About

My focus is on helping others change painful patterns. I am a psychotherapist who values a close, focused type of listening. This is connected to an emphasis on the unique cultural, environmental, and psychological factors that contribute to current distress.

In contemporary mental health treatment, there is an unfortunate tendency to focus on discrete symptoms as if they existed apart from the subjective historical and cultural circumstances of individuals. These symptoms have distinct meanings for each person, and my approach remains flexible and deeply respectful of these meanings.

What makes me a good fit for many is my ability to bring to life the complex internal experience of each individual. Together, we will explore and consider the reasons why certain repetitive, painful cycles continue to occur. Through this approach, I am able to help open up new possibilities.

In addition to my practice work, I have been a faculty member in graduate programs in social work and psychology at the Derner Institute at Adelphi University, Long Island University, and The City College of New York. I am currently Co-Director of Manhattan Institute for Psychoanalysis as well as Director of the MIP Licensure Qualifying Program.

License: Licensed by State of New York / 080694

Dr. Castro is featured in The New York Times article, “Are You Lying More in the Pandemic? Some Certainly Are“