Psychotherapy is a unique human experience. The conditions of therapy allow us to step
out of the roles we inhabit in our daily lives. When conditions of safety and trust are part of your therapy, the potential for a new beginning arises, a new way of understanding your life and the dynamics that continue to shape you.
There are many reasons why you might start individual counseling
Here are just a few:
✓ You feel emotionally stuck or adrift in your life — you long to find a life-direction that feels authentic and emotionally fulfilling;
✓ You end up with partners who aren’t good for you and you want to better understand what drives your relationship choices;
✓ Insecurities and self-doubt stand in the way of you reaching your goals — at times it may feel like you sabotage yourself from getting what you want;
✓ A fear of intimacy (or a fear of commitment) prevents you from forming a deeper connection with your spouse/partner or children;
✓ You cannot let go of certain feelings (such as guilt, anger, hurt, regret); you feel trapped by past experiences that continue to rob you of being more fully engaged in life;
✓ You need help adjusting to a major life change, a transition that has deeply shaken you (the loss of a job; a divorce or breakup; disaffiliation from a church or religion; starting/moving away to college, retirement);
✓ You need support and guidance working through the loss of someone close to you (grief counseling);
✓ Symptoms of depression and/or anxiety are stripping you of a more fulfilling life;
✓ You struggle to control certain behaviors that are negatively impacting your life (alcohol, drugs, sexual acting-out/pornography).
The above list is by no means exhaustive.
And not everyone enters therapy with a clear sense of what is wrong or what they’d like to accomplish. In these instances, the therapy process can help you find the clarity and direction that best fits you.
The work of counseling
You are unique and so are the emotional struggles you face.
A dozen people may meet the criteria for depression (their “symptoms” of depression are described in a similar fashion) yet the dynamics that contribute to each person’s distress may differ. This shouldn’t be a surprise since the lens in which we experience the world is shaped by our rich developmental/family histories as well as the current, multidimensional context of our lives and personalities.
I work with my clients to co-create a treatment based upon their unique psychologies and experiences. Together we examine the context of their lives and relationships.
The therapy environment is designed to create a safe space where you can open up and explore the dimensions of your inner world, a world that will be looked at in the safety of non-judgment. This is a protected space like no other, a space created so that self-examination, growth, and healing can occur.
I offer both short-term therapy for symptom relief as well as long-term psychodynamic, insight-oriented therapy to overcome self-defeating behaviors.
Contact me to set up an initial consultation appointment. You can also reach me at (512) 931-9128. For information about the cost of therapy, click fees.
**Teletherapy sessions (video online sessions) are available for Texas residents**
In addition to Texas, Dr. Nicastro is now offering teletherapy to people residing in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia (DC), Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.**
I look forward to taking this journey with you.
Rich Nicastro, Ph.D.
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Richard Nicastro, Ph.D. is a psychologist and marriage counselor based in Austin, TX. He has twenty-five years of experience working with individuals and couples on a wide range of issues.