Therapy for Black Girls

Most of Kier Gaines’ therapy clients are women, many of whom are working through difficult relationships with their fathers. This week, Kier and Dr. Joy discuss what a father wound can look like, how it affects daughters in adulthood, and why receiving an apology may not resolve years of hurt.

He also shares what he had to learn while raising daughters, from ordering underwear online to recognizing the parts of girlhood he co...

Welcome back to our minisode series, "I Have Some Thoughts." These short episodes are designed to contextualize the pop culture moments we're currently paying attention to through a mental health lens. Pop culture isn't just fun to chat about, it can reveal important information about how we relate, cope, and understand ourselves. Join us each Friday to hear Dr. Joy share her thoughts about the happenings of the week. 

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In the final episode of our Surviving Middle School series, we’re answering your questions about navigating this sometimes complicated stage of growing up. Dr. Russell Ledet joins us for a Q&A covering friendships, social media, and newly navigating independence. He shares practical advice and perspective for parents who want to better understand what their middle schoolers are experiencing and stay connected as they grow...

Welcome back to our minisode series, "I Have Some Thoughts." These short episodes are designed to contextualize the pop culture moments we're currently paying attention to through a mental health lens. Pop culture isn't just fun to chat about, it can reveal important information about how we relate, cope, and understand ourselves. Join us each Friday to hear Dr. Joy share her thoughts about the happenings of the week. 

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Middle school changes kids in ways that can feel unrecognizable. Dr. Russell Ledet, child and adolescent psychiatrist and father of two Black girls, joins Dr. Joy to explain why. They walk through the psychological stages driving adolescence, industry versus inferiority giving way to identity versus role confusion. They talk through what's actually happening in the brain as the amygdala and prefrontal cortex develop on different ti...

Welcome back to our minisode series, "I Have Some Thoughts." These short episodes are designed to contextualize the pop culture moments we're currently paying attention to through a mental health lens. Pop culture isn't just fun to chat about, it can reveal important information about how we relate, cope, and understand ourselves. Join us each Friday to hear Dr. Joy share her thoughts about the happenings of the week. 

This we...

In the 1st episode of our “Surviving Middle School” series, we chat with Dr. Whitney J. Raglin Bignall about how to foster a balanced relationship between your middle schooler and technology in a world where tech is at our fingertips around the clock. We get into the real-life effects of group chats, how to integrate technology in a healthy way, and the major importance of building emotional resilience in a world where ...

Welcome back to our minisode series, "I Have Some Thoughts." These short episodes are designed to contextualize the pop culture moments we're currently paying attention to through a mental health lens. Pop culture isn't just fun to chat about, it can reveal important information about how we relate, cope, and understand ourselves. Join us each Friday to hear Dr. Joy share her thoughts about the happenings of the week. 

This we...

Today, Dr. Joy is breaking down the emotional journeys of each of the characters of the series, The Five Star Weekend. We’ll dive into their complicated friendship dynamics, how they navigate grief, and the patterns that drive their decisions throughout the series. Think of this as a therapy session for the characters, exploring the wounds, relationships, and reckonings at the heart of the show. Spoiler warning: we'll be disc...

Welcome back to our minisode series, "I Have Some Thoughts." These short episodes are designed to contextualize the pop culture moments we're currently paying attention to through a mental health lens. Pop culture isn't just fun to chat about, it can reveal important information about how we relate, cope, and understand ourselves. Join us each Friday to hear Dr. Joy share her thoughts about the happenings of the week. 

This we...

Dr. Joy sits down with neuropsychologist Dr. Tanisha Hill-Jarrett, assistant professor at UCSF's Memory and Aging Center, to talk through what brain health means, why it's broader than mental health alone, and the daily habits that support it: cardiovascular exercise, a heart-healthy diet, stress management, social connection, and quality sleep.

They dig into what our phones are doing to us. Dr. Hill-Jarrett breaks down how short-f...

Welcome back to our minisode series, "I Have Some Thoughts." These short episodes are designed to contextualize the pop culture moments we're currently paying attention to through a mental health lens. Pop culture isn't just fun to chat about, it can reveal important information about how we relate, cope, and understand ourselves. Join us each Friday to hear Dr. Joy share her thoughts about the happenings of the week. 

This we...

If you've ever been curious about psychedelic-assisted therapy, this episode is for you. Our very own Director of Podcasts and Digital Content, Ellice Ellis, was invited to attend Beckley Retreat's Guided Sanctuary for Black Women Psilocybin Retreat in Jamaica—a week-long experience designed to support healing through guided psilocybin sessions.

Ellice chats with Dr. Joy to reflect on her experience, sharing what surprised he...

Welcome back to our minisode series, "I Have Some Thoughts." These short episodes are designed to contextualize the pop culture moments we're currently paying attention to through a mental health lens. Pop culture isn't just fun to chat about, it can reveal important information about how we relate, cope, and understand ourselves. Join us each Friday to hear Dr. Joy share her thoughts about the happenings of the week. 

This we...

The first half of the year may be behind us, but the cosmos still has plenty in store. This week, Dr. Joy is joined by astrologer Camille Michelle Gray to explore the major astrological themes that will shape the rest of 2026. Together, they chat about the biggest transits, retrogrades, and discuss how these cosmic movements may influence everything from our relationships and careers to our personal growth and our shared experience...

Welcome back to our minisode series, "I Have Some Thoughts." These short episodes are designed to contextualize the pop culture moments we're currently paying attention to through a mental health lens. Pop culture isn't just fun to chat about, it can reveal important information about how we relate, cope, and understand ourselves. Join us each Friday to hear Dr. Joy share her thoughts about the happenings of the week. 

This we...

When Ambassador Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley first proposed a Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer role at the State Department, the response from HR was polite and dismissive. Years later, she came back and got the job done — on her own terms, with her own budget, her own staff, and a seat on the committee that assigns ambassadors. What she found when she got inside was not what most people assume.

Dr. Joy sits down with Amb...

Welcome back to our minisode series, "I Have Some Thoughts." These short episodes are designed to contextualize the pop culture moments we're currently paying attention to through a mental health lens. Pop culture isn't just fun to chat about, it can reveal important information about how we relate, cope, and understand ourselves. Join us each Friday to hear Dr. Joy share her thoughts about the happenings of the week. 

This we...

What do we actually get from following someone who will never know we exist? Dr. Maia Niguel Hoskin has spent her career studying that question, and on this episode she breaks down parasocial relationships: the one-sided bonds we form with influencers, celebrities, and increasingly, AI.

Dr. Joy and Dr. Hoskin trace how these relationships move differently for Black women, who are often expected to show up as the loyal supporter for...