Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Tyffani Monford.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Monford Consulting & Psychological Services, LLC started after one of my bosses told me that the work I did deserved to go beyond the service area provided by that agency. He encouraged me to begin to develop my own contracts for speaking, consulting, program development, and psychological testing (the last only done in Ohio). Within Monford Consulting, I have been able to speak at conferences around the United States, develop multiple curricula/workbooks, and consult with agencies on program development and evaluation. My work then expanded into a nonprofit (Living at The Intersections, Inc.) that I co-founded with my daughters. LATI’s work centers the needs of Black girls, Black nonbinary youth, and Black Emerging Adult women. I have experienced challenges in doing the work (even at no cost) in a political era where culturally informed treatment/training/programming are demonized.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The first decade was smooth. I was invited to be a subcontractor on grants, held my own contracts. developed/trained on curricula I developed, and presented at conferences all over the United States. Because the work I do with Monford Consulting and with the nonprofit focus on culturally informed work, I have found in the last year that attacks on culturally responsive programs, DEI, etc. have severely impacted my businesses. Many organizations, colleges, and my former community partners are hesitant to support (even without cost) any work that could bring consequences/negative attention to them—and my unapologetic stance on culturally responsive work could do that.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Dr. Tyffani Monford is a licensed psychologist, owner of Monford Consulting & Psychological Services. Dr. Monford’s primary areas of interests are sexual violence prevention and intervention on the continuum, the role of intersectionality in the lives of Black and Brown girls/women, racial trauma and radical healing, social justice work within the mental health profession, and culturally informed therapy practices with a focus on decolonizing psychology.
Dr. Monford has been featured on local and national news programs and within national magazines including Psychology Today and The Atlantic addressing the importance of emotional wellness in Black communities, child/adolescent mental health, mental health in times of national crisis, and the school-to-prison pipeline’s impact on Black Girls. She has provided mental health trainings and served as a panelist at conferences throughout the United States focused on culturally informed mental health services, gender-responsive treatment, the school-to-prison pipeline and Black girls, educating Black girls in white spaces, intersectionality, and social justice work. Dr. Monford has served on several state, national, and international boards addressing issues of mental health, sexual violence prevention and intervention and human trafficking. Dr. Monford has facilitated trainings and workshops related to systemic change work for social justice organizations, universities, and sexual violence organizations.
Dr. Monford co-founded Living at The Intersections, Inc. a 501c3 nonprofit organization that focuses on meeting the needs of Black girls/Emerging Adults and Black nonbinary youth through the use of 4 pillars: system change, empowerment, organizational technical support, and education/research.
At this time, what I am most proud of is the development of a curriculum for Black girls co-authored with my daughters and having the opportunity to see that work used by Black girl-serving organizations throughout the U.S.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I would love to bring the Black girl curriculum to girl-serving organizations in the South. In addition, I am always looking for opportunities to engage in program development/evaluation for mental health agencies/organizations serving historically excluded communities as well as the chance to do more (virtual and in-person) emotional wellness workshops geared towards women, girls, and nonbinary folks in my community. I am easy to find on IG and Facebook @DrTyffani
Contact Info:
- Website: www.monforddentconsulting.com and www.LatiInc.org
- Instagram: @drtyffani
- Facebook: @drtyffani
Image Credits
Pictures are mine, Flyer for training University of California-Merced-Student Life
