Services
I offer a variety of services to individuals seeking psychotherapy or psychological evaluations. Please read on for more information on these services.
Consultation for Psychotherapy/Counseling
An initial meeting with me is considered a consultation where we will discuss your particular concerns and what you are hoping that I may be able to help with. I will ask you questions regarding your current issues and relevant history so that I can get a better sense of what your needs are and what recommendations I may have for you to consider.
For example, while you may want to pursue talk therapy, I can help you determine what kind of treatment may be better suited to your needs. Sometimes, this may mean referring you out to other providers who are either more skilled in your particular area of concern or who’s style and approach may be a better fit for you and your specific goals. Other times, I may recommend you seek a medical or other specialists’ opinion if I believe that doing so would benefit you in any way.
An initial consultation is also an opportunity for us to decide if we are a good fit and if you feel comfortable enough to continue working with me. Psychotherapy is a deeply personal and private experience, and because it requires you to open up and discuss your thoughts, feelings, and general reactions to things with as little inhibition as possible, it is important that you feel you are able to do so, or could imagine yourself doing so, with me.
Individual psychotherapy
If after our initial meeting we decide to continue working together, we will agree on fee, scheduling, and frequency of sessions. Psychotherapy works best when you have 1-2 sessions per week so that there’s adequate momentum and continuity from session to session. I generally do not recommend meeting less frequently as it will be harder for you to experience any noticeable change to those concerns that brought you to therapy in the first place. For more information on my approach to psychotherapy, please click here.
Psychological Evaluations
Psychological evaluations, or psychological assessments, are an in-depth approach to best determining diagnostic clarity and recommendations for treatment. Psychological evaluations usually involve a comprehensive assessment of an individual’s intellectual, cognitive, academic, social, emotional, and other important areas of functioning. The areas to be assessed, and the extent to which these are examined, will vary depending upon each individual’s specific needs and reasons for seeking a psychological evaluation. Because I tailor evaluations to each individual’s specific needs, the time commitment and therefore costs involved will vary.
The process typically involves direct contact (in-person or via synchronous audio/video conferencing), in-depth interviewing, review of records (if available and needed), and formal testing. Testing refers to the use of standardized, empirically validated, and related tests or measures chosen by the psychologist to answer the referral question. Results from psychological testing can be of great value in accessing specialized services, qualifying for educational accommodations, clarifying the nature of emotional or cognitive symptoms, and designing treatment interventions.
After testing, I will review, score, and interpret an individual’s performance on tests and, along with information provided by the individual during clinical interview, produce a full, written report that summarizes the individual’s relevant areas of history, test results, diagnostic impressions, and recommendations.
For more information regarding fees and scheduling, please contact me here or email me: dr.castro@animapsychservices.com
Immigration Evaluations
For individuals undergoing immigration proceedings, such as those involving VAWA-related relief, hardship waivers, asylum, or U/T-visa petitions, I offer bilingual (English/Spanish) psychological evaluations. Evaluations are provided remotely, via a secure videoconferencing platform to ensure privacy. For individuals who speak languages other than English or Spanish, I am happy and willing to work with an interpreter of their choosing.
For immigration evaluations, the process typically involves:
Consulting with your attorney, designated legal representative, and/or their staff regarding the particulars of your case
1-2 Diagnostic Interview sessions, conducted remotely, usually 2-3 hours (or more) total
Review of records, scoring/interpretation of measures used for the evaluation, and a full written report
For more information regarding fees and scheduling, please contact me here or email me: dr.castro@animapsychservices.com
Letters for Gender-Affirming Medical Care
In accordance with the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) standards of care, I am trained and enthusiastic about providing referral letters for gender-affirming medical care. I view my role in your gender journey as that of advocate, collaborator, and professional guide, here to walk you through the referral letter process. Given that most health insurances and medical providers require a mental health evaluation or letter of referral for gender-affirming procedures, I make myself available to help you complete this step of the process as easily and as stress-free as possible.
Please contact me here or email me: dr.castro@animapsychservices.com for more information.