Black and Diagnosed

Gerron Scott
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Mental Health

What happens when the 'Strong Black Person' mask finally cracks? Welcome to Black and Diagnosed, a soulful sanctuary where we navigate the complexities of mental health, neurodivergence, and disability within the Black community. Hosted by Gerron Scott, this podcast moves beyond clinical definitions to uncover the lived reality of what it actually means to be Black and diagnosed in a world that wasn't built for our healing. Each week, we step into the garden to pull back the weeds and rediscover our soil. We’re going deep into the conversations we usually have in whispers: • Depression & Anxiety: Beyond the "Strong Black Person" trope—unmasking the heaviness and finding the courage to exhale. • ADHD & Neurodivergence: Reclaiming our focus in a world that often mislabels our brilliance as "behavioral issues". • Bipolar Disorder: Navigating the highs, the lows, and the sacred work of finding a stable middle ground. • The Identity Shift: Unlearning the shame of a diagnosis to embrace a new, empowered way of seeing ourselves and our heritage. • And Everything In Between: From the complexities of trauma and PTSD to the daily work of protecting our peace in a world that challenges it. We cover the diagnoses with names, and the feelings that don't have them yet. Through intimate solo reflections and deep-dive interviews with those walking the path, we explore the discovery, the struggle, and the specific tools we use to thrive. Whether you are currently "in the fog" or looking for the words to describe your experience, you aren't alone here. Follow the show on Instagram @blackanddiagnosed and the host @gdotscott. Pull up a chair. Take a breath. Welcome to the garden.

  1. 6d ago

    “Emotions Aren't Meant to Be Controlled:” Spot-Checking Vulnerability and Breaking Relationship Cycles

    What happens when an undiagnosed mental health condition or neurodivergence quietly checks into your relationship as an uninvited third partner? How do you stop treating a clinical diagnosis like an internal character flaw and start treating it like an external obstacle that you and your partner can tackle together? In this deeply insightful and therapeutic episode of the Black and Diagnosed Podcast, host Gerron Scott steps back into the Sanctuary with Lyrica Solomon, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist specializing in individual and couples care. Operating from an attachment-based framework, Lyrica strips away the cold clinical definitions of pathology to offer a liberating blueprint for relational healing. She introduces the brilliant psychological concept of "spot-checking" vulnerability—using a simple wall-cleaner metaphor to test how much of your internal storm a new partner is actually graced to handle before you expose your entire history. Gerron opens up his own vault with radical transparency, documenting how untreated cycles of Bipolar Type 1 left him deeply struggling in past relationships until a partner finally pointed out the patterns. From a vital discussion on why emotions are meant to be deeply felt rather than rigidly "controlled," to an urgent look at how showing our children our human struggles gives them a generational blueprint for resilience, this conversation is an essential guide to turning on the "empathy light" in our homes. Key Topics Unmasked in This Episode: * The "Spot-Checking" Rule: Why you shouldn't trust everyone with your raw diagnosis story, and how to test a potential partner’s capacity with small, low-stakes disclosures. * Externalizing the Problem: Lyrica’s framework for detaching a diagnosis from a couple's identity, giving the problem its own separate persona so the relationship can team up against it. * Emotions vs. Control: Breaking down why trying to forcefully "control" anxiety and depression triggers severe internal blockages, and how true healing requires letting yourself feel the weather. * The Superhero Trap: A cautionary clinical tale of why hiding adult struggles from our children leaves them completely unequipped to navigate their own adult pain. * Turning on the Empathy Light: A powerful narrative illustration of how a lack of true understanding breeds harsh relational judgment, and how shifting to an empathetic lens alters everything. * Accountability Over Alibis: Gerron unmasks how a secure childhood attachment was completely shattered by generational grief after the loss of his uncle, and how he had to actively learn the difference between a hollow apology and true relational accountability. Join the Conversation 🌿 The garden is always growing, and your voice belongs here. We are actively seeking stories from individuals with lived neurodivergent experiences and mental health practitioners to help us continuously take off the mask. * Follow the Journey: Connect with us on Instagram @blackanddiagnosed and @gdotscott for daily rhythmic reflections. * Get in Touch: For guest inquiries, professional collaborations, or clinician recruitment, email us directly at info@gerronscott.com. Hit that subscribe button on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you stream your pods. Stay unmasked, grant yourself radical mercy, and keep breathing.

    “Emotions Aren't Meant to Be Controlled:” Spot-Checking Vulnerability and Breaking Relationship Cycles

  2. Jul 1

    The Pilot’s Perspective: Navigating the Clouds of Depression with Tristan Ervin

    What do you do when your brain is screaming at you to run from an invisible threat, but your body feels entirely pinned down by a lead weight? How do you navigate a reality where your internal system is caught in a perpetual gridlock—one foot slammed on the gas of anxiety, and the other locked on the brake of major depression? In this deeply moving, transparent, and incredibly grounded episode of the Black and Diagnosed Podcast, host Gerron Scott welcomes filmmaker, videographer, and private pilot Tristan Irvin into the Rhythmic Sanctuary. Pulling back the curtain on his life as a creator, Tristan takes off the mask completely to share the visceral realities of living with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and social anxiety. He steps away from standard clinical jargon to deliver a raw look at his lowest valley—recalling a terrifying spiral triggered by the comparison trap of creative metrics that ultimately led to an emergency three-month outpatient treatment program. Together, Gerron and Tristan unpack the exhausting weight of tying self-worth directly to external validation and professional output. They challenge the toxic positivity of casual mental health advice, unmasking why well-meaning phrases like "just go do something you love" or "it’s going to be okay" completely ignore the complex neurological processing required to heal. From utilizing the camera lens to block out social hypervigilance to exploring how leaving the ground as a pilot serves as a literal form of therapy, this episode is a powerful roadmap for any high-achiever looking to separate who they are from what they produce. Key Topics Unmasked in This Episode: * The Driver and the Passenger: Metaphorically breaking down the paralyzing co-existence of anxiety and depression, where anxiety acts as the frantic driver and depression sits as the stagnant passenger. * The Comparison Trap & Identity: How digital vanity metrics and a lack of separation between human identity and career output created a psychological storm that led to clinical intervention. * Dismantling "Good Intentions" Advice: A necessary pushback against generic advice to "go to the gym" or "hit golf balls" when caught in a deep executive shutdown. * Aviation as Sanctuary: The literal biology of turbulence and how climbing into the sky allows a pilot to leave the heavy, structural noises of the earth completely behind. * The "Six Thoughts from Death" Catastrophizing Loop: A transparent look into how an anxious brain escalates a minor daily frustration into a cascading internal narrative of systemic ruin. * Stigma into a Superpower: Tristan’s blueprint for changing the generational narrative for his two-year-old son, ensuring his legacy includes a vocal village of support and zero psychiatric shame. * The Simple Maintenance Blueprint: Radical transparency around basic self-care on dark days, from utilizing a hot shower as a somatic reset to driving aimlessly without a GPS. Join the Conversation The garden is always growing, and your voice belongs here. We are actively seeking stories from individuals with lived experiences, as well as mental health professionals, to help us continuously unmask the journey. * Follow the Journey: Connect with us on Instagram @blackanddiagnosed and @gdotscott for daily rhythmic reflections. * Connect with Our Guest: Follow Tristan Irvin's continuous visual and aviation journey on Instagram @flywithtristan. * Get in Touch: For guest inquiries, professional collaborations, or clinician recruitment, email us directly at info@gerronscott.com.

    The Pilot’s Perspective: Navigating the Clouds of Depression with Tristan Ervin

  3. Jun 24

    "That White People Shit:” Unmasking Homophobia, Invisible Spaces, and Black Queer Mental Health

    Welcome back to the Sanctuary. What happens when you are raised at the intersection of two rigid religious doctrines that both demand your absolute silence? What happens when you climb to the top 2% of your professional field, only to realize the standard of success you’re maintaining is a gilded cage for your nervous system? In this deeply vulnerable, necessary, and beautifully aligned episode of the Black and Diagnosed Podcast, host Gerron Scott pulls back the layers of systemic survival with Dr. Sydney Nelloms, an Assistant Professor of Sociology and Queer Criminology. Growing up a queer Black woman in the South under the dual weights of Southern Baptist and Islamic traditions, Sydney unmasks the intense psychological toll of being forced to perform an identity that never belonged to her. Together, Gerron and Sydney strip away the textbook definitions of anxiety and depression to detail how mental illness uniquely maps itself onto Black women—often disguising itself as hyper-productivity, high ambition, and a relentless drive to protect everyone else at the expense of their own soil. From a liberating conversation about dropping the shame around psychiatric medication to a raw, beautifully human reflection on finding literal sanctuary inside a crowded women's bathroom, this episode is a masterclass in breaking generational code silences and choosing collective joy as an act of resistance. Key Topics Unmasked in This Episode: * The Gilded Cage of the 2%: Unpacking the staggering mental pressure placed on the tiny percentage of Black women holding PhDs, and why high ambition is often a mask for deep clinical survival. 
 * The "White People Shit" Myth: Confronting the harmful cultural narratives that attempt to completely erase the history and existence of Black queer individuals. 
 * Is This What Normal Feels Like?: A beautifully transparent, shared laugh between host and guest on the exact moment their anxiety went quiet after letting medication do the heavy lifting. 
 * The Dual Altar Threat: Navigating the intense spiritual hypervigilance of growing up split between a Southern Baptist household and an Islamic legacy. 
 * The Bathroom Sanctuary: Reclaiming the definition of community, and why safe spaces are often found in the most unexpected, unforced corners of the world. Join the Conversation 🌿 The garden is always growing, and we are looking for your voice. We actively seek out stories from individuals with lived neurodivergent experiences and mental health professionals to help us continuously take off the mask. * Follow the Journey: Connect with us on Instagram @blackanddiagnosed and @gdotscott for daily rhythmic updates. * Get in Touch: For guest inquiries, professional collaborations, or clinician recruitment, email us directly at info@gerronscott.com. Hit that subscribe button on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your pods. Stay unmasked, grant yourself radical mercy, and just breathe.

    "That White People Shit:” Unmasking Homophobia, Invisible Spaces, and Black Queer Mental Health

  4. Jun 17

    Tending the Internal Garden: Unmasking Psychiatric Stigma, Grief, and the Architecture of Vulnerability with Dr. Candicee Childs

    What happens when your internal architecture is built entirely on being the unshakeable pillar for everyone else? What happens when the constant performance of strength keeps your nervous system trapped on high alert? In this deeply soulful and beautifully aligned episode of the Black and Diagnosed Podcast, host Gerron Scott welcomes you back into the Rhythmic Sanctuary for a powerful conversation with Dr. Candicee Childs, a writer, artist, and third-year psychiatry resident at Massachusetts General Hospital and McLean Hospital. In a stunning moment of synchronicity, Dr. Childs introduces a vivid "garden metaphor" for mental health that perfectly mirrors the podcast's cover art and heart. Together, Gerron and Dr. Childs strip away the institutional clinical walls to unpack how we can actively clear out the overgrowth in our minds. Dr. Childs challenges the deeply entrenched cultural stigma that views psychiatric medication as a moral failure or a chemical cage, reframing it beautifully as a stabilization tool that simply reduces the internal noise so your true personality can step forward. Gerron also takes off his mask completely, detailing a raw look into his past battles with suicidal ideation. He shares how receiving a proper clinical diagnosis radically shifted his vision away from a short-term timeline capped by his PhD, expanding his perspective toward a rich, long-term future filled with family, purpose, and life. From re-evaluating the "Strong Black Woman and Man" survival archetype to identifying grief as a continuous process of love, this conversation is an urgent masterclass in extending radical mercy and self-compassion to your own soul. Key Topics Unmasked in This Episode: * The Garden Metaphor for Mental Health: Mapping out an internal ecosystem where biology is the soil, trauma is the weather, medication clears the overgrowth, and therapy teaches you how to tend to the roots. 
 * The Medication Misconception: Why we don't label insulin as a personal weakness for diabetes, and why psychiatric tools are meant to return you to yourself—not change your identity. 
 * The "Absolute Drought" of Suicide: Reframing suicidal ideation not as attention-seeking behavior, but as an unspoken neurological cry for relief when the nervous system is entirely overwhelmed. 
 * Grief Is Love with No Place to Go: Navigating the lifelong trajectory of loss and learning how to honor the heavy, unspent love that gathers in the corners of our eyes. 
 * Dismantling the Strong Archetype: A historical look at how the over-functioning performance of the "Strong Black Woman or Man" acts as a protective slavery survival framework that inadvertently locks out the healing power of vulnerability.
 Join the Conversation 🌿 The garden is always growing, and your voice belongs here. We are actively seeking stories from individuals with lived experiences as well as mental health professionals to help us continuously unmask the journey. * Follow the Journey: Connect with us on Instagram @blackanddiagnosed and @gdotscott for daily rhythmic reflections. * Connect with Our Guest: Learn more about Dr. Candicee Childs, her clinical journey, her memoir, and her newly released children's picture book, CeCe's Sour and Sweet Journey to Medical School, at www.candicee-childs.com. * Get in Touch: For guest inquiries, professional collaborations, or clinician recruitment, email us directly at info@gerronscott.com. Hit that subscribe button on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you stream your pods. Stay unmasked, grant yourself grace, and keep breathing.

    Tending the Internal Garden: Unmasking Psychiatric Stigma, Grief, and the Architecture of Vulnerability with Dr. Candicee Childs

  5. May 27

    Beyond the Textbook: Lived Experience, Culturally Competent Pastoring, and Radical Self-Advocacy

    In this soulful and unfiltered episode of the Black and Diagnosed Podcast, host Gerron Scott steps out of the storm with Licensed Professional Counselor Brittney Nation to unmask the raw realities of navigating the mental health system. Together, they bridge the gap between clinical science and cultural survival, offering a step-by-step guide to pulling the weeds out of your internal garden so you can finally reclaim your flow. Brittney breaks down why certifications can never replace an organic understanding of cultural nuances, challenges the generational stigma of "praying it away," and delivers a powerful framework for medical self-advocacy. Gerron also takes off his own mask, sharing a deeply vulnerable look into his high-achieving paradox—navigating a doctoral program while his personal life felt in complete shambles following a Bipolar Type 1 diagnosis. Key Topics Unmasked in This Episode: * Textbook vs. Lived Experience: Why certifications and training are valuable, but can still completely lack the unforced comfort of a therapist who shares your cultural background. * The Normalization of Trauma: How chronic struggle in Black households can trick us into mistaking deep childhood wounds for "just a standard part of growing up". * Culturally Competent Pastoring: Moving past the harmful narrative of "worshiping the pain away" and why true spiritual leaders provide tangible resources outside the church walls. * Fear vs. Systemic Anxiety: Dissecting whether hypervigilance in Black skin is a clinical malfunction or a fully justified survival response to navigating systemic racism every day. * The Danger of Silence: Why the old rule of keeping children "seen and not heard" strips away their defenses and paralyzes their ability to self-advocate later in life. * Therapy Graduation: Why therapy is designed to lead to self-sufficiency, not lifelong dependency, and why firing your therapist is entirely okay if the chemistry isn't clicking. Join the Conversation 🌿 The garden is always growing, and we are looking for voices—both those with lived experience and mental health professionals—to help us unmask this journey. * Follow the Journey: Connect with us on Instagram @blackanddiagnosed and @gdotscott for daily rhythmic reflections. * Get in Touch: For guest inquiries, professional collaborations, or clinician recruitment, email us directly at info@gerronscott.com. Hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your pods. Stay unmasked, and keep breathing.

    Beyond the Textbook: Lived Experience, Culturally Competent Pastoring, and Radical Self-Advocacy

  6. May 20

    Hyper-Focus and High Stakes: A Sports Journalist’s Journey with ADHD

    Can a mental health diagnosis actually be your professional superpower? In this soulful and transparent episode, host Gerron Scott sits down with USA Today women's sports journalist Meghan L. Hall to unmask the realities of living with ADHD and Postpartum Depression. Meghan shares her journey from a decade in marketing to landing her dream role in sports journalism—a transition fueled by a late-stage diagnosis at age 34. The dialogue dives deep into the "Perfectionism Trap" that many Black women face, the sensory overload of covering a Super Bowl, and the radical act of asking for workplace accommodations. Meghan and Gerron explore the concept of "Body Doubling" as a tool for executive dysfunction and discuss why therapy is a non-negotiable form of maintenance for the mind. Key Topics Covered: * Late-Stage Diagnosis: The "earth-shattering" experience of discovering ADHD in your 30s. 
 * The Masking Burden: How the pressure to be "twice as good" forces Black women to hide their symptoms. 
 * Hyper-Focus as a Superpower: Using the ADHD brain to pick up minute details and patterns courtside. 
 * ADHD & Motherhood: The overwhelming transition from pregnancy to the "mental manual" of parenting. 
 * Advocating for Accommodations: Learning to tell a boss, "This is too much noise, and here is what I need to succeed". Whether you are a professional feeling "too much" for the room or a peer seeking the language to describe your own internal rhythm, this episode offers a path toward self-acceptance and authentic success. Join the Conversation 🌿 The garden is always growing. We are looking for voices, both those with lived experience and mental health professionals, to help us unmask the journey. Follow the Journey: Connect with us on Instagram @blackanddiagnosed and @gdotscott for rhythmic reflections. Get in Touch: For guest inquiries or clinician recruitment, contact info@gerronscott.com.

    Hyper-Focus and High Stakes: A Sports Journalist’s Journey with ADHD

  7. May 13

    Unmasking the System: Cutting Through Red Tape in Mental Health

    Does the mental health system see you as a person or just a billing code? In this soulful conversation, host Gerron Scott sits down with Della Roderick, CEO of August Rose Health Center, to discuss the radical act of providing person-centered care. Della shares her journey of founding an outpatient clinic designed to bypass the red tape that often prevents Black patients from receiving holistic support. The dialogue explores different dimensions of wellness, including the often-overlooked concept of environmental wellness and how our surroundings impact our emotional stability. Della explains why her clinic prioritizes 30-minute medication management sessions and two-hour intakes to ensure every individual feels seen, heard, and valued—not just symptomatic. Key Topics Covered: * Navigating the Red Tape: How August Rose helps families manage IEPs, 504 plans, and systemic hurdles. 

 * The Dignity of a Name: Why treating patients with honor is the foundation of mental health success. 

 * Environmental Wellness: Understanding how community violence and home organization correlate with mental health symptoms. 

 * Medication & Remission: Maintaining stability even when you feel "fine" or "cured". 

 * Generational Healing: Bridging the gap between Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z to normalize mental health conversations. 

 Whether you are a clinician looking to lead with more empathy or seeking the courage to advocate for your own treatment, this episode offers a rhythmic path toward empowerment. Join the Conversation 🌿 The garden is always growing. We are looking for voices, both those with lived experience and mental health professionals, to help us unmask the journey. Follow the Journey: Connect with us on Instagram @blackanddiagnosed and @gdotscott for rhythmic reflections. Get in Touch: For guest inquiries or clinician recruitment, contact info@gerronscott.com.

    Unmasking the System: Cutting Through Red Tape in Mental Health

  8. May 6

    The "MRI" of the Mind: Unmasking Psychiatry and the Black Patient Experience

    Is psychiatry just about "pills," or is there a deeper rhythm to mental health care? In this episode of Black and Diagnosed, host Gerron Scott sits down with Dr. Stephen Tourjee, a psychiatrist on the faculty at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Tourjee shares his unique journey from orthopedic surgery to the mental health field, explaining why he chose to trade "mechanical" bone health for the profound vulnerability of the human mind. The conversation pulls back the curtain on the psychiatric diagnosis process, the reality of substance-induced mania, and the historical mistrust Black communities often have toward medical institutions. Dr. Tourjee details his "Integrative Holistic" approach, which combines traditional medication management with deep psychotherapy and talk therapy, providing a sanctuary for patients to be seen as people, not just a list of symptoms. Key Topics Covered: * The Clinical Alliance: Why a trusting relationship is the "MRI machine" that allows a doctor to truly see their patient. 

 * Breaking Stigma: Navigating the fear of diagnosis and the misconception that therapy is a sign of spiritual failure. 

 * Emergency vs. Outpatient: The intense reality of working in the Emergency Department at Mass General Hospital versus building long-term relationships in private practice. 

 * The Role of Faith: Balancing the power of prayer with the biological necessity of medication. 

 * Drug-Induced Psychosis: Understanding how substances like high-potency cannabis can trigger underlying mental health conditions. 

 Whether you are a clinician seeking authenticity or a peer seeking the courage to start your healing journey, this episode offers a rhythmic path toward clarity and connection. Join the Conversation 🌿 The garden is always growing. Whether you have a story to share or are a mental health professional looking to connect, we want to hear from you. ✨ Follow the Journey: Connect with us on Instagram @gdotscott or @blackanddiagnosed for rhythmic reflections. 📩 Get in Touch: For inquiries, recruitment, or deep dives, email us at info@gerronscott.com.

    The "MRI" of the Mind: Unmasking Psychiatry and the Black Patient Experience
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

What happens when the 'Strong Black Person' mask finally cracks? Welcome to Black and Diagnosed, a soulful sanctuary where we navigate the complexities of mental health, neurodivergence, and disability within the Black community. Hosted by Gerron Scott, this podcast moves beyond clinical definitions to uncover the lived reality of what it actually means to be Black and diagnosed in a world that wasn't built for our healing. Each week, we step into the garden to pull back the weeds and rediscover our soil. We’re going deep into the conversations we usually have in whispers: • Depression & Anxiety: Beyond the "Strong Black Person" trope—unmasking the heaviness and finding the courage to exhale. • ADHD & Neurodivergence: Reclaiming our focus in a world that often mislabels our brilliance as "behavioral issues". • Bipolar Disorder: Navigating the highs, the lows, and the sacred work of finding a stable middle ground. • The Identity Shift: Unlearning the shame of a diagnosis to embrace a new, empowered way of seeing ourselves and our heritage. • And Everything In Between: From the complexities of trauma and PTSD to the daily work of protecting our peace in a world that challenges it. We cover the diagnoses with names, and the feelings that don't have them yet. Through intimate solo reflections and deep-dive interviews with those walking the path, we explore the discovery, the struggle, and the specific tools we use to thrive. Whether you are currently "in the fog" or looking for the words to describe your experience, you aren't alone here. Follow the show on Instagram @blackanddiagnosed and the host @gdotscott. Pull up a chair. Take a breath. Welcome to the garden.

Information

  • Creator
    Gerron Scott
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Gerron Scott 2026
  • Show Website
    Black and Diagnosed