Joy Harden Bradford

Joy Harden Bradford (born 1979) is an African American clinical psychologist based in Atlanta, Georgia. She is best known as the founder of a mental health platform called Therapy for Black Girls, which includes a podcast of the same name, that specializes in mental health issues relevant to Black women. As of 2019, the podcast's episodes have been downloaded over two million times.

Early life and education Harden Bradford was raised in Paincourtville, Louisiana. She received her bachelor's degree from Xavier University of Louisiana and her master's degree in vocational rehabilitation counseling from Arkansas State University. She completed her doctoral degree in counseling psychology from the University of Georgia. She has been a mental health practitioner since 2011 and worked as a college counselor until 2014, when she created Therapy for Black Girls. She came up with the idea for the name after watching Black Girls Rock! on BET.

The platform includes a Facebook group called the Thrive Tribe, a directory of mental health therapists, a blog, and a podcast, also called Therapy for Black Girls. The podcast covers a variety of topics targeted at Black women, such as navigating life after divorce, or pop-culture topics like how to develop your own "hot girl summer."

Harden Bradford's work highlights the stigma of mental health in the African American community and the need for Black women to set boundaries. She has stated that she also seeks to normalize therapy in Black communities.

She was recruited to co-host MTV's Teen Mom: Young + Pregnant reunion in December 2018.

Personal life Harden Bradford is married.

Accolades 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

Works

Podcast

Therapy for Black Girls

Book

2023. Sisterhood Heals: The Transformative Power of Healing in Community. Ballantine Books.Publication date June 27, 2023