Jung Couldn't Play the Guitar

My mother, like all Latina women, is a source of wisdom. She tosses around insights and aphorisms as if they are piled about her feet or crowding her living room, and she just wants to get them out the door.

Recently, she complimented me on the quality of my blog (although it is fair to say that she may have been biased). In any case, she added that it was good for me to post regularly because of the cathartic effect of writing. She said, "You know we Hispanics don't believe in therapy. We believe in poetry."

I thought she made an astute point (although I myself have no interest in poetry and couldn't tell you the difference between a sonnet and a salamander).

Her main argument, of course, is that Latinos have traditionally embraced art and creativity when confronting personal issues rather than calling upon psychology or therapy. I believe that she's right, but I don't know the cultural or sociological reasons for this.

Given the choice between expressing our turmoil with epic novels or dropping on a couch to discuss how our fathers never loved us, we will start scribbling away. If we can get it all out with some angry song or wild dance, we will skip hyperanalyzing the Freudian reasons that we forgot our spouse's birthday. And we would much rather create a deranged painting or warped sculpture than pay $150 an hour to hear a bald man ask, "How did it make you feel to be picked last for the kickball team?"

Think about it. What is the likelihood of ever seeing a Woody Allen movie in which a Latino kvetches to his psychologist?

I don't know of any Hispanics who have benefited from therapy. Maybe it's class thing, because many Hispanics are frankly too broke to splurge on something as trivial as their mental health. Or maybe Latino culture prioritizes self-expression over introspection. Or perhaps we just have a surplus of writers and artists with a backlog of violent revolutions and colorful family members to supply acres of good material.

I can't explain it, but I admit that I'm much more likely to write it all down than seek out a trained therapist. I'm not saying that it's a superior method. Indeed, perhaps I could benefit from a head-shrinking.

But now I'm getting all angsty. Maybe I should talk to somebody about that.

 

Comments

[rawbdawwgg]

12:20 PM on 07/04/2008

hmmmm.......let me take you to task Mr. Cubias. In my work as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of California, I can certainly report that I have worked with and continue to work with many Latino clients who are benefitting tremendously from my work. I work with mostly kids and families who are both English speaking and Spanish speaking clients with the assistance of an interpretor! Therapy continues to be a misunderstood profession but once Latino families understand the true focus of therapy, the vast majority of the Latino's I have worked with utilize the process to great effect. As long as a therapist is able to demonstrate cultural competency and have a strong understanding of the cultural differences between first generation immigrants, more americanized Latino's and the various differences between different cultures within the Latino community, they can do wonders with Latino Clients!!

By the way, did I mention that my agency was founded and run by Cubano's?

[hfanatic]

03:58 PM on 07/02/2008

As much as I appreciate the insight, I'm a bit alarmed that Argentina has sections of towns populated wholly by psychiatrists.

[kennedypsyd]

12:02 PM on 07/02/2008

Argentina has one of the largest number of psychoanalysts per capita. Villa Freud in Buenos Aires, based around Plaza Güemes, is a residential area known for its high concentration of psychoanalysts and psychiatrists. Some of the top family therapists in the world have Hispanic or Latin backgrounds—-In my own practice I not only work with Latinos but also Latinos who are artists—so I think Daniel Cubias might be exhibiting some resistance to letting his inner child come out and play in therapy.