Elevar Project is aimed at increasing access to quality learning material for mental health providers that work with the Latinx and Spanish-Speaking community. Elevar Project was inspired by the experiences of bilingual mental health providers and students that do not have access to the support and training needed to confidently provide treatment in Spanish. Our goal is to elevate their voices and give them the resources they need to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate mental health treatment to the Latinx community.
Spanish Mental Health Courses: Online courses designed to provide mental health providers with the vocabulary and clinical skills needed to work with the Latinx and Spanish-Speaking community. Learn in your own time through interactive methods including case examples, quizes, videos, and practice exercises.
Spanish Tutors: Practice course material or improve Spanish fluency and grammar by making a virtual appointment with a tutor. Elevar Project connects student with Spanish tutors who have education and professional experience in the mental health field, ensuring that tutoring lessons are tailored towards mental health professionals and students.
Click "Enroll" to access courses and tutoring.
Example Courses:
First Contact -
Primer Contacto
(Launching January 2025)
Learn how to create an inclusive environment, introduce yourself professionally, complete a brief mental health screen, describe administrative policies, and schedule the first appointment in Spanish.
Aprende como crear un ambiente inclusivo, introducirte profesionalmente, completar una evaluación breve, describir las políticas administrativas, y programar la primera cita.
Adult Intake -
Entrevista Inicial Para Adultos
(Coming Soon)
Learn how to recite limits of confidentiality, gather culturally relevant history, identify presenting problem, conduct a brief risk assessment, and create a collaborative treatment plan in Spanish.
Aprende como recitar los limites de confidencialidad, colectar una historia con información pertinente a la cultura, identificar el problema actual, completar una breve evaluación de riesgo, y crear un plan de tratamiento.
Cultural Values and the Therapeutic Relationship -
Valores Culturales y la Relación Terapeutica
(Coming Soon)
Learn the Latinx cultural values that are essential for understanding your patients and building a strong therapeutic relationship.
Aprende los valores Latinos que son esenciales para entender tus pacientes y crear una fuerte relación terapeutica.
¡Hola y Bienvenidos a Elevar Project!
Steffany Torres, PhD, is the founder and CEO of Elevar Project. She received her BA in psychology and minor in Spanish in 2012 from the University of North Texas. She received her PhD in 2018 in clinical psychology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She completed her pre-doctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System, with concentrations as a generalist and in PTSD/SUD treatment. She provided therapy in English and Spanish throughout the course of her graduate and postgraduate training.
Dr. Torres brings a wealth of experience from her journey learning how to provide therapy in Spanish. In her current role, she serves as a clinical psychologist at a Federally Qualified Health Center, offering behavioral health treatment to low-income and underserved communities, namely, Spanish-Speakers. This hands-on experience enriches her teaching, as she conveys not just theories but real-world applications with empathy and understanding. Dr. Torres is deeply passionate about mentoring the next generation of practitioners; thus, she actively supervises doctoral students in clinical psychology, emphasizing the importance of culturally and linguistically appropriate treatment.
What You'll Learn
When I first began putting together this learning journey, my aim was to create something genuinely intuitive for beginners. I wanted to create a step-by-step guide that would feel like a friendly hand on the shoulder, guiding you through the maze of learning therapy in a non-dominant language. I meticulously selected each topic, ensuring that they build on each other in a way that's logical and easy to follow, so you never feel lost or overwhelmed. These are not just courses; they're an organized pathway to confidence. The thoughtful structure means you can track your progress effortlessly, with every section designed to reinforce and build upon the last, cementing your understanding and skill set. I've woven in plenty of practical exercises because I know that's where the real learning happens – getting your hands dirty, trying things out for yourself. I also wanted to make sure that any difficulties with grammar and fluency do not get in the way of your ability to apply these lessons. That's why I created the tutoring component of Elevar Project. I want students to have the opportunity to meet with someone 1:1 and build their Spanish language skills so that they can effectively apply these strategies with their patients. By the end, you'll not only have learned something new, but you'll also have the tools and know-how to apply it.
Academic Institutions and Behavioral Health Agencies
We are committed to increasing the workforce of mental health providers who are able to provide therapy for underserved Spanish-Speakers. We are excited to partner with academic institutions and behavioral health agencies to increase access to this resource. If you are a representative of an academic institution or a behavioral health agency and would like to purchase a package of courses and tutoring lessons for a provider or trainee, please contact me at [email protected] for pricing and packages.
Suggested Reading:
Verdinelli, S., & Biever, J. L. (2009). Experiences of Spanish/English bilingual supervisees. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 46(2), 158.