‘In Focus’ – An Interview with Dr. Pavna K. Sodhi
With over 25 years of experience in psychotherapy, research, and clinical supervision, Dr. Pavna K. Sodhi (she/her) brings a deeply intersectional and culturally responsive lens to her work.
Dr. Sodhi’s research and clinical work explore the nuanced realities of systemic oppression, identity formation, and intergenerational trauma. Her scholarship has been widely published in national and international academic journals and edited volumes. In 2017, she authored Exploring Immigrant and Sexual Minority Mental Health: Reconsidering Multiculturalism (Routledge), a text grounded in the lived narratives of immigrants and sexual minorities navigating migration, trauma, career barriers, and mental health. Her most recent book, Trauma-Informed Psychotherapy for BIPOC Communities: Decolonizing Mental Health (Routledge, 2024), offers a bold and necessary reimagining of traditional mental health practice through an antiracist, culturally grounded, and decolonizing lens.
Dr. Pavna K. Sodhi | Therapist, Author, Speaker
“My practice spans diverse populations across clinical, academic, and supervisory spaces, focusing on trauma-informed care, BIPOC communities, and immigrant mental health.”
Tell us about yourself and your work.
I’m a registered psychotherapist, author, speaker, and adjunct professor residing in Ottawa, Ontario. I was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia and socialized by two voluntary immigrants. For over 20 years, I have provided psychotherapeutic services to BIPOC, immigrant, and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities which resulted in the authorship of my book regarding these demographics.
I credit my multifaceted upbringing, travels, and lived experience for gravitating towards this psychoeducational field. From here, my interest in multicultural, immigrant, and culturally responsive work started in graduate school. My research focused primarily on immigrant populations and identity formation and the notable influences towards one’s bicultural identity formation.
My research is anchored in social justice, critical race, and feminist principles and theories. For over 25 years, I have conducted research focusing on enhancing both awareness and respect towards multicultural populations, and I have built upon my initial curiosity surrounding various models of identity formation. Since graduate school, I have learned that there is no shortage of multicultural research questions; there is, however, still a scarcity of literature about these much-needed topics, including content about culturally responsive, antiracist, and trauma-informed practices.
What are some of the challenges or barriers you have faced, and continue to face in your industry as a racialized Woman of Colour?
As a Punjabi-Sikh woman, I have encountered barriers in establishing an in-between space (instead of either being part of the Eastern or Western worlds) and recognizing the undertones associated with racism. There is always a starting point for experiencing racism, and rather than an end point, there is a mosaic of racist activities: microaggressions, internalized racism, hate crimes, and so on.
These barriers started during my graduate studies at the University of Ottawa. I was the only South Asian student in the program; mind you, this was in the late 1990s and pursuing an arts-based program was very uncommon within my community and cultural peer group. There was clearly a lack of representation of racialized and intersectional folks within the program. I had a bit of reprieve during my doctoral studies at the OISE/University of Toronto, where I felt more of a sense of belonging with a culturally diverse student representation. There was instant camaraderie, as well. Once I returned to Ottawa for personal reasons, I tried for several years to secure employment as a tenure-track professor at local educational institutions, as this was the main reason for pursuing an EdD.
Not only was I confronted with racial and sexist barriers, but I was also expected to teach in French. At times, I felt I was trauma-responding over the years as I tried to assert not only my competencies but also engaged in pleasing people. Therefore, to have some classroom presence and connect with students, I chose to apply for contract teaching positions, which have been rewarding, but also a reminder of the fact that I do not meet the standards that these schools are achieving. Yet, as a result of not being hired, I have learned to pivot and instead started a private practice and remain current in my research and publications, which has been very fulfilling in and of itself
“My research is anchored in social justice, critical race, and feminist principles and theories. For over 25 years, I have conducted research focusing on enhancing both awareness and respect towards multicultural populations, and I have built upon my initial curiosity surrounding various models of identity formation.”
Dr. Pavna K. Sodhi reading from her monograph Trauma-Informed Psychotherapy for BIPOC Communities: Decolonizing Mental Health (Routledge, 2024).
What are some tools, resources, strategies, and approaches you use to cope with these challenges?
I have been intentional about engaging in daily self-care practices. Depending on my capacity, this might look like practicing various forms of self-caresuch as:
Emotional (journaling, therapy, meditation)
Physical (walking, resting)
Spiritual (praying, yoga)
Intellectual (reading, puzzling, learning a new language)
Practical (trying new recipes, decluttering)
anything that is going to help reduce stress and keep you grounded
As a psychotherapist, I also:
Participate in regular clinical supervision
Debrief with colleagues after challenging client sessions
Develop a consistent sleep hygiene routine
Stay hydrated and stay properly nourished
Incorporate daily movement
Engage in personal therapy to discuss potential vicarious trauma (in and out of the therapeutic space).
What advice would you give to younger Women of Colour in your industry?
Knowledge mobilization regarding antiracism is a collective effort and requires consistent allyship.
To further understand the steps associated with becoming an ally, performative and productive allyship must be differentiated from one another. Central to allyship is putting words (or intentions) into actions. A conflict may occur when cultural values and beliefs are inaccurately conveyed, such that they cause more harm than good within society. We see such misunderstandings with cultural appropriation, erasure, and the dissemination of racial stereotypes that somehow appear in our therapeutic environments. These stereotypes can show up as a presenting issue or in therapists who have not explored their personal biases.
One should show up, however possible, and learn to be accountable for their actions. Allyship cannot be context or population-specific, nor can it entail choosing when to participate or dedicate to a cause. Allyship is not about coping with or managing the repercussions of a system; it is about eradicating it and acknowledging the colonial injustice that invaded one’s psyche.
Other initiatives to overcome racism within specific ecosystems:
Home: facilitate purposeful and intergenerational conversations about racism, timely and relevant definitions, awareness of media representation, and explore what is being individually internalized by each family member.
Academic setting: enhance classrooms with culturally relevant policies, curricula, and teaching practices.
Community: augment social justice, care, cohesiveness, and inclusivity as qualities within neighbours.
Host culture: endorse positive interactions between BIPOC and cultural/ethnic/racial communities and involvement in annual cultural celebrations.
“Knowledge mobilization regarding antiracism is a collective effort and requires consistent allyship.”
How do you see the future of workplaces for Women of Colour?
Change is not a non-linear process. In order to break cycles and educate others, awareness, embodiment, and consistency are essential. Often what perpetuates the cycle is relenting to colonial ways and internalized racism. Internalized racism or internalized white supremacy infers “the individual inculcation of the racist stereotypes, values, images, and ideologies perpetuated by the white dominant society about one’s racial group, leading to feelings of self-doubt, disgust, and disrespect for one’s race and/or oneself” (Pyke, 2010, p. 553). Internalized racism results from racial gaslighting, tone policing, and microaggressions which are mentioned throughout my research. Part of my work as a productive ally is to ensure one’s cultural/racial identity remains intact if they are on the receiving end of any form of racism.
By doing so, I suggest tapping into one’s ancestral gift and wisdom and develop an antiracist stance and heal from internalized racism by:
Nurturing a positive racial and/or ethnic identity.
Unlearning racial stereotypes and biases.
Addressing visceral responses to racial microaggressions.
Navigating covert/latent and overt racism.
Developing an assertive and resilient disposition.
Becoming a productive antiracist ally.
Engaging in purposeful dialogue about racism.
Educating others about the impact of racism on BIPOC communities.
Connect with Dr. Pavna K. Sodhi