Luis Añez, PsyD and Michelle Silva, PsyD, presenters

In times of stress and challenge, individuals access hope and strength for recovery from varied sources. Knowledge about preferred healing practices is particularly salient in the clinical setting. Among Latino populations, awareness about unique help-seeking behaviors, the attributed meaning to hardship, and healing traditions are significant to the therapeutic process and facilitate the opportunity to promote alternative sources of support. This presentation will explore Latino healing practices in the context of life in the United States, relevant cultural values, and implications for assessment and practice.

This one day program utilizes didactic and experiential learning to provide an overview to common healing practices among Latina/o populations in community mental health settings. Participants will gain awareness into complementary practices among Caribbean and Central American populations, and how these can intersect with mental health practice and manifest in the clinical setting. The role of key cultural values and the protective factors associated with traditional healing practices will be emphasized.   

Upon completion of the program the student will be able to:

·         Identify healing practices commonly found among Latino populations.

·         Deliver culturally competent care through acknowledgement and respect for a client’s preferred healing practice.

·         Describe how Latino cultural values promote and help explain traditional healing practices.

·         Appreciate the role of complementary belief systems as a source for positive coping among Latino populations.

Program Code: LMH2
6 CE Credits
Location: at MSPP, Newton

Luis Añez, Psy.D., received his doctorate in clinical psychology from the Florida Institute of Technology. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, and serves as the Director of Hispanic Services for the Connecticut Mental Health Center. His research and professional interests focus on training and education, and community based Hispanic behavioral health services. He serves as a national expert consultant on the use of motivational interviewing with Latino populations.

Michelle Silva, Psy.D., received her doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Hartford. She is currently an Instructor in the Department of Psychiatry at the Yale University School of Medicine and Associate Director of the Connecticut Latino Behavioral Health System. Her areas of professional interest include community-based Latino mental health, the development of culturally informed child and family interventions, the impact of immigration and acculturation, and the creation of culturally congruent behavioral health service systems.