LMFT, 6 years of experience
Hi, I’m Jessica Castro, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. I’m a mother of two and have been married for 15 years, which gives me a deep, personal understanding of the joys and challenges that come with relationships and family life. With over 10 years of experience in the mental health field, I specialize in working with individuals who are seeking clarity, healing, and stronger connections. My clients often share that therapy with me helps them feel heard, empowered, and better equipped to handle life’s stressors. I’m committed to creating a safe, supportive space where meaningful change can happen.
In our first session, you can expect a calm, welcoming space where you can be yourself—no pressure, no judgment. We’ll start by talking about what’s bringing you in, what you’d like to get out of therapy, and anything you'd like me to know about your story so far. I’ll also ask some questions to get a clearer picture of how you’re doing emotionally, mentally, and in your day-to-day life. Most importantly, this session is about building trust and making sure you feel safe, supported, and understood as we begin this process together.
What stands out about my approach is how deeply I value the person in front of me—not just their symptoms or struggles. Rooted in humanistic therapy, I focus on building a genuine, trusting relationship where you feel fully seen and respected. I believe healing happens when you have space to explore your thoughts, emotions, and experiences without judgment. Clients often tell me they appreciate how heard and understood they feel in our work together—and that therapy with me helps them gain clarity, build self-confidence, and move forward with more purpose and self-trust.
Many of my clients are navigating life transitions, anxiety, identity struggles, or the lasting impact of past experiences. If you’re trying to find your voice, rebuild your confidence, or just need a space where you don’t have to carry it all alone—I get it. I bring both professional experience and real-life understanding to our work, and I’m here to help you feel seen, supported, and empowered to grow at your own pace.
I incorporate humanistic therapy in my work by creating a nonjudgmental, empathetic space where clients feel seen and heard. I believe people have the capacity for growth when given support and respect. This approach helps me empower clients to explore their emotions, values, and strengths. It also aligns with my trauma-informed and culturally responsive practices.
I use mindfulness-based therapy to help clients increase self-awareness, emotional regulation, and present-moment focus. I often integrate breathing exercises, grounding techniques, and mindful reflection into sessions to help reduce anxiety, manage stress, and improve emotional connection. This approach supports clients in pausing automatic reactions and making more intentional choices in their relationships and daily lives.
In my clinical practice, I regularly use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as a foundational approach to help clients understand the connection between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. With over six years of experience, I’ve found CBT to be especially effective in treating anxiety, depression, OCD, and low self-esteem. CBT gives clients a structured, practical framework to identify unhelpful thought patterns, challenge them with evidence-based tools, and learn healthier ways to respond to emotional distress. In session, I work collaboratively with clients to notice triggers, examine the stories they’re telling themselves, and develop more balanced, empowering perspectives. I tailor CBT to fit each client’s needs—whether we’re using thought records, behavioral experiments, exposure work, or reframing exercises, the goal is always to build insight and equip clients with tools they can take into daily life. It’s not just about managing symptoms—it’s about changing the way you relate to your thoughts so you can feel more in control, grounded, and confident.
I incorporate Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) into my practice to support clients who struggle with intense emotions, relationship difficulties, impulsive behaviors, or feeling emotionally overwhelmed. DBT combines the structure of cognitive-behavioral techniques with mindfulness and acceptance-based strategies, making it especially helpful for clients dealing with mood disorders, anxiety, trauma, or borderline personality traits. In session, I help clients build practical skills across four key areas: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. These tools empower clients to stay grounded in the present moment, manage big emotions without reacting impulsively, and improve communication in their relationships. I use a supportive and validating approach while also helping clients gently challenge behaviors that are no longer serving them. DBT is all about creating balance—accepting yourself as you are, while also working toward meaningful change.
I approach therapy through a trauma-informed lens, which means I prioritize emotional safety, trust, and empowerment in every session. Whether or not a client identifies their experiences as “trauma,” I recognize that past events—big or small—can shape how we see ourselves, relate to others, and move through the world. Being trauma-informed means I never assume, push, or pathologize. Instead, I work collaboratively with clients to create a space where they feel heard, respected, and in control of their healing process. I pay close attention to the nervous system, emotional triggers, and how trauma may show up in behaviors, beliefs, and the body. In practice, this looks like being patient, validating your experiences, moving at your pace, and integrating tools that build emotional regulation and a sense of internal safety. My goal is to support clients in healing without retraumatization—while helping them reclaim their voice, boundaries, and power.
1 rating with written reviews
July 22, 2025
This was my first session with her and I was nervous. I felt a little more comfortable later in the session.