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Motherhood
In this episode, we examine trauma and PTSD among African American mothers. The Grady Trauma Project based out of Grady Hospital, Atlanta's safety net hospital, is home to a team of female researchers who have studied 12,000 African American women over 15 years. The researchers found that PTSD impacted almost half of the African American women they studied, at 46%, far higher than the national rate of 6%. This PTSD is from various traumas including those related to childhood trauma, domestic violence and violent crime. Researchers at GTP are conducting new studies to investigate the possibility if they treat mothers for PTSD, it improves the overall health and wellness of their children. African American women also have far less access to mental health assistance and are more likely to suffer intimate partner violence and abuse. We highlight the NIA project which works exclusively with suicidal African American women. The program aims to improve their mental health and help them lead more meaningful and purpose-filled lives free of violence. Over the past 20 years, the NIA project has worked with more than 2,000 suicidal African American women, providing individual and group therapy.
