Mental health and the acceptance of self-care in the LatinX/Hispanic community
I wanted to kick off the start of Hispanic Heritage month with a conversation about the Hispanic/LatinX community’s relationship with our mental health and the practice of self-care. Growing up I was always told “Reza mija” (Pray, my dear) or “Ten fe en Dios”(Have faith in God) anytime I was facing emotional difficulties, and this did little to validate my emotions. Mental health is not a topic that is frequently discussed in our community -- instead it is often minimized or seen as a deficit on the individual’s family. The Hispanic/LatinX community is diverse in various aspects, but we have needs around overcoming various traumas, coping with stress or depression, navigating bicultural identities, and coping with various types of anxiety. As a LatinX therapist, I believe that we need to have more conversations around the role of individual self-care (o auto-cuido en español) and therapy in our community’s well-being.
Many Hispanic clients I have worked with faced internal barriers that prevented them from even beginning to work on themselves, often related to a dismissal of their own mental and emotional challenges. We are taught from an early age to prioritize our community and family above ourselves – a belief common in immigrant communities – and we do not learn how to take care of ourselves. Previous LatinX/Hispanic clients I have engaged with in therapy had to do active work to grow their awareness about how mental health is just a normal aspect of everyone’s wellbeing. Just as we would seek care for our physical health from a doctor, many of us often need to seek support from a therapist or counselor to take care of ourselves. A therapist provides a non-biased perspective to focus 100% on yourself and create the environment to help you be more present with your loved ones and yourself. Allowing self-care should also not be seen as a sign of selfishness, as our mental health affects almost every facet of our lives, from how we interact with our family and loved ones to how we perform at work. However, the misunderstanding of the therapeutic process in the Latinx/Hispanic and other immigrant communities prevents a wider acceptance of engaging in therapy. The LatinX/Hispanic community has a strong emphasis on family, and coming together to help one another through crises that may arise, which can lead to feelings of shame when outside parties are brought in to help.
Another barrier to the accessibility and acceptance of mental health services in the Latinx community has been the lack of providers of color and bilingual therapists. While common language and contextual cultural understanding are only part of what creates a good counseling connection, common experiences can lead to higher levels of satisfaction and connection, which can help create a deeper level of healing for the client. More licensed bilingual therapists are now emerging from the LatinX/Hispanic community, but the historic lack of LatinX/Hispanic therapists combined with the socio-economic barriers of accessing therapy has meant that our access to mental health services are limited compared to other communities in the US. Holistic care perspective views all aspects of life to create a well-rounded balance to our ourselves, which can be guided by a mental health professional.
Well-rounded conversations around therapy and counseling have only recently emerged in LatinX/Hispanic culture, partially as a result of the increased isolation and personal loss brought by the recent pandemic. This is a real start to a positive shift in our community in breaking down the stereotype that therapy is for the “crazy”, and towards working to accept the idea that everyone has mental health that needs care.
Dania Uritskiy is a Self Space Seattle therapist who works with people dealing with anxiety, depression, trauma, social anxiety, and individuals exploring a bi-cultural identity. Dania can provide therapy in both English and Spanish to create a deeper level of understanding and care.