From EEGs to hair cortisol sampling, some of the most common methods in neuroscience and psychophysiological research can become surprisingly complicated when researchers encounter our tightly coiled hair, thick hair, or protective styles.

And that’s not just an inconvenience. When the technology doesn’t work for us, we can be left out of the research entirely. That means fewer Black women represented in the science shaping how we understand mental health, brain health, aging, and disease.

So, what should we be doing about this?

Today, I’m joined by Dr. Courtney Louis, a Harvard University clinical and research postdoctoral fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital’s Ammon-Pinizzotto Center for Women’s Mental Health. Dr. Louis is an emerging scholar whose research explores the connections between anxiety, ovarian hormones, cognition, and physiological processes—with a particular interest in advancing more equitable research for Black communities.

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Today, we’re talking about something that affects so many Black women, but is still far too often overlooked: stress, mental health, and innovative approaches to wellbeing.

Black women report higher levels of psychological distress than their White counterparts, and nearly 60% of Black women experience chronic stress. And increasingly, mental health researchers are exploring virtual reality and other digital health technologies as innovative tools for addressing stress and promoting wellbeing. But there’s a problem: these technologies are not yet being used widely or equitably to respond to the health concerns of Black women and other communities that have historically been underserved by mental health research and innovation.

Today we speak with Dr. Judite Blanc- a multi award winning Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Miami-about what happens when we bring psychology, technology, and culturally responsive research together—and, importantly, what it could mean for the health and wellbeing of Black women.

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Black women are one of the most educated and fastest-growing segments of the U.S. workforce—yet they continue to face some of the most persistent challenges on the job. Across industries, Black women report higher levels of workplace dissatisfaction driven by pay inequity, limited advancement opportunities, racial and gender bias, and a lack of psychological safety. They are more likely to be underpaid compared to peers, overlooked for leadership roles, and expected to shoulder invisible labor such as diversity work without recognition or compensation. Many describe workplaces where they are present but not supported, visible but not valued.

In this thought-provoking episode, we sit down with Dr. NiCole T. Buchanan to unpack the complex realities Black women face in today’s workplace. Dr. Buchanan is a Professor of Psychology at Michigan State University. A Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science and four divisions of the American Psychological Association, she researches the interplay of race, gender and victimization and how they impact the nature of sexual and racial harassment, their impact, and organizational best practices.

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Many of the most culturally resonant television shows and films centering the lives of Black women place our friendships at the heart of the story—think Survival of the Thickest, Girlfriends, Waiting to Exhale, Hidden Figures, Living Single, and Insecure. These narratives remind us that sisterhood is not a side plot but a central force: a space where Black women find joy, affirmation, conflict, healing, and growth.

These Black-centered portrayals are especially powerful when juxtaposed against how Black women so often appear in mainstream media, where we are frequently overlooked, flattened into stereotypes, or pushed to the margins of other people’s stories. In those spaces, our inner lives and our relationships with one another are rarely given depth or care. What’s missing is the fullness—the intimacy, vulnerability, and everyday tenderness that define real Black women’s friendships.

In this episode, we explore why seeing Black women’s friendships on screen and in storytelling truly matters with Dr. Imani M. Cheers. An award-winning digital storyteller, director, producer, and filmmaker, Dr. Cheers is an Associate Professor of Media and Public Affairs at the George Washington University. A cultural curator, director, producer, activist and academic based in Washington, DC. she is the author of Sacred Sisterhoods: A Celebration of Black Women's Friendships on Television and in Film.

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The Brazilian butt lift, or BBL, is described by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, as a type of fat transfer designed to shape and enhance the buttocks. Basically during this cosmetic surgery fat is taken from one part of your body and moved to your butt to make it fuller and more lifted — no implants involved.

While people of all backgrounds get cosmetic work done, BBLs have become especially popular among Black women. Unlike the Eurocentric beauty ideal that’s all about being super thin, a lot of Black women are drawn to what’s often called the “thick ideal” — that balance between slim and curvy. And with so many Black celebrities and influencers either getting BBLs, talking about them, or showing off those results on social media, it’s no surprise the trend has blown up and become part of the larger body image conversation. Since these platforms often shape beauty standards, spread information (and misinformation), and amplify cultural trends, it’s important to understand how they contribute to the way Black women share experiences, opinions, and perceptions of procedures like BBLs within their communities.

In this episode, we sit down with Lauryn Grubbs, a doctoral student in the Human Centered Design Apparel Design program at Cornell University.

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In the wake of the of the murders of dentist and former First Lady of Virginia Cerina Fairfax, Coral Spring Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer Bowen, activist Shyyell Diamond Sanchez-McCray and Pastor Tammy McCollum—along with countless others— a devastating truth remains largely unexamined: Black women in the United States are being killed at alarmingly disproportionate rates. These are not isolated tragedies. They reflect a profound and ongoing public health crisis with life-and-death consequences.

Black women are killed at rates 2 to 3 times higher than women of other races. And these deaths are rarely the result of random violence. More than half of Black women who were murdered were killed by a current or former intimate partner, and in nearly 90% of cases, the victim knew the person who took her life.

In this episode, we talk withDr. Tameka Gillum, Associate Professor in The University of New Mexico College of Population Health (COPH). Dr. Gillum has over 25 years of research experience in exploring and addressing intimate partner violence/dating violence. She is also the author of the recent manuscript The murder of Black women in the United States: A Public Health Crisis.

For more information about this episode visit https://www.psychologyofblackwomanhood.com/post/black-femicide

The “good girl/bad girl” sexual scripts Black women are expected to navigate create impossible double binds. From respectability politics and purity myths to hypersexual stereotypes and desirability, these scripts shape how Black women are seen, judged, and treated in intimate relationships and public life. Public figures like Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B make this tension especially visible—their images are often flattened into “hot girl” or “explicit” personas that don’t necessarily reflect the full reality of their lives or identities.

Research shows that awareness of stigmatizing race-based sexual scripts influence sexual decision-making, sometimes reducing feelings of empowerment around safer sex practices and intimate relationship choices.

This episode features Dr. Nikki Coleman, an award-winning licensed psychologist, sexologist, and founder of Dr. Nikki Knows, PLLC. A former tenured professor turned entrepreneur, her work blends cultural expertise and psychological depth.

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Eating disorders have long been portrayed as issues affecting mostly young, White women, but research shows that Black women are also impacted—often in different ways and with less recognition. Studies reveal that while anorexia and bulimia are less common, binge eating disorder (BED) is a significant concern. For example, one national survey found BED to be the most common eating disorder among Black adults and adolescents, while anorexia was much rarer.

Despite these realities, Black women are less likely to receive treatment or even a diagnosis. In community samples, Black women report binge eating and other weight-control behaviors at rates comparable to or higher than White women, yet they face cultural stereotypes, stigma, and limited access to culturally competent care.

This episode will explore the prevalence of eating disorders among Black women, the cultural and structural factors that shape their experiences, and the urgent need for more inclusive approaches to treatment and recovery. We are talking with Dr. Rachel W. Goode, the Wallace Kuralt Distinguished Early Career Scholar Associate Professor at the School of Social Work and an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Center for Eating Disorder Excellence, Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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