QUESTIONS? Email me at yanirahernandez@palantetherapy.com or call me at (424) 261-1572
The Pa’lante Therapy Inc. Blog
The article from HipLatina, titled “9 Latina Therapists Breaking Barriers and Destigmatizing Mental Health,” delves into the significant role Latina therapists play in addressing mental health within the Latinx community. It highlights the cultural stigmas that often deter individuals from seeking mental health support, portraying these therapists as pioneers in creating safe, understanding spaces for their clients. The piece features several Latina Licensed Clinical Social Workers and marriage and family therapists, such as Dr. Mariel Buqué, Dr. Lisette Sanchez, and Dr. Yanira Hernandez, who use their personal experiences and cultural insights to aid their clients in the healing process. These professionals are not only aiding individual healing but are also contributing to a broader cultural shift within the Latinx community. The article emphasizes the importance of culturally competent care and the therapists’ efforts in using social platforms to facilitate discussions on mental health, thereby breaking down long-standing barriers.
Read more at HipLatina.
Featuring: Dr. Yanira Hernandez, Dr. Mariel Buqué, Dr. Lisette Sanchez, and others
Originally Published On: HipLatina
Author: Sofía Aguilar
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About a week ago I had the great honor to be the keynote speaker at Synergy Quantum Academy synergyquantumacademy @wearesynergy, a high school in South Central Los Angeles. What made this keynote one of the most special speaking engagements I’ve done was its connection to home. This was a homecoming for me. South Central LA.
My parents worked at a factory as garment workers blocks away from the school. As they toiled away in their Juki sewing machines for 30+ years, they birthed two kids from the hood who “made it” and decided to give back to that exact same community.
It was important for me to share my intersecting identities as a First Gen Doctora, daughter of undocumented immigrants from Mexico, and South Central native because if you don’t see people who look like you, you don’t think it’s for you.
What added to this serendipitous experience was having my little brother present for my keynote, as he is also the college counselor for the co-located high school. Y honestamente, eran las únicas porras que me movían.🥹
I’m humbly grateful for the SQA staff for not only putting together a successful all-day wellness event for the SQA scholars but for all also inviting me to be part of the SQA community for the day.
May our scholars from any ‘hood’ know that where we come from does not define us but motivates us. We also get ‘hooded’! 🎓
Vamos pa’delante!
Con mucho cariño,
Dra. Hernández @palantetherapy
#southcentral #southcentralla #losangeles #synergyquantumacademy #firstgeneration #firstgen #firstgenerationcollegestudent #firstgenerationgraduate #firstgenlatina #mexican #latina #latinx #latino #latine #firstgentherapist #latinatherapist #therapist #socialwork #socialworker #msw #lcsw #edd #keynote #speakingengagement #palante #palantetherapy #reels #reelsinstagram #fuerzaregida
Happy National First Gen Day! May we continue to step bravely into unknowns con un chingo de orgullo. They may try to silence us, dismiss our experiences, and bury our existence but they forgot we were seeds and we will bloom.✨
To the First Gen student/professional…
… from the hood,
… who is undocumented,
… who is a child of immigrants,
… who has parents that are undocumented,
… still living at home,
… leaving their home for the first time,
… taking financial and career risks with no safety net,
… learning how to complete benefit packages, 401K, payroll documents for the first time,
… who is navigating countless ‘first’ experiences,
May you continue to bravely and courageously navigate many unknowns con miedo pero con un chingo de ganas, fortaleza, y pasión.
As a First Gen Latina from South Central LA, daughter of immigrants, I’ve navigated many unknowns and continue to navigate many ‘first’ experiences. Pero me echo un padre nuestro before entering unfamiliar faces and remind myself of the numerous times I’ve walked unfamiliar territories con miedo pero con orgullo.
I am privileged to support the First Gen community every day. Our stories are diverse but of a collective resistance and resiliency.
We are First Gen’s y vamos pa’delante! 🎓🤎
Con porras y abrazos,
Dra. Hernández @palantetherapy
#nationalfirstgenday
#firstgenerationcollegestudent #firstgen #firstgenerationlatina #firstgeneration #doctor #doctora #edd #usc #ucla #socialwork #southlosangeles #latino #latina #latinx #latine #latinxgrad #highered #latinasinhighereducation #latinatherapist #terapeuta #palante #palantetherapy #reelsinstagram #reels #explore #graduation #gradstudent #southcentral #southcentralla
When you’re tired of adulting but you remember that your mami said que sana sana colita de rana y vaporu heals all wounds y si no sano hoy, sanaré mañana 😅🐸 🩹
I take my @vicks_us Vaporub everywhere porque uno nunca sabe. Love DIYing my Halloween costumes. This one particularly was therapeutic and healing to create. 💚
Enjoy the Halloween weekend comunidad!
Con cariño,
Dra. Hernández @palantetherapy
#sanasana #sanasanacolitaderana #vaporub #vaporu #vicks #vicksvaporub #rana #mexican #growingupmexican #latine #latinx #firstgenlatina #latinatherapist #therapist #therapistsofinstagram #diycostume #halloween #halloween2024 #palante #palantetherapy
#Understoodpartner Comunidad, October is ADHD Awareness Month and we are debunking common ADHD myths in the Latine community featuring “La Tia”. Common ADHD myths include that only boys have ADHD and ADHD can be outgrown. However, ADHD affects both boys and girls, although girls are often underdiagnosed because their symptoms can manifest differently, such as being more inattentive rather than hyperactive. Also, while some symptoms may change over time, ADHD is often a lifelong condition that requires ongoing management into adulthood.
Addressing these myths in the Latine community is crucial for increasing understanding, encouraging early intervention, and reducing stigma associated with ADHD.
I’ve partnered with @understoodorg to increase access to resources for parents on how to support their children with ADHD and other learning and thinking differences. To access free resources in English and Spanish including articles, podcasts, psychoeducational handouts, and community groups, visit understood.org or click the link in bio.
Let’s continue to educate las tias and our comunidad on ADHD. Pa’delante!
#BeUnderstood #understoodpartner #adhd #adhdawareness #adhdawarenessmonth #latinementalhealth #latinxmentalhealth
On this second presentation, we discussed the social-cultural factors impacting diabetes management and care in Latine youth and families, specifically highlighting how systemic barriers and lack of cultural responsive care can impact our gente from accessing appropriate treatment and support.
This topic not only hit personal for us but also we know how prevalent diabetes is among our gente. We can’t speak about diabetes management and care among our gente without noting how our cultural foods are often policed by western/eurocentric medical practices and how inequitable systems impact accessibility to health and mental health support. This is why representation matters. Having bilingual Latine medical professionals that can affirm our gente’s experiences is important for collaboration with care. I couldn’t help and think about my parents’ and the trauma experienced navigating health systems as undocumented immigrants. May we continue to hold these infrastructures accountable with providing equitable linguistically and culturally responsive care to our gente. 🤎
Shoutout to all my Latine mental health professionals working with our gente with chronic health conditions. You are valued.✨
Con agradecimiento,
Dra. Hernández @palantetherapy
#diabetes #diabetesawareness #culturallyresponsive #chronichealth #latine #latinementalhealth #latinxmentalhealth #firstgenlatina #latinatherapist #nlpa #puertorico #palante #palantetherapy
Just two doctoras, eldest daughters of immigrants from South Central LA having brave discussions on reclaiming nuestras identidades using intersectionality lenses and deconstructing the imposter phenomenon through critical lenses and naming the experience for what it is… racism. It was important to center the diverse voices of Latine mental health professionals and place responsibility on systemic oppression and colonization. My corazoncito was so full hearing many resonate with our topic and was so appreciative of folx willingness to share their lived experiences. ❤️
I live for these conversations and profoundly enjoy hearing peoples lived experiences on how their uplifting their voices in academic and professional settings. Many of us are in continuous resistance and en la lucha in these spaces. ❤️
Also we unintentionally match and later realized I was wearing Mexico 🇲🇽 colors… when everything aligns✨
En comunidad y agradecimiento,
Dra. Hernández @palantetherapy
#decolonize #imposterphenomenon #impostersyndrome #latinementalhealth #latine #firstgeneration #firstgen #firstgenlatina #latinamentalhealth #systemicoppression #intergenerationaltrauma #intergenerationalhealing #nlpa #conference #highered #highereducation #doctora #southcentral #palante #palantetherapy