Nosotros Importamos (We Matter): The Use of Testimonios with Latino Male Adolescents in Group Counseling

ABSTRACT

The authors of this article present content, outcomes, and analysis of testimonios created and used by Latino male adolescents during group counseling. Testimonios, a verbal rendition of the journey of a person who bears witness to the injustices they endured, can become a socially therapeutic act for Latino male adolescents to desahogarse [to vent]. The dearth of research capturing the experiences of Latino male adolescents creating testimonios in group counseling warrants more application of this cultural intervention in treatment. Testimonios were analyzed using the Interpretative Phenomenological Approach (IPA) and categorized into themes including writing/drawing testimonios as healing, sharing testimonios as healing, and empowerment through testimonios.

KEYWORDS:

• Testimonios
• latino male adolescents
• group counseling
• culturally responsive interventions
• latinx mental health
• creativity in counseling

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.