The United States Latine/x population is now over 62 million and comprises nearly 19% of the population. Over 42 million speak Spanish and comprise the second-largest language group in the United States. As the largest non- English language group, Spanish speakers pose the greatest need for language-concordant mental health services. Providing language-concordant and culturally responsive services is critical to ensure meaningful access and improve treatment outcomes. The current authors use the pan-ethnic terms Latine or Latinx as encompassing the terms Hispanic (derived from Spain plus the entire Spanish colonized empire), Latino/a (gendered, for those with ties to Latin America specifically), and Chicano/a (a racist slur reclaimed as a symbol of pride for Mexican Americans specifically). Latine/x includes widely varied acculturation, language, and immigration statuses, all of which impact an individual’s ability and willingness to enter the United States mental health system and seek services. Indigenous individuals from Latin America likely do not align with this term, and may or may not speak Spanish, however, are likely placed in the above monolithic categories in the databases referenced herein.

ACA and IAMFC codes of ethics center culturally-affirming lifespan development skills as professional identity responsibilities specific to counselors. Despite the critical importance of lifespan, the training of CITs in this area is inadequate and grounded in research based on homogeneous samples and discriminatory practices. Counselor education is deeply in need of a lifespan curriculum that reflects diverse populations. The updated lifespan curriculum must be inclusive and consider the impact of context and culture on lifespan development. In this conceptual article, we call on counseling faculty to infuse updated developmental science with clinical skills development across their plans of study

As humans navigate the different ages of life, they pass through different stages of development. Mental health professionals rely on various theories, treatment modalities, and ongoing research to inform their best practice; this book supports the reader to do so in a culturally responsive, humble, self-reflective way, in order that the clients will be ethically and effectively served across the lifespan. It is organized in a way that makes it interesting, entertaining, and relevant. The book is organized in two parts. Part one uses three chapters to provide an overview of lifespan development, theories of human and lifespan development, and theories of intersectionality and identity development. These chapters provide the foundation from which to explore relevant developmental concepts as they apply to people at various ages and stages of development. Part two cover different ages and stages of development. It presents each age and stage in a two-chapter sequence. The first chapter in each sequence will introduce a case study of a client belonging to a particular age group. The second chapter in each age and stage will anchor specific theories, models, and presents clinical interventions to working with the identified case. New and relevant research will be included to further contextualize the application of the theory. The book inspires the lifelong learners as scientist-practitioners, with ongoing openness to revising what one “know”, even as one become more clear about what appears to be self-evident.

The Spanish-speaking community is the largest underserved language group in the United States. To advance social justice advocacy and multicultural humility for this language group, the field of counselor education needs to create pedagogical scaffolding for non-Spanish-speaking counselors-in-training to work with interpreters to support Spanish-speaking families, while also enhancing language-concordant training for Spanish-English bilingual counselors-in-training. We utilized a critical race research design to explore six counselors-in-training’s experience participating in service-learning through online facilitation of Child-Parent Relationship Therapy with Spanish-speaking families. Interpretative phenomenological analysis of qualitative data yielded four major themes: (a) collaboration, (b) improved awareness, (c) growth and strength, and (d) the need for more resources. Findings highlight the importance of iterative pedagogical and service-learning opportunities and supervision to enhance counselors-in-training’s culturally affirming interventions, knowledge, and social justice advocacy skills. Limitations and future directions are discussed.