11: Erlanger “Earl” A. Turner, Ph.D., L.C.P. – Putting his Passion into Practice as an Assistant Professor, Psychologist, Blogger, Podcaster, and Mental Health Advocate

Dr. Turner, a first-generation college student, is a Louisiana native (born and raised in Baton Rouge) who discovered his interest in psychology later in his undergraduate career while attending Louisiana State University (LSU). He originally had plans to become a pediatrician and go to medical school but after taking a child psychology course, he knew this was the right fit for him as he wanted to help children and families. In this podcast, Dr. Turner shares how this drive and passion helped guide him during his academic career as he earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Texas A&M University. He completed his postdoctoral fellowship in Baltimore, MD through the Kennedy Krieger Institute which is a children’s hospital affiliated with Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Turner is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Pepperdine University where he teaches courses on multicultural psychology, research methodology, and child psychopathology. He is also a licensed clinical psychologist. In the clinical setting, he is known as “Dr. Earl” and he incorporated this into the title of his mental health podcast “The Breakdown with Dr. Earl” which focuses on issues related to Black men and boys. He also addresses the stigma in the Black community by changing the way people view seeking therapy or mental health. Dr. Earl increases awareness of, and treatment for, different types of mental health issues and highlights Black professionals and therapists on the show. Dr. “Earl” Turner is a mental health advocate and writes a blog “The Race to Good Health” and is Founder and Executive Director of Therapy for Black Kids (T4BK). He explains that the idea for T4BK came to him during the pandemic, but the content and website wasn’t released until earlier this year in February. He recognized that as a result of the “subtle racial reckoning this last summer” most of the conversations were focused on adults and not so much on kids, specifically Black kids. Therefore, he created Therapy for Black Kids to provide information and resources to “help parents deal with the challenges of racial injustice and foster resilience to promote healthy development.” During the podcast interview, Dr. Turner’s drive and passion shines through and he admits that his favorite approach is using cognitive theories in his research as it shapes our life and our interactions. When I asked him what the most important thing he has learned in life, he responded “continue fighting for whatever is important to you.” Connect with Dr. Turner: Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube | WebsiteConnect with the Show: Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter https://vimeo.com/567216486 Interests and Specializations Over the last 10-15 years, Dr. Turner has served in leadership positions within the American Psychological Association (APA), published research, served on editorial boards, and provided therapy services for children, adolescents, and adults with behavioral and emotional problems such as depression, anxiety, and stress management. He also specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of disruptive behavior disorders such as Conduct Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and developmental disorders (e.g., Autism Spectrum Disorder). Education Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Psychology; Louisiana State University.Master of Science (M.S.), Clinical Psychology; Texas A&M University.Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Clinical Psychology; Texas A&M University. Other Sources and Links of Interest Dr. Turner at Psychology TodayDr. Turner at US NewsDr. Turner at HuffPostDr. Turner Book on AmazonDr. Turner at Google ScholarDr. Turner National Register Award for Excellence Podcast Transcription 00:00:05 BradleyWelcome to the Master’s in Psychology podcast, where psychology students can learn from psychologists, educators, and practitioners to better understand what they ...