We talk to a lot of important women at Glamour—astronauts, pro athletes, executives, and the occasional first lady. And while they span the professional spectrum and live all over the world, we’ve found that high-ranking women tend to have one thing in common: They’re truly excited to hold the door open for the women coming up behind them. In our Future Forward series—part of our College Women of the Year coverage—we asked some of those industry leaders to welcome the next generation to the table with their hard-earned life and career advice. Joy Harden Bradford, PhD, the psychologist behind Therapy for Black Girls, shares hers below.
Dr. Joy Harden Bradford was watching Black Girls Rock!—an awards show celebrating the achievements of Black women—when she had a proverbial lightbulb moment: What if she could bring the same energy on that stage to a platform that made women feel that excited to support their mental health? And that’s how Therapy for Black Girls was born.
Therapy for Black Girls had humble beginnings as a blog. Bradford started with the basics: What questions should you ask a new therapist? How can you effectively use your support system? “I wanted to give people the resources and the language that would help them really talk about some of the everyday mental health things that come up in our lives,” Bradford says.
Since then it has evolved into a thriving community that helps young Black women maintain their mental wellness. The blog’s still there—packed with Bradford’s sage advice on everything from understanding adult ADHD to prioritizing healthy sexual relationships. But the platform also offers connections to professional therapists across the country. (And Canada too.) There’s merch. And of course, there’s a wildly popular podcast with more than 26 million downloads as of this writing.
While all of that was unfolding, she also found time to write her first book, Sisterhood Heals, which will be published in June of 2023.
Back when she was studying to get her degree in psychology, Bradford says she never envisioned her career would take off in such a momentous way. “I feel like, sometimes, when you go to college, there’s a very set idea of what you’re going to school to do and there is a certain path you are going to follow,” she says. “I wish I would have known to stay open to how your career might look very differently than what you’re planning.”
Fast-forward to now, and Bradford will be sharing more sage advice when she mentors Winslyn Parish, one of Glamour’s 2022 College Women of the Year. But she’s offering some here, too, just for you.
Glamour: What’s your typical morning routine?
Joy Harden Bradford: I get up at 7:15 a.m. to get my kids ready to go to school. And then I typically lounge around a little bit. I do some stretching. I don’t typically eat breakfast. My workday typically starts at around 10 a.m. I don’t really like to have any meetings before then because I’m not a morning person, so I don’t typically want to interact with the outside world before that time.
What was your first childhood dream job?
My first childhood dream job was to be a teacher. I remember this very vividly because I carved the alphabet into my bedroom wall. In classrooms, teachers used to have a poster with the alphabet. I thought that I needed one of those in my home.
How do you deal with rejection in your field?
You know, especially as I’m writing my book, I feel a lot of like rejection, in terms of editing—like, “No, this is not quite what we’re looking for.” So, I’m dealing with it by talking to my therapist. I also keep a file on my Notes app called “Girl, you did that,” which I’ve talked about on the podcast. It’s a place where I share really nice things people have written about me, or emails from podcast listeners. I save compliments there for days when things are really difficult. It’s a way to remind yourself that you’re doing some really good work.
What is the best life advice you’ve been given that is not related to your career?
I think making sure that you understand that your career is only one part of your life—it’s not your entire life. Some of Toni Morrison’s words always ring true to me: You should save the best of you for the people in your life, not necessarily for your work. Make sure that you’re still cultivating friendships and spending time with loved ones and going on vacations—doing all of these other things. Career has its place, but it is not typically the biggest part of your life. And so I think keeping all of those things in perspective is important.
If someone is just starting out in your field, what career advice can help her position herself for success? And what does the future of the industry look like?
I think one way to position yourself for success is really to pay attention to all of the people who are currently doing the kinds of things that you think you want to do. Just like this interview, for example. Think about the people you look up to in your field, and look for all of the podcast or print interviews they’ve done or the YouTube videos they recorded, and read and watch them. If you don’t have a personal contact, you can still learn from that information.
How can someone impress you in a job interview?
I am most impressed in job interviews by people who really do their research and go the extra step for the interview. So, let’s say I asked a question about what kind of social media posts you might put up to advertise a new program we’re working on. Someone who has already thought about that—and come to the interview with a few examples—is someone who has shown they can take initiative and, while they’ll need advice, is thinking on their own.
What makes a résumé or cover letter stand out to you?
Cover letters stand out when it’s clear a person has done their research and can talk about how the skills and experiences they have had in the past are a great fit for the work we do at Therapy for Black Girls. I shouldn’t have to work hard to imagine how you would fit in.
Are there glaring things a candidate can do during an interview—or in their cover letter or résumé—that makes them an automatic no?
Addressing it to the wrong person, to me, is an automatic no. Now, I get it, right? Usually people are applying for multiple, different positions. But this mistake, to me, shows a real lack of attention to detail that is glaring. I’m also a big stickler for proper spelling and grammar.
What was the last great book you read?
The last great book I read was probably Platonic by Dr. Marisa Franco, which is all about the science of attachment in friendship. And I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing her three times for the podcast. This book, her first book, was a really great read.
Name your favorite treat after a productive day.
Hershey’s Kisses.
Fill in the blank: People would be happier doing their work if…
If they had the freedom to craft their own schedules. I think it is important to work with your natural rhythms. I think we saw a lot of this during the pandemic, when many people were able to work from home. I’m a nighttime person. I get some of my best writing and work done between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m. That wouldn’t work if I had a traditional 9-to-5 job. I think more people would enjoy their work if they had more flexibility to just do it on their own time.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Jillian Kramer is a journalist who writes about health, wellness, science, and adventure. She taps into a broad network of experts to write in-depth articles for leading publications, including Glamour, The New York Times, Scientific American, Travel + Leisure, EatingWell, and Food & Wine.
