Marisa Castro LPC

I believe therapy works best when people feel seen, heard, and safe enough to show up as they are, not how they wish to be.

My approach to therapy is centered around the relationship that the client and I build together — creating a space where curiosity, honesty, humor, and compassion can exist alongside discomfort, grief, uncertainty and change. I work collaboratively with clients to slow down patterns that no longer serve them and build greater connection to themselves, their emotions, and the people around them.

I work with children, parents, teens and adults navigating trauma, anxiety, emotion regulation, ADHD, OCD, life transitions, identity development, relationship struggles, and the lasting impact of emotionally abusive or unhealthy relationship patterns. Many of my clients come into therapy feeling disconnected from themselves, overwhelmed by expectations, stuck in survival mode, or unsure how to trust their own experiences. I also support clients experiencing intrusive thoughts, compulsive behaviors, perfectionism, and anxiety cycles using Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) alongside relational support and practical coping strategies.

My style is relational, validating, and direct.

I incorporate CBT and DBT-informed practices to help clients better understand their own patterns of thinking, strengthen emotional regulation, improve interpersonal effectiveness, and increase distress tolerance. I also draw from attachment-focused and mindfulness-based approaches while emphasizing authenticity and collaboration. Together, we work toward increasing self-awareness and building the ability to sit with difficult emotions safely rather than immediately avoid or escape them.

I believe growth happens when people feel supported enough to move through discomfort while staying connected to themselves. Therapy is not about becoming a different person, it is about creating enough safety, insight, and self-trust to live more fully and intentionally as your most authentic self.