Barbara Castro , LCSW

Barbara Castro is a licensed clinical social worker with 26 years of experience helping people manage stress, anxiety, depression, and relationship challenges. She focuses on women's issues including pregnancy, fertility struggles, and postpartum mood concerns, and also supports people dealing with grief, parenting strain, bipolar disorder, and ADHD.

Her approach is straightforward and person-centered. She listens first, then works with each person to set clear, achievable goals. Sessions aim to build practical coping skills, improve communication, and reduce overwhelming emotions.

Barbara uses techniques from client-centered therapy to follow the person's lead and create a respectful space. She also draws on cognitive behavioral therapy to identify unhelpful thinking patterns and develop new habits. When strong emotions or self-destructive urges come up, elements of dialectical behavior therapy help with distress tolerance and emotional regulation.

Clients can expect calm, direct guidance and concrete tools to use between sessions. She adapts pacing and focus to each person's needs, whether the concern is parenting stress or long-standing patterns of shame and guilt. The goal is better daily functioning and more satisfying relationships.

Barbara practices from New York and conducts sessions in English. She frames therapy as a collaborative effort and invites people to begin by sharing what matters most to them. Practical steps and steady support are emphasized throughout the work.

Therapy approaches and online sessions

Client-centered therapy focuses on the person's experience and priorities, with the therapist following the lead of the person in session to build trust and clarity. This approach suits people who want a respectful, empathetic space to work through life changes or emotional strain.

Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions connect. It teaches practical skills to test unhelpful thoughts and try new behaviors, which can help with anxiety, depression, and relationship stress.

Dialectical behavior therapy, DBT, offers tools for handling intense emotions and improving distress tolerance. It is useful when overwhelming feelings, impulsive behavior, or relationship conflicts get in the way of daily life.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will help figure out what fits best based on individual goals, needs, and preferences. Decisions about which methods to use are made together and can change as progress occurs.

Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to make therapy more flexible. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation, phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited, and messaging formats support brief check-ins or ongoing written support. These options make it simpler to fit therapy into a busy schedule and keep momentum between appointments.