Poynter: Mental health services for Latinos are in low supply, higher demand due to COVID-19
UC clinical psychologist says mental health providers need training in cultural competence
Maria Espinola, PsyD, assistant professor in the UC College of Medicine, spoke with a journalist for Poynter to discuss the COVID-19 impact on Latinos seeking mental health services. Espinola is a clinical psychologist who sees patients at UC Health. “Being able to speak Spanish doesn’t make you capable of providing therapy in Spanish,” Espinola told Poynter. She added that it’s necessary for a therapist to be a fully fluent Spanish speaker to get at the intricacies behind the trauma that many Latino immigrants grapple with “before, during and after the immigration process.”
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