Before writing this article, I decided to do a quick search on PsychologyToday looking up therapists near me. Between the first three pages, with about 15 therapists listed on each page, I saw maybe 8 therapists that were non-white. As a psychology major, I’ve spent a lot of time learning about the importance of understanding ethnic and cultural differences when providing therapy. Probably the most important thing when it comes to finding a therapist is finding someone who you can connect with and who can understand you.
That’s why Dr. Joy Harden Bradford’s work has the ability to help so many Black girls find the therapist that best meets their needs. Her website, Therapy for Black Girls, filters the results for you. Only showing Black therapists near you. When you’re already struggling with mental health and finding the motivation to get help, having to put so much effort into the search for a therapist can be just enough to make you give up. By giving Black girls the tools to easily find therapists that they may feel safer and more comfortable around can really take a load off of the search process.
(Link to Therapy for Black Girls: https://providers.therapyforblackgirls.com/)
Dr. Joy Harden Bradford is a remarkable Black woman, and if I dare say so myself, a jack of all trades. She is a licensed psychologist, founder of Therapy for Black Girls, a podcast host, was the co-host of MTV’s Teen Mom: Young & Pregnant reunion, and is both an author and speaker. Therapy for Black Girls was created to battle the inequities of mental health care for Black girls, with a focus on destigmatizing the narrative around mental health. After the website launch, she also created a podcast under the same name discussing similar issues.
People like Dr. Joy Harden Bradford are exactly the kinds of people we need in the field of psychology, as she is fighting for equity in mental health care. Dealing with mental health issues and looking for a therapist or people like you can already be difficult enough. The fact that she has made these systems of support, whether it be her website to find Black therapists near you, or her podcast that talks about the struggles and mental health issues facing Black girls, she is making the conversation surrounding mental health much more inclusive.