Joy Harden Bradford facts for kids

Dr. Joy Harden Bradford (born in 1979) is an American clinical psychologist from Atlanta, Georgia. A clinical psychologist is a professional who helps people with their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Dr. Bradford is famous for creating a mental health resource called Therapy for Black Girls.

This resource includes a popular podcast that focuses on mental health topics important to Black women and girls. By 2019, her podcast episodes had been downloaded more than two million times.

Early Life and Education

Joy Harden Bradford grew up in a small town in Louisiana called Paincourtville. She was a dedicated student and went on to attend several universities.

She earned her first degree, a Bachelor of Arts, from Xavier University of Louisiana. After that, she received a master's degree from Arkansas State University. Finally, she completed her PhD, which is the highest university degree, in counseling psychology at the University of Georgia. She is also a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, a community service organization.

Career and 'Therapy for Black Girls'

Dr. Bradford is a licensed psychologist who focuses on providing mental health care that understands and respects the culture of African American women. She began her career in 2011. For a few years, she worked as a counselor at a college.

Creating a New Resource

In 2014, Dr. Bradford had a brilliant idea. After watching a TV show called Black Girls Rock!, she was inspired to create Therapy for Black Girls. She wanted to create a space to talk about everyday things that can affect a person's mental well-being.

In an interview, she explained that she wanted to discuss topics like how not getting enough sleep can impact your mental health, or how spending too much time on social media can make you feel bad about yourself. She felt it was important to focus on mental wellness, which means taking care of your mental health every day, just like you take care of your physical health.

What is 'Therapy for Black Girls'?

Therapy for Black Girls is more than just a podcast. It's a complete platform designed to support the mental health of Black women. It includes:

• A popular podcast that discusses everything from serious topics, like dealing with life changes, to fun pop-culture subjects.
• A therapist directory, which is a list that helps people find Black women therapists in their area. Dr. Bradford created this in 2019 because so many people asked for recommendations.
• A blog with articles about mental health.
• A Facebook group called the Thrive Tribe, where members can connect and support each other.

Dr. Bradford's work aims to make it easier to talk about mental health in the Black community. She wants to normalize the idea of going to therapy and show that it's a healthy and positive thing to do.

Other Work

In 2018, Dr. Bradford was invited to co-host a reunion special for the MTV show Teen Mom: Young + Pregnant.

In 2023, she published her first book, Sisterhood Heals. The book gives advice on how to build and maintain strong, supportive friendships.

Personal Life

Dr. Bradford is married.

Awards and Recognition

Dr. Bradford's podcast, Therapy for Black Girls, has won several major awards for its positive impact.

• 2021 – Winner, Webby Awards, Health & Wellness Podcast
• 2021 – Winner, Ambies Awards, Best Wellness or Relationships Podcast
• 2023 – Winner, NAACP Image Awards, Outstanding Lifestyle/Self-Help Podcast

Published Works

Podcast

• Therapy for Black Girls

Book

• 2023. Sisterhood Heals: The Transformative Power of Healing in Community. Ballantine Books. ISBN: 9780593497241

See Also

• Race and health in the United States
• Mental distress