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The Desi Diaries
The goal of this group is to create a safe dialogue with others from similar cultural and ethnic backgrounds in a safe, supportive and confidential environment.
What is The Desi Diaries?
The goal of this group is to create a safe dialogue with others from similar cultural and ethnic backgrounds in a safe, supportive and confidential environment.
How does it work?
Each week focuses on a different topic relevant to us and our similar cultural and ethnic backgrounds: embracing our identities, living at home, and healthy dating and boundaries.
February 9 - Embracing Your Identities: Let's chat about identity and the varying influences of family, culture (back home and Canada), media and education that help shape who we are becoming.
March 2 - Breaking the Mental Health Stigma: Can we talk about this? Breaking the silence on taboos so we can better understand ourselves, support our loved ones and identify resources for professional help.
What does "Desi" mean?
Desi is a term that has been adopted by some members of the South Asian, second/third generation, immigrant communities that is used as an umbrella term to identify with someone who belongs to “Des” which would translate to a person having roots and being Indigenous to the subcontinent of India (including Pakistan and Bangladesh). Any student who self-identifies as being from the South Asian Diaspora or Desi communities is welcome to attend.
Each week will focus on a different topic relevant to us and our similar cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
How do I register?Spring 2023 Schedule
Students must register in order to join the group.
2:00-3:00pm
- Feb 9th: Embracing your identities
- March 2: Breaking the Mental Health Stigma
Harp Shergill (She/Hers)
Registered Social Worker
h_shergill@sfu.ca
Harp is a Registered Social Worker and passionate about creating a society based on equity, social harmony, mutual respect and human dignity; while addressing racial discrimination. She has several years of experience in the field of social work and health care and joined the Health & Counselling Team at SFU in 2019. As an Access Case Manager, Harp works closely with you to understand your individual needs so she can connect you with helpful and valuable resources. She wishes to ensure students are seen, heard and valued.
Shereen is a Registered Clinical Counsellor with lived experiences as an immigrant, as an expat, and as an international student at various stages in her life and in many countries around the globe. Her approach to therapy is best described as caring, compassionate, and nonjudgmental. She works from a phenomenological approach to human life that support understanding the client’s worldview. She is drawn to multicultural, anti-oppressive and trauma-informed practices as she acknowledges that human beings are wired for connection. She utilizes strengths based, solution-focused therapy model to help clients to courageously achieve wellness. She works with evidence approaches such as CBT, DBT, and EMDR. Shereen has practiced counselling internationally, as a consultant and counsellor in the university, medical and private settings. She is a firm believer in the potential of all individuals to grow, become satisfied, and live fulfilling lives.