Healing en Spanglish: Finding Belonging Without Leaving Yourself Behind

For many of us in the Latinx community, healing doesn’t happen in just one language. It happens en Spanglish—in between words, cultures, generations, and expectations. It happens in the space where we’re told to assimilate but also never forget where we come from. Where belonging feels conditional, and healing feels like something we have to translate.

Growing up Latinx in the Midwest often means learning early how to adapt to the region's unique culture. Learning when to speak English “properly” and when to soften your voice in Spanish. Learning to read rooms, moods, and microaggressions. Learning survival sometimes means shrinking, explaining yourself, or carrying the emotional weight of others. Learning adaptability is a strength—but it can also leave you feeling like you never fully belong anywhere.

Healing begins when we name that truth sin vergüenza.

Belonging is not just about being accepted by others; it’s about being at home within ourselves. For many Latinx folks, that inner home was disrupted by migration, colonization, racism, or generational trauma. Regardless of whether you immigrated like me or were born here, our bodies may still carry the memory of displacement—of having to earn safety, of being “too much” or “not enough,” of translating not just language but entire worlds.

In our culture, this feeling of never belonging is often framed as "aguántate"—push through, be grateful, and don’t complain. Emotions were handled privately, if at all. Therapy wasn’t always accessible or trusted. But healing doesn’t mean rejecting our roots; it means expanding them. It means honoring our ancestors’ resilience while also allowing ourselves rest, softness, and choice.

Healing in Spanglish looks like setting boundaries with love. Like saying “I can’t” without explaining your whole life story. Like redefining family loyalty to include you. It looks like letting joy be loud, grief be honored, and anger be expressed without guilt. It also looks communal. Our healing doesn’t happen alone. It happens in conversations that start with “¿A ti también te pasó?” It happens when we see ourselves reflected in others’ stories and realize we were never broken—just navigating systems that weren’t built for us. Belonging doesn’t require perfection, productivity, or palatability. You don’t have to be the “good immigrant,” the “successful one,” or the “strong one” all the time. You are allowed to belong simply because you exist. Healing in Spanglish is messy, layered, and deeply human. It holds grief and gratitude simultaneously. It makes room for past and future selves. And most importantly, it reminds us that we don’t need to translate who we are to deserve belonging because we can create our own personal box. Healing is Spanglish asks us to stop choosing sides and start choosing wholeness

Aquí estás. Así eres. Y eso es suficiente.  And maybe, when you’re Latinx in Minnesota, your alebrije isn’t a jaguar or an eagle—it’s a moose. A little unexpected, a little magical, and uniquely yours.

Trabaja con alguien que habla tu idioma, aquí en Sombra Psychotherapy