The Couch: Black Girl Erupted

Reina Cole has been paying her dues at the law firm Horowitz & Associates over the past seven years, and is finally up for a major promotion. Even though she has put up with numerous racial microaggressions as the only lawyer of color in the office, she's confident that her excellent work performance will prove that she's more than qualified. But when the junior white attorney that Reina mentored lands the position instead, she questions the decision and is blatantly dismissed. Reina tries to remain professional, but being overlooked and undervalued triggers anger suppressed from her childhood. Reina's parents, Cassandra and Donald, have always favored their younger daughter, Reilly, and consistently remind Reina to not be the "angry black woman" at the firm. The mounting pressure to be perfect in her parents' eyes and uphold the family's image slowly begins to wreak havoc on Reina's mental state. Her random outlandish and comical daydreams that include beating up her boss or cussing out her white colleagues become more and more frequent. Even her usual stress reliever, kickboxing, isn't enough. Reina's best friend, Jillian, co-worker, Garth, and boyfriend, Carlo, all take notice of Reina's unpredictable mood swings and encourage her to seek therapy. Reina isn't convinced she needs professional help until Carlo breaks up with her after she loses her temper and causes a scene in public. Reina now has to resolve the issues that have been festering beneath the surface for many years. Only time will tell if Reina will be able to heal and find the peace she desperately needs, or if she will continue being the "Black Girl Erupted."