Dr. Erlanger Turner

Dr. Erlanger “Earl” Turner, Ph.D., also known as Dr. Earl, is a licensed clinical psychologist, nationally recognized speaker, consultant, and mental health expert. He earned his PhD in Clinical Psychology from Texas A&M University and completed postdoctoral training through Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Kennedy Krieger Institute. Dr. Turner has been licensed as a psychologist for over 10 years and has experience working in outpatient and inpatient settings providing therapy to youth and adults in urban cities with a variety of concerns such as disruptive behavior, anxiety, and depression.

His research expertise primarily focuses on mental health among racial and ethnic communities, access to behavioral health services, cultural competency, and the impact of race-based stress. He has published numerous articles and book chapters on those topics. Dr. Turner has presented his work nationally and internationally at conferences and has served on the editorial boards for Practice Innovations, Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, and The Counseling Psychologist.

Dr. Turner has been quoted by top media sources including The New York Times, Washington Post, Essence, Good Morning America, Ebony, NPR, Oprah Magazine, and more. He has served as the chair for the American Psychological Association’s Board for the Advancement of Psychology in the Public Interest, on the Board of Directors for the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, and as an advisor to Sesame Street’s Racial Justice project. In 2020, Dr. Turner became the first Black male to serve as president of the Society for Child and Family Policy and Practice. Dr. Turner is also the author of Mental Health among African Americans: Innovations in Research and Practice.

Dr. Turner has over 15-years of experience providing therapy services to children, adolescents, and adults with emotional and behavioral problems such as anxiety, depression, and difficulties with stress management. Currently, he provides tele-health services through The Weight Room, which specializes in working with Black and Brown men and boys. Additionally, he has experience in forensic psychology as a legal consultant and testifying as an expert witness. Dr. Turner is a member of the Association of Black Psychologists (ABPsi) and the American Psychological Association (APA). He has over 15-years of leadership experience serving on APA boards and committees, and with other professional organizations. He served as the 2017 Chair of the APA Board for the Advancement of Psychology in the Public Interest and in 2014 the National Register of Health Service Psychologists awarded him the Judy E. Hall, Ph.D. Early Career Psychologist Award. Dr. Turner has been appointed to serve on the Behavioral Health National Project Advisory Committee (2016-2019) with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Minority Health, and was one of the lead developers for the Improving Cultural Competency for Behavioral Health Providers e-learning program. His innovative work on racial justice has led him to consult for high-profile organizations like Sesame Street and Instagram.Dr. Turner is also the best-selling author of Raising resilient Black kids: A parents guide to helping children cope with racial stress, manage emotions, and thrive and Mental health among African Americans: Innovations in research and practice.

You can expect a space where you don’t have to have it all figured out. Together, we’ll work to understand what’s going on beneath the surface — not just to manage symptoms, but to create lasting change.