Shared Experiences at the National Latino
Psychological Association (NLPA) Conference
By Araceli Mejia (MS student) & Rosalilia Mendoza (MS student)

From L to R: Rosalilia Mendoza, Marla Delgado, Dr. Azara Santiago-Rivera (President of the National Latina/o Psychological Association), Jorge Rodriguez , Ceclilia Cazares, Araceli Mejia

 

 

 

 

 

 

The rapidly-increasing numbers of Latina/os in the United States and the disparity in the quality of mental health services accentuate the critical need to train professionals to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services.

The 2006 biannual conference of the National Latina/o Psychology Association (NLPA), held in Milwaukee, addressed important topics, including academic adjustment, intervention and therapy techniques, bilingualism, counseling families, immigrants, and lesbian and gay concerns. The NLPA promotes opportunities for training and professional development for students, faculty, and practitioners. UW-Madison students, alumni, staff, and faculty who attended conference included Master’s students Araceli Mejia, Jorge Rodriguez, Rosalillia Mendoza, and Cecilia Cazares, Doctoral student Theresa Segura-Herrera, alumnus Manuel Zamarippa, Professor Alberta Gloria, Assistant Professor Carmen Valdez, and Dr. Denise Francis Montano of the Counseling and Consultation Services staff.

After the conference, this group met to debrief and process what we had learned. We were challenged to assess what we had learned about ourselves and about counseling.

Overall, issues of empowerment, reconstruction, validation, inspiration and support emerged.
Here are some of the reflections and insights by the master’s students:

• Cecilia felt empowered: “I connected with Latino psychologists who were interested in many of the issues that concern me and service providers who work with the Latino population. ”
• Jorge explained how NLPA offered different approaches to counseling. “I was exposed to tangible conceptos (concepts)… I am critical in the techniques and theories learned in the process of healing and critique the effectiveness of such techniques towards a community that has a different set of values.”
• The conference allowed both reconstruction and a sense of validation. Araceli said, “The research presented during the workshops resonates with my own struggles, which I have come to view as trivial. Seeing that such struggles are indeed a source of significant stress for many Latina/os is extremely validating.”
• With this validation came inspiration. Rosalilia explained: “At the conference, I felt inspired as I met pioneer psychologists who have paved the way for aspiring psychologists like us. I felt inspired to continue addressing issues that influence the Latina/o community,con muchas ganas (much desire)!”
• For Marla, the conference “provided a venue for all participants to engage in authentic and meaningful conversations. It has been through these conversations that I find myself feeling a stronger sense of an academic family that will support and follow me in my academic journey."

Overall the conference allowed students to connect their personal and professional selves with the context of culture and community. The attendance allowed for networking with professionals, recruitment of Latina/o undergraduates to our program, and a means to focus on our continued training to best serve our Latina/o communities.

We supported each other to make the most of the learning experience, and the creation of community made our experiences most personally and culturally meaningful. In particular, we were inspired to see Theresa Segura-Herrera, one of our doctoral students, receive the Cynthia de las Fuentes dissertation award for her research on Latina/o undergraduate well-being.