CSUN On Point

Adriana Alejandre is a Latinx therapist working with communities to meet their mental health needs, and to assist them specifically during the time of the coronavirus pandemic.

She started Latinx, a directory and podcast, with relatable and bilingual therapists and other mental health resources especially for the Latinx community.

Alejandre said there can be stigmas against therapy in the Latinx community, and her organization works to stop those.

“Minorities overall do have more stressors, because of the collectivist nature of our culture,” she said. The coronavirus and the overall political climate have also made other people hostile, even racist, to minority communities, which adds to the anxiety. “The darker some people are, the meaner society can get during this pandemic,” she said.

Starting next week, amid the COVID-19 lockdown, she is offering pro bono sessions specifically for farm workers, janitorial and maintenance crews. She said many of these people are forgotten, even though, just like first responders, these workers are putting their lives at risk on a daily basis.“I decided to do something for them, so they can have access to mental health resources,” she said. “There is a rise of depression and anxiety among the Latin community due to the coronavirus, and the uncertainty of the future, and applying for unemployment. When a website is only in English, it creates a great deal of anxiety for this community.” 

After she originally launched the site in 2018, she heard from hundreds of people all across the country who were searching for a Latinx therapist. The resources to reach the needs of her clients took nearly six months to organize.

She is working to recruit around 100 therapists nationwide, and her goal is nearly complete. She plans to put out a link to the application on her instagram, with a referral list to mental health professionals in each state.

But she is worried about the strain on the therapists themselves, too. “There is a limit to a number of sessions, and the number of clients they can bring in for these sessions,” she said. Each therapist is able to set an expiration date for their services.

Two other organizations offering therapy during this stressful time, especially to young people, are Strength United, located in Santa Clarita, Northridge and Van Nuys, and Open Path, which offers a one-time, lifetime membership fee of $60.

Alejandre says she will evaluate the current climate, and consider that in making her decisions for her future campaigns. The virus will end eventually, and the Latin community may still need access to treatment.

“Our next campaign is likely for undocumented folks,” Alejandre said.

Producer: Karina Gutierrez

Video Editor: Cristal Morales Rodriguez

Reporters: Wiam Dahbi, Nicholas Gargiulo, Karina Gutierrez, Ashley Hawn, Cristal Morales Rodriguez and Christian Pineda