Reproductive Mental Health, Intersectionality, and Systemic Barriers: Aninterview with Dr. Loree Johnson

Curt and Katie chat with Dr. Loree Johnson about the intersections of reproductive mental health, race, and systemic injustice. Dr. Johnson shared powerful insights about the shame, grief, and medical trauma that many clients face, especially Black women and other folks from

historically marginalized communities. We dive into how therapists can hold safer, more informed spaces for clients experiencing infertility and pregnancy loss, and how systemic racism and historical harm continue to shape reproductive healthcare today.

Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!

In this podcast episode, we talk about reproductive trauma, systemic barriers to care, and the need for cultural humility in therapy

We were honored to sit down with Dr. Loree Johnson, LMFT, PhD—an expert in reproductive mental health who brings both clinical expertise and lived experience to the conversation. We explore how therapists can better support clients navigating infertility, pregnancy loss, and trauma, especially clients from marginalized communities.

What do therapists often get wrong about reproductive mental health?

·    Avoiding the conversation about infertility and pregnancy loss because therapists feel undertrained or uncomfortable

·   Therapists overlook the impact of race, history, and oppression in reproductive trauma

·   Assuming fertility issues affect only straight, cisgender couples

·   Minimizing or misunderstanding the grief associated with pregnancy loss and infertility

What is the role of systemic racism and historical trauma for Black womenseeking reproductive care?

·    Mistrust of the medical system due to real, generational harm (e.g., J. Marion Sims, Henrietta Lacks, Tuskegee)

·    Myths of hyper-fertility in Black women and the erasure of infertility struggles in communities of color

·   Disenfranchised grief and cultural stigma around fertility challenges

·   Weathering: the cumulative impact of chronic stress and racism on physical and reproductive health

How can therapists show up better for clients who are experiencinginfertility and pregnancy loss?

·   Learn the terminology and processes around fertility treatments and pregnancy loss

·   Create space for conversations around sex, reproduction, and grief—even if it’s uncomfortable

·   Practice cultural humility and intimacy: be willing to be wrong, to sit with pain, and to build trust

·   Acknowledge your own limitations and biases while staying curious and committed to learning

·   Be prepared for these conversations—even if you don’t specialize in reproductive mental health

Stay in Touch with Curt, Katie, and the whole Therapy Reimagined#TherapyMovement:

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Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide Creative Credits:

Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/

Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano https://groomsymusic.com/