Black Folks do Therapy

In this session, I am interviewed by Vanessa O'neal and Barry Saunders about my upcoming book. We discuss the trauma that has impacted the African American community, my own history of trauma and what it means to heal from trauma. We discuss the practical usefulness of the book as an example of the stories and challenges that we all face.

In this second episode with Dr. Ajamu we continue our discussion with an analysis of the novel The Healers by Ayi Kweh Armah. We process the manner in which Armah weaves psychology into his work, challenging us to critically look at what it means to assist the healing process in an inspirational manner. This fun and lively conversation is a bit different than our normal conversations, but one our listeners are sure to enjoy.

I met with Dr. Ajamu to discuss his path to becoming a psychologist and his interactions with the psychologists who influenced his path. We processed the importance of developmental psychologists creating a new paradigm for understanding the African American community and creating new paradigms for healing. Finally, we discussed a framework for discussing and understanding the psychological impact of the work of author Ayi Kwei Armah.

In this episode we talk with Ms. Dearta Smith about her work as a Speech Language Pathologist, and how this relates to mental health. During the podcast she describes her role within the public school system, provides some of the reasons why speech and language services are provided to children, discusses some of her experiences working with children diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum and explains how Assistive Technology can facilitate communication. She also briefly examined the role of parenting in observing and identifying warning signs of communication concerns.

In this interview, we discussed the impact of policy and the effectiveness of policy making on the mental health of underserved communities. We discussed the legal and political hurdles that must be navigated to allow for access to programs that will bring about equity and healing. We discussed the impact of the current racial climate and how this affects the Black community in addition to interventions for healing.

Talked with Dr. Washington about his career path into psychology and how it has manifested. We discussed issues related to Black Psychology and managing our spirit during this time in our country. Discussed issues related to Black men and mental health. We also touched on some of the historical aspects of etiology of Black Psychology and the current and future states.

We talked with Dr. Kristee Haggins about her work with Emotional Emancipation Circles, Ubuntu Circles and Black Safe Spaces. We processed the need for the healing these circles provide and looked at the format that they take. Discussed the origins of these healing modalities as a result of unfounded murders by police within the Black community as a means to cope with the trauma these experiences create. Offered methods for people to get engaged with these circles moving forward.

Talked with Dr. Swift about the nature of change in the time of protest regarding injustice. Discussed racial disparities and interventions for healthy living. Also discussed specific strategies for remaining healthy.

We discussed the recent murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the catastrophic mental health impact this is having on the African American community. Dr. Barner relates personal history related to his proximity to the murder of Emmit Till in Mississippi and the current murder in Minneapolis. We discussed the psychological trauma and conditioning that takes place in the African American community and the long term effect on individuals. We also considered the necessity of studying the evil nature that allows someone to commit such an atrocious act.