This certificate develops foundational knowledge as well as practical skills for graduate students in Counseling, School or Rehabilitation Psychology programs in the School of Education or other health-related professions such as Social Work, Nursing, Family Medicine and Public Health to be able to provide psychological services to Spanish-speaking and bilingual (SsB) clients and community members. It involves coursework focused on Latinx/e mental health and wellbeing, microskills training to communicate bilingually, and support for case management as well as adapting extant services for SsB communities. The certificate curriculum and training are grounded in anti-racist, liberation, and decolonization frameworks to promote social justice and healing that engages radical hope for change in Latinx/e communities and expands the workforce capacity to provide linguistically responsive and culturally affirming mental health services.

Applications to the Certificate in Bilingual Psychological Services: Esperanza must be submitted by the first Monday of November.

The certificate director reviews applications and notifies students of acceptance during the second week of November. 

application process

For admission into the Esperanza certificate, students must:

1) Be enrolled in a graduate program in Counseling, School, or Rehabilitation Psychology or other health-related field (e.g., Social Work, Nursing, Family Medicine and Public Health).

2) Demonstrate advanced Spanish proficiency on the ACTFL Proficiency Placement Test.
 
3) Complete and submit the application form to the Director of the Esperanza certificate with the following information: 
o Name and graduate program 
o Documented Spanish-language proficiency
o Letter of support from the student’s academic advisor
o Course workload and timeline of how Esperanza certificate fits student’s schedule
o 500-word application essay written in Spanish addressing the reasons why the student wants to complete the Esperanza certificate; professional and personal goals; and professional and/or personal experience in the Spanish language
 
Access the application form on the certificate's webpage here.
 
4) In addition to the steps outlined above, all Graduate School students must utilize the Graduate Student Portal in MyUW to add, change, or discontinue any graduate/professional certificate. For the final step required to apply to this certificate, log in to MyUW, click on Graduate Student Portal, and then click on Add/Change Programs. Select the information for the graduate/professional certificate for which you are applying.

Certificate requirements

Students must maintain an average GPA of 3.0. Students interested in improving their Spanish language skills may take SPANISH 319 Topics in Spanish Language Practice while enrolled in the Esperanza Certificate.

foundational Courses

Spring I
COUN PSY 500 Radical Healing and Ethics of Bilingual Latinx Training1
Summer I
COUN PSY/​CHICLA  525 Dimensions of Latin@ Mental Health Services3
COUN PSY 550 Strengthening Latinxs3
Fall I
COUN PSY 575 Latinx Foundational Practicum: Case Conceptualization1
Spring II
COUN PSY 580 Latinx Advanced Practicum: Treatment Planning & Interventions1
Total Credits:9

Graduate School Resources

Take advantage of the Graduate School's professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career. 

  1. Develop awareness of the social, cultural, spiritual, linguistic, political and historical features that influence mental health work with Latinxs
  2. Become knowledgeable about the theoretical and philosophical foundations of Latinx psychology
  3. Understand the structural, environmental and social determinants of health that influence the development and maintenance of health disparities among Latinxs
  4. Develop cultural and linguistic competency in providing psychotherapeutic interventions to Latinxs across the lifespan
  5. Demonstrate the ability to conceptualize and implement culturally grounded approaches to mental health care with Latinxs

Full list of faculty