Rich Nicastro, PhD is a licensed clinical psychologist with over twenty-five years’ experience working with individuals and couples, running therapy groups, and supervising other therapists. He is based out of Austin, Texas and offers individual and couples teletherapy services to clients throughout Texas (as well as Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington DC, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming).
Dr. Nicastro offers both short-term therapy for symptom relief as well as long-term psychodynamic, insight-oriented therapy to enhance self-understanding and to overcome self-defeating behaviors. He also encorporates Internal Family Systems (IFS parts work) into his treatment approach.
Dr. Nicastro earned his doctorate in clinical psychology from the New School for Social Research in
New York City. After receiving his PhD, he completed an intensive, two-year postdoctoral fellowship program at the Traumatic Stress Institute/Center for Adult and Adolescent Psychotherapy in Connecticut. It was during this advanced training that he was introduced to relational models of therapy and the power of relationships to heal our deepest wounds. He conducted research on the therapeutic alliance in working with adults struggling to overcome the effects of childhood sexual and physical abuse.
After working at the Traumatic Stress Institute, Dr. Nicastro opened a private practice with a colleague. From 1996 to 2008 he was a licensed psychologist in Connecticut where he co-ran Adult and Adolescent Psychological Services (treating individuals, couples, running groups and supervising therapists). In addition, he taught and supervised graduate students at the University of Hartford’s graduate psychology program.
In 2008 he relocated to the Southwest and opened the Relationship Center of New Mexico, a psychotherapy practice specializing in relationship and intimacy issues. After eight years in New Mexico, he and his family moved to the Austin area.
In his practice, Dr. Nicastro works with individuals and couples on a wide range of issues, including depression, anxiety, the effects of trauma, grief and loss, difficult transitions (divorce, the ending of an important relationship; adjusting to college), intimacy issues, problems with anger, post-affair healing and sexual addiction, to name a few. He also specializes in men’s issues.
Dr. Nicastro’s therapy approach is influenced by several theoretical models, including relational/psychodynamic, attachment, Internal Family Systems (IFS) and emotionally focused therapy. While these therapeutic principles guide his work, he strongly believes that each therapy must be collaboratively created anew depending on the needs of the client.
He also has extensive experience working with clients who struggle with patterns of destructive compartmentalization, secrecy and lying.
Dr. Nicastro is a Licensed Psychologist with the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists (TX License # 37468).