Health
Centro Sanar Connects Southwest Siders to Free Mental Health Care: ‘It’s Been Life-Changing’
The demand for mental health services has reached an all-time high, particularly in Brown and Black communities that often lack access to these resources. On the Southwest Side along West 51st Street is Centro Sanar, which translates to “Heal Center.”
Edwin Martinez is one of the co-founders of the clinic, which provides free mental health services. He started the work in 2020, initially volunteering at Centro Sanar while still working elsewhere and caring for his baby.
Martinez believes in the mission of providing wellness support to Latino communities that often lack access to therapy because of insurance barriers.
“In terms of what folks need, it’s an array of support that centers their own healing journeys — whether that be individual therapy, couples therapy, family therapy,” Martinez said. “I’m thinking about culturally specific high-quality mental health care, and that tends to be inaccessible for folks.”
Centro Sanar began five years ago as a grassroots initiative launched by local mental health providers. It focuses on helping people break through their complex traumas using different techniques.
“I’ve had clients say, ‘I saw someone once a month for, like, 20, 30 minutes,’” said Maritza Lopez Campos, one of the clinical supervisors and therapists at the center. “I think what makes Centro Sanar so special is the ability to provide those high-quality, free services on a consistent basis for up to two years. In some cases, we’ve been providing services for longer than that.”
Campos is a first-generation Latina who said her upbringing inspired her to become a case manager. Eventually, she returned to school to become a therapist.
“Looking back at my family growing up in Iowa there wasn’t a lot of resources that were in Spanish,” Campos said. “They were navigating court systems. They were navigating all these other systems. … I was like, I want to be that person that’s able to help folks navigate systems that they don’t understand, that even I didn’t understand when I first started.”
The nonprofit serves neighborhoods throughout the Southwest Side, from Gage Park to Brighton Park and Little Village.
Erika Sanchez has been receiving therapy for two years and said the tools she learned have helped her become a better mother to her son.
“It’s been life-changing, and you know that not only are you in it for yourself to help yourself with your own work, but they’re here for you, too,” Sanchez said. “It’s OK to come looking for help and to be able to have an opportunity and a place like Centro Sanar. It’s amazing and the fact that they are able to do this for us at no cost.”
Martinez said the center has assisted nearly 65 families and served more than 2,000 people since its opening, with ages ranging from 10 to 44 years old.
For Martinez, a first-generation Mexican American, being the executive director of a mental health clinic is a way to break stereotypes surrounding mental health in the Latino community. He views Centro Sanar as an anchor for community wellness.
“I’m also a father of a 7-year-old and a 5-year-old, so I think about what I feel I need, but also I feel that other folks can benefit from as well,” Martinez said. “And selfishly I want to create a better world for my kids.”
While the nonprofit is growing, Martinez said the need for mental health services continues to increase. The waiting list can be up to 10 months to receive services.
