Therapy for Black Girls

Dr. Joy Harden Bradford is a licensed psychologist in Atlanta who started Therapy for Black Girls because she noticed a gap — mental health content that actually spoke to the experiences of Black women without watering things down or making everything clinical. Over 544 episodes later, the show has become one of the most trusted mental health podcasts period, earning a 4.8 star rating from nearly 5,700 reviewers on Apple Podcasts alone. Each weekly episode runs about 30 to 50 minutes, though some shorter segments clock in at around 15 minutes for focused, practical topics. Dr. Joy brings on therapists, cultural critics, medical specialists, and other experts to discuss everything from the glass cliff phenomenon in workplaces to reproductive psychiatry, environmental racism, student loan stress, and the complicated dynamics of friendships in adulthood. Recent episodes have featured conversations with cultural critic Jamilah Lemieux and singer Kiana Lede, showing the range between clinical expertise and cultural relevance. The show works because Dr. Joy treats her audience like adults who can handle real information. She explains psychological concepts clearly without dumbing them down, and she connects clinical research to the actual situations her listeners face at work, in relationships, and within their families. There is no toxic positivity here — just honest, evidence-based guidance delivered with warmth and cultural understanding. Even if you are not a Black woman, the conversations about boundaries, self-worth, and navigating institutions that were not built for you resonate broadly. It is the kind of show that makes you feel seen and simultaneously gives you something practical to work with.