On Why The Latinx Community Needs Therapy Too!
Mijo, I hate to break it to you…Your abuela may give you all the bendiciones in the world and you *may* still need therapy. We’ve pulled out all the superstitious ways to heal someone and sometimes it’s just not enough. We can’t deny that there are significant barriers to treatment for Latinx people. According to the ADAA, only 1 in 5 Latinx people struggling with mental health approach a doctor AND only 1 in 10 Latinx people approach a mental health professional.
Latinx folks show a similar prevalence of mental health concerns as the rest of the population--so, why then are so few of us seeking support?
common barriers to latinx mental health care
Nuestra cultura
It’s hard to address mental health concerns when we don’t even talk about it. If you need support from others to pay for therapy, this would mean you actually have to say you want therapy. And If you are a man? It’s even harder. Latinx culture has a deeply embedded history with machista. It’s the idea that men are authoritarian figures, “strong” (whatever that means), domineering. There’s not a lot of room for feelings or vulnerability in there! Going to therapy directly challenges the Latinx culture to break out of this confining mold.
Finding a Latinx therapist can be hard!
For a lot of people, being with a therapist who shares your same cultural background matters. Really. It’s so important to have your experiences reflected back to you from someone who gets it--this is how we learn we are not alone. Resources for finding a therapist that may be helpful for others, like Psychology Today, are often less successful for Latinx people. One directory that is directly trying to combat this problem and more directly address the therapeutic needs of the Latinx community is Latinx Therapy.
Fear associated with documentation status and racism
Some of the Latinx population have expressed concerns that if they begin to seek professional therapeutic help, they may be met with indirect or direct forms of racism. Some undocumented folks are also worried that they may even be at risk of deportation, which may prevent them from seeking mental healthcare.
so, how do we make therapy more accessible for latinx folks?
Let’s start by raising awareness that Latinx people experience many layers of oppression. We are accustomed to living in a world that is unsafe and harmful towards us and of course this impacts how we feel about seeking out therapy. Finding a therapist that you feel safe with is critical and even more important for marginalized people, because we need to feel even safer in a world that gives us a lot of reasons not to feel this way.
We also need to start talking about our emotions and mental health. In Latinx culture, there tends to be fewer conversations and less information about mental health challenges and therapy and we need to normalize the fact that talking to family and friends may not be enough, and that’s okay! We should celebrate the efforts we are making to take care of ourselves, our families and partnerships, and effectively, our community.
Therapy doesn’t have to be what you see in pop culture. It doesn’t have to be a white middle-aged lady with a clipboard, either. (No offense to white ladies with clipboards, you’re cool too.) You can find a therapist who looks like you or has similar experiences. Therapy should encourage you to be your authentic self and embrace all of the aspects of your culture that matter to you. This stuff matters.
Gaby Teresa is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, Latina/mixed raced, social justice-oriented, and exceptionally curious. She works with individuals, intimate relationships, and families. She is passionate about supporting undocumented immigrants, Latinx, & BIPOC folks to explore and unpack the harms of systemic oppression & white supremacy and move towards individual and collective healing from racial trauma.
From a Health at Every Size perspective, Gaby challenges fat phobic narratives and helps people adopt amore loving relationships with their bodies by promoting body diversity and dismantling the “thin ideal.”Overall, Gaby is proud to be another messy human walking alongside you, helping you to build tools and relationships that better support you and ensure that you get your relational needs met.
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If you are interested in therapy with Kindman & Co. and would like to learn more about the services we have to help you, follow these quick & easy steps:
Schedule a free 20-minute phone consultation with our Care Coordinator.
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THERAPY SERVICES AT KINDMAN & CO.
We are here for your diverse counseling needs. Our team of therapists provides lgbtqia+ affirmative therapy, couples therapy & premarital counseling, grief & loss counseling, group therapy, and more. We have specialists in trauma, women's issues, depression & anxiety, substance use, mindfulness & embodiment, and therapy for therapists. For therapists and practice owners, we also provide consultation and supervision services! We look forward to welcoming you for therapy in Highland Park and online.