No abstract

The rapid rise of the Spanish-speaking population in the United States has resulted in an increased demand for Spanish language mental health services. Yet little is known about the training needs of practitioners who provide those services. This qualitative study used in-depth telephone interviews to examine the experiences of 13 Spanish-English bilingual therapists, both native Spanish speakers and heritage speakers of Spanish, in their personal and professional language development and use. The phenomenological analysis highlighted the complexities of living in 2 worlds and providing psychological services in 2 languages. Participants reported that they often felt isolated and disconnected as they struggled to learn and use the 2 languages in their personal and professional lives. While the participants took pride in having the skills of speaking 2 languages and serving a community that is in need, all were aware of their limitations when working bilingually, as they had not received training to do so. Translating their own thoughts during the session, using technical vocabulary, and understanding the variations of Spanish were particularly challenging for the participants who were heritage speakers.

The disparity in mental health services to Spanish-speaking clients is well documented. This study examines the service delivery experiences of Spanish-speaking mental health providers by exploring their perceptions and concerns regarding their competence and training to provide services in Spanish. It also identifies practitioner priorities for improving training experiences specific to bilingual mental health service delivery. Implications for graduate psychology programs are discussed in an effort to promote and enhance necessary competencies regarding bilingual training endeavors.

The increasing number of Spanish and English bilingual and Spanish-dominant clients requesting psychological services creates challenges for practitioners and agencies. Literature regarding the importance of the Spanish language in providing service to Hispanic clients is reviewed. It is argued that services to Spanish-speaking clients are frequently inadequate because of the lack of training in the use of Spanish in professional settings. A model for training psychologists to provide psychological services in Spanish is presented along with recommendations for practitioners who are struggling with the dilemma of providing services in a language other than that of their professional training. JOAN L. BIEVER received her PhD in counseling psychology from the University of Notre Dame in 1981 and is dean of graduate studies and professor of psychology at Our Lady of the Lake University. Her research interests include training needs of bilingual psychologists and process and outcomes of postmodern therapies. M. TERESA CASTAN ˜O received her MS in psychology from Our Lady of the Lake University, where she is currently a doctoral candidate in counseling psychology. CYNTHIA DE LAS FUENTES received her PhD in counseling psychology in 1994 from the University of Texas at Austin. She is an associate professor in the Department of Psychology at Our Lady of the Lake University. Her research interests include multicultural and gender issues and ethics. CYNTHIA GONZA ´LEZ received her PhD in school psychology in 1989 from Texas A & M University. She is an associate professor and the director of school psychology in the Department of Psychology at Our Lady of the Lake University. Her research interests include bilingual psychological services, Hispanics and higher education, and behavioral and emotional disorders in childhood. SELIA SERVI ´N-LO ´PEZ received her MS in psychology from Our Lady of the Lake University, where she is currently a doctoral candidate in counseling psychology. CHRISTIE SPROWLS received her MS in psychology from Our Lady of the Lake University, where she is currently a doctoral candidate in counseling psychology. CHARLOTTE G. TRIPP received her MS in psychology from Our Lady of the Lake University, where she is currently a doctoral candidate. THE ORDER OF AUTHORS, except for the first, was determined by alphabetical order. WE WISH TO ACKNOWLEDGE the contributions of Monte Bobele, Glen Gardner, Tony Neugebauer, and Sylvia London to the development of the programs described. We wish to thank Raelynn Alvarez and Alicia Vera for their work on earlier versions of the article and Peter G. Kirby for his editorial assistance.

Supervising mental health services conducted in a language that the supervisor does not speak can present a conundrum for both supervisors and supervisees, especially when the supervisee is the only person in the clinic who speaks the language of the client. This qualitative study explored Spanish-language services supervision experiences of bilingual graduate students and professionals during their graduate training. The participants reported feeling burdened and stressed by additional responsibilities. They had little training or supervision to help them develop the language skills necessary to provide competent services in Spanish, so they relied on peer support and networking to cope with the many challenges they faced. The participants appreciated having supervisors who were culturally competent and open to the clients' cultural values. Training programs and supervisors need to be aware of the factors contributing to this stress and examine procedures and practices that may exacerbate or minimize the burdens. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).