- Years in practice
- 26
- Credentials
- LCSW
- Licensed in
- New York
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- Relationship issues
- Focus
- Grief
About Barbara
Barbara Castro is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in New York with 26 years of experience. She helps people manage stress, anxiety, depression, relationship strain, grief, parenting concerns, bipolar disorder, and attention-deficit symptoms. She also supports those facing fertility struggles, postpartum mood concerns, and other reproductive-related challenges.
Her style is direct and warm. She listens without judgment and adapts each session to what a person needs right now. Sessions focus on practical steps you can use between meetings, like coping skills and clearer communication strategies.
Background and approach
Barbara uses client-centered methods to put the person's goals at the center of care. She draws on cognitive behavioral therapy to spot unhelpful thinking and change it. Dialectical behavior therapy skills are used for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and better interpersonal effectiveness.
Her personal experience with perinatal mood disorder and infertility informs her approach to related concerns. That background helps her relate to the emotional complexity of fertility and postpartum issues while keeping sessions focused and goal-oriented. People who come to her can expect a collaborative process.
Together they set realistic goals and track small changes over time. The aim is better daily functioning, improved coping, and clearer choices about next steps.
What Barbara works with
Everything Barbara lists, in the therapist's own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Barbara helps people with.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Grief
- Parenting issues
- Depression
- Self esteem
- Bipolar disorder
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Divorce and separation
- Emptiness
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Fertility issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Self-harm
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
Approaches Barbara lists
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
How specific approaches work in online sessions
Client-centered therapy places the person's needs and goals at the heart of the work. The therapist focuses on listening, reflecting, and shaping sessions around what matters most to the client, which can help with relationship strain, parenting decisions, and emotional overwhelm.Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, helps people notice unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and replace them with more useful alternatives. It is practical and task-oriented, often used for anxiety, depression, and stress management.
Dialectical behavior therapy, or DBT, teaches clear skills for managing intense emotions, tolerating distress, and improving communication. These techniques can be helpful for mood instability and strong reactions that interfere with daily life.
Finding the right approach is a shared process. The therapist will discuss goals, try methods that fit the issue, and adjust the plan based on what helps most. Clients are invited to give feedback so sessions stay useful and workable for their life.
Online formats offer practical flexibility. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when seeing facial cues matters. Phone sessions use less bandwidth and can be easier when movement or hands-on tasks are helpful. Live chat and text-based messaging let people check in between sessions or use shorter, faster exchanges during busy days. These options make it easier to fit therapy into work, childcare, and other commitments.
Questions people ask about Barbara
What concerns does Barbara help with?
She supports people dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, grief, parenting worries, bipolar disorder, and ADHD symptoms. She also focuses on fertility struggles and perinatal mood concerns.
How would you describe her therapy style?
Her style is warm and straightforward. She listens closely, tailors sessions to individual needs, and emphasizes practical skills that can be used between meetings.
What kind of experience does she bring?
She has 26 years of professional experience as a psychotherapist and draws on personal experience with perinatal mood disorder and infertility when relevant to care.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is a licensed clinical social worker, LCSW, licensed in New York. Her practice is listed as New York.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available?
Sessions can be scheduled as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging.
How does payment and cost work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability. Sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to her availability.
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