In 2021, when the world was in the thick of COVID, Anushka Phal was fresh out of university and working as a school psychologist at a high school. She listed herself on SouthAsianTherapists.org “just in case someone reaches out—maybe even from the high school.”
It wasn’t something she’d deeply thought through. She knew she’d eventually enter the mental health space, perhaps after more research and insight. But a phone call hastened that journey. It was from a “distraught caller”.
“I’ll help you, but just give me a week,” she told the caller.
Later, at the kitchen table, Anushka told her mother, “I need to set up an ABN because I want to help this person.” Her mother asked, “Do you think you need a business name?”
And that’s how Umeed Psychology was born.
“Umeed means ‘hope’ in Hindi… It didn’t feel like a big deal—it was just one person after school,” she reflects.
Anushka began seeing that person, and soon one client turned into two, then three, then four. She also started running free workshops—all within just two months.
Around the same time, her local city council invited her to speak at an event for international students. Melbourne’s longest lockdown spurred a wave of free online mental health webinars, and people began reaching out.
“I think what helped was that when you’re on a panel or at these free events, people see you as a person. That really matters when choosing a therapist. They glimpse your personality before ever stepping into a session, which makes a big difference.”
By the end of 2021, things were accelerating. “I always knew there was a need for South Asian or multicultural therapists—people from diaspora backgrounds—but I hadn’t realised how vast that need was.”
By 2023, Anushka quit her school job. With her Umeed team, she launched women’s spaces and queer spaces for South Asians.
“Everything emerged directly from the community expressing a need or pointing out a gap. When we can’t find something that exists, we create it.”
Today, Umeed is built on three ideas: connecting people, providing culturally attuned mental health support, and breaking stigma in multicultural communities.
A Fijian Indian born in New Zealand and raised in Australia, Anushka understands the nuances of cultural layers in therapy.
How important is culture in mental health? “Phenomenally important,” she says. “It’s unbelievable how silent the struggle can be.” But she’s seeing slow attitude shifts.
“Common issues like anxiety, stress, and depression reveal deeper patterns through a cultural lens—especially intergenerational trauma. Whether from immigration or colonial history, trauma passes down: grandparents to parents to children.
“A recurring theme is the guilt of collectivism. We’re raised to care for others first. People ask, ‘How do I care for myself without feeling like I’m failing others?’
“Boundary-setting becomes huge—many lack the language for it. Hindi, Urdu, or Bengali often lack words for ‘anxiety’ or ‘depression.’ The challenge starts with mental health literacy itself.
“We’re told, ‘Don’t talk about problems at home or outside.’ So people stay silent. Therapy becomes a lifeline—a space to say what was never allowed,” she explains.
Since 2021, Umeed has reached over 12,000 people through free programming and supported 300+ clients individually. They’ve hosted 200+ events, including podcasts and safe spaces for women, youth, and LGBTQ+ communities.
Now, they’re launching the Umeed Community Care Fund. “This breaks financial barriers to mental health support. Whether for ADHD assessments, counselling, or group therapy, applicants can seek subsidies. It’s donation-based, so others can pay it forward.”
In Australia, Anushka sees a system built on “individualism, neutrality, and detachment”—but “many of us come from communities where healing is relational, collective, and emotionally textured.”
What began as an app note grew into a community. For Anushka, success was never about titles or LinkedIn updates, though her impact has been recognised through honours like her 2023 induction to the Victorian Honour Roll of Women.
“I want people like me—brown, bold, sensitive, intuitive—to know healing is our birthright. That we are not too much. That softness is strategy.”
A quiet transformation. One story at a time. In her own words.
To learn more about Umeed Psychology’s work or to get involved, visit www.umeedpsychology.com.au or follow @umeedpsychology.
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💡Anushka Phal founded Umeed Psychology in 2021 to provide culturally-sensitive #mentalhealth support. 🌱Served 3,400+ clients & 12,000+ via free programs. 🧠Addressing intergenerational #trauma in South Asian communities. #TheIndianSunhttps://t.co/qiUmHe8pIZ pic.twitter.com/wiv5L47TC2
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