How are you doing?
In the latest episode of “The De Los Podcast,” hosts and Times editors Fidel Martinez and Suzy Exposito are joined by therapist Guadalupe Cesar-Nuñez to talk about something that’s still taboo for some Latinos: mental health.
“Latinos historically have not really been seen as a population that embraces therapy or addresses mental health issues,” Martinez said, referencing a 2024 study from the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services that found that Latino adults were 28% less likely than U.S. adults overall to have received mental health treatment.
Cesar-Nuñez, whose practice is based in Pasadena, noted that traditional Latino cultural values like emphasis on family and reputation can serve as deterrents for seeking therapy or other help. She also cited generational divides as an obstacle.
“Especially the first generation, they can’t help but say, ‘I had it worse,’” Cesar-Nuñez added. “‘You are in this country with all these privileges,’ and that saying of, ‘No estas loco.’ (‘You’re not crazy’) … It can drive people away from help.”
The trio also discussed the mental turmoil among Latino youth, highlighting the recent tragic suicides of Samuel Gonzalez Terrones and Xavier Nungaray-Martinez. In the case of Gonzalez Terrones, his mental health took a turn after his mother and primary caregiver was detained by ICE, while Nungaray-Martinez reportedly suffered from targeted bullying.
“If the life of your mom or father is [in danger], of course that is going to impact you profoundly,” Cesar-Nuñez said. “The same with bullying, we see our community as a collective, and if I go to school and people are starting to see me differently, it’s going to affect my mental health.”
Curious about seeking mental health help but don’t know where to start?
Therapists’ networks like Latinx Therapy and Therapy for Latinx can be places to find a licensed professional that aligns with your needs. There are also resource centers such as El Centrito de Apoyo, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Urban Los Angeles and Mi Centro.
Cesar-Nuñez also emphasized that finding the right therapist could be a matter of trial and error.
“Clients are looking for someone who speaks their language. And I’m not talking about English or Spanish, but someone who understands them,” Cesar-Nuñez said. “Give yourself permission to change therapists. Sometimes you need someone specific to work through a certain problem.”
You can find the full episode below:
The post ‘The De Los Podcast’: Let’s talk about Latino mental health appeared first on Los Angeles Times.
