Therapy for Black Girls – Session 451: Student Loan Forgiveness & Reclassifying Degrees

Host: Dr. Joy Harden Bradford
Guest: Dr. Sonya Lewis (The Student Loan Doctor)
Released: February 18, 2026

Overview

This episode explores the complex and shifting landscape of student loans, forgiveness programs, and recent policy changes impacting funding for graduate and professional degrees. Dr. Joy welcomes Dr. Sonya Lewis, known as The Student Loan Doctor, to clarify misconceptions, discuss the mental health implications of student debt, and offer practical guidance for borrowers—especially those in fields like psychology, social work, and nursing that are at the center of ongoing debates about degree reclassification. The conversation emphasizes both the systemic and personal challenges Black women face regarding access to education and career advancement.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Dr. Lewis’s Journey & Mission

• Origin Story: Dr. Lewis began helping others with student loans in 2015 after seeing a gap during a financial literacy course at her church.

  “After class at the church, having lines of people coming in for a consultation that I never said I would give, but we're in the house of the Lord, so how could you not?” (05:40)

• Growth: What started as informal consultations at a bakery grew into a global seven-figure consulting business.

2. Current Student Loan Climate & Administration Changes

• Resumed Repayment:

  “The process of repayment has started… Over half of them have started repayment, but over half of them didn't know.” (08:29)

• Emotional Impact: Student debt affects borrowers’ financial, emotional, and relational health, creating anxiety and shame.

• Misinformation:

  “We're coming off of a five-year repayment pause because of the pandemic. So, there's a lot of anxiety, a lot of unknown, and not true information circulating.” (07:10)

3. Policy Changes & Degree Reclassification

• Reclassification Explained:

  “Certain fields, because of the return on investment from a student loan perspective, did not pay out as well… they’re reclassifying or declassifying certain programs.” (09:13)

• Targeted Fields: Nursing, psychology, and social work are cited as fields with higher default rates—not necessarily failing students or the professions, but reflecting systemic underpayment and expensive program costs.

• Effect on Black Women & Communities:

  “Historically, students entering these fields that were targeted are coming from people of color, working class families, first generation backgrounds.” (13:41)

• Shift in Funding Source: The administration favors state or private funding over federal lending, forcing some to pursue costly private loans with less equitable access for Black and Brown borrowers.

4. Hierarchy in Healthcare & Education

• Care Ecosystem: The episode critiques the devaluation of essential roles—nurses, therapists, social workers—despite their centrality to healthcare delivery.

  “The neurosurgeon can't do his work if the nurse is not available... It does feel like this weird ranking, which I think is always a conversation in the medical space.” (20:12)

5. Community Solutions & Philanthropy

• Community-Based Support:

  “Everyone listening could do a scholarship back to one person at their church, high school, college… because I just think that the funding window federally is going to…get smaller, more restrictive, more biased.” (21:20)

• Action Steps: Support could include direct scholarships, supporting state institutions, and community giving.

6. Legislative Uncertainty & Advocacy

• Not Law Yet:

  “They’re proposing for these changes to occur as of July 1st. There are opportunities really at our local, our state government that impacts what happens, even on the federal level.” (25:33–26:36)

• Advocacy: Listeners are encouraged to contact legislators—scripts and resources are provided in Dr. Lewis’s classes.

7. Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

• Still Standing: PSLF, a congressional program, remains in effect despite other changes.

  “Public Service Loan Forgiveness is a Congress program. So we're good.” (28:11)

• Retroactive Credits:

  “Anyone listening that worked in a qualifying field, nonprofit or not for profit, 2007 to 2022… you can still get credit towards forgiveness…” (41:12)

8. Changing Advice for Aspiring Professionals

• Funding Shortages: Grad PLUS loans and certain graduate funding are at risk, so prospective students are urged to:

  • Ensure total funding before enrollment (32:13)
  • Pursue employer assistance and scholarships
  • Avoid “figuring it out later”—have clarity before borrowing

• Job Market Realities: Degrees should align with realistic job prospects and salary expectations.

• Alternative Pathways: Community college, internships, pre-college experiences are recommended for career exploration without prohibitive cost.

9. Negotiating & Creative Financial Solutions

• Tuition/Loan Reimbursement:

  “Employers are able to reimburse student loans the same way they give upfront for tuition. But people don't think to ask…” (36:05)

• Negotiating Raises: Dr. Lewis shares a personal anecdote of negotiating an extra bonus explicitly for student loans (37:13)

• Nonprofit PSLF Awareness: Board members can certify employment for forgiveness, even for self-founded nonprofits.

• Scholarships for All Ages:

  “I’d like to take that [idea] away… and go apply for some money.” (38:10)

10. Mental Health, Shame, and Scarcity Mindset

• Money & Shame:

  “There’s this old stigma that you don’t have to pay [student loans] back… The only person it’s hurting is themselves.” (44:53)

• Therapy as a Tool: Dr. Lewis recommends therapy to process financial shame and scarcity thinking.

11. Practical Steps to Avoid Default

• Nuanced Guidance: If facing a layoff, immediately use the income-driven repayment application at studentaid.gov, answer carefully (“Do you have taxable income?” = “No”, “Do you want a manual review?” = “Yes”) to trigger a $0 payment for the year.

  “Those questions will then trigger you to have a $0 payment for the year. So that way you don’t go into default…” (50:21–51:04)

• Staying Current: The site, and the rules, change frequently—keep up to date through classes and trusted resources.

12. Dr. Lewis’s Free Resources & Community

• Weekly Classes: Free Monday night student loan classes cover repayment, forgiveness, and more (register via The Student Loan Doctor Instagram or https://drpleasehelpme.com).

  “…Monday nights, they can register through the Instagram page or the website… it's a free class…” (52:04)

• Safe & Realistic Space: Dr. Lewis emphasizes a shame-free, straight-talking community:

  “We want anyone from the little bit to the lot in class so that they can just learn without pressure. … If you show up mean you will be dropped from the zoom, never to return.” (52:22)

Notable Memorable Moments & Quotes

• “Every administration has a different tone of how they handle student loan repayment… Right now… they’re going to require you to pay, they’re going to not make things so easy.” — Dr. Lewis (07:10)
• “Don’t just make the student or borrower accountable, make the colleges and universities accountable. Why are these programs six figure programs?” — Dr. Lewis (14:30)
• “We have an education problem down to investing in ourselves… Why don’t we support our community and state colleges more? We gotta destigmatize that.” — Dr. Lewis (23:31)
• “The layoff be the layup. That’s a whole other podcast.” — Dr. Lewis (49:40)
• “Act like the person to this signature owes you $300,000. Because they do.” — Dr. Lewis (43:24)
• “There’s still some broke behaviors that are showing up in my life… because even though I have some money… there’s still a thing that I haven’t let go, which is a scarcity mindset.” — Dr. Lewis (44:53)
• “If Dr. Joy said, go get some chai tea and work out your problems… I’ll do it.” — Dr. Lewis (55:16)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Dr. Lewis’s Origin Story – 05:27
• Repayment Resumes, Communication Lags – 08:17
• Degree Reclassification Explained & Community Impact – 09:13, 13:41
• Hierarchy in Healthcare Professions – 20:12
• Community Response & Philanthropic Solutions – 21:09
• Policy Timing, Legal Process, Advocacy – 25:33, 26:36, 27:07
• PSLF Clarification – 28:08
• New Borrowing Landscape & Career Planning – 32:13–35:49
• Creative Funding Solutions (Employer reimbursement, negotiation, nonprofit PSLF) – 36:05–38:10
• Addressing Shame & Mindset – 44:53
• Avoiding Default: Action Steps – 49:40–51:04
• Where to Find Dr. Lewis & the Community – 52:04–54:48

Resources Mentioned

• studentaid.gov: Official federal student aid site for income-driven applications and PSLF forms.
• The Student Loan Doctor on Instagram
• Free Monday Night Classes: Register at Instagram or https://drpleasehelpme.com

Tone & Style

Dr. Joy and Dr. Lewis’s exchange is warm, candid, and direct—mixing practical advice and tough love with compassion and humor, aiming to both inform and empower listeners in a supportive, no-judgment space. The focus is on collective resilience, taking urgent proactive steps, and rebuilding community-focused solutions against an evolving systemic challenge.

For a deeper dive or to access the resources discussed, visit the Therapy for Black Girls show notes for this session or follow The Student Loan Doctor.