Tea & Theory

In today’s episode we go a bit (not too much) off script and get candid about our feelings about, well, everything. We grapple with the horrors of ICE and the Epstein files, while also grounding our reactions in conversations around Afropessimism, weathering, and allostatic load, naming the cumulative toll that constant exposure to violence and uncertainty takes on our bodies and communities. We also reflect on research around the impacts of consuming violent media, as we try to balance staying informed with staying well, all while juggling the ongoing need for accountability, care, and community in these times.This ain’t therapy but Tea & Theory is in session! So, grab your favorite cup of tea (or any other beverage, we ain’t judging!) and join us on the couch.Tea & Theory podcast is where real conversations meet real research. Each week, we sip and chat about the topics we’re already unpacking in our everyday lives, from the unserious, hilarious, and messy to the healing, validating, and comforting— we’re talking about it all!Follow Us on IG: @teaandtheorypodcastFollow Us on TikTok: @teaandtheorypodcastListen to Us on all streaming platforms!List of references:The Impact of Electronic Media Violence: Scientific Theory and Research (Huesmann, 2009) “Weathering” and Age Patterns of Allostatic Load Scores Among Blacks and Whites in the United States (Geronimus et al., 2006) Afropessimism Breakdown (Wilderson III, 2020) *Note regarding the references for the episode: We recognize that some of these articles/links may not be completely accessible due to paywalls (boo, capitalism!!!) However, we hope that these links may be starting points for your own reading and examination of these topics! Additionally, for better understanding, we opted to provide the references as links and not in the usually cited American Psychological Association (APA) format.Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast, or any associated platform, are solely our own and do not reflect the views of any organizations or institutions with which we are affiliated.

In today’s episode, we unpack Shannon Sharpe’s recent interview with comedian Ryan Davis. Davis opened up about his personal life, including a controversial take on the “transactional” nature of his relationship with his 10-year-old daughter. The internet wasted no time reacting, with some folks even labeling the child a “gold digger.”We dive into this tea with the support of Erik Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development, what the research says about Black father-daughter relationship’s positive impact on the well-being of young black girls, and even get a little Freudian as we get into impact of the Halo effect on the treatment of children.This ain’t therapy but Tea & Theory is in session! So, grab your favorite cup of tea (or any other beverage, we ain’t judging!) and join us on the couch.Tea & Theory podcast is where real conversations meet real research. Each week, we sip and chat about the topics we’re already unpacking in our everyday lives, from the unserious, hilarious, and messy to the healing, validating, and comforting— we’re talking about it all!Follow Us on IG: @teaandtheorypodcastFollow Us on TikTok: @teaandtheorypodcastListen to Us on all streaming platforms!List of references:Associations Between Father-Daughter Relationship Quality and the Academic Engagement of African American Adolescent Girls: Self-Esteem as a Mediator? (Cooper, 2009) https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2009-18819-005Colorism in the classroom: How skin tone stratifies African American and Latina/o students (Hunter, 2016) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00405841.2016.1119019 [Halo effect study]Daddy's Girl: Understanding the Impact of Black Fathers on the Social and Emotional Development of Raising Black Daughters (Miller, 2022) https://www.morgan.edu/Documents/ACADEMIA/SCHOOLS/SSW/Newsletter%20FallWinter%202022/Lee%20David.pdfErik Erikson’s Stages Of Psychosocial Development (McLeod, 2025) https://www.simplypsychology.org/erik-erikson.htmlSTRENGTH AND RESPECTABILITY: Black Women’s Negotiation of Racialized Gender Ideals and the Role of Daughter–Father Relationships (Johnson, 2013) https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0891243213494263?casa_token=bvGovCKyW8cAAAAA:NhC_sWXWtbFEuC8Mt8CY9Ar4u_qJ1ra4heUymQQOdlds6U9QsQ-4nGuo7yphs6Gil5B64QZZu7qJtw *Note regarding the references for the episode: We recognize that some of these articles/links may not be completely accessible due to paywalls (boo, capitalism!!!) However, we hope that these links may be starting points for your own reading and examination of these topics! Additionally, for better understanding, we opted to provide the references as links and not in the usually cited American Psychological Association (APA) format.Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast, or any associated platform, are solely our own and do not reflect the views of any organizations or institutions with which we are affiliated.

In today’s episode, we discuss a scene from a recent episode of Married To Medicine, a reality TV show set in Atlanta, Georgia, which follows the lives of women who are either doctors or the wives of doctors. In this scene, Dr. Simone Whitmore, a successful board-certified OBGYN, discusses her sons’ finances over dinner. This conversation quickly turns into a heated debate about entitlement, privilege, and financial responsibility. We unpack this topic using research on strong Black womanhood, gendered racial socialization, privilege/disenfranchisement, and overcorrection psychology.Tea & Theory podcast is where real conversations meet real research. Each week, we sip and chat about the topics we’re already unpacking in our everyday lives, from the unserious, hilarious, and messy to the healing, validating, and comforting— we’re talking about it all! This ain’t therapy but Tea & Theory is in session! So, grab your favorite cup of tea (or any other beverage, we ain’t judging!) and join us on the couch. This ain’t therapy but Tea & Theory is in session! So, grab your favorite cup of tea (or any other beverage, we ain’t judging!) and join us on the couch.Follow Us on IG and TikTok: @teaandtheorypodcastListen to Us on all streaming platforms!List of references:⁠Overcorrection Psychology: Unraveling the Causes and Consequences of Extreme Behavioral Shifts (NeuroLaunch, 2024)⁠⁠Raising resilient Black women: A study of superwoman mothering and strength as a form of gendered racial socialization in Black mother-daughter relationships. (Leath et al., 2023) ⁠⁠The Retrospective Roles of Black Women in the Coddling of Black Boys (Jefferson et al., 2016)⁠*Note regarding the references for the episode: We recognize that some of these articles/links may not be completely accessible due to paywalls (boo, capitalism!!!) However, we hope that these links may be starting points for your own reading and examination of these topics! Additionally, for better understanding, we opted to provide the references as links and not in the usually cited American Psychological Association (APA) format.Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast, or any associated platform, are solely our own and do not reflect the views of any organizations or institutions with which we are affiliated.Time Stamps0:00 Preview00:01:12 Check in00:02:44 Icon of the Week00:13:42 Topic of the Week01:06:53 Connect with Us01:07:30 Reflections

In today’s minisode, we discuss the Danish Deception, Journalist Chanté Joseph’s follow up to her hit Vogue op-ed, and yes, we’re still decentering men! Chanté Joseph asked if having a boyfriend in 2025 was embarrassing and the gworls were upset! To top it off we give you the TLDR on a 28-part (yes, you read that right) TikTok story time in which Onyeka Ehie discusses her experience being deceived and providing further evidence for why we should decenter men. Hear our takes as we unpack and connect both the follow up to the op-ed, the #DanishDeception, and reflect on not only why, but WHO should be decentering men.This ain’t therapy but Tea & Theory is in session! So, grab your favorite cup of tea (or any other beverage, we ain’t judging!) and join us on the couch.Follow Us on IG and TikTok: @teaandtheorypodcastListen to Us on all streaming platforms!Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast, or any associated platform, are solely our own and do not reflect the views of any organizations or institutions with which we are affiliated.Time Stamps0:00 Preview00:00:30 Check in00:04:06 Topic of the Week00:43:19 Connect with Us

In today’s episode, chile, we’re decentering men! We discuss Journalist Chanté Joseph’s Vogue op-ed unpacking the question, is having a boyfriend in 2025 embarrassing? We also connect this to a tiktoker’s story exposing the harms of “male-centeredness”in women’s friendships. We unpack these topics with the help of literature surrounding the burden of knowledge, self-definition, heteronormativity, and sexual scripts theory.This ain’t therapy but Tea & Theory is in session! So, grab your favorite cup of tea (or any other beverage, we ain’t judging!) and join us on the couch.Follow Us on IG: @teaandtheorypodcastFollow Us on TikTok: @teaandtheorypodcastListen to Us on all streaming platforms!List of references:Marriage, Social Control, and Health Behavior: A Dyadic Analysis of Same-sex and Different-sex Couples (Umberson, et al., 2018) Romantic Relationships Matter More to Men than to Women. (Wahring & van Lange, 2024)Socializing Singlehood: Personal, Interpersonal, and Sociocultural Factors Shaping Black Women’s Single Lives (Moorman, 2020)The Burden of Knowledge (Turner, 2018)*Note regarding the references for the episode: We recognize that some of these articles/links may not be completely accessible due to paywalls (boo, capitalism!!!) However, we hope that these links may be starting points for your own reading and examination of these topics! Additionally, for better understanding, we opted to provide the references as links and not in the usually cited American Psychological Association (APA) format.Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast, or any associated platform, are solely our own and do not reflect the views of any organizations or institutions with which we are affiliated.Time Stamps0:00 Preview0:21:28 Check in02:54:21 Icon of the Week07:57:03 Topic of the Week56:47:26 Connect with Us57:18:03 Meditation

In today’s episode, we review the limited web series, Southern Fried Rice, written by Nakia Stephens and recently released under KeKe Palmer’s Key TV network. The show garnered quite a bit of controversy regarding the show’s premise. We unpack our reactions to the show with the help of literature surrounding stereotypes, stereotype threat, and internalized racism.This ain’t therapy but Tea & Theory is in session! So, grab your favorite cup of tea (or any other beverage, we ain’t judging!) and join us on the couch.Follow Us on IG: @teaandtheorypodcastFollow Us on TikTok: @teaandtheorypodcastListen to Us on all streaming platforms!*List of references:“And That’s Why We’re Feelin’ the Blues:” ExaminingAssociations among Internalized Racism, Watching TV,and Depression among African Americans (Frisby, 2024)Controlling images: How awareness of group stereotypes affects Black women's well-being. (Jerald et al., 2017)Defining Stereotype Threat and Why It Matters (Brooks, 2023)Internalized Racism: One More Piece of the Puzzle (Speight, 2007)Revisiting “Color Names and Color Notions” A Contemporary Examination of the Language and Attitudes of Skin Color Among Young Black Women (Wilder, 2010)Stereotype threat among Black and White women in health care settings. (Abdou & Fingerhut, 2014)*Note regarding the references for the episode: We recognize that some of these articles/links may not be completely accessible due to paywalls (boo, capitalism!!!) However, we hope that these links may be starting points for your own reading and examination of these topics! Additionally, for better understanding, we opted to provide the references as links and not in the usually cited American Psychological Association (APA) format.Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast, or any associated platform, are solely our own and do not reflect the views of any organizations or institutions with which we are affiliated.Time Stamps0:00 Preview0:34 Check in7:03 Icon of the Week12:30 Topic of the Week1:19:59 PSA: Go Vote!1:22:35 Connect with Us1:23:01 Meditation

In today’s episode, we honor the life of musician D’Angelo. We also unpack recent podcast conversations: one featuring Lil Scrappy and Momma Dee, and another featuring Tami Roman and Jazz Anderson — both which reveal how homophobia continues to surface in family dynamics. We then explore how theories like identity management, intersectionality, respectability politics, and the construction of Black masculinity help us understand the nuance of homophobia within the Black community.This ain’t therapy but Tea & Theory is in session! So, grab your favorite cup of tea (or any other beverage, we ain’t judging!) and join us on the couch.Follow Us on IG: @teaandtheorypodcastFollow Us on TikTok: @teaandtheorypodcastList of references:African-American Lesbian Identity Management and Identity Development in the Context of Family and Community. (Miller, 2011)Black Sexual Politics: African Americans, Gender, and the New Racism (Collins, 2004)Doing Fake Masculinity, Being Real Men: Present and Future Constructions of Self among Black College Men (Ford, 2011)Is the Black Community More Homophobic?: Reflections on the Intersectionality of Race, Class, Gender, Culture and Religiosity of the Perception of Homophobia in the Black Community. (Hill, 2013)Performing a Vanilla Self: Respectability Politics, Social Class, and the Digital World (Pitman, Marwick, & Boyd, 2018)Sister Outsider (Audre Lorde, 1984)We Real Cool: Black Men & Masculinity (bell hooks, 2004)*Note regarding the references for the episode: We recognize that some of these articles/links may not be completely accessible due to paywalls (boo, capitalism!!!) However, we hope that these links may be starting points for your own reading and examination of these topics! Additionally, for better understanding, we opted to provide the references as links and not in the usually cited American Psychological Association (APA) format.Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast, or any associated platform, are solely our own and do not reflect the views of any organizations or institutions with which we are affiliated.Time Stamps0:00 Preview0:36 Check in5:24 In Memoriam12:34 Icon of the Week21:09 Topic of the Week1:12:18 Connect with Us1:13:41 Reflection Questions1:14:43 Meditation

In today’s episode, we honor the life of Assata Shakur. We discuss the current social and political climate and the sheer exhaustion that we are all feeling. This episode we answered questions from our viewers as we explore rest and self care and why it can leave us feeling guilty. We even talk about the ways in which we find rest and how theories like Womanism and The Nap Ministry are helping us find guilt free rest. This ain’t therapy but Tea & Theory is in session! So, grab your favorite cup of tea (or any other beverage, we ain’t judging!) and join us on the couch.Follow Us on IG: @teaandtheorypodcatFollow Us on TikTok: @teaandtheorypodcastListen to Us on all streaming platforms!List of references:Black Women’s Yoga History Memoirs of Inner Peace (Evans, 2021)In search of our mothers' gardens: Womanist prose (Walker, 1983)The Nap Ministry*Note regarding the references for the episode: We recognize that some of these articles/links may not be completely accessible due to paywalls (boo, capitalism!!!) However, we hope that these links may be starting points for your own reading and examination of these topics! Additionally, for better understanding, we opted to provide the references as links and not in the usually cited American Psychological Association (APA) format.Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast, or any associated platform, are solely our own and do not reflect the views of any organizations or institutions with which we are affiliated.

In today’s episode, we honor the lives of Rolling Ray and Trey Reed. We discuss the viral interview where Ayo Edebiri was explicitly excluded from a question pertaining the #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements, during her press tour for her new movie, After the Hunt. We use a construct called “intersectional invisibility” to unpack the incident as well as our own experiences of erasure. In our call to action, we discuss allyship, Black women creating and healing in our own spaces, and afrofuturism.This ain’t therapy but Tea & Theory is in session! So, grab your favorite cup of tea (or any other beverage, we ain’t judging!) and join us on the couch.Follow Us on IG: @teaandtheorypodcastFollow Us on TikTok: @teaandtheorypodcastListen to Us on all streaming platforms!List of references and links:300,000 Black women have left the labor force in 3 months. It’s not a coincidence.An Intersectional Analysis of Gender and Ethnic Stereotypes: Testing Three HypothesesGhavami & Peplau, 2012)Allyship resourceBe Still, Be Present: Black Girl Yoga and Digital Counter Spaces (Cameron, 2019)Black Women, a History of Creating Our Own Spaces (Elder & Tillery, 2024)Intersectional invisibility revisited: How group prototypes lead to the erasure and exclusion of Black women (Coles & Pasek, 2020)Intersectional Invisibility: The Distinctive Advantages and Disadvantages of Multiple Subordinate-Group Identities (Purdie-Vaughns & Eibach, 2008)Most Invisible of All: Black Women's Voluntary Associations (Scott, 1990)Prototypes of race and gender: The invisibility of Black women (Sesko & Biernat, 2010)What is Afrofuturism?*Note regarding the references for the episode: We recognize that some of these articles/links may not be completely accessible due to paywalls (boo, capitalism!!!) However, we hope that these links may be starting points for your own reading and examination of these topics! Additionally, for better understanding, we opted to provide the references as links and not in the usually cited American Psychological Association (APA) format.Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast, or any associated platform, are solely our own and do not reflect the views of any organizations or institutions with which we are affiliated.

Tea & Theory podcast is where real conversations meet real research. Each week, we sip and chat about the topics we’re already unpacking in our everyday lives, from navigating relationships and building community to protecting your peace and pouring into your wellness.Tea & Theory podcast is where real conversations meet real research. Each week, we sip and chat about the topics we’re already unpacking in our everyday lives, from the unserious, hilarious, and messy to the healing, validating, and comforting— we’re talking about it all!In today’s episode, we discuss the viral selfie of a Zambian lawyer, Naomie Pilula. We then get into how the public’s reaction to her selfie are related to how we treat those we view as less desirable, objects to be used, and how that leads to the dehumanization of Black women and ultimately, all of us. We touch on theories such as desirability politics, objectification theory, intersectionality, and algorithmic misogynoir.This ain’t therapy but Tea & Theory is in session! So, grab your favorite cup of tea (or any other beverage, we ain’t judging!) and join us on the couch.Follow Us on IG: @teaandtheorypodcastFollow Us on TikTok: @teaandtheorypodcastListen to Us on all streaming platforms!List of *some references:Desirability: Do you love fat people when you can’t even see us beyond the political? (Harrison, 2019)https://dashaunharrison.com/desirability-do-you-really-love-fat-people-when-you-cant-even-see-us-beyond-the-political/‘I want people to see confidence’: Woman’s viral selfie challenges beauty norms by (Wicker, 2025)https://thegrio.com/2025/09/03/i-want-people-to-see-confidence-womans-viral-selfie-challenges-beauty-norms/Naomi Osaka, Coco Gauff, and more condemn Jelena Ostapenko’s remarks towards Taylor Townsend by (Wicker, 2025)https://thegrio.com/2025/08/29/naomi-osaka-coco-gauff-and-more-condemn-jelena-ostapenkos-remarks-towards-taylor-townsend/Sexualizing Desexualized Bodies: Fat Women and Sexual Objectification (MacLeod, 2012)Objectification Theory: Toward Understanding Women's Lived Experiences and Mental Health Rsks (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997)Fat, Sexy, and Human? Perceptions of Plus-Size Sexualized Women and Dehumanization (Biefeld & Brown, 2022)Ain’t I a Beauty Queen? Black women, Beauty, and the Politics of Race By Maxine Leeds Craig*Note regarding the references for the episode: We recognize that some of these articles/links may not be completely accessible due to paywalls (boo, capitalism!!!) However, we hope that these links may be starting points for your own reading and examination of these topics! Additionally, for better understanding, we opted to provide the references as links and not in the usually cited American Psychological Association (APA) format.Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast, or any associated platform, are solely our own and do not reflect the views of any organizations or institutions with which we are affiliated.

In today’s episode, we chat a bit about who we are, why we do what we do, and why we do it together. We also get into Love Island’s Olandria & Chelley’s sisterhood in the villa. We discuss community, Black women’s vulnerability, the Strong Black Woman schema and the cost of not performing as strong Black women.This ain’t therapy but Tea & Theory is in session! So, grab your favorite cup of tea (or any other beverage, we ain’t judging!) and join us on the couch.Follow Us on IG: @teaandtheorypodcastFollow Us on TikTok: @teaandtheorypodcastListen to Us on all streaming platforms!*Links to articles referenced during the show:Love Island USA’s Olandria and Chelley Talk Mean Girl Allegations and Makeup Mishaps (Ishmael, 2025)https://www.teenvogue.com/story/love-island-usas-olandria-and-chelley-talk-mean-girl-allegations-and-makeup-mishapsIn Their Own Words: The Meaning of the Strong Black Woman Schema among Black U.S. College Women (Jones, Harris, & Reynolds, 2020)https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11199-020-01170-wAdvancing Toward the Psychology of Black Women: Honoring the Past, Present, and Future (Jones & Lewis, 2025)https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02703149.2025.2523171Superwoman schema: African American women's views on stress, strength, and health (Woods-Giscombé, 2010)https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1049732310361892?casa_token=ULiaeXncOeUAAAAA:pO0GmiDmEegQ7oKSE6OfejqSWoM8GP8mUapXBG79zk_T-K-KCm-N0Smn7RvK7OF7_Oh-SNjMksN7zQ*Note regarding the references for the episode: We recognize that some of these articles/links may not be completely accessible due to paywalls (boo, capitalism!!!) However, we hope that these links may be starting points for your own reading and examination of these topics! Additionally, for better understanding, we opted to provide the references as links and not in the usually cited American Psychological Association (APA) format.Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast, or any associated platform, are solely our own and do not reflect the views of any organizations or institutions with which we are affiliated.