Therapy for Black Girls

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Latest Episodes:

Session 469: The Problem with Pretty Jun 24, 2026

Show notes

When Dr. Allycin Powell-Hicks wanted to write her dissertation on Black women and beauty, her graduate program told her the topic wasn't serious. Her research went on to reveal something the field didn't expect: Black women reported a stronger sense of control over their bodies than white women, and the more connected a Black woman felt to her culture, the stronger that sense of control became. More than a decade later, that "unserious" research has become The Problem with Pretty (Hachette), a book about how beauty standards get wired into the brain — and how to get free of them.

Dr. Joy sits down with Dr. Ally — psychofuturist, beauty and perception expert, and founder of Doux Consulting — to unpack what's happening to self-image in the social media era. They cover the looksmaxxing phenomenon pulling in Gen Z, how "Instagram face" is flattening the diversity of faces we see, why the confidence boost after a cosmetic procedure tends to fade within months, and the difference between beauty and glamour. Dr. Ally also shares her own story, from scrubbing her skin with Comet as a kid to falling in love with her complexion at an HBCU, and makes the case for beauty as ritual, resistance, and a tool for self-definition rather than a performance for everyone else.

Resources & Announcements

Want to reflect on this conversation in community? Join us inside our Patreon community where we’re unpacking this episode together.

You can now catch episodes of the Therapy for Black Girls podcast on YouTube. Be sure to subscribe to get new episodes every week.

Did you know you can leave us a voice note with your questions for the podcast? If you have a question you'd like some feedback on, topics you'd like to hear covered, or want to suggest movies or books for us to review, drop us a message at memo.fm/therapyforblackgirls and let us know what’s on your mind. We just might share it on the podcast.

Grab your copy of Sisterhood Heals.

Where to Find Our Guest

Instagram

Website

TikTok

Grab your copy of The Problem with Pretty

Stay Connected

Is there a topic you'd like covered on the podcast? Submit it at therapyforblackgirls.com/mailbox.

If you're looking for a therapist in your area, check out the directory at https://www.therapyforblackgirls.com/directory.

Grab your copy of our guided affirmation and other TBG Merch at therapyforblackgirls.com/shop.

The hashtag for the podcast is #TBGinSession.

Make sure to follow us on social media:

Instagram: @therapyforblackgirls

Facebook: @therapyforblackgirls

Our Production Team

Executive Producers: Dennison Bradford & Gabrielle Collins

Director of Podcast & Digital Content: Ellice Ellis

Producers: Tyree Rush & Ndeye Thioubou

Production Assistant: Bria Mosley

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I Have Some Thoughts Minisode | NY Knicks, Michelle Obama, & Zahara Jolie Jun 19, 2026

Show notes

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 week, we're chatting about the NY Knicks winning the NBA Championship, a UFC Fighter making disparaging remarks about Michelle Obama, and Zahara Jolie changing her last name.

Resources

Listen to Session 462: Going No Contact

Stay Connected

Wanna chat more about the pop culture hot topics of the week? Join us inside our Patreon community.

Is there a topic you'd like covered on the podcast? Submit it at therapyforblackgirls.com/mailbox.

If you're looking for a therapist in your area, check out the directory at https://www.therapyforblackgirls.com/directory.

Make sure to follow us on social media:

Instagram: @therapyforblackgirls

Threads: @therapyforblackgirls

Our Production Team

Executive Producers: Dennison Bradford & Gabrielle Collins

Director of Podcast & Digital Content: Ellice Ellis

Producer: Ndeye Thioubou

Production Assistant: Bria Mosley

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Session 468: The Albums That Raised Us Jun 17, 2026

Show notes

In honor of Black Music Month, Dr. Joy sits down with two women who experienced twenty years of Black music from opposite sides of the industry. Shanti Das spent over 25 years as a marketing executive at labels like LaFace and Universal Motown, working with artists from OutKast to Prince, before founding the mental health nonprofit Silence the Shame. Ivie Ani came of age alongside the music itself — a Bronx-raised teenager replaying The Beyoncé Experience on YouTube who grew into an award-winning journalist covering music and culture for The New York Times, Pitchfork, Okayplayer, and beyond.

Together they trace the road from new music Tuesdays and 106 & Park to streaming, playlist culture, and fan communities millions deep. They revisit the albums that defined two eras — B'Day, In My Mind, Lemonade, Anti — and consider why 2016 feels like the last time we all listened together. The conversation turns to what emotional transparency costs Black women artists, how Rihanna became the blueprint for a new kind of superstar, and why the future of Black music may be taking shape in Lagos and Johannesburg as much as Atlanta and New York.

About the Podcast

The Therapy for Black Girls Podcast is a weekly conversation with Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, a licensed Psychologist in Atlanta, Georgia, about all things mental health, personal development, and all the small decisions we can make to become the best possible versions of ourselves.

Resources & Announcements

Want to reflect on this conversation in community? Join us inside our Patreon community where we’re unpacking this episode together.

You can now catch episodes of the Therapy for Black Girls podcast on YouTube. Be sure to subscribe to get new episodes every week.

Grab your copy of Sisterhood Heals.

Where to Find Our Guests

Shanti Das

Website: https://shantidas.biz

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shantidas404/

Silence the Shame: https://silencetheshame.com | @silencetheshame on Instagram and TikTok

Ivie Ani

Website: https://www.ivieani.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ivie.ani/

Substack: https://infulleffect.substack.com

Stay Connected

Is there a topic you'd like covered on the podcast? Submit it at therapyforblackgirls.com/mailbox.

If you're looking for a therapist in your area, check out the directory at https://www.therapyforblackgirls.com/directory.

Grab your copy of our guided affirmation and other TBG Merch at therapyforblackgirls.com/shop.

The hashtag for the podcast is #TBGinSession.

Make sure to follow us on social media:

Instagram: @therapyforblackgirls

Facebook: @therapyforblackgirls

Our Production Team

Executive Producers: Dennison Bradford & Gabrielle Collins

Director of Podcast & Digital Content: Ellice Ellis

Producers: Tyree Rush & Ndeye Thioubou

Production Assistant: Bria Mosley

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I Have Some Thoughts Minisode | Scary Movie 6, Latto's Postpartum, & Russell Wilson's Retirement Jun 12, 2026

Show notes

This week, we're chatting about Scary Movie 6, Latto's postpartum concerns, and Russell Wilson's retirement.

Stay Connected

Wanna chat more about the pop culture hot topics of the week? Join us inside our Patreon community.

Is there a topic you'd like covered on the podcast? Submit it at therapyforblackgirls.com/mailbox.

If you're looking for a therapist in your area, check out the directory at https://www.therapyforblackgirls.com/directory.

Make sure to follow us on social media:

Instagram: @therapyforblackgirls

Threads: @therapyforblackgirls

Our Production Team

Executive Producers: Dennison Bradford & Gabrielle Collins

Director of Podcast & Digital Content: Ellice Ellis

Producer: Ndeye Thioubou

Production Assistant: Bria Mosley

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Session 467: Eating While Black Jun 10, 2026

Show notes

If you listened to last week’s episode, we explored soul food as a living tradition. We talked about how it continues to evolve, and how we’ve used it as a tool of expression across generations.This week, we’re continuing that conversation by looking at soul food from a wider scope. I’m happy to be joined by one of the leading voices in Black food studies, Dr. Psyche A. Williams-Forson. She is an award-winning scholar and cultural historian whose work explores the connections between food, race, gender, and culture. She’s the author of ‘Eating While Black: Food Shaming and Race in America’ and ‘Building Houses out of Chicken Legs,’ where she invites us to look beyond just the food we’re consuming and ask deeper questions about who gets to define what we eat, and what those definitions say about us and our shared experiences. In this conversation she helps us understand the many ways that food can serve as a lens into cultural memory and how Black communities have created meaning and identity through what we cook and share.

Resources & Announcements

Want to reflect on this conversation in community? Join us inside our Patreon community where we’re unpacking this episode together.

You can now catch episodes of the Therapy for Black Girls podcast on YouTube. Be sure to subscribe to get new episodes every week.

Grab your copy of Sisterhood Heals.

Where to Find Our Guest

Instagram

Website

Stay Connected

Is there a topic you'd like covered on the podcast? Submit it at therapyforblackgirls.com/mailbox.

If you're looking for a therapist in your area, check out the directory at https://www.therapyforblackgirls.com/directory.

Grab your copy of our guided affirmation and other TBG Merch at therapyforblackgirls.com/shop.

The hashtag for the podcast is #TBGinSession.

Make sure to follow us on social media:

Instagram: @therapyforblackgirls

Facebook: @therapyforblackgirls

Our Production Team

Executive Producers: Dennison Bradford & Gabrielle Collins

Director of Podcast & Digital Content: Ellice Ellis

Producers: Tyree Rush & Ndeye Thioubou

Production Assistant: Bria Mosley

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I Have Some Thoughts Minisode | Jay-Z at the Roots Picnic, Love Island Contestant Kicked Out, MIA sues Kid Cudi Jun 05, 2026

Show notes

This week, we're chatting about Jay-Z at the Roots Picnic, a Love Island contestant being kicked out before the season airs, and MIA suing Kid Cudi.

Stay Connected

Wanna chat more about the pop culture hot topics of the week? Join us inside our Patreon community.

Is there a topic you'd like covered on the podcast? Submit it at therapyforblackgirls.com/mailbox.

If you're looking for a therapist in your area, check out the directory at https://www.therapyforblackgirls.com/directory.

Make sure to follow us on social media:

Instagram: @therapyforblackgirls

Threads: @therapyforblackgirls

Our Production Team

Executive Producers: Dennison Bradford & Gabrielle Collins

Director of Podcast & Digital Content: Ellice Ellis

Producer: Ndeye Thioubou

Production Assistant: Bria Mosley

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Session 466: Reclaiming Soul Food Jun 03, 2026

Show notes

When you think about the Black American experience, soul food is interwoven throughout its fabric. It carries stories and traditions across generations, and marks memories shared with people you love. And through the years, its definition has evolved and even been misunderstood by those who don’t understand its significance. Today, we’re unpacking all of that with Sierra Reece. Sierra is a culinary creator and entrepreneur focused on Black American foodways, soul food, and African diaspora cuisine. We talked about what soul food really means, how she balances tradition with experimentation, and why food can be such a powerful tool for preserving culture and identity.

About the Podcast

Resources & Announcements

Want to reflect on this conversation in community? Join us inside our Patreon community where we’re unpacking this episode together.

You can now catch episodes of the Therapy for Black Girls podcast on YouTube. Be sure to subscribe to get new episodes every week.

Grab your copy of Sisterhood Heals.

Where to Find Our Guest

Instagram

Substack

Stay Connected

Is there a topic you'd like covered on the podcast? Submit it at therapyforblackgirls.com/mailbox.

If you're looking for a therapist in your area, check out the directory at https://www.therapyforblackgirls.com/directory.

Grab your copy of our guided affirmation and other TBG Merch at therapyforblackgirls.com/shop.

The hashtag for the podcast is #TBGinSession.

Make sure to follow us on social media:

Instagram: @therapyforblackgirls

Facebook: @therapyforblackgirls

Our Production Team

Executive Producers: Dennison Bradford & Gabrielle Collins

Director of Podcast & Digital Content: Ellice Ellis

Producers: Tyree Rush & Ndeye Thioubou

Production Assistant: Bria Mosley

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I Have Some Thoughts Minisode | Love Island Star Gets Married, Boosie Continues to Have No Sense, Yung Miami's Thoughts on Marriage May 29, 2026

Show notes

This week, we're chatting about Love Island's Jalen Brown's recent wedding, Boosie's continued displays of homophobia, and Young Miami's recent thoughts on marriage.

Stay Connected

Wanna chat more about the pop culture hot topics of the week? Join us inside our Patreon community.

Is there a topic you'd like covered on the podcast? Submit it at therapyforblackgirls.com/mailbox.

If you're looking for a therapist in your area, check out the directory at https://www.therapyforblackgirls.com/directory.

Make sure to follow us on social media:

Instagram: @therapyforblackgirls

Threads: @therapyforblackgirls

Our Production Team

Executive Producers: Dennison Bradford & Gabrielle Collins

Director of Podcast & Digital Content: Ellice Ellis

Producer: Ndeye Thioubou

Production Assistant: Bria Mosley

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Session 465: Toni Bravo On Beauty, Boundaries, & Balance May 27, 2026

Show notes

What does it look like to build a creative career online without completely losing yourself in the process? Today I’m joined by creator and beauty influencer Toni Bravo for a conversation about creativity, visibility, rest, and the evolving relationship many of us have with work in the age of social media. During our conversation, Toni shares what it’s been like navigating visibility online, how she protects her mental health while working in such a public-facing industry, and why rest has become such an important part of her creative process.

We also discuss representation in the beauty industry, the importance of darker-skinned creators being able to take up space online, and how Toni has learned to trust herself creatively as her career continues to grow. She also opens up about burnout, boundaries with social media, mindfulness practices, and the realities of building a career where work and play can sometimes feel impossible to separate.

About the Podcast

Resources & Announcements

Want to reflect on this conversation in community? Join us inside our Patreon community where we’re unpacking this episode together.

You can now catch episodes of the Therapy for Black Girls podcast on YouTube. Be sure to subscribe to get new episodes every week.

Grab your copy of Sisterhood Heals.

Where to Find Our Guest

Instagram

TikTok

YouTube

Stay Connected

Is there a topic you'd like covered on the podcast? Submit it at therapyforblackgirls.com/mailbox.

If you're looking for a therapist in your area, check out the directory at https://www.therapyforblackgirls.com/directory.

Grab your copy of our guided affirmation and other TBG Merch at therapyforblackgirls.com/shop.

The hashtag for the podcast is #TBGinSession.

Make sure to follow us on social media:

Instagram: @therapyforblackgirls

Facebook: @therapyforblackgirls

Our Production Team

Executive Producers: Dennison Bradford & Gabrielle Collins

Director of Podcast & Digital Content: Ellice Ellis

Producers: Tyree Rush & Ndeye Thioubou

Production Assistant: Bria Mosley

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I Have Some Thoughts Minisode | 10 years of Insecure, Drake & The White House, James Charles, Cheyenne Bryant May 22, 2026

Show notes

Welcome to our new 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 week, we're chatting about the 10 year anniversary of Insecure, the White House using Drake's Iceman cover art, James Charles' lack of empathy, and the need for credentials as a mental health professional.

Stay Connected

Is there a topic you'd like covered on the podcast? Submit it at therapyforblackgirls.com/mailbox.

If you're looking for a therapist in your area, check out the directory at https://www.therapyforblackgirls.com/directory.

Grab your copy of our guided affirmation and other TBG Merch at therapyforblackgirls.com/shop.

The hashtag for the podcast is #TBGinSession.

Make sure to follow us on social media:

Instagram: @therapyforblackgirls

Facebook: @therapyforblackgirls

Our Production Team

Executive Producers: Dennison Bradford & Gabrielle Collins

Director of Podcast & Digital Content: Ellice Ellis

Producer: Ndeye Thioubou