Barbara CastroLCSW

Barbara Castro is an LCSW based in New York who helps people manage stress, anxiety, depression, parenting challenges, and pregnancy-related concerns. She supports people facing fertility struggles, postpartum mood issues, relationship strain, grief, and self-esteem struggles. Her work also covers ADHD, bipolar symptoms, and other life disruptions that get in the way of daily functioning.

With 26 years as a clinician, Barbara focuses on practical steps that improve day-to-day life. She listens first and tailors sessions to what each person needs. Sessions emphasize skills for coping, clearer communication, and calmer routines that reduce overwhelm.

Barbara uses client-centered methods that put the person’s goals at the center of care. She also draws on cognitive behavioral therapy to identify thoughts that fuel anxiety or low mood. Dialectical behavior therapy skills are used for emotional regulation and managing intense feelings when needed.

Her approach is warm and direct. She combines clinical experience with personal understanding of perinatal mood and infertility struggles. That background informs how she supports people through pregnancy, fertility challenges, and early parenthood transitions.

People who work with her can expect a collaborative plan with concrete tools. She helps build coping strategies, strengthen relationships, and set short-term goals that lead to steadier days. The tone in sessions is respectful and goal-focused, aimed at making life more bearable and more meaningful.

Approaches that guide online care

Barbara uses client-centered therapy to keep sessions focused on each person's goals and values. This approach means the conversation starts with what matters most to the individual and moves toward practical steps they want to take.

She also draws on cognitive behavioral therapy, which helps people notice and change thought patterns that worsen anxiety or low mood. CBT is useful for worry, negative self-talk, and improving daily routines that affect mood.

Dialectical behavior therapy skills are used when emotional regulation and intense feelings become overwhelming. DBT-based techniques teach breathing, distress tolerance, and communication skills that help in heated moments and ongoing relationship stress.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Barbara will collaborate with the person to decide which methods fit their needs and goals. She adjusts techniques over time based on how a person responds, aiming for a practical mix rather than a single fixed method.

Session formats are not specified here, so confirm current session options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into busy days, shorten check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. It also allows ongoing skill practice between meetings so tools learned in sessions can be used in everyday life.