Latinx Therapy is a bilingual podcast and therapist directory founded by Adriana Alejandra Alejandre. She’s an LA-based Trauma Psychotherapist and her podcast was inspired by her own personal struggles with postpartum depression, as well as the need for inclusive materials for her clients.
Each episode of Latinx Therapy starts with a disclaimer explaining that the podcast isn’t a substitute for treatment with a licensed therapist. That being said, not everyone who knows they need therapy is ready to start treatment, and this podcast can be incredibly helpful for those who need culturally sensitive resources as a place to start.
Every Latinx Therapy episode I’ve listened to has been useful, but there are some episodes that just struck me as incredibly powerful. Here are a few of my favorites – which also happen to show the range Alejandre covers in Latinx Therapy.
Trigger warning: The podcast covers topics such as child sexual abuse, and eating disorders. These are referenced in the article.
“Sexual Abuse in Teens” Featuring Dr. Lydiana Garcia, Licensed Psychologist
This episode includes trigger warnings and is meant for parents whose children may have disclosed child sexual abuse. Alejandre and Dr. Garcia define sexual health, go over some harrowing statistics, and discuss signs that a child or teen may be suffering from child sexual abuse.
Additionally, the episode navigates the problem from a Latinx perspective and discusses the way many Latinx families choose to deal with this particular crisis: by either pretending it didn’t happen or telling anyone and everyone. Instead, Dr. Garcia provides helpful suggestions as well as resources while Alejandre asks thoughtful questions.
“The Shame and Anxiety of Cleaning” Featuring Lorena Salazar, Licensed Clinical Social Worker
The title of this episode brought back memories of being told when to clean, getting in trouble when it wasn’t done the “right way,” and sexist expectations about who had to do what chores. And yes, Latinx Therapy tackles all these things. Salazar and Alejandre also discuss many of the reasons why our families put such an emphasis on cleaning.
The episode ended with strategies to get the entire family involved and also on how to forgive yourself when your apartment or house gets messy. Of course, they did emphasize that cleaning and decluttering are trendy now, so even though we may not agree with their methods, our parents were onto something!
“Nalgona Positivity Pride Talks Body Positivity & Disordered Eating” Featuring Gloria Lucas
Gloria Lucas is an educator and the creator of Nalgona Positivity Pride (NPP). In this episode, Alejandre interviews Lucas about NPP and the need for women of color in the eating disorder awareness community. Lucas goes over the shaming of Indigenous foods, body positivity, and the need to accept all bodies.
Lucas and Alejandre also discuss diet culture (it doesn’t work!), how disordered eating can be passed down in families, and the importance of listening to our bodies.
“Sneak Peek into a Forbidden Topic: Sex” Featuring Dr. Janet Brito, Ph.D., LCSW, Certified Sex Therapist
It’s common for Latinx families not to address sex, consent, and sex for pleasure’s sake. In this episode, Dr. Janet Brito and Alejandre discuss topics such as consent, the spectrum of asexuality, promiscuity, and shame around sex.
Dr. Brito also explains that sex therapists receive additional training in order to take on patients with this specific need. Additionally, Dr. Brito discusses age-appropriate ways to talk about sex as children grow, how to deal with sexual infidelity, and how sex therapy can help a variety of patients.
“La Vergüenza, A.K.A. Shame” Featuring Zeahlot López, LMFT
Shame is a pillar of Latinx communities. Parents and adults often use sarcasm and humor to shame us, and many of us internalize our parents’ messages. Both Alejandre and López discuss personal experiences with shame as well as observations from their practices before offering tips and resources.
López emphasizes the need for using “I feel” statements while gently talking to family members and also mentions Brené Brown’s work on shame.
Latinx Therapy, of course, has many more episodes that address issues such as alcohol and drug misuse, anxiety, postpartum depression, mental health for parents, coming out of the closet, and dream work. Alejandre also dedicates two episodes to her experiences as a teen mom. Even if therapy isn’t something you’re searching for, this podcast is full of great general advice from experts with a range of qualifications. Listening to their advice is time well-spent, particularly for Latinxs who too often don’t see our experiences reflected or taken seriously.
In addition, Alejandre maintains a database of Latinx therapists for those looking for culturally relevant services. Hopefully, the podcast and its resources will help more of us get the therapy and practice the self-care we need.
