We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Harpreet Malla and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Harpreet, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I’m from a beach town in Southern India known for seafood and cinema, and call myself “Desi” (prounounced they-see) culturally. This identity has been a stronghold for me from the beginning, and I’ve loved how this Desi base intertwines with my Southern Californian identity and many other cultural influences to make me the psychologist and human that I am today. Being able to hold what sometimes seemed like two juxtaposing identities was really a masterclass in balance and reflection for me. I found ways to be “both” often in life, traditional and modern, collectivist and individualistic, demure and bold. This journey and reflection process has helped me have empathy and better hold space for my clients, and has given me an appreciation for so many things in life. As a psychologist I specialize in working with minority and queer clients, who can have layered identities and struggle to find ways to explore themselves, know themselves, and be themselves in a world that doesn’t always seem to be open to differences. I’m very grateful for having such a unique cultural journey, and love hearing expressions of others’ in any form I can: whether it be through hunting for good fusion cuisine that playfully remixes cultures, in watching indie films with offbeat perspectives, or in accompanying clients as they discover their own journeys and stories. So essentially, I’d say where I’m from and where I am are very central to who I am today.

This also shows up in how I care for myself and find balance, which is essential as a psychologist- I’m a huge fan of yin yoga (which is both Indian and also culturally Southern Californian at this point), using turmeric and other ayurvedic staples, being among community and sharing food, and like my Ammamma (maternal grandmother) before me, basking in nature and making time to stop and smell the flowers.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
So many lovely places to go here- I think something that’s particularly unique about me is how much I embrace uniqueness and complexity in my work. I see a broad range of clients, many with more traditional concerns, but my expertise lies in complex or “nontraditional” couples’ work which can include interracial relationships, arranged marriages, ENM/poly constellations, and kinky and/or queer folx. I am also neurodivergent-affirming and trauma-informed, which are a whole lot of syllables to say that I’m particularly sensitive to cultural differences and the nuanced ways that identity factors can layer. When we don’t consider someone’s intersectional, or holistic, identity in therapy then we can retraumatize people by having them fragment their identities in a way that society can already reinforce. My focus is on practicing with cultural humility in my own work, providing trainings to other psychologists to share my insights alongside current research, advocating for special populations in my role as Chair for Division VII (Diversity & Social Justice) at the California Psychological Association, making psychology more accessible by publishing my work not only academically, but in pop psychology collections and in public-facing spaces such as San Diego Comic Con and WonderCon, and ultimately creating a revolution in which mental health information and access becomes commonplace. This is the work I’m most excited about and that makes me come alive. I think since the pandemic, we have shifted globally and are ready to examine ourselves and how we fit into our worlds in a deeper way, and I hope we don’t lose that momentum and that collectively, we can make some meaningful, lasting changes in how we approach caring for ourselves in the face of crises and inch closer to balanced perspectives rather than extremism (e.g., being interdependent versus hyper individualistic or collectivist in a pressured way). My newest adventure is bridging psychology with activism more directly as I’m planning a trip to Sacramento for Lobby Day as we speak, where I’ll be supported by my CPA colleagues in advocating for bills supporting trans folx, IPV (intimate partner violence) survivors, and other groups that need special legal protections right now.

I am lucky to say that my career path has felt very organic to me, albeit winding at times. Part of coming to terms with how revolutionary my work felt in a conservative South Asian context was having talks with my supportive but protective family as I discovered that many of the principles in my work were actually incredibly traditional Indian philosophies and perspectives. Colonization by the British has culturally eroded some of this, but pluralism (respecting multiple perspectives), gender fluidity, and a salutogenesis or pleasure-focused, liberatory joy perspective are all deeply embedded in South Asian culture and Hinduism.

What was helpful in bridging all my at-first-glance different interests was asking questions, attending events, and finding community that helped me discover new things and then build them if they didn’t exist yet. I’d say the biggest lesson from my professional journey is to not compromise on your vision, your care, and your full, authentic self because there are always others seeking to build bridges with you, and somebody will resonate with and be grateful for your unique perspective.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am a full SoCal enthusiast- going to grad school in San Diego, practicing and serving part-time in L.A., and having my practice in Newport Beach, CA in Orange County have left me with an embarrassment of riches when it comes to fun spots to suggest and I’d really want to highlight that. It would have to be a whirlwind cultural tour, and I think part of me enjoys showing off how much Southern Californians have available to them for free —
I’d start with a full Sunday in Balboa Park in San Diego wandering through the gorgeous palm tree garden, free Timken art museum within the park, public organ concert, and then blow their minds with the international cottages. A local treat, on Sundays only, there are small rooms at the edge of Balboa Park dedicated to different countries and run by volunteers who share about where they’re from and often have homemade ethnic food samples for you to try. We would end with dinner and a speakeasy downtown or stay local and keep it within the park at Prado near the fountain if bestie was too tired to venture far.

Then, I’d want to make sure we snagged first class tickets for the Pacific Surfliner, a mini-splurge that would allow us to look at the coast while heading up north. We would have to stop over in Orange County for a day at Disneyland and make sure we grab a snack or a tiki drink at Trader Sam’s just outside the park in downtown Disney. It’s modeled after a couple of classic Disneyland rides and some of the cocktails have animatronics, lighting effects, and other unexpected surprises that they come along with for the whole bar to experience. The Uh-oa is a favorite!

Afterward, we would take an easy day in OC and have brunch at the Lighthouse before heading on a mini duffy boat adventure off Newport Pier, which has lots of great shopping and great dining options. If they were a fan of authentic Indian food, I’d steer them to Yellow Chili which has a polished flair or Anjappar which has a family-friendly ambiance and the most authentic South Indian food you’ll find for miles. The Frida Cinema, an independent theater that has 2 screens and an overwhelming amount of heart, is an absolute must for a matinee. Then, we would head up to Long Beach and have a nautical day at the Aquarium of the Pacific and Lions’ Lighthouse where we would look at the famous Queen Mary ship before boarding it. The boat is a historic gem, and loved by art deco enthusiasts and ghosthunters alike.

Finally, we would head up to my favorite SoCal cultural hub- Los Angeles. The opportunities are endless here, but I’d make sure that over the course of the next few days we would hit up the art deco masterpiece the Pantages for a show, take the Hollywood Walk of Fame to the historic Grauman’s Chinese Theater, catch a sunset over dinner and drinks at Perch, spend a day lingering through hallowed halls filled with art and free to the public at Getty Villa, make sure we catch the giant Tesla coil (Nikolai, not Elon) demonstration and planetarium at Griffith Observatory, and then check out some local galleries in the Arts District to see some beautiful art and groove to some tunes at Apotheke, a bicoastal speakeasy that has a NY sister and serves up unique cocktails.

With my energy level I’d try to squeeze in so much more (indie film spaces like Quentin Tarantino-owned New Beverly Cinema, Laemmle theaters, or the Alamo Drafthouse would call to me like sirens), but the next day we could wind back down again by going to the Self Realization Fellowship for some zen vibes and beautiful views, or take a mini trek to Chino Hills for the other-worldly architectural wonder that is BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Temple and museum. Then, Pijja Palace, a cultural fusion gem which mixes Italian and Indian food in L.A., would also have to be a stop for me. I’m so delighted by how they mixed my comfort foods together, and I’d want to end on a high note before attempting the 405 drive to LAX with a traveler unfamiliar with L.A.’s iconic traffic!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
So many people! Community is a vital part of who I am and how I make sense of the world. Firstly, I’d like to thank my Mom and Dad for raising me and shaping me in so many ways, my English teachers for giving me a deep love of language and the ability to express myself with intention, my psychology professors for giving me a strong foundational base for my career, deepest passion, and life’s work, my Desi community for keeping our food, clothes, and spirit alive and evolving it, my SoCal friends for all our lovely life adventures, my film community for being as hungry as I always am for all things indie, foreign, and mainstream, my nerdy communities at San Diego Comic Con, WonderCon, and beyond, and of course my professional communities at the city and state level (LACPA & CPA) who fight alongside me for important diversity and social justice issues impacting our communities and those we serve as psychologists.

Website: https://southasiantherapists.org/therapist/dr-harpreet-malla/

Instagram: @drmallapsych

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harpreet-malla-ph-d-4352b6133/

Other: https://blinq.me/0fJgro9D86BGETnMRyWm

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