Today we’d like to introduce you to Kruti Patel
Hi Kruti, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in New Jersey. Growing up, I’d seen a lot of examples on how mental health is such a taboo topic. On how emotions are stifled or met with awkward reactions. In a lot of ways, it makes sense to me. I am a child of immigrants. My parents moved from India at a young age to pursue their education and careers in NYC. They were focused on survival and creating stability in a country that was so new to them. They did so well in making those goals come true. In general, mental health isn’t something that was talked about much in South Asian communities. Many emotions, especially crying, are dismissed and worth is based on perfectionism and academic excellence.
In college, I focused on learning more about psychology. I wanted to make a change in my community. I wanted to be a safe space to offer a compassionate heart and a listening ear for BIPOC-identified people (especially South Asians) to talk about things they never got to talk about. To learn a different way to be with their feelings and to ultimately understand and feel grounded in their true self. To not identify with a harsh inner critic or internalized voices from caregivers.
I moved to Ohio to get my Master’s and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and moved to Austin for my postdoctoral training. I started my own practice with some friends and now co-own a private practice, Ritual Wellness ATX, with Dr. Lauren Mason, who’s now based out of Colorado. Our practice is centered around social justice values and here is where I’ve gotten a chance to really dive deeply into the kind of clinical work I want to do. I specialize in working with individuals and couples. The vast majority of my clients are BIPOC-identified – mainly South Asians. There are many parallels in my story, upbringing, family, and culture that exist in so many of my clients. But we all have our own story. I hear so many times that the best part of working with a psychologist with a shared identity is that my clients don’t have to explain foundational things. I already understand so many of the cultural themes and norms around feelings, family, in-laws, patriarchy, parenting, religion, pressures, etc. Most of my clients want to work on learnings from their family and parents – how to build a close relationship with parents/in-laws/siblings/etc when those people likely won’t ever change. It is possible to hold both – to have and honor our own boundaries and to build a genuine relationship.
And finally, and I’d argue one of the biggest and most important parts of my identity and story, is being a mom. I have 2 girls and they inspire and challenge me more than anyone/anything else in my life. Being a mom has impacted my work – I’m now very dedicated to supporting moms, dads and new parents. And to help people heal from old familial wounds and process intergenerational trauma.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The psychology field is very dynamic and has gone through many changes over the years. I’d say it’s still not the most diverse field – I’m one of very few South Asian psychologists in the state and country. It’s definitely changing and likely will get more diverse in the future. Though I’m grateful to be mentored by many strong and intelligent women in the field, not many had a shared identity with me. I’d often have to explain to my supervisors what unique challenges my BIPOC clients were facing and the cultural context to normalize different family dynamics. Now as a licensed professional, I really value community – mental health professionals of a shared identity working together to support our clients.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I created my own private practice in Austin, TX with a close friend (Dr. Lauren Mason) I met during my postdoctoral year. We had so many similarities in how we worked with clients, viewed healing, and social justice values. We specialize in offering culturally sensitive therapy. Ritual Wellness ATX opened almost 3 years ago and we’ve done so much work. We have hired trainees, admin staff, contractors, etc. We are now focused on doing more outreach, sharing resources, and of course supporting our clients. We have an amazing administrative assistant (Lilly) – who has many talents and brings so much to our team. More than the number of clients we’ve served and services we offer, I’m most proud of the spirit of our practice. It has certainly deepened my friendship with my co-founder. It’s helped us stay grounded in who we are as a practice and what we stand for, along with embodying a fierce power of protecting the clients we serve. We know who we are and our values and hope to continue to do many more wonderful things in the future.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Mental health is changing so much and one of the most powerful changes is people recognizing its value! Companies are offering wellness days and wellness services that include meditation and relaxation tools. People are working on and talking about the very real stressors of being a parent, burnout, and marital stress. Being more open to talking about the struggles we are going through makes it so much easier to find support. There is a real power in vulnerability and knowing how we can cope with our emotions. I’m hopeful that therapy continues to become a norm – everyone can benefit from going to therapy. There really are no downsides, especially when you find someone that’s a good fit. Going to therapy improves all parts of your life and all aspects of health.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.drkrutipsychologist.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulpsychologist/
Image Credits
Kruti Patel, Ph.D.
