Pooja Lakshmin, MD

Dr. Pooja Lakshmin is a board-certified psychiatrist, best-selling author, and a leading voice in women’s mental health, specializing in the intersection of self-care, motherhood, and systemic change. Pooja graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a BA in Women’s Studies and the Biological Basis of Behavior. She received her MD from Jefferson Medical College, and did her psychiatry residency training at Stanford and George Washington University.

A clinical assistant professor at George Washington University since 2016 and a frequent contributor to The New York Times, Dr. Lakshmin has been featured on platforms including The Today Show, NPR, and The Washington Post. She is a sought-after speaker for Fortune 500 companies and leading organizations, with past audiences including Google, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Kaiser Permanente.

Dr. Lakshmin is passionate about empowering women to reclaim their agency, challenge societal norms, and cultivate authentic self-care practices rooted in their core values, not perfectionism or guilt. Her first book, Real Self-Care (Crystals, Cleanses, and Bubble-Baths Not Included), was an NPR Best Book of the Year. Her forthcoming book, QUANTUM SHIFTS: A Guide to Surviving Life’s Big Changes, will be released by Penguin Life in March 2027.