Clínica Tepatí Serving Latinx/Xicanx
Latinx/Xicanx folks don’t usually admit having mental problems. “They come to the clinic for other reasons, not because they are depressed or have anxiety.
Mental Health Services and Providers
Dialectical Behavior Therapy / Terapia de conducta dialéctica
At the beginning of each session, the facilitator guides the patients through a meditation exercise. This is aimed at learning to be fully aware of the moment, at identifying the reactions of the body to the thoughts.
The idea is to identify when the thoughts produce a reaction and when this becomes chemical, heating the skin, accelerating the cardiac rhythm, perspiring, shivering. I learn to identify the impulse before acting on it during heated discussions or difficult moments. Other positive consequence of meditation is that it helps me tolerate discomfort because it implies acceptance of the present moment without judging or trying to modify it. By experiencing reality as it is, I gain a feeling of wellbeing and a new sense of spirituality. Meditation also helps me to focus, and this in turn, helps me experience life in full awareness.
Mental Health Care and Insurance / Cuidados de Salud Mental y Seguros
I refuse to be medicated by a doctor that doesn’t inquire about my symptoms or engages in conversation with me to try understanding my emotions. I will fight the insurance company if it is necessary and find community resources that favor strong psychotherapy over the use of chemicals to treat serious mental illness.