BONUS: How Traveling Alone Can Spark Self-Discovery

Podcast: Therapy for Black Girls
Host: Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, Ph.D. (iHeartPodcasts)
Date: October 9, 2025

Episode Overview

In this bonus installment of the Therapy for Black Girls travel mini-series, Dr. Joy Harden Bradford discusses the transformative potential of solo travel. She explores the ways journeying alone can increase self-confidence, foster personal growth, and encourage deeper self-discovery—especially meaningful for Black women. Drawing on her own experiences and highlighting community resources, Dr. Joy offers supportive advice for those curious about or preparing for solo adventures.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Confidence-Building Power of Solo Travel

• Self-Discovery Through New Experiences:
  Dr. Joy opens by reflecting on how traveling to new places, especially alone, can challenge and stretch you in ways that reveal unknown parts of yourself.
  • “It pushes you out of your comfort zone, teaches you to trust your instincts, and allows you to truly answer the question, what do I want?” (00:16)
• Personal Story:
  She shares her first purely pleasure-driven solo trip to Miami and contrasts it with previous work-related solo travels.
• Regrets and Lessons:
  Dr. Joy expresses a rare regret—not studying abroad in undergrad—and notes how formative solo or study abroad experiences can be.
• Building Strength and Pride:
  She highlights the empowerment that comes from successfully handling solo travel challenges:
  • “It just makes you feel proud of yourself, especially if it feels like something that's really uncomfortable for you and you're like, I don't know, I wouldn't typically do this, but then you do it.” (03:02)

Navigating Safety and Community Concerns

• Safety & Belonging:
  Dr. Joy acknowledges the real concerns about safety and potential racism, especially for Black women traveling alone, whether domestically or internationally.
• Resource Recommendation:
  She notes online networks such as the Exodus Summit, a community by and for Black women considering moves or travel abroad, as invaluable for researching welcoming and safe destinations.
  • “There are no shortage of online resources...they have great resources for all the things that you can think about in terms of which countries feel okay to travel to.” (04:13)

Managing Anxiety: Starting Small, Finding Support

• Acknowledge the Anxiety:
  Many, Dr. Joy says, feel anxious about venturing out alone, even to local spots like movie theaters or restaurants.
• Small Steps:
  She encourages listeners to notice anxious thoughts but also to “push past that fear to give yourself a joyful experience” (05:25).
• Group Travel as a Stepping Stone:
  For those hesitant about full solo travel, she suggests organized group trips with strangers (Demetria Lucas’s and Christina Rice’s Om Noire retreats) as a way to gain confidence while building community.
  • “It is still kind of solo in that you're going by yourself, but you are also then going to be in community with other people who did something similar.” (06:05)

Preparation and Community Support

• Planning as Anxiety Management:
  Dr. Joy recommends researching activities and setting an itinerary to reduce uncertainty—though going with the flow is also valid for some.
• Online and Offline Communities:
  She highlights the supportive atmosphere in the Therapy for Black Girls Patreon community, where members swap solo travel tips and encouragement.
  • “I’ve just been very encouraged by the conversations I often see Black women having online in supporting each other through these things that we maybe want to try but maybe don’t feel like we have the nerve to do.” (07:19)
• Encouragement to Ask Questions:
  Dr. Joy urges listeners to tap into online spaces or real-life groups to seek advice, share plans, or help answer questions for other solo travel hopefuls.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Intentional Travel:
  “How often are we intentional about what we want to do and how we want to feel when we travel?” (01:03)

• On Self-Discovery:
  “It is in those moments, little pieces of yourself that you didn’t know existed are revealing themselves to you.” (02:46)

• On Facing Fears:
  “The anxiety can exist and you can also push past that fear to give yourself a joyful experience.” (05:28)

• On Community:
  “There is no shortage of ways to do this for yourself… find spaces online or in real life where you can ask questions. There’s nothing wrong with being afraid, but there’s also nothing wrong with getting the answers to your questions.” (07:48)

Important Timestamps

• 00:16 – The transformative nature of solo travel
• 01:03 – Travel intention vs. mere destination-hopping
• 02:46 – Inner discoveries prompted by navigating solo
• 03:02 – The pride of overcoming discomfort
• 04:13 – Using Black women-led travel resources for safety
• 05:25 – Challenging anxiety about going alone
• 06:05 – Group travel with strangers as training wheels
• 07:19 – Black women uplifting each other to try new things
• 07:48 – Encouragement to engage with supportive communities

Conclusion

Dr. Joy closes with gratitude for the community and tips, wishing seasoned and aspiring solo travelers restorative and eye-opening journeys. Whether you're a veteran or on the cusp of your first solo outing, her words champion intentionality, preparation, community, and above all, self-trust.

For more stories, resources, and community discussions on solo travel and self-discovery, visit Therapy for Black Girls.