Before he was a podcast host, radio personality, or a journalist breaking major political news, Jarrett Hill was a kid growing up gay in a religiously conservative environment. So when it was time to come out, it meant defying the homophobic words of his pastor who had urged parents to not let their kids grow up to be “sissies”. He had first started seeing therapists as a result of his parents’ protracted divorce and went intermittently over the years. Finally, with the help of a particularly observant therapist, he put it together that a pattern of thinking and behavior he had experienced was, in fact, major depressive disorder.

Jarrett Hill has found that the most helpful therapist for him is a woman of color. He was used to opening up to women in his life more than men and having a person of color meant that his therapist would know what he’d been through and believe him. Dr. Ksera Dyette, who is a therapist and sought help herself, talks about how safety itself is at stake in a search for people who share your cultural experiences. She offers advice on how she screens potential therapists and the difference it makes.

Listen to Jarrett's podcast with Tre'vell Anderson, FANTI, here or wherever podcasts are found. Follow FANTI on Twitter @fantipodcast, follow Jarrett Hill on Twitter @JarrettHill and on Instagram @jarretthill, and visit Jarett's website here.

Visit Dr. Ksera Dyette's website here as well as her COVID-19 Resources page here. Follow her on Instagram @cteacounselling and on TikTok @drdyette. Visit Dr. Dyette's linktree here.

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Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

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John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

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