NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 03: Psychologist Cheyenne Bryant speaks with media during Sean "Diddy" Combs' sentencing at Manhattan Federal Court on October 03, 2025 in New York City. Combs is facing sentencing after being convicted on two prostitution-related charges that carry maximum sentences of 10 years each in an eight-week trial where the jury delivered a split verdict. He was acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges that could have carried a life sentence. The defense has asked for no more than 14 months imprisonment, while the prosecution has asked for more than 11 years. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
More than a week into the credentials controversy surrounding Cheyenne Bryant, Dr. Umar Johnson is weighing in. His name has been mentioned amid Bryant doubling down on having a doctorate. Despite her refusal to show receipts, Dr. Umar is standing by Cheyenne. He claims, “She hasn’t hurt anybody.” Adding that Black women, specifically, are attacking Bryant over her looks and career.
On Wednesday (May 20), ‘The Art of Dialogue’ podcast released a sit-down with Dr. Umar Johnson about Bryant. In the nine-minute clip, Umar began with a direct message, addressing Cheyenne as doctor. “She says she is. That’s enough for me,” he said of using the title. He then clarified that he has a real doctorate before explaining his credentials. He recapped his brief following of her career, the transcript issue she experienced with the university she attended, and her best-selling book, ‘Live Your Promise.’ He also touched on the media rounds she’s been making, before saying she’s been “the butt of everyone’s joke” for the last two weeks.
“Cheyenne Bryant having or not having a doctorate does nothing to my doctorate. It does nothing to my career, it does nothing to my profession. I don’t have a need to investigate her, I don’t have a need to slander her, to belittle her, to malign her, to assault her. I don’t have no need to do anything against that black woman because she hasn’t hurt anybody. She is a life coach, and you don’t have to be certified, have a doctorate, or have a license to be a life coach. She ain’t misdiagnose nobody, she ain’t done no clinic work without a license. I haven’t seen any wrongdoing from Dr. Cheyenne Bryant.”
Dr. Umar then said that he believes “mostly Black women are attacking her out of jealousy.” Johnson added that women are jealous of Cheyenne Bryant’s look, her life coach career and her podcast success. “They wish they were in her position and because they are not, they are trying to destroy that woman,” Umar said. He later added that Black women’s problems with each other exceeds those of Black men.
“What they are doing to Dr. Cheyenne Bryant is absolutely unacceptable. They are destroying this woman more than Donald Trump…Candace Owens…Erika Kirk…The enemies of African people have not received the type of vitriol that Dr. Cheyenne Bryant is receiving. If y’all want to expose it, expose it and be done with it.”
Umar said he can relate to Bryant because he’s previously had to defend his credentials. Watch the full interview below.
In The Shade Room’s Instagram comment section, over 4,200 reactions appeared to be divided. While some roommates seemed to side with Umar, others saw through his stance and called out the singling of Black women. A few others likened Umar and Bryant’s hustle, implying they’re two peas in a pod.
To clarify, Johnson does have a Psy.D. (Doctor of Psychology) degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. However, he is not a licensed clinical psychologist in Pennsylvania. His dissertation can be found HERE.
@ashleybrittany commented, “N*ggas is pick mes too. Its simple she is a life coach and that is fine not a Dr and shouldnt have branded herself as someone who can legally give medical advice. Lets wrap this up by tomorrow.”
“Maya Angelou was brilliant even though she never earned a formal college degree. She also didnt go around lying about it,” @thecoreyshow wrote.
“Saying shes receiving hate because of her looks and not the fact that she lied about her credentials really blew me lol cause what,” @just_octavia added.
“He not lying,” @motorcity.smiitty said.
“I’m about to be a Dr too then, since it dont matter fr ! Call me Dr. DRE,” @slaywithdre weighed in.
“He had me up until he said Black women are each others biggest enemies, because for me, my biggest supporters, allies, advocates, mentors are BLACK WOMEN.and I love us,” @layo_g wrote.
“We love tearing each other apart & down that shyt crazy to me,” @droppsofhoney commented.
“She received a doctorate from the school he built,” @talk_yo_tihs_mas joked.
“He don’t see no wrong doing, because he wrong doing They got the same hustle ,” @qshaw2989 said.
“If women were jealous, she wouldnt have gotten to the heights she got to in the first place. People feel deceived and dismissed. Period,” @crecentimaninovell added.
“As a Black woman WITH a doctorate, this absolutely harms US. We are already constantly looked down on, disrespected, and have our credentials questioned when we are in our professional settings. Unfortunately, this will set US back even further. So it is that serious, just because she looks good doesnt mean that WE wont be harmed by this & looks won’t save us when our validity is questioned,” @tiaramarlise wrote.
@constav said, “Its not an Attack when you ask for Accountability.”
“Destroying her by asking her to show her credentials? Yall will do anything but hold people accountable. If she cannot show her credentials, she should not be calling herself a doctor,” @victorskyes added.
“The takes have been overkill. You wouldve thought she was performing surgery without the proper credentials,” @_dosesofdee commented.
“That woman never said anything that wasnt true and she displayed complete emotionally intelligence in all them sessions she had.. you wont get me to bash a woman who looked cam newton in the face and told him about himself,” @dominiquedaniell3 said.
In one week, Cheyenne Bryant twice defended her credentials as a “doctor.” Her press runs were meant to focus on her book, but ocial media users have instead demanded answers about her qualifications. In a Fox5 DC interview, she defended on her “doctor” title, but flat out refused to provide proof of her doctorate.
“…Ive earned the title, I have multiple degrees and Im not going to prove anything to anybody and were going to leave it just as that,” told journalist Marissa Mitchell.
Earlier this week, Bryant appeared unbothered in an Instagram video, which she captioned with a message about “miserable people” resenting what they lack.
