South Asian Americans in Tech: Addressing Mental Health Challenges

Intense pressure to get ahead, to avoid layoffs, to afford the high cost of living. The stress and burnout can take its toll, leading to anxiety, depression and trauma. But they’re used to major challenges, having risen to the top in an incredibly competitive academic environment. In this post, we chronicle the mental health challenges that South Asian Americans face in tech, in Silicon Valley and beyond.

Profiles in Tech, Part V: The Dev Whisperer

For our fifth installment of “Profiles in Tech,” we meet Ana, a product manager at a mobile app. We hear what it’s like to address a slew of user concerns, dealing with the ever-present pressure to fix everything, like now, like right away. We learn about her awesome ability to pick up on how her developers are feeling, especially the quieter voices. As a reminder, this blog series highlighting the unique mindset of those who work in tech… their outlook, their concerns, and their quest for fulfillment. Each post derives from an interview with an engineer, programmer, or developer in the San Francisco Bay Area, and begins with their story, followed by a few reflections from a mental health perspective.

In a Time of Layoffs, Solutions from a Therapist for Tech

From front-end to back-end, from C-level to entry-level programmers, tech workers are worried. And understandably so. Layoffs are still happening, and it’s leading to anxiety, along with longer hours, concerns about whether to look for a new job, and burnout. I recently appeared on a podcast called “The Mental Balance,” in which I offered solutions on how to cope, whether all of this constitutes trauma, and common mental health concerns in the tech world.

Profiles in Tech, Part IV: Ambassador to the Republic of Tech

Our fourth installment of “Profiles in Tech” focuses on Jake, a software engineer at a bioscience lab. Jake works with scientists to identify what they’re needing from software, and relishes his role in translating the language of tech to an unfamiliar audience. As a reminder, this blog series highlighting the unique mindset of those who work in tech… their outlook, their concerns, and their quest for fulfillment. Each post derives from an interview with an engineer, programmer, or developer in the San Francisco Bay Area, and begins with their story, followed by a few reflections from a mental health perspective.