Rewriting the Story of Mental Health for South Asian Men
Building spaces where South Asian men can speak honestly, connect deeply, and invest in their mental well-being.
Why Brown Man Therapy Exists
For generations, many South Asian men have grown up with powerful expectations—to succeed, to sacrifice, to provide, and to endure. Strength and resilience are often celebrated, but emotional honesty is rarely encouraged.
At the same time, men are navigating complex realities shaped by migration, identity, family responsibility, and cultural expectations. These pressures can be difficult to process, especially when there are few spaces where South Asian men feel understood or reflected.
Brown Man Therapy exists to help change that. By creating spaces for honest conversation, education, and connection, we are working to reshape how South Asian men approach mental health and emotional well-being.
Who We Are
Brown Man Therapy is a community-driven nonprofit focused on the mental health and well-being of South Asian men.
Through programs, conversations, storytelling, and partnerships, we create spaces where men can explore their experiences openly and begin building healthier relationships with themselves and the people around them.
Our work focuses on community, education, and connection—helping men access culturally relevant conversations and resources that support long-term mental wellness.
Our Founders
Ankur Varma, LCPC
THERAPIST, CLINICAL SUPERVISOR, EDUCATOR, MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE
Ankur Varma, LCPC has his Master’s of Counseling Psychology with a Specialization in Sport and Health Psychology from Adler University. For over 10 years, Ankur has worked in various leadership positions in community mental health and education to advocate for mental health services in Chicago and Illinois. Ankur is passionate about bringing a multicultural, person-centered approach to reach people who have previously been marginalized or carry stigma about their own wellness. Recently, Ankur’s @brownmantherapy page on Instagram has been on a mission to engage more men and normalize conversations about mental health in South Asian cultures.
Palak Sheth
PRIVACY POLICY DIRECTOR, COMMUNITY ORGANIZER, ADVOCATE
Palak Sheth has a decade plus career in legal and policy positions across the non-profit, local government, and tech sector. She is currently the Head of Privacy Policy for Instagram and Threads, where she counsels product teams to build privacy forward technologies.
Palak is also a life-long community leader and advocate. She founded Post March Salon (PMS), a social-political women’s group that meets “at the same time of the month” to inspire and sustain activism through sisterhood, political engagement, education, and community-based volunteering. Palak is also a community organizer, dance-enthusiast and Bollywood dance-fitness instructor. She co-founded Best of the Best National South Asian Dance Competition and is passionate about advocating for AAPI representation both in and outside of work environments.
Our Mission: Breaking Silence, Building Strength
To normalize mental health conversations among South Asian men, connect them to culturally grounded care, and build strong community networks.
Our Vision
A world where South Asian men feel empowered to live emotionally honest lives and invest in their mental wellness.
BMT Board Members
Ankur Varma, LCPC
Palak Sheth
Nirav Amin
Vikas Sondhi
Join Our Team
Our Work and Impact for South Asian Men’s Mental Health
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Brown Man Therapy serves South Asian men across generations, professions, and backgrounds—from students and young professionals to entrepreneurs, fathers, and community leaders.
What connects the men in our community isn’t status or career path. It’s a shared desire to grow, to be more open with themselves and others, and to build healthier relationships in their lives.
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Emotional Depth
We believe strength includes the courage to understand and express our emotions. Emotional honesty allows men to build deeper relationships and live more balanced lives.
Cultural Belonging
Mental health conversations must reflect the realities of South Asian culture, identity, and diaspora experiences. Our work creates spaces where those experiences are acknowledged and respected.
Community Accountability
Growth happens in community. When men support one another with openness, responsibility, and care, it creates stronger networks for healing and well-being.
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Our work takes shape through programs, conversations, and community partnerships.
We host discussions and events that create space for honest dialogue around mental health. We develop educational programs that build emotional awareness and practical tools for well-being. And we collaborate with therapists, community leaders, and organizations that are helping expand culturally relevant support.
Each conversation helps move the culture forward—creating a future where South Asian men feel empowered to care for their mental health and support one another in doing the same.
A Growing Community
Brown Man Therapy is more than an organization. It’s a growing community of people committed to changing how South Asian men approach mental health.
By encouraging openness, connection, and accountability, we are helping create a culture where emotional well-being is recognized as a fundamental part of living a healthy and meaningful life.