Jarrett Hill and the Quest for the Therapist Who Knows What You’re Talking About

Before he was a podcast host, radio personality, or a journalist breaking major political news, Jarrett Hill was a kid growing up gay in a religiously conservative environment. So when it was time to come out, it meant defying the homophobic words of his pastor who had urged parents to not let their kids grow up to be “sissies”. He had first started seeing therapists as a result of his parents’ protracted divorce and went intermittently over the years. Finally, with the help of a particularly observant therapist, he put it together that a pattern of thinking and behavior he had experienced was, in fact, major depressive disorder.Jarrett Hill has found that the most helpful therapist for him is a woman of color. He was used to opening up to women in his life more than men and having a person of color meant that his therapist would know what he’d been through and believe him. Dr. Ksera Dyette, who is a therapist and sought help herself, talks about how safety itself is at stake in a search for people who share your cultural experiences. She offers advice on how she screens potential therapists and the difference it makes.Listen to Jarrett's podcast with Tre'vell Anderson, FANTI, here or wherever podcasts are found. Follow FANTI on Twitter @fantipodcast, follow Jarrett Hill on Twitter @JarrettHill and on Instagram @jarretthill, and visit Jarett's website here.Visit Dr. Ksera Dyette's website here as well as her COVID-19 Resources page here. Follow her on Instagram @cteacounselling and on TikTok @drdyette. Visit Dr. Dyette's linktree here.Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun. Hey, remember, you’re part of Depresh Mode and we want to hear what you want to hear about. What guests and issues would you like to have covered in a future episode? Write us at [email protected] is available right away.The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALKCrisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlinesThe Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.John is on Twitter @johnmoe. Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joindepresh