Yes I Can, (Si, Yo Puedo): An Empowerment Program for Immigrant Latina Women in Group Settings

The Si, Yo Puedo (SYP) program manual is a step-by-step, culturally specific, 11-week curriculum for Spanish-English graduate level licensed mental health professionals (e.g., clinical social workers, professional counselors, family and marriage therapists, psychologists). Si, Yo Puedo is Yes, I Can in English. The empowerment program is designed to provide education, promote self-esteem, prevent domestic violence, and help readers understand healthy relationships within a cultural framework. Participants meet weekly for two hours and examine topics addressing issues related to immigrant Latina women’s sense of self, characteristics of healthy relationships and dating, keys to understanding the dynamics of domestic violence, and ways to access resources. The program manual includes structured sessions with goals and objectives, in-class self-reflection drawing and writing exercises, and handouts for the weekly topics. Upon completion of the SYP program, immigrant Latinas and Latinas in general will be empowered to examine current relationships and their self-esteem, and to potentially make changes in their lives.