‘It’s UATL’ podcast: Dr. Joy’s relationship red flags we often miss

It’s the last week of National Mental Health Awareness Month, so this episode of “It’s UATL” has a more than fitting guest.

Licensed psychologist, mental health expert and Atlanta Journal-Constitution contributor Dr. Joy Harden Bradford recently penned a column, “The subtle red flags you may be overlooking in your relationship,” that’s had folks talking.

It just so happens that the “It’s UATL” hosts have been wanting to talk about the good, bad and ugly in relationships for some time. Enter Dr. Joy’s piece, which looks at five potential scenarios that are easy to miss.

“I wanted to really open up a conversation around how we can check in with ourselves about some of these things that may be happening in our relationship,” she told the hosts.

In the discussion, some of it, she says, may seem harmless at first. From partners diminishing accomplishments to limiting access to finances, bad behavior in relationships can escalate into something worse. It’s also nothing new in our society — past and present.

“I think a lot of things are often missed because so much has been normalized in terms of what we’ve seen from our parents or other people in our lives,” she said.

Also on this week’s episode

Gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms thanks supporters after winning the Democratic primary election during her election day watch party at the Hyatt Regency on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in Atlanta. (Natrice Miller for The AJC)

Could Georgia finally be ready for a Black woman governor? Former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms stunned her Democratic rivals, winning the party’s ticket for governor outright. Does this inspire excitement in Black voters going into November? The hosts discuss.

When it comes to debates on who to root for, the NAACP and Congressional Black Caucus have thoughts on college sports. Specifically, they’re asking athletes and fans of public universities in the South to boycott their teams. Why? A response to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that changed the Voting Rights Act has Black officials fearing “the worst.”

Did rappers Latto and 21 Savage confirm their baby? A recent post from the latter may suggest so. A carousel of Instagram photos mostly celebrates Arsenal winning its first Premier League title in 22 years, but features an infant rocking the club’s onesie. Is it the show of a proud poppa or just a die-hard Gunners fan? We’re not sure.