I am Dr. Jasmin Brooks Stephens, an Assistant Professor of Clinical Science at the University of California, Berkeley, clinical psychologist, and Forbes 30 Under 30 Healthcare honoree, whose work centers racial trauma healing, suicide prevention, and culturally responsive mental health care for Black youth and families. I earned my PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Houston and completed my predoctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital. 

Grounded in strengths-based approaches, my research program examines three interconnected domains: how sociocultural mechanisms contribute to or protect against suicidal behavior, the pathways by which racism influences health and well-being, and the interplay between traumatic stress, racial discrimination, and mental health. By identifying modifiable protective factors—including cultural identity, racial pride, community connection, and meaning-making—I develop evidence-based interventions, policies, and programming that reduce racism-related stress and suicide in Black communities. A signature contribution of my work is the Black Youth Thriving Framework, the first integrated model demonstrating how protective strengths can work together to prevent suicide before crisis emerges. My scholarship has been supported by several national organizations, including the NASEM Ford Foundation, the American Psychological Foundation, the American Psychological Association, and the P.E.O. Foundation.

With over a decade of clinical experience, I have provided culturally grounded therapy to adolescents, families, and adults in community-based and medical settings. My clinical approach integrates an intersectional framework that centers racial identity, cultural context, and lived experience in assessment and treatment, with specific attention to the mental health impacts of racism and trauma. Beyond clinical care, I remain engaged in the community through mentoring emerging scholars, facilitating workshops, and advocacy work that fosters healing and liberation for underserved youth and families.

I’m passionate about building ecosystems where Black youth don’t merely survive but truly thrive. When I’m not in the lab, classroom, or therapy room, you’ll find me hiking local trails, traveling the world, and being a mom—a role that deepens my commitment to creating a world where all Black children’s brilliance is celebrated and their futures are protected.