Mental Health and Latinos, Confronting Stigma Across Generations

Wichita Kansas | August 24, 2025

By Jhannely Esparza | Planeta Venus

For many Latino families, breaking the stigma means opening up space for love, dialogue, and healing between generations. Photograph generated by DALL-E - Planeta Venus

Statistics from the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) and other organizations show that one in five Latinos experience a mental illness annually. In the average Latino household, this means several loved ones could be silently struggling. Yet in many families, the topic of mental health is rarely discussed.

According to KFF, the independent source for health policy research, polling, and news, studies show that while Latinos are less likely to experience a severe mental crisis, they are also less likely to receive treatment for it.

Adelita Aldava. Bilingual Licensed Therapist. Picture from her practice social media

Adelita Aldava, a bilingual licensed therapist based in Wichita, Kansas, has spent the last nine years working closely with Latino immigrants and their children. In her early career, she treated patients from diverse backgrounds while working in underserved communities. Over time, she saw a specific need: to bridge the gap between mental health stigma and the cultural differences that make seeking help more complex for Latino families.

When Planeta Venus asked Aldava how she would describe the unique stigma surrounding mental health in the Latino community, she emphasized that it is not just one factor, but a combination of cultural and social barriers. These factors involve the lack of awareness or comfort in acknowledging that their experiences are related to mental health and not physical or somatic complaints. Aldava explained that “Individuals are more likely to complain of a headache or stomachache instead of sharing with others, including health providers, that their headache stemmed from rumination or that their stomachache stemmed from anxious distress.”

Aldava shared that the most common misconceptions she sees around mental health in the Latino community are the stigma and misinformation that often make it harder to seek help. “Many people believe it is a ‘weak mind’ that experiences distress,” she said. “Some people even come to therapy asking me to ‘make their mind stronger,’ because they’ve internalized that stigma. I help them recognize it is not a ‘weak mind’ that experiences emotions and attempts to process lived experiences.”

Religion can also complicate the decision to seek treatment. “Many religious Latino immigrants delay treatment because they believe that treatment means they are not being faithful,” Aldava explained. “That is not true. You can have a strong faith and seek professional mental health treatment.”

Aldava also noted that many people do not realize there are various forms of therapy. It is not one-size-fits-all. She mentioned multiple methods of therapy: play therapy, talk therapy, somatic therapy, and more. Sometimes even a blend of these methods is most effective. “Individuals should research and increase their chances of success in therapy by being informed about the type of treatment that may benefit them.”

When asked if she noticed any differences in how vulnerable Latino patients were willing to be in the first session, Aldava expressed how easy and forthcoming many patients have been with their eagerness to finally be heard and understood. She applauds their bravery, sharing: “They made the toughest decision when they decided to call me and schedule their first session.”

The two most common barriers keeping the community from seeking therapy, according to Aldava, are cost and childcare. The primary barrier is the cost of therapy or the lack of knowledge regarding insurance benefits. She advised that many children’s insurance plans, or even their parents’ plans, may include mental health benefits. She stresses the importance of understanding these benefits, as some even offer transportation services. The second barrier is childcare, ranging from mothers not being able to attend therapy due to not having a sitter, to not being able to take one child to therapy because of the need to care for their other children.

Aldava incorporates cultural values into her practice. She focuses on even the smallest details, such as offering a cafecito (coffee) or a tecito (tea) at the start of a session, to storytelling and acknowledging gender roles in relationship dynamics. “El respeto (respect) is a significant value that garners engagement and helps promote the effectiveness of treatment,” she said.

Aldava explained that cultural orientation is often discussed in her sessions. Many immigrant families come from backgrounds where community and family are a priority. “Children growing up in the United States are being exposed to individualistic societal expectations that are not in alignment with their parents’ expectations.” She recognizes the generational trauma and expectations handed down root by root in Latino communities. “Intergenerational trauma is emotional pain passed down from one generation to the next. This can be poverty, violence, tragedies, immigration journeys and more. This pain can shape families and their way of thinking, feeling, and behaving.” She referenced studies showing that trauma can change how genes are expressed. Just as eye color can be inherited, stress responses and mental health conditions may also be inherited.

There are multiple therapists who specialize in different areas. Some work with couples, children, or ADHD. Aldava specializes in treating Latino immigrants, provides treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder, and is one of only two therapists in Wichita who offer these services in Spanish.

While stigma and embarrassment remain common in the Latino community—especially among older generations—Aldava noted that younger generations are becoming more educated and open to the topic of mental health, thanks in part to social media. She emphasized that empowerment can come from recognizing what you are overcoming with mental health challenges.