Are you looking for an experienced psychologist or therapist in Austin?
Psychologist in Austin, Texas
As a psychologist with over twenty years’ experience, I work with clients struggling with a wide range of psychological and emotional issues, including:
- Depression
- Low self-esteem
- Grief/loss
- Anxiety (generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, performance anxiety, panic attacks)
- Difficulty adjusting to life-transitions (i.e., midlife crisis, separation/divorce, starting college, retirement, religious disaffiliation)
- Out-of-control sexual behavior (including sex addiction)
- Self-defeating behaviors (self-sabotage)
- Struggles with emotional and sexual intimacy
- Marital and relationship difficulties (including healing from infidelity)
- Struggles with chronic shame and/or guilt
- Problems with lying and secrecy
- Men’s issues (difficulties connecting with emotions; problems opening up and communicating personal needs; obstacles to being vulnerable with loved ones; etc.)
- Trauma (overcoming childhood neglect; physical abuse; sexual abuse)
I combine psychodynamic, relational/attachment, and emotional-focused therapy approaches to fit the unique needs of each client. My top priority is to help you gain a deeper sense of where and how you get stuck in your life and how to break free of these patterns.
In my Austin therapy practice I offer the following services:
Individual Counseling, Austin
Are you feeling stuck in your life?
Does the fog of depression, unhappiness or emotional numbness seep into every area of your life?
Is fear/anxiety holding you back from living a more fully engaged life?
As a clinical psychologist in Austin, I offer both short-term individual 
therapy as well as longer-term, psychodynamic, insight-oriented psychotherapy. Research shows that therapy can help people overcome their emotional and relationship struggles (such as depression, anxiety, the impact of trauma) as well as help them gain greater awareness and emotional clarity.
Your goals for counseling might be…
Relief from the pain of certain psychological and emotional symptoms (e.g., jealousy, anxiety/panic attacks, feelings of inadequacy, feeling like an imposter or like you don’t belong, depressed mood);
Exploring and, if need be, changing how you relate to yourself (for example, replacing self-criticalness and punishing perfectionistic standards that rob you of fulfillment with greater understanding and self-compassion);
Gaining greater insight into long-standing, unwanted behaviors (such as clarity about the choices you make; examining the underlying dynamics that keep you stuck and unfulfilled).
If you have any questions about how I work or about how therapy can help you reach your goals, please feel free to contact me.
Marriage Counseling, Austin
Are you and your spouse/partner struggling to effectively communicate and connect on a deeper level?
Is your relationship lacking emotional and/or sexual intimacy?
Are you trying to heal from an affair and rebuild the trust that is so vital to a healthy relationship?
I have worked with hundreds of couples over two decades as a psychologist.
Some of these couples had slowly grown apart and hadn’t been able to find their way back to each other; others were in crisis, on the verge of ending their relationship and therefore reached out to me to see if things could be salvaged; many were caught in negative communication spirals, defensive reactivity that blocked forward movement; and a large percentage of the couples that sought couples counseling were dealing with the painful fallout of an affair, a devastating betrayal (or series of betrayals) that had shaken their marriage/relationship to its very core.
In my couples therapy Austin practice, I help create a safe space for you and your partner/spouse to discuss and explore the issues that have brought you pain or have caused you to get stuck. I use a variety of approaches that are tailored to the dynamics of your marriage/relationship.
I would be happy to speak to you to answer any questions you might have about marriage counseling/couples therapy or to set up an appointment.
Men’s Groups in Austin
Group therapy is a powerful format that can be helpful for a variety of psychological and emotional issues. It offers a supportive and accepting environment that helps relieve the intense isolation often experienced when we are struggling and in emotional pain.
If you’ve never been part of a group therapy experience, it is common to be hesitant about joining a group. It’s normal to feel anxiety about sharing personal thoughts with others or to feel uncertain about how group therapy can be of help to you. I will meet with all potential group members individually to discuss these issues and to assess whether the group is right for them.
I am currently starting two groups in Northwest Austin:
When Sex Becomes a Problem: A group for men
This ongoing group is designed for men who struggle with out-of-control sexual behavior (for instance, excessive porn use; infidelities/affairs; paying for sex; online chatrooms; compulsive masturbation). In this supportive setting, we will explore the underlying emotional issues that drive these behaviors while offering practical strategies to gain behavioral control.
Process-Oriented Group For Men
This ongoing group is designed to explore the internal psychological and emotional blocks and inner conflicts that often play out in the lives of men.
These emotional blocks negatively impact our relationships (in marriage/romantic relationships; with our children; with peers, in the work environment). Difficulties opening up emotionally and connecting with others can lead to a variety of symptoms, such as anger, depression and self-medicating behaviors, such as alcohol use, overeating, overworking, sexual acting out as well as chronically feeling unfulfilled/dissatisfied.
Please feel free to contact me if you’d like more information about either of these men’s groups. Prior to joining the group, you would meet with me for a 45-minute consultation to discuss your needs and assess whether the group is a good fit for you (there is no charge for this meeting).
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To read about the wide range of psychological issues that often motivate people to seek my therapy services, please visit my blog.
Contact me today
I offer teletherapy services to individuals and couples throughout the United States. If you have any questions or would like to set up an appointment, I can be reached at: Rich@RichardNicastro.com.
Thank you,
Richard Nicastro, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychologist