The American Psychiatric Association reports that research shows that in Latine and Hispanic communities, the risk factors of acculturation stress and immigration are causing mental distress and an increase in mental health issues (APA, 2017). Overall, there is a lack of Spanish-speaking mental health care providers in the U.S., and there are disparities in the treatment and medication access between Latinx and Hispanic and white clients. (American Psychiatric Association, 2017). Research shows that low-income individuals and those living in poverty are more vulnerable to mental health conditions and mental illness, and that individuals with mental health disorders are more at risk of living in poverty.
Kate Hernandez, a Professional Counseling Associate at Sakura Counseling, shared some of her story with me and spoke to the cultural stigma and experience as a first-generation Mexican American and daughter of a single mother who was undocumented while Hernandez was growing up.“You’re probably struggling and not even realizing it”; We discussed what it was like for Hernandez as a young person in the U.S. surrounded by her mother and family members in a Mexican family system where generational trauma informs culture, perspective, and mental health. “Very few Hispanic people have existed in a time where they were actually calm and present,” Hernandez continued, “Hispanic families don’t see it as trauma. In most Hispanic families, that’s how it’s been for a long time.”
In Latine and Hispanic communities, cultural values such as ‘familismo, ‘confianza’ and ‘respeto’ nurture and anchor individuals and family systems in interconnectedness and mutuality. ‘Familismo’ describes a foundational value in the culture of Hispanic and Latine communities, which is the value of family, and ‘Personalismo’ describes the importance placed on relationships with others. These core values are cultural anchors, as often are religion, spirituality, and faith. As much as family, community, and faith are protective factors in these communities, there are also challenges to accessing mental health care, such as generational trauma, cultural stigma toward mental health, and systemic barriers, such as inequity and lack of access to care due to lack of access to education, language barriers, and/or fear of deportation.
Hernandez became inspired to become a mental health provider after she began learning about the brain and mental health in a high school psychology class. Hernandez described the DSM-V as “a book that gave me answers” while she was learning about trauma and its symptoms and observing mental health challenges in her family for the first time. Hernandez began to see her friends of higher socioeconomic status through a new lens; “If they have it, why can’t we?” We discussed how mental health has looked in Latine and Hispanic communities, and how much need there is still today to de-stigmatize mental health.
Studies show that Latin American and Hispanic adults are 50% less likely to receive mental health treatment (NAMI, 2025) despite 1 in 5 Latine adults living with a mental health illness (UnidosUS, 2024), the most common being post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety (NAMI, 2025). In 2020, the APA (Bailey; APA, 2025) stated that only 5.5% of mental health providers were able to provide services in Spanish, and only 4.4% of psychologists were Hispanic, even though Latine and Hispanic adults make up 17.6% of the U.S. population, and are expected to make up 30% of the total population by the year 2060 (APA, 2017).
Professional Counselor Associate Hernandez described the very real stigma still existing in Latine and Hispanic communities today, and the “huge work in progress” that is currently underway in changing that. “Third generation and on are starting to make the change…it’s on us to break that, because we have access to education.” Hopefully, timely equitable pathways to educational and professional development opportunities will be created so that Latine and Hispanic elders and families will receive the culturally responsive mental health care they critically need and deserve.
Sources
American Psychiatric Association. (2017). Mental Health Disparities: Hispanics and Latinos. https://www.psychiatry.org/File%20Library/Psychiatrists/Cultural-Competency/Mental-Health-Disparities/Mental-Health-Facts-for-Hispanic-Latino.pdf
Bailey, D. (2020, Jan. 1). Answering the demand for services: Underserved communities are driving a heightened need for health-service psychologists. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/01/cover-trends-demand-services#:~:text=Cultural%20and%20language%20needs&text=%E2%80%9CIt’s%20crucial%20for%20psychologists%20to,she%20and%20other%20psychologists%20say
National Alliance on Mental Illness. (2025). Hispanic/Latinx. https://www.nami.org/your-journey/identity-and-cultural-dimensions/hispanic-latinx/
National Alliance on Mental Illness. (2025). NAMI Compartiendo Esperanza: Mental Wellness in Hispanic/Latin American Community. https://www.nami.org/support-education/mental-health-education/nami-compartiendo-esperanza-mental-wellness-in-hispanic-latin-american-community/
UnidosUS. (2024, March 23). Rompiendo Barrereas: Dismantling Barriers to Latino Mental Health Care. https://unidosus.org/blog/2024/03/23/rompiendo-barreras-dismantling-barriers-to-latino-mental-health-care/#:~:text=Despite%20many%20Latinos%20experiencing%20mental,8%25%20of%20the%20psychology%20workforce