Introduction to Latinx mental health

This chapter provides an overview of what is Latinx mental health. The authors reviewed traditional definitions of mental health and offered a new conceptualization for defining mental health. They defined Latinx mental health as the ability to author a sense of self where one has critically thought about both Latinx cultural and mainstream values, beliefs, and behaviors and selectively constructs an identity that is consistent with one's beliefs and aspirations. They believe that a healthy Latinx mental health identity involves selectively valuing one 's cultural and ethnic heritage with pride and valuing the cultural and ethnic heritage of others. They believe that Latinx mental health is ever evolving and involves critical reflection of traditions based in colonization, racism/colorism, prejudice, and internalized hatred and is a continual process not a static event. The associate editors of this book share their journey as Latinx individuals with mental health, psychology, and wellness. This positionality creates the context for the pillars of this book.