Featured on the ADAA Blog: Latina Women and Midlife Mental Health
As a bicultural therapist, I often hear from women who say, “I just don’t feel like myself anymore.” These changes—fatigue, irritability, sadness, anxiety—can feel confusing and isolating, especially when no one seems to be talking about them. That’s why I recently wrote an article for the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) about the unique mental health challenges Latina women face during perimenopause and midlife.
This stage of life can be transformative, but only when we understand what’s happening in our minds and bodies and give ourselves permission to seek care, rest, and balance.
As we approach World Menopause Day on October 18, this topic feels especially timely. Around the world, more women are opening up about the mental and emotional side of menopause and for Latina women, these conversations are just beginning to grow. My hope is that this article helps us talk about these changes with compassion, knowledge, and cultural understanding.
Why This Topic Matters Right Now
If you’re a Latina woman in your 40s or 50s and have noticed shifts in your mood, energy, or sense of self, you’re not alone. The years leading up to menopause—known as perimenopause—can bring both physical and emotional changes that deeply affect mental health.
Research shows Latina women often reach menopause earlier, experience symptoms for longer, and are twice as likely to report depression during this stage. Yet nearly 60 percent say they’ve received little to no information about what’s happening to their bodies.
This article, featured on the ADAA website, explores the connection between perimenopause and mental health—including how hormonal changes can intensify anxiety, irritability, and sadness. It also acknowledges how cultural factors like familismo and resilience shape Latina women’s experiences of midlife, sometimes offering strength, and other times creating barriers to care.
You’ll also find practical ways to support your well-being—improving sleep, tracking symptoms, staying active, and seeking support from culturally responsive therapists. The message is clear: you are not “just emotional.” Your experiences are real, and they matter.
Perimenopause is not an ending—it’s a transition that invites deeper understanding, healing, and self-compassion.
Read the full article on the ADAA website: Latina Women and Midlife Mental Health: Navigating Perimenopause with Resilience