Spanish-speaking mental health care in Austin
The Spanish-speaking community in Austin
Austin is home to about 313,000 Hispanic or Latino residents (32% of the population), and around 187,000 people aged 5 and over speak Spanish at home. Source: ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (Census Reporter).
Why therapy in Spanish can help
Talking about emotions, family and painful experiences is easier in the language you feel in. With a Spanish-speaking or bilingual couples therapist you do not need to translate yourself, you can bring in family members who prefer Spanish, and cultural context (family roles, migration, faith, stigma around mental health) is understood without long explanations.
Useful questions before you start: are sessions fully in Spanish or mixed? Where did they learn and practise Spanish? Have they worked with clients from your country or background? Can paperwork and assessments be in Spanish?
How to check a license in Texas
In Texas, couples therapists are licensed by Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists (Behavioral Health Executive Council) or Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors (Behavioral Health Executive Council). Ask for the therapist’s license type and number and look it up before your first session; the public search shows whether the license is active and any disciplinary actions.
Paying for therapy
Ask whether the therapist accepts your insurance before booking. If you have Texas Medicaid (Texas Health and Human Services), Texas’s Medicaid program, ask specifically whether they accept it. Federally funded community health centers charge on a sliding fee scale based on income. Texas Medicaid (Texas Health and Human Services) · Find a health center (HRSA)
Frequently asked questions
How do I find a Spanish-speaking couples therapist in Austin?
Filter by language on Therapy247 to see couples therapists who offer sessions in Spanish in Austin or online with a Texas license. When you contact them, ask whether sessions can be held entirely in Spanish and about their experience working with Latino clients and families.
Can I have therapy in Spanish online in Texas?
Yes. Online therapy is a good option if there are few Spanish-speaking couples therapists near you, as long as the therapist is licensed in Texas, where you live. You need a private space and a stable connection.
How do I check a couples therapist’s license in Texas?
In Texas, couples therapists are licensed by Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists (Behavioral Health Executive Council) or Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors (Behavioral Health Executive Council). Ask for the therapist’s license type and number and look it up before your first session; the public search shows whether the license is active and any disciplinary actions.
Is there a crisis line in Spanish?
Yes. In an emergency call 911. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers support in Spanish by phone and text at 988 and by chat in Spanish, 24 hours a day.
Licensing and Medicaid information reviewed in November 2026 · Sources: bhec.texas.gov, bhec.texas.gov, tmb.texas.gov
Mental health services near Austin
Where to find care in and around Austin, with straight-line distances from the town centre.
Psychiatric hospitals and mental health centres
- Seton Shoal Creek Hospital· 4.3 kmMap
- Austin State Hospital· 4.6 kmMap
- Austin Oaks Hospital· 7.8 kmMap
- Cross Creek Hospital· 10.1 kmMap
- Texas NeuroRehab Center· 10.5 kmMap
Hospitals with an emergency department
In a mental health emergency, go to the nearest emergency department or call the emergency number.
- Ascension Dell Seton Medical Center at The University of Texas· 1.4 kmMap
- Saint David's Medical Center· 3 kmMap
- Seton Medical Center Austin· 4.2 kmMap
Places: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Check opening hours and services before you go.
Questions about mental health care in Austin
Is there a hospital with an emergency department near Austin?
Yes. The nearest one we know of is Ascension Dell Seton Medical Center at The University of Texas, about 1.4 km from the centre of Austin. In an emergency, call the emergency number.
Where is the nearest psychiatric hospital or mental health centre to Austin?
Seton Shoal Creek Hospital, about 4.3 km away. Check opening hours and how to get an appointment before you go.