Dr. Joy Angela DeGruy holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication, a Master's degree in Social Work (MSW), a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology, and a Ph.D. in Social Work Research. Dr. DeGruy is a nationally and internationally renowned researcher and educator.  For over two decades, she served as an Assistant Professor at Portland State University’s School of Social Work and now serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Joy DeGruy Publications Inc., and she is the Executive Director of “Be The Healing” Inc. a private nonprofit organization.

Dr. DeGruy’s research focuses on the intersection of racism, trauma, violence and American chattel slavery, with an emphasis on healing. She has over thirty years of practical experience as a professional in the field of social work. She conducts seminars, lectures, and training in the areas of Intergenerational/Historical trauma, mental health, social justice, improvement strategies and evidence-based model development.

Dr. DeGruy has published numerous refereed journal articles and authored her seminal book entitled “Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome: America’s Legacy of Enduring Injury & Healing” and Study Guide. She has developed the “African American Male Adolescent Respect Scale” an assessment instrument designed to broaden our understanding of the challenges facing these youth in an effort to prevent their representation in the criminal justice system. info@joydegruy.com (A complete list of her publications can be found in her CV, available upon request)

Dr. DeGruy travels across the globe to share this message raising awareness and to promote healing, she has held the aforementioned lectures and seminars almost everywhere. In 2022,  Dr. DeGruy testified at the California Reparations Taskforce Hearings In 2023 her work was also showcased at the International Summits on Reparations and Healing in Bellagio, Italy and in Accra, Ghana. In December of 2023 Dr. DeGruy joined colleagues from around the world as a panelist and presenter at UNESCO’s Third Global Forum Against Racism and Discrimination, in Sao Paulo Brazil and in May 2025 Dr. DeGruy was a panelist at the Conference on Intergenerational Trauma in Paris, France.

Dr. DeGruy has presented her work at Morehouse School of Medicine, Smith College, Spelman College, Harvard University, Tulane University, Princeton University, Fisk University, Yale University, M.I.T., Columbia University, Oxford University, the United States Coast Guard Academy, New York City African Burial Ground, the Essence Music Festival, the County of LA Department of Mental Health and many others. She has also been featured on Oprah Winfrey’s OWN network.

Dr. DeGruy received the American Psychological Association 2023 Presidents Award for her scholarship noting  1,700 citations of her book:  Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome: America’s Legacy of Enduring Injury and Healing, in refereed journal articles and books.