S1 / E8 - Dr Juliette McClendon

Black Mental Health, Racism, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Episode Overview

In this episode, we are joined by Dr Juliette McClendon who talks about black mental health, with a focus on racial discrimination and its contribution to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Juliette discusses some of the challenges people from black communities encounter within clinical practice and offers practical advice on how we can become more culturally competent.

“When people sort of express they’ve experienced racism of some kind the default response from many people is to sort of minimize it, question it, and invalidate it. And so, in thinking about coming into a healthcare system to receive support around racial trauma it’s understandable why many people may not be willing to do that…”

About Dr Juliette McClendon

Current Role: Clinical Psychologist & Director of Medical Affairs at Big Health

Episode Title: Black Mental Health, Racism, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Episode #: Series 1: Episode 8

Link to Episode: https://anchor.fm/afsana9/episodes/Season-1-Episode-8--Black-Mental-Health--Racism--PTSD-eh23d5/a-a5g0os

Dr McClendon is the Director of Medical Affairs at Big Health. She received her PhD in Psychology from Washington University and a BA in Psychology from Harvard University. She is a Clinical Psychologist and her work emphasizes mental health equity, evidence-based practice, and culturally responsive care.

“When you’re thinking about sort of intervening or addressing racial stress and trauma or even treating it, that there’s a lot of mistrust within communities of colour about the healthcare system”