Today we’d like to introduce you to Sonal Jagasia.
Sonal, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
The trajectory of “how I started and how I got to where I am today” has never been a straight line. It has been more a collection of unexpected moments that have collectively become meaningful to my work as a psychiatrist and actress. I liken it to a canvas filled with accidental brushstrokes that made sense only when a few intentional lines finally drew beauty from the chaos. The canvas could never be replicated, even with intention.
My family moved often—thirteen times before I even finished high school. Growing up in an immigrant household meant that emotional growth and resilience arrived prematurely, long before I had the language to recognize them. I faced the familiar fears of being “the new kid” repeatedly, each move a test of adaptation. And as a naturally shy child, those transitions felt even heavier, shaping me in ways I wouldn’t fully appreciate until much later.
I longed for friendships that lasted and a community that offered a place of belonging. Only now, with retrospection, do I realize that this longing drew me toward understanding how culture, community structures, and personal experiences shape the way we behave, connect, and find our place in the world.
I stumbled into acting in college almost by accident. A friend, now an award-winning filmmaker, was casting a student film and urged me to audition for the lead role. What began as a whim became one of my most cherished memories from that time. Still, the immigrant drive toward stability and achievement kept me anchored to my academic path, and I went on to pursue both a medical degree and a master’s in public health.
It was during medical school that I discovered a home—both professionally and personally. The moment I stepped into my first psychiatry rotation, something in me settled. The ease I felt sitting with someone in their most honest, unguarded moments was a contradiction, that even now, I can’t explain. I never take that for granted.
In another unexpected moment, I found the love of my life.
The years of psychiatry residency were all consuming with 80-hour work weeks and overnight calls. Somewhere during this period of exhilaration and chaos, I found time to get married and start a family. Life moved fast and it was hard to find moments of reprieve.
As it did for many people, COVID brought life to an abrupt standstill; more of a jolt, really. My husband was consumed by fourteen- hour days as an internist, while I stayed home with two toddlers, attempting to hold virtual sessions with patients. The quiet, grounded presence that had once drawn me to psychiatry felt impossibly out of reach. Everything was messy, loud, and frayed. I was desperate for an outlet.
Remembering the stories I had shared about acting in college, my husband found a local acting school offering virtual classes and gently encouraged me to try. So I did. For eight weeks, every Monday and Thursday evening, I locked myself in our tiny bedroom office and slipped into another world. Those hours felt like oxygen—freeing, exhilarating, and strangely calming all at once. It didn’t matter that I was shy or carried social anxiety; as it turned out, many actors do. We learned to emote, to listen, to connect. I realized that this was the same current that had always run through my daytime profession- the deep human pull toward expression, understanding, and connection.
I still devote my days to my full-time psychiatry and psychotherapy practice, and I find moments at the edges to step into commercials, films, and theater. The most meaningful creative experiences have been when I’ve had the opportunity to act alongside my children and seeing them discover their own courage in the process.
Two lessons have stayed with me: when you listen deeply, others become mirrors that help you see yourself more clearly; and on any canvas worth painting, no stroke is ever a mistake.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Not at all. It has been anything but smooth.
One of the most difficult challenges has been balancing the intensity of a medical career along with trying to be present for my children and family, for my patients, and for myself. I have learned to accept that coexistence is impossible and even potentially harmful. Some days are imbalanced, and I work long hours in my medical practice; other times I enjoy an overnight shoot for a movie. Most importantly, I get to join my community at my children’s football games and spend time with lifelong friends.
We’ve been impressed with Mantra Mental Health, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Mantra Mental Health offers psychiatry and psychotherapy services. Through a holistic approach to medicine, we view each patient as a whole rather than a single symptom to be treated. We treat adults and offer a variety of services including medication management, talk therapy, and mindfulness therapy.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mantramentalhealth.com
