Director of Education & Community Development, Sikh Coalition
Dr. Francis G. Lu
Professor of Cultural Psychiatry, Emeritus, UC Davis
Dr. Narpinder Malhi
Child & adolescent psychiatrist; cultural psychiatry educator
Dr. Puneet Sahota
Psychiatrist & anthropologist, Cooper University Health Care
Kulpreet Singh
Founder, South Asian Mental Health Alliance (SAMHAA)
Soni Singh
Program Manager, SALDEF

In Partnership

Standing together

The Summit was made possible by organizations across the Sikh and mental health community who lent their support, expertise, and voices:

  • Brown Girl Therapy
  • Sikh Coalition
  • SALDEF
  • Sikh Family Center
  • United Sikh Movement
  • APA Foundation
  • Umeed-Hope
  • SIMA
  • SAMHAA
  • Punjabi Women's Network
  • NASMDA
  • Dasvandh Network
  • United Sikhs

Looking Ahead

The 2026 Summit is in the works

Planning for the next Sikh Mental Health Summit is underway. If you'd like to get involved — as a speaker, partner organization, or volunteer — we'd love to hear from you.

Get Involved