Seeking Mental Health Services: A Bilingual Therapist Near Me For Individual Therapy

Talk therapy is a tool that can be used to treat various mental health conditions and improve overall mental well-being. The most effective type of talk therapy is usually one that's tailored to the individual's unique needs. This can include the primary language that a person speaks or prefers to speak. Here, we'll talk more about what therapy is, why it's so important that it be personalized to the individual, and how to find a bilingual therapist near you. 

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What is talk therapy?

The American Psychological Association defines talk therapy, or psychotherapy, as “any psychological service provided by a trained professional that primarily uses forms of communication and interaction to assess, diagnose, and treat dysfunctional emotional reactions, ways of thinking, and behavior patterns.” Talk therapy can be provided to an individual, as couples therapy, or to an individual along with their family member or members. Group therapy is also available for certain concerns.

There are estimated to be hundreds of different approaches to talk therapy, also called “modalities.” These refer to evidence-based frameworks for conducting this type of treatment.  Different modalities can be used to address different concerns or to help a person build different skills, depending on the challenges they may be facing.

Some of the most well-researched and commonly used therapy modalities today include the following:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
• Psychodynamic therapy
• Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
• Exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP)
• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
• Mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy (MBSR)
• Motivational interviewing

If you're interested in a particular approach to therapy, you may be able to search for providers who are trained in offering that modality. Otherwise, you can simply look for a therapist you feel comfortable with, and they can suggest a modality for your situation.

What can individual therapy help with?

Individual therapy can be helpful for people experiencing many different types of emotional or mental health challenges. It's typically used as the first line of treatment for most mental health conditions, from depression and anxiety to bipolar disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Medication may be prescribed by a psychiatrist in conjunction with therapy in some cases.

However, you don't need to be experiencing symptoms of a mental illness or have a diagnosis in place in order to participate in and potentially benefit from talk therapy. A trained therapist can also help a person navigate life's challenges, from relationship conflict and low self-esteem to high stress levels and grief. This type of provider can be there for you regardless of what you may be going through. In addition, some people use the therapy experience as a preventative method, part of their standard wellness routine, or an opportunity to engage in personal growth, learn useful skills, and cultivate a more fulfilling life. 

When to see a therapist

In general, a person should feel empowered to seek the support of a therapist at any time. That said, there are certain situations when it may be even more important to connect with a therapist as soon as you can. For example, you may want to reach out to a therapist if you: 

• Are experiencing potential symptoms of a mental health condition
• Often feel overwhelmed by your emotions or frequently experience emotional distress
• Are struggling to cope with memories of a traumatic experience
• Are turning to unhealthy coping mechanisms for difficult feelings, such as substance misuse (formerly “substance abuse”)
• Have experienced significant changes in sleep patterns or appetite

You’re not alone in what you’re experiencing, and compassionate care is available to help you along your mental health journey.

The importance of the therapist-client relationship

For best results, it’s usually important to find a therapist you feel comfortable talking to—one with whom you can build a strong therapist-client relationship. As a report published by the American Psychiatric Association suggests, “A good relationship […] is essential to helping the client connect with, remain in and get the most from therapy.”

The role of language in the individual therapy relationship

Of course, the topic of language is core to the concept of any therapy that is based on spoken dialogue. According to a systematic review published by The Professional Counselor, over 350 languages are spoken in the United States today, with the most popular language besides English being Spanish, which is spoken in over 41 million US households.

In other words, the topic of language in therapy is critical because it can determine how comfortable and supported a person feels and what they’re able or willing to share about their experiences.

Cultural competence in therapy

Another component of this topic is the concept of cultural competence in therapy. A 2020 article defines this term as “providing care that is respectful of, and responsive to, individual patient preferences, needs, and values, and ensuring that patient values guide all clinical decisions.” It's about tailoring therapy sessions to the unique needs of an individual client, which generally involves the provider aiming to understand, acknowledge, and respect the client’s experiences and values, as well as the way different parts of their identity may affect these. It can be seen as the opposite of taking a “one-size-fits-all" approach to care and, instead, providing treatment that suits the context in which each individual lives. 

Being accommodating in terms of language—that is, allowing the client to communicate in whatever language(s) feels most comfortable for them and referring them to a provider who speaks the same, as needed—can be seen as one part of cultural competence. Language can shape the way a person sees the world and is usually a core part of their identity. Ensuring that they’re able to express themselves in the way that makes sense for them can be a key part of personalizing their therapy experience.

Why is it important for people to be able to find a "bilingual therapist near me”?

As language is often a component of identity and experiences, it can be critical to integrate the preferred language of a client into therapy sessions. It's also worth noting the shared challenges that many multilingual people in the United States have today, which could affect their mental well-being and the type of therapeutic treatment they may need.

For example, many multilingual people are immigrants, refugees, or children of immigrants or refugees. These experiences can come with unique challenges both before and after the individual or family arrives in the United States, such as trauma from war or other violence, experiences of discrimination and xenophobia, stress about immigration status, and loneliness and isolation if separated from one's family or community.

In other words, the availability of bilingual therapy is necessary to meet many clients where they're at. Since the multilingual population in the United States continues to grow, the need for bilingual therapy in many different languages (as well as therapy that emphasizes a strong cultural competence overall) becomes increasingly important. 

Statistics about language in the US

A few statistics about multilingualism and language in the United States can shed additional light on the urgent need for more bilingual mental health care providers:

• The percentage of multilingual adults in the US went from 9.2% in 1980 to 16.9% as of 2018.
• Over one in five people (22%) in the US aged five and older speak a language other than English at home. Of these, 61% speak Spanish at home.
• The United Nations recognizes language rights as human rights.

Shortages of BIPOC and bilingual therapists in the US

There is currently a mental health care provider shortage in the United States in general. Mental Health America reports that, as of 2024, there was only one mental health provider for every 340 people in the US, and that only 27% of the mental health needs in provider shortage areas were being met.

Shortages are even more pronounced when it comes to mental health professionals who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and/or bilingual. CounselingPsychology.org reports that 73% of therapists today are white. Only 8% are Hispanic or Latino, despite 18.9% of the US population being Hispanic or Latino, and only 4% are Black, despite 12.6% of the US population being Black. It also reports that, across major US cities on average, there is only one BIPOC therapist for every 1,003 BIPOC residents. 

Finally, the report shares ratios of bilingual therapists to bilingual residents across major US cities, which suggest a high disparity in many places. Even in New York City, a famously linguistically diverse metropolitan area, the report indicates that there are ​​3,637 bilingual residents for every one bilingual therapist.

In other words, the makeup of the mental health workforce in the US is not currently aligned with the needs of the population. Systemic barriers likely play an outsize role in this dynamic. Organized, well-funded efforts to support people of all backgrounds in training in the mental health field will likely be needed to help close these gaps.

Resources to help you find a “bilingual therapist near me”

While there is a shortage of bilingual therapists in the United States, it is still possible to find a bilingual provider to meet with. As the report referenced above shows, people in certain areas (like San Diego or Miami for Spanish speakers, New York or Los Angeles for Mandarin speakers, or Detroit for Arabic speakers) may be more likely to be able to find bilingual mental health services near them. 

When looking for a bilingual therapist, you might start with a simple internet search for “bilingual therapist near me” or “[language]-speaking therapist in [area].” You might also try similar searches in your preferred language. In addition, you could consider asking friends or community members who speak the same language as you for a recommendation or inquire in community spaces where your preferred language is spoken, like churches, mosques, or community centers.

In addition, the American Counseling Association has a list of various therapy directories that can help a person find a therapist from a specific community. Some examples of directories listed there include Therapy for Black Men, South Asian Therapists, Latinx Therapy, and the National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network. Looking into the applicable directory or directories may help you in your search for a bilingual provider with whom you can begin the therapy process.

The option of online mental health services

If you're unable to find a bilingual therapist who meets your needs in your local area, you might consider looking into online therapy services instead. With a platform like BetterHelp, you can be matched with a licensed therapist based on your needs and preferences, as outlined in a brief onboarding questionnaire. You can then meet with your provider virtually, via phone, video call, or online chat, from anywhere you have an internet connection.

Can you find a bilingual therapist through online therapy?

BetterHelp partners with tens of thousands of therapists from diverse backgrounds across the US. As a result, using a platform like this may give you a higher likelihood of connecting with someone who is a good fit for your needs and can understand or relate to your background and experiences. 

What the research says about online mental health services 

A growing body of research suggests that online therapy sessions are similarly effective to in-person therapy. For example, a study from 2021 reported that telehealth can be “a viable care alternative with no significant differences between in-person and telehealth groups in depressive symptom reduction, and significant increases in self-reported quality of life.” The same study suggested that “the availability of bilingual clinicians through remote care can help overcome travel requirements for both patients and providers, as well as lead to higher patient satisfaction.”