For black women, finding the right therapist can be especially challenging. But help is on the way.
IN LATE 2013, Latoya Johnson tried to make an appointment with a therapist. Dialing number after number, she spoke to 80 answering machines all over New York City: “I’d like to see someone, well, because I can’t fall asleep,” she said. “And I don’t want to see friends.... I just feel like I’m not enjoying life in general.” She had a fairly flexible schedule (any weekday evening) and in every case specified that she had the insurance the therapist accepted. “Please call me,” she said. Though roughly half did call, only 17 offered her an appointment.
The good news: Latoya Johnson isn’t a real person; the name was made up for a 2016 study in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior that assessed bias in therapy. Voiceover actors using “racially distinctive names” and “race- and class-based speech patterns” read scripts to sound like patients who were black or white and middle- or working-class. The bad news: When an actor left Latoya’s message but used the name Amy Roberts, she got 23 invitations to come in and talk.
This story is from the September 2017 edition of The Oprah Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September 2017 edition of The Oprah Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The Perfect Gift Book for Everyone on Your List
Sumptuous reads that look as lovely on your coffee table as they do on your bedside table.
Long Live YOU!
A head-to-toe guide to staying strong, sharp, healthy, and happy well into your platinum years.
How to Manage Holiday Stress
Want to avoid family drama this year? Here are three ways to pregame.
How Makeup Artists Do the Holidays
Time to put your party face on! These glam pros are sharing a look they love—and modeling it themselves.
On Everyone's Lips
Carol Rasheed, the head makeup artist on The Color Purple, gives us a peek behind the scenes-and, thanks to her new lipstick collection, a memento.
THE MOTHER-IN-LAW Survival Guide
Ding-dong, she's here! But fear not-so are we, with advice on managing this singular relationship with grace, humor, and lots of heart.
The Enduring Power The Color Purple
It has captivated audiences as a novel, a movie, and a Broadway musical. On the eve of its latest incarnation, a sweeping musical feature film out on Christmas Day, we celebrate Alice Walker's universal saga of resilience and redemption with behind-the-scenes stories from the new book Purple Rising.
Who (or What) Do You Need to Thank?
Gratitude isn't just a topic for your annual turkey dinner. It's been scientifically shown to improve your health eating depression, boosting immunity, and lowering stress. These thank-you notes (plus an ode to a heartbreakingly loyal pup) will inspire you to make it a daily practice.
Beam Me Up
Bethany Heitman's self-esteem was tied to her clear skin, so dark spots sent her spiraling. Then she saw the light.
Turn Around, Bright Eyes
After years of despising the puffy bags under her eyes, Rae Ann Herman found a surgeon she trusted and woke up refreshed in every way.