Investing in Spanish-speaking therapists is critical for U.S. mental health
The need for Spanish-speaking therapists is urgent. The Latino population in the U.S. is growing, and with it, the demand for mental health care. Lehigh University wants to be part of the solution.

Every day, millions of Spanish-speaking Americans who need mental health care find themselves facing long wait lists, limited options, and the frustration of not being able to communicate with a therapist who truly understands their language and culture. This is not just an inconvenience, it’s a crisis that leaves people without the help they need at the very moment they are most vulnerable.
The numbers are stark. Within the Philadelphia public mental health system, only 4% of therapists who completed training aimed at increasing their competence in an evidence-based therapy primarily served Spanish-speaking clients. This figure falls far short of the 11% of Philadelphia residents who speak Spanish at home. Nationwide, at least 2.3 million people with a mental health or substance use disorder would prefer to receive care in Spanish, but too often are unable to access such care.
This shortage is not just about language. It’s about trust, understanding, and the ability to connect with clients in ways that go beyond words.
When therapy happens in a client’s native language, research shows that the benefits are profound: stronger therapeutic relationships, better engagement, and more effective treatment. Yet, Spanish-speaking therapists face persistent barriers their English-speaking peers do not. Many must hunt for training materials in Spanish, or try to adapt therapy techniques on their own, without guidance or support.
These extra hurdles mean that even highly educated and experienced Spanish-speaking therapists often start at a disadvantage when it comes to delivering evidence-based treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT.
My colleagues and I recently followed nearly 1,500 therapists through a seven-month CBT training program to observe how these barriers play out in real-life settings. What we found was both sobering and hopeful. Spanish-speaking therapists began the program with lower scores in CBT competence, likely due to the limited availability of training resources in Spanish. But when given access to high-quality training in their language, these therapists made greater gains than their English-speaking counterparts.
By the end of the program, they not only closed the competence gap — they surpassed the established benchmark for quality, with an average certification score of 42.8, compared with 41.4 for English-speaking therapists.
This shows the problem is not a lack of talent or dedication among Spanish-speaking clinicians, but a lack of investment in their training and support.
The need for change is urgent. The Latino population in the U.S. is growing rapidly, and with it, the demand for mental health care that is both culturally and linguistically responsive. Yet, the pipeline of Spanish-speaking therapists remains thin, and opportunities for evidence-based training in Spanish are rare. If we want to address this crisis, we need to do more than acknowledge the problem — we must build real pathways for Spanish-speaking professionals to acquire the skills and credentials they need to serve their communities.
At Lehigh University, we are working to be part of the solution. Our mental health and education of Latin American people in the U.S. graduate certificate is designed for professionals who want to serve Latine clients better. The program is grounded in cultural humility and competence, offering courses on community-based interventions, the psychology of immigration, and effective clinical practices — all with a focus on the realities faced by Spanish-speaking clients and clinicians.
The certificate is open to current and future mental health professionals, health workers, and educators, and is offered online to make it accessible to those already working in the field.
Addressing the shortage of Spanish-speaking therapists is not just about filling job vacancies — it’s about ensuring every person has access to care that respects their language, culture, and personal story.
The data indicate that when Spanish-speaking therapists are provided with the tools and support to train in their preferred language, they can deliver high-quality, evidence-based care that effectively meets the needs of their communities. It’s time to invest in these professionals and the future of mental health care for all Americans.
Vanesa Mora Ringle is a bilingual, interdisciplinary researcher in mental health services and a clinical psychologist at Lehigh University’s College of Education.