Charles Graham, PhD, LMSW

Dr. Charles Graham Jr. is a tenured professor and Director of Field Education in the College of Health and Human Services, School of Social Work, at Eastern Michigan University. He is also a practicing licensed clinical social worker and psychologist with extensive clinical experience in private, nonprofit, and governmental settings. Much of his clinical work and training has focused on adolescents and young adults with substance use and co-occurring psychological disorders. He has provided and supervised psychotherapeutic interventions for youth involved in the juvenile justice system and those receiving care in hospital, medical, and psychiatric settings. Additionally, he serves on the board of directors of a major nonprofit comprehensive health and wellness center that provides judgment-free, affordable medical and mental health care tailored to young people ages 12 to 25 and their children.

His research has focused on juvenile delinquency, depression among Black adolescent males, addiction, and the intersection of race and gender in youth mental health. His recent work examines how choice, cognition, and context influence help-seeking and service utilization among young Black men in residential treatment, as well as how ascribed pathological identities shape racial minority men’s concepts of masculinity, decision-making, and well-being. He is also interested in the integration of spirituality and faith into culturally responsive clinical practice with racial minority youth. His research aims to inform culturally responsive interventions that improve mental health engagement and access to care.

Dr. Graham received his PhD and master’s degrees in psychology and social work from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and his bachelor’s degrees from the University of California, Berkeley. He resides in Michigan with his wife and three sons.