Podcast Summary: Therapy for Black Girls – TBGU: Meet the TBG U Advisory Council

Host: Dr. Joy Harden Bradford
Guests: Fatima Zara Kasim, Jaya, Mikayla
Released: October 7, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of "Therapy for Black Girls" introduces the inaugural Therapy for Black Girls University (TBGU) Advisory Council: Fatima Zara Kasim, Jaya, and Mikayla. Dr. Joy Harden Bradford welcomes these dynamic students to discuss their backgrounds, passion for mental health, and vision for shaping the TBGU experience. Together, they explore critical issues facing Black women students, mental health resources and stigmas, and their hopes for more supportive campus communities.

Meet the TBGU Advisory Council (03:24–07:01)

Fatima Zara Kasim (03:52)

• Senior at Tufts University, studying political science, with minors in economics and urban planning
• Longstanding involvement in women’s empowerment groups
• Excited to "reach a much, like, wider audience with this" through TBGU

Jaya (04:34)

• Sophomore at Albany State University, majoring in health science
• Avid listener of Therapy for Black Girls
• Feels seen and heard: "It was just like, okay, I can relate to this. They're speaking my language. And I personally love that it's specifically for Black women." (04:51)

Mikayla (05:07)

• Recent graduate of Dillard University, studied film
• Committed to using creativity to reduce stigma around therapy and healthcare
• "By joining this opportunity, it allows me to not only learn but share what I learned and distribute that information to the community." (05:18)

Interests Outside of Academics (05:44–07:10)

• Mikayla: Enjoys all things creative, especially books and movies
• Jaya: Loves reading and is a lab technician; recently exploring gardening
• Fatima: Passionate about fitness, new workout classes, and reading (currently: "A Spell of Good Things" by Ayobami Adebayo)

Mental Health: Key Issues and Curiosities (07:10–09:42)

Monetization of Mental Health (Mikayla, 07:28)

• Observes tension between helpful social media tips and marketing that can influence rather than assist
• Highlights need to explore "the non one size fits all way to take care of ourselves, especially in the Black community."

Functioning Depression among Students (Fatima, 08:20)

• Notes prevalence of "high functioning" students who appear to be coping but are internally struggling
• "From the outside, it’s hard to see that they're going through these things because they’re so high functioning."

Reproductive Health and Mental Health (Jaya, 09:06)

• Focuses on lack of research and conversation around PCOS, contraceptive effects, and the impact on physical and mental health
• "With PCOS and birth control like effects, they aren't really researched enough and they aren't talked about enough…birth control can affect your weight, can affect your mental health, make you have mood swings and things of that nature." (09:19)

Navigating Academic Stress & Midterms (09:42–10:50)

All council members report high stress during midterms:

• Jaya: Balances being a student athlete and honors student with "nonsense…stop being in the library, always studying, never really having time for myself." (09:56)
• Fatima: As a senior, feels the stakes are even higher: "At the point we're at…it's like all or nothing." (10:20)

Hopes for Council Topics & TBGU Conversations (14:04–16:41)

College & Post-Grad Mental Health (Mikayla, 14:11)

• Wants to explore "the multiple kind of experiences that Black girls may have while in college and outside of college as well," especially post-grad depression

Reproductive Health & Sexuality Exploration (Jaya, 15:24)

• Advocates for conversations on contraception, PCOS, and "exploring your sexuality in college"

Curating Safe Spaces for Black Women (Fatima, 16:02)

• Emphasizes importance of building spaces where Black women feel safe to talk honestly and be vulnerable
• Connects this need with the pressure to always seem strong or "high functioning": "How can we curate that space for young Black women?"

Mental Health Resources & Gaps on Campus (17:03–20:11)

• Fatima (Tufts):

  • Campus has a matching therapist system, but substantial gaps in follow-up and continuity
  • "After the four or six weeks that you guys spend together, there are no follow up emails of like, oh, how can the school further support you?" (17:15)

• Jaya (Albany State):

  • Praises in-person and online therapy and outreach activities (e.g., Active Vines offering free plants)
  • Sees a gap in engagement: "A lot of students don’t know necessarily where to go…there’s a lack of excitement to go to therapy and get the help you need." (18:22)

• Mikayla (Dillard):

  • Schools offer resources like essential oils workshops, but student attendance is low
  • Attendance gap ties directly to stigma: "I really wish that there was more of a collective like, hey, you know, let’s go out and do this…there wasn't really that will." (19:17)

Dream Campus Events to Promote Mental Health (23:25–26:18)

• Mikayla:

  • Would love an art therapy event—using painting and color as a form of reflection and processing emotions
  • "You don't have to be creative but we all know how to associate colors…with feelings…" (23:49)

• Jaya:

  • Proposes a panel/brunch featuring women mental health professionals, including Dr. Joy
  • "So that young women…could get that womenly advice, something that they may not have at home as far as how to dress…hold yourself up to a higher standard…" (24:46)

• Fatima:

  • Envisions a Therapy for Black Girls campus tour: a live, forum-style event in collaboration with Black campus organizations
  • "It’s being like a curated space like this, but like on a wider scale." (25:37)

Rapid Fire: Getting to Know the Council (26:39–29:10)

• Coffee, Tea, or Neither:
  • Mikayla: "Oh, coffee. I’m from Seattle, so gotta have coffee." (26:39)
• Mood-Boosting Song:
  • Jaya: "I’m not stressin today." (26:49)
• Favorite Hangout Spot:
  • Fatima: "Is it bad if I see my room?" (27:01)
• De-stressing Method:
  • Mikayla: "Music. I’d have to say jazz. Spiritual jazz. Alice Coltrane." (27:15)
• College Life On Screen:
  • Fatima: "All American…maybe not all, but yeah." (27:32)
• First Word for TBGU:
  • Jaya: "Healing." (27:39)
• Advice for Freshmen:
  • Mikayla: "Just be yourself…walk into this new space…as yourself…" (27:53)
• College Experience Theme Songs:
  • Fatima: "'Trying'," then updates to "'All for Me' by Mariah Desantis" (28:27, 29:04)
  • Jaya: "'Self Care' by Savannah Christina" (28:45)
  • Mikayla: "'Heavenly' by Kier, based out of Chicago" (28:54)

Notable Quotes

• Dr. Joy Harden Bradford:

  • "We always talk about wanting to understand the mental health of Black women, shining light on the issues Black women are dealing with…" (16:02)

• Fatima Zara Kasim:

  • "What really interested me about this opportunity is that it’s not just impacting the girls on my campus…it’s also impacting people from all over because I can reach a much…wider audience with this." (03:52)

• Mikayla:

  • "There’s a thin line between okay, this was supposed to help me, or is this supposed to influence me?" (07:28)
  • "Just be yourself…walk into this new space…as yourself…" (27:53)

• Jaya:

  • "I personally love that it’s specifically for Black women." (05:05)
  • "With PCOS and birth control like effects, they aren’t really researched enough and they aren’t talked about enough…" (09:19)

The Advisory Council’s Vision for TBGU

• Address urgent, real-life mental health topics facing Black women students
• Create spaces for open, vulnerable conversation and peer support
• Break stigmas and encourage community-wide engagement with therapy and healing
• Promote mental health resources on campuses through creative and accessible events

For ongoing updates and resources from Therapy for Black Girls University, visit therapyforblackgirls.com/tbgu.

Share your thoughts and join the conversation using hashtag #TBGInSession.