Session 293: Black Women & The Superwoman Schema

The Therapy for Black Girls Podcast is a weekly conversation with Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, a licensed Psychologist in Atlanta, Georgia, about all things mental health, personal development, and all the small decisions we can make to become the best possible versions of ourselves. We often sing praises of the “strong Black woman,” but the moniker is a double-edged sword. Black women are strong, calm, and nurturing while constantly pushing aside our well-being and surviving in silence. There’s a name for this phenomenon, the Superwoman Schema or Syndrome. Today I'm joined by Dr. Cheryl Woods- Giscombe, the woman who developed the groundbreaking conceptual framework to explore how Black women experience stress. Dr. Woods- Giscombe is a distinguished associate professor of quality of life, health promotion, and wellness at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research focuses on how stress leads to health disparities among African Americans. In our conversation, we discuss the origins of the Black “Superwoman” trope, how the effects of “Superwoman” syndrome show up in our everyday lives, and tips for those struggling with taking off their capes.  Resources Visit our Amazon Store for all the books mentioned on the podcast. Sisterhood Heals is now available for pre-order! We've been nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Best Lifestyle/Self-Help podcast. Please take a minute to vote for us here.    Where to Find Dr. Woods-Giscombe WebsiteTwitterLinkedInInstagram   Where to Find Lenaya S. Crawford, LMFT WebsiteInstagramTwitter   Stay Connected Is there a topic you'd like covered on the podcast? Submit it at therapyforblackgirls.com/mailbox. If you're looking for a therapist in your area, check out the directory at https://www.therapyforblackgirls.com/directory. Take the info from the podcast to the next level by joining us in the Therapy for Black Girls Sister Circle community.therapyforblackgirls.com Grab your copy of our guided affirmation and other TBG Merch at therapyforblackgirls.com/shop. The hashtag for the podcast is #TBGinSession.   Make sure to follow us on social media: Twitter: @therapy4bgirls Instagram: @therapyforblackgirls Facebook: @therapyforblackgirls   Our Production Team Executive Producers: Dennison Bradford & Maya Cole Howard Producers: Fredia Lucas, Ellice Ellis & Cindy Okereke  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.