The stigma of therapy in the black community has long hindered our willingness to mind our mental health.
Thankfully, transparent stories about the positive impact of counseling are slowly changing the tide and shifting negative perspectives. Big names like Myleik Teele, Amanda Seales, and even Jay-Z, are normalizing the conversation by openly discussing the role of therapy in their lives.
Nonetheless, there is still this fear of the unknown. If you're a newbie to the therapy scene, finding a good fit can seem daunting, awkward, or weird. Take the edge off by checking out these 4 Black therapists that will make you want to sit in their chair.
1.Dr. Joy Harden Bradford - @TherapyForBlackGirls
Dr. Joy Harden Bradford
Not quite sure you're ready to take the leap into therapy? Dr. Joy Harden Bradford will change your mind with her down to earth approach.
She provides a plethora of information specifically targeted to Black women through her podcast, Therapy for Black Girls. You'll love that she eliminates the guesswork by providing a directory of black therapists around the nation. Dive into her podcast, join her Facebook group, and follow her on Insta. You'll feel a part of a community and less alone as you embark on your healing journey.
Related Stories:
- The Founder of Therapy For Black Girls Gives Us A Beginner's Guide to Therapy - Read More
- Janelle Monae on How Therapy and Love Helped Her Resolve Anger Issues - Read More
- The Boss Girl's Guide to Therapy - Read More
- Women Are Using Yoni Steams to Heal Themselves From Reproductive Issues and Sexual Traumas - Read More
Is it important to have a therapist who looks like you? Let us know in the comments down below.
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To help you better understand why this was such a mental awakening for me, I first need to give a bit of my backstory. I’m in my late thirties. I’m an attorneyand a journalist. I own a home and have traveled the world extensively. Essentially, I’ve done everything in life I set out to do. However, when it comes to dating, I struggle. Not because there is anything wrong with me per se, but because my career and “lifestyle” often create problems in my romantic relationships.
View from my hotel room
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I’ve been told everything from, ‘I can’t continue to date you because you seem to choose your career over wanting to settle down and have kids’ by a man after only the second date to ‘Maybe if you just sat down somewhere for a while, I’d actually wife you’ by someone who has honestly never proven themselves to be the settle down type. And these are only a handful of the things I’ve been told over the years.
It’s been frustrating, to say the least, and there have even been seasons where I purposely dimmed my light in hopes that my career wouldn’t push away potential suitors. I know what you’re thinking, “Girl, why would you even consider that? If they’re for you, it won’t matter what you do.” Hey, don’t judge me, but also, I one hundred percent agree.
My hotel bathroom
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That’s why this recent moment in Switzerland was right on time. When I first walked into the hotel to check in, I was blown away by the surrounding beauty. It was a five-star property with one of the world’s most famous thermal bathhouses. Yet, it was something about seeing that 90% of the hotel’s guests were couples, that forced me to sit back for a bit of introspection—while soaking in the thermal spa, of course.
As I went through the mental conversation, there was a battle of sorts. On one hand, I knew that being able to partake in experiences like the one I was having at that moment was important to me. I knew that, at times I actually love being able to dabble in the finer things—after all, I’ve worked hard to be able to afford them. On the other hand, and sadly, I knew that sometimes being a single Black woman that publicly showcases her “luxurious” habits can intimidate men and even scare them off from pursuing you under the guise of them feeling like they “can’t do anything for you, because you have everything.”
My hotel room
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So, what is a girl to do?
Do I minimize/hide the life and experiences that I have? Do I play down the hard work I’ve put in to get where I am professionally? Or, do I risk being single in exchange for being able to have said life, without backlash?
Luckily, the joy that I felt while being at this property won. There was something about taking a full day to simply pamper myself at the bathhouse and in my in-room steam shower and soaker tub, indulging in cuisine from a 2-star Michelin restaurant and doing all of this while surrounded by an amazing group of Black women that reminded me—this is certainly the life I was meant to live and that I deserve. Even if it means that right now, I’ll just have to provide it for myself until the right partner comes along. And honestly, I’m okay with that.
Restaurant at 7132 hotel
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