Bravo’s Married to Medicine is stepping into season 12, and Dr. Contessa Metcalfe is very clear on one thing. The drama is real, the friendships are real, and the growth is real.
Ahead of the new season, premiering Sunday, Nov. 30 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo with next day streaming on Peacock, I sat down with Dr. Contessa to talk about everything from social media burnout and sisterhood to buying a literal building and welcoming the new ladies into the group.
Let’s just say this. The women of Married to Medicine might fight like a tsunami, but they also rally like family.
This Is Season 12. Can You Believe It?
When I tell Dr. Contessa she looks amazing, she laughs and throws the compliment right back.
“I am feeling amazing. This is season 12. Can you believe it?” she says. “And the fans have been engaged. The seasons just keep going. From your lips to God’s ears, we will get to 20 plus seasons for sure.”
The cast returning this season includes Dr. Jackie Walters, Dr. Simone Whitmore, Dr. Contessa Metcalfe, Toya Bush Harris, Quad Webb and Dr. Mimi Sanders, with Dr. Heavenly Kimes and new friends Angel Love Davis and Brandi Milton joining the mix.
But for Contessa, longevity on reality TV is not just about reading somebody down at the reunion. It is about how you survive emotionally when millions of people feel entitled to comment on your life every day.
Social Media, Mental Health, And Knowing When To Log Off
Reality TV fame in 2025 comes with one guaranteed cast member. Social media.
“For me, I am not a big social media person,” Contessa admits. “It has its pros, but it definitely has its cons. From a mental health perspective, I try to limit the time I am on social media only because people can be cruel. They have direct access to your head now.”
She is honest about the emotional toll.
“I am really sensitive,” she says. “I am tough, but I am also quite sensitive. So I have to manage my social media. I take breaks when people hurt my feelings.”
And the same vulnerability shows up inside the group.
“We are always fighting because sometimes we cannot say what we really feel,” she explains. “We do not always say, ‘You hurt my feelings when you talked about my finances or my husband.’ I like you, and what you say matters to me. That is really what is behind a lot of our arguments.”
Sisterhood, Fights, And Group Chats
If you have ever watched Married to Medicine, you know one thing is guaranteed. Somebody is going to raise their voice at dinner.
But Contessa wants viewers to understand what happens around those explosions.
“In our group we legitimately like each other,” she says. “We value each other’s opinions and we really do want to make each other proud. We all have businesses. We support each other.”
That support is not just for the cameras.
“We have a group chat and we are still chatting,” she reveals. “If somebody has a win, or some big accomplishment, if I see it on social media, I will put it in the group chat like, ‘Oh my God, congratulations,’ so everybody can congratulate that person. I am not just sending a private text. We really like to celebrate each other’s wins.”
Of course, that does not mean it is all hugs and affirmations.
“It is like a sister relationship,” she laughs. “Woman, I love you, but at this moment I hate you. And then two minutes later we are kissing each other in the mouth. People are like, ‘Okay… so I guess we are good now?’ It is a tsunami of feelings. We can be fighting at dinner, hugging five minutes later, and then I go to sleep, think about it, and wake up mad again.”
She knows that sounds chaotic. But it is also the core of why the show works.
“One thing we have to do better is actually talk about what really hurts our feelings,” she adds. “Instead, we insult each other and yell. It does not always get us where we want to be. Sometimes it takes a couple of years. But we really are friends, and we really do come back to each other.”
Healing With Dr. Heavenly
One of the big emotional arcs fans will be watching this season is Contessa’s relationship with Dr. Heavenly Kimes, which has gone from laughter to tears and back again over the years.
“This year in particular, Heavenly and I were able to move toward some level of understanding,” Contessa shares. “I know Heavenly is messy. She is going to be who she is. That has not changed.”
The key for Contessa has been adjusting her expectations.
“I do not expect her to be anything but who she is,” she says. “If she hurts my feelings, I am going to call her on it. And if she says she is sorry, then I need to move forward. That is what I have tried to adopt as my personal rule.”
That philosophy stretches to the whole group.
“True friends understand you have to have your own relationships,” she explains. “It is not middle school. I cannot not like you just because my friend does not like you. When Heavenly and I were going through our stuff, it did not affect everybody else’s relationships.”
Her advice to the cast and to viewers is simple. “Stay out of people’s relationships. Let people go through what they are going through, so when they evolve and get better, you are still cool with everybody.”
Buying A Building And Expanding The Empire
On top of the emotional heavy lifting, Contessa has real life boss moves happening off camera.
This season, viewers will see her expanding her medical enterprise with her husband, Dr. Scott Metcalfe, by purchasing a building to house their various practices.
“Even on this season, you will see people building houses, building businesses, and building relationships,” she says. “And some of those relationships are going through it. But you also see that even in the most challenging times, people seem to be able to come back from that. We rally behind each other. We do not want anybody’s marriage to fail. We do not want anyone’s children to struggle. We want everybody to find their way home.”
It is important to her that Bravo lets audiences see Black professionals in their fullness.
“I am so happy Bravo allows us to show some of that,” she adds. “It is hard out here, especially in this current America. People are struggling. We have to show that side, but also the side where we win. From a mental health perspective, seeing wins helps people get through the tough times.”
A Wellness And Empowerment Retreat For Women
If you thought Dr. Contessa was busy enough, think again.
Right now, she is planning a women’s empowerment and wellness retreat in Atlanta for the last week of February inspired by everything she has lived and watched other women go through.
“We all have insecurities, challenges, and fears,” she says. “But we also have to celebrate the wins we have had. Even if it has been a tough season, we have to recharge our battery and pour back into ourselves.”
She points out how often women carry everyone else while ignoring their own needs.
“For us as women, we are the powerhouses that lead our families,” she says. “Even if we are married, even if we have support, we are the ones moving the needle. And if no one is pouring back into us, we get burnt out. Burnout can look like anger, frustration, anxiousness.”
Contessa says she stopped waiting for someone else to create what she needed.
“I go to wellness retreats myself,” she explains. “But everybody does not even know they are available. So I decided to create one that is affordable and attainable. I have done small ones with my friends and we pour into each other. You will see some of those wellness moments on the show too. No matter your income or background, we all have to lean into mental health in this season.”
Motherhood, Legacy, And Pressure
One of the biggest themes Contessa hopes viewers pick up this season is how deeply motherhood and legacy sit at the center of these women’s lives.
“No matter how successful we are, no matter how married or booed up we are, motherhood is the core of what many of us are navigating,” she says. “If you are not a mom, you are actively trying to become one.”
She is honest about the pressure.
“We can have twelve degrees and ten businesses, but we also want to be good mothers. If we are not mothers yet, we really want to become one. We as women are hard on each other in that space. There is judgment. It makes us tie our value as women to whether we are mothers and how good we are at it.”
According to Contessa, Married to Medicine is willing to talk about what other shows avoid.
“We show the judgment that comes from outside and even sometimes from the men when it comes to being a mom, becoming a mom, and balancing it all.”
Being More Than A Title
One of the most powerful parts of talking to Contessa is hearing how strongly she rejects being boxed in.
“Viewers love us because we are professional but also multi faceted,” she says. “We do not want to fit in a box.”
She is proud the show lets the women be doctors, wives, moms, business owners, friends and still individuals.
“We can do everything,” she says simply.
The New Ladies Are Coming In Loud
Season 12 brings fresh energy, and according to Contessa the new faces are not here to play background.
“They are coming in like fire brands,” she laughs. “They are asking hard questions. They are not sidekicks. They are authentic.”
She is confident fans will connect with them.
“Every woman who has been on this show is someone you can identify with. That will be true for the new ladies too.”
The OGs agree.
“The OGs are even like, ‘They got good ones this season.’ That is the stamp of approval.”
Why Season 12 Matters
For Contessa, Season 12 is about growth.
“You see the journey from season one to season twelve,” she says. “You see that we are still a work in progress.”
Her hope for viewers is simple.
“I want fans to resonate with the mental health conversations,” she says. “Life is not always positive, but if you get through a tough season, there is a win waiting for you on the other side.”
Before we wrap, I congratulate her on everything she is building.
She smiles. “Boss women who know themselves. You cannot beat that.”
Married to Medicine premieres Sunday, Nov. 30 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo with episodes streaming next day on Peacock.
