Reclaiming Black Fatherhood, Mental Health, and Identity with Dr. Darren Moore
In this thought-provoking episode of the I Am Dad Podcast, Kenneth Braswell sits down with Dr. Darren Moore, a nationally recognized expert in men’s mental health, fatherhood, and family therapy. As a Clinical Professor and Associate Director of Training and Supervision at Northwestern University, Dr. Moore brings academic brilliance and lived experience to the table.
The conversation begins with a deeply personal “daddy story” that reveals how institutional bias shaped Dr. Moore’s early journey into fatherhood and continues into a rich dialogue on why men—and especially Black men—need to be seen, heard, and supported in medical and mental health systems. Together, they explore the challenges of fatherhood, the stigma surrounding therapy, the power of reflective manhood, and the need for research rooted in strength, not deficit.
If you’ve ever felt unseen in fatherhood spaces or wondered how to bridge your personal experiences with systemic change, this episode will speak directly to your heart. Dr. Moore also previews his upcoming book on Black fatherhood and discusses why the research pipeline must be filled with practitioners who live the experience they’re studying. This is a critical conversation that reframes the narratives around fatherhood, mental health, and legacy.
Timestamps:
00:00 – Opening intro by Kenneth Braswell
02:20 – Meet Dr. Darren Moore: therapist, researcher, father
03:00 – His “Daddy Story”: from doctor’s visits to being misidentified as the “baby daddy”
06:30 – The quiet disrespect in fatherhood spaces
08:15 – Processing bias without rage: emotional restraint as advocacy
11:10 – Black women, maternal health, and why dads must protect
13:50 – Being both practitioner and patient in the mental health system
15:00 – Are we getting better at including men in mental health training?
17:00 – Why stigma still holds many men back from asking for help
18:35 – Dr. Moore’s research origin story: trauma, healing, and the Black family
20:30 – Why we’re having gendered conversations but not collective family ones
23:50 – The damage of deficit-based research on Black men
27:30 – We don’t need to ask what we already know—ask what we’ve missed
30:00 – Family court, co-parenting, and father inclusion in systems
33:20 – Why the fatherhood field is understaffed and under-supported
36:10 – Linking men’s physical and mental health
39:45 – What’s making men talk more now than ever before?
43:00 – Making therapy attractive to young professionals
46:00 – “My clients are lawyers, athletes, and entertainers”
48:10 – Cultural gaps: urban vs. rural mental health adoption
51:10 – How telehealth changed the therapy game forever
53:00 – Research spotlight: Black fathers of children 0–6
56:00 – The ethics of how we value fathers’ stories in research
58:45 – Writing his book on Black fatherhood
1:01:00 – The importance of moving your voice with your book
1:04:30 – Legacy, liberation, and speaking from the heart
1:07:00 – Kenneth’s final words on the cost of silence and the power of story
About the Guest:
Dr. Darren Moore is a licensed marriage and family therapist, Clinical Professor at Northwestern University, and a national voice on Black fatherhood, mental health, obesity, and family dynamics. With over 50 courses taught and a deep research focus on men’s health and systemic equity, he is also the author of an upcoming book on Black fatherhood and a sought-after trainer and speaker across the country.
More: Northwestern Faculty Bio
About the Host:
Kenneth Braswell is the CEO of Fathers Incorporated and the founder/host of the I Am Dad Podcast. With over two decades of leadership in responsible fatherhood, Kenneth is a national strategist, author, speaker, and storyteller amplifying narratives around Black men, healing, and family transformation.
Learn more: www.iamdadpodcast.com
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