Adriana Alejandre’s Latinx Therapy Offers Vital Mental Health Resources to the Latinx Community

Adriana Alejandre’s Latinx Therapy Offers Vital Mental Health Resources to the Latinx Community

Adriana Alejandre didn’t expect the overwhelming response she received when she opened her private practice, Counseling and Trauma Therapy, in Burbank, California in 2017. The Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) was inundated with requests with people from all walks of life including many from the Latinx community. “Not only was I one of the only trauma therapists in the area, but I was also the only bilingual therapist in the area, so I got full really, really quickly,” Alejandre told Luz Collective in a recent phone interview.


Her desire to help everyone in need resulted in frustration because she couldn’t meet all the demand. She didn’t know if there were other Spanish-speaking therapists to refer to, and she was taught not to keep a waiting list. “I hate feeling that way,” said Alejandre. “I was taught in my household to never wait for anyone else to do something.”

After some research, she decided to start Latinx Therapy. It began with a podcast, released in early 2018, that focuses on topics specific to the Latinx community. Things like the effects of being the English translator in the family or how discipline has changed through the generations. She also talked with experts and individuals, such as Venezuelan-American actor Wilmer Valderrama and fellow Alpha Latina Dior Vargas, who share their perspectives and experiences about mental health.

Once the podcast received national and global attention, Alejandre began receiving emails on a weekly basis from people asking for her help, which led her to add a directory of Latinx therapists to the project, as well as other resources.

It took nine months to create the directory, but it now allows people to filter their search, like a particular subject to address or which language they prefer to speak during the session. Alejandre also wants folks in rural and/or limited communities to know that while there may not be a Latinx therapist in their immediate area, there is always the option to see a therapist online. “I know it's not preferred, but it makes a difference as long as people are connecting on a cultural level with their therapist,” said Alejandre.

There can be a lot of stigma and a lack of acknowledgment of mental health in Latinx families. Growing up, Alejandre’s parents - a Mexican father and Guatemalan mother - didn’t know that when she was “nerviosa,” she was dealing with anxiety.“ I knew that they knew something was wrong, but they never knew how to help us,” said Alejandre.

After she became a mom at 19 years old, she suffered from postpartum depression. Her parents would invite her for walks or to dinner to get her out of her room. Alejandre said her parents didn’t shame her for her mental health, but her mom discouraged her from talking about her problems and issues outside of the family. “Everything is solved within our family unit and I know culturally that talking about ‘negative’ feelings is considered to be weak,” and Alejandre.

She attended her first therapy session when she was in college through the suggestion of a professor. Not only did the few sessions help her, but it also changed her career path from a business economics major to psychology. The field came easily to her and she realized she wanted to work with people face-to-face and help them with their problems. “At that time, I didn't know it was because I came from a dysfunctional family and experienced abuse,” said Alejandre. “It just felt so right to me. It felt familiar and like I could actually do something with my community.”

Alejandre’s work is even more important now that many people are dealing with anxiety from the COVID-19 (aka coronavirus) pandemic. Many have made the permanent switch to WFH jobs and the advice that she gave us while we were locked down at home, applies now more than ever. During the pandemic, Alejandre recommended that people try and maintain a healthy routine while restructuring their home life. “We need to change every day and continue our regular hygiene even if we're not going into work elsewhere,” said Alejandre.

Alejandre also recommends doing things that activate the parasympathetic nervous system such as deep breathing and grounding techniques or exercise. Alejandre suggests going for a walk outside (while maintaining six feet away from other people), because she said there can be an increase in depression from staying indoors.“We need to be going outside and smelling fresh air. Not just our indoor air. We need to open the curtains,” said Alejandre.

The primary thing she recommends is limiting the amount of news intake, whether it’s print, online or visual. This includes limiting conversations about the crisis and adding accounts on social media that are not mental-health or coronavirus related.“Basically add accounts that are about cute animals or interior design or funny memes not related to health-related things,” said Alejandre. “Just mix up your social media accounts.”

Ultimately, Alejandre wants to dismantle the stigma around mental health in the Latinx community. “We're breaking away from stigma and breaking cycles, but it needs to be done collectively by our community,” said Alejandre. “I want to open up those spaces and conversations where people share, collaborate and release that fear.”

woman surrounded by colorful illustrations
Image by Sayuri Jimenez.

Nathalie Molina Niño has never been one to shy away from breaking barriers, and now, she’s focusing her attention on a new mission: demystifying corporate boardrooms for women, especially Latinas. Molina Niño is the President of Known, an asset management and financial services firm, a veteran tech entrepreneur and builder capitalist, and a board member at the iconic lingerie Brand, Hanky Panky, and others.

Like many corporate boards, Hanky Panky hadn’t publicly disclosed its board composition until recently. After the brand survived the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Molina Niño decided it was time for more women, specifically more Latinas, to know what it means to be on corporate boards.

Coincidentally, the decision to finally be more vocal about this topic aligned with the start of Hispanic Heritage Month, which served as the perfect kick-off to the work.

"Something that rarely gets talked about and I think almost gets kept opaque by design is boards,” she explains in a recent Instagram announcement. “[This Latinx Heritage Month], that’s what I’ll be talking about.” Her goal? To equip more Latinas with the knowledge they need to navigate onto for-profit boards, where they can thrive and build multi-generational wealth.

For-profit corporate boards often feel like an exclusive club. And in many ways, they are, especially for Latinas, who hold the smallest percentage of board seats in Fortune 500 companies compared to other racial groups. According to the latest report from Latino Board Monitor, while Latinos hold 4.1% of these board seats (compared to 82.5% held by white people), only 1% go to Latinas. Molina Niño, a first-generation American of Ecuadorian and Colombian descent, is part of this boardroom minority.

When asked about her experience as a Latina board member during a recent Zoom interview, she said, “It’s been lonely. There’s not a lot of Latinas on boards.” She went on to explain that even serving on boards of Latina-founded businesses gets lonely because, “A lot of the times, people who serve on their boards represent their investors and, as a result, [...] you still don’t see a lot of Latinas on those boards.”

This lack of representation drives Molina Niño’s determination to increase Latina presence in corporate boardrooms. By sharing her insights, she hopes to give Latinas a roadmap to claim their seats at the table. “If you don’t know where to go, it’s impossible to figure out how to get there,” she says.

The Road to the Boardroom

Getting onto a for-profit corporate board isn’t an overnight achievement, but it’s not an unattainable dream either. People often think you need to be a CEO or have a certain type of background, but that’s one of the biggest myths about boards in Molina Niño’s experience. What they’re really looking for is expertise — whether that’s in finance, marketing, sustainability, or even technology. If you have that expertise, you’re already an asset. It’s simply a matter of which road you should take.

Understanding what boards are and how they operate is key to unlocking opportunities. For-profit boards serve as the governing body for companies, overseeing direction and financial stability, and guiding CEOs and executives in decision-making. But Molina Niño emphasizes that not all for-profit boards are created equal.

“There are two kinds [of for-profit boards] [...]. There’s the publicly traded business board and then, on the privately held side, there are, I would argue, two types of boards [...] the traditional business board and the venture-backed business board,” explains Molina Niño. Traditional businesses are often family-owned or long-established and may only form boards to meet requirements, like securing financing or transitioning through an ESOP. Venture-backed boards, on the other hand, are typically filled by investors who hold major stakes in the company.

According to Molina Niño, understanding the difference between them is how you can create a successful strategy. With publicly traded business boards, the whole world is privy to them, so, “The way that you get in there is a little bit more transparent. Sometimes those publicly traded companies will hire a recruiter to help them find new board members,” explains Molina Niño. For private companies, on the other hand, there’s no legal requirement to make announcements. As a result, most people don’t know anything about them or their inner workings.

“Usually what happens in traditional businesses that don’t have venture-capital investments is that the Founders, Executives, or the board members, if one existed already, they usually go to their friends,” and people they deem experienced to fill board seats. In other words, it’s the founder’s decision, and that’s an entirely different approach than hiring recruiters. When it comes to venture-backed business boards, the seats on the board are filled by whichever investor writes the biggest check.

This is why an understanding of the different types of boards and acknowledgment of their own strengths is what will help Latinas define a sound strategy. Whether that’s working with a recruiter, networking and connecting with founders to build trust, or making the biggest investment.

The Path for Latinas

For Molina Niño, the key to getting more Latinas into corporate boardrooms is education. Knowing what a board looks like and how it functions is how you can position yourself to get on it. In openly talking about this, without the mystique it’s usually shrouded in, Molina Niño is providing women, especially Latinas, with invaluable insights. “If we had Latinas understanding what are the three types of for-profit boards I think that, on their own, they would be able to figure out what their best chance is and adjust their careers to make themselves more competitive,” states Molina Niño.

When asked about the impact of increased Latina representation in boardrooms, Molina Niño flips the narrative. “Boards don’t help Latinas by offering them seats; Latinas help businesses thrive by being on their boards,” she says. “The whole point of sitting on a board is that you have experience and expertise, and as Latinas, you also have some cultural experience that everyone wants. [...] At the end of the day, we [Latinas] have to realize that we have a ton to offer and we have to be selective about where we put that expertise,” she explains.

As demand for access to the Latina consumer rises, Molina Niño predicts that more Latinas will find themselves recruited into boardrooms. But she’s not content to sit back and wait for that moment. By openly sharing her journey and insights, she’s making sure other Latinas know their worth and have the tools to claim their place at the table. “I realized that quietly being on boards that helped me personally is not helping other Latinas. [...] I was lucky enough to have friends who could advise me and share their experiences, so that’s why I’m doing this,” she stated.

With Hispanic Heritage Month as the backdrop, Nathalie Molina Niño’s mission is clear: “My goal is just to give Latinas enough information so they can make a plan for how to eventually get on a board that they’re paid to be on and that will eventually help them build generational wealth.”

flags of latin american countries fly behind performers wearing culturally traditional clothing

Ever noticed how September in Latin America is just one big celebration? As we wave goodbye to summer and avoid winter as long as we can, the streets come alive with parades, music, and festivities. Many Latin American countries celebrate their freedom this month, commemorating their hard-fought battles for independence from colonial domination. Let’s dive into these significant days and understand what makes each unique.

Keep ReadingShow less