

Clients should know that I am a dedicated and empathetic therapist committed to their well-being. My approach is client-centered, focusing on their unique needs and experiences. I create a safe and non-judgmental environment for open communication and collaboration, helping clients navigate their challenges and work toward their personal goals with respect and understanding.
Katherine Castelo, LCSW is a licensed therapist and certified clinical supervisor in Virginia, Texas, Florida, West Virginia, Indiana, Maryland, and Colorado. With over 25 years of experience, she specializes in trauma, military and veteran mental health, first-responder wellness, grief, deployment-related stress, and major life transitions.
A former Marine Corps veteran spouse, Katherine brings lived experience and deep cultural understanding to her work. She has served across the DoD, VA, nonprofit, and civilian sectors, providing high-level clinical care, consultation, and program leadership.
She previously oversaw a Defense Health Agency program for transitioning service members and served as the U.S. Army Reserve Psychological Health Program Director, leading outreach for more than 200,000 soldiers and families and advising on post-suicide psychological autopsies as part of the USAR Fatality Review Board.
Katherine also worked as a civilian Employee Assistance Program (EAP) manager for the U.S. Navy and as a casualty assistance consultant for NCIS, developing programs focused on readiness, crisis response, and deployment-cycle support.
As founder of Awaken Wellness Center, her practice centers on trauma recovery, crisis intervention, and integrative therapies. She is trained in Brainspotting, IFS-informed work, and trauma-responsive care, and has provided trainings for service members, clinicians, and community providers on PTSD, MST, suicide prevention, and Brainspotting.
Today, Katherine consults with the SAFE Project’s SAFE Veterans initiative and teaches caregiver wellness classes with Semper Fi & America’s Fund, bringing compassionate, evidence-based, culturally grounded care to military members, veterans, first responders, caregivers, and their families.
I obtained my Master of Arts in Professional Counseling from Amberton University in 2021 and am a licensed professional counselor in the state of Texas. My areas of focus include depression, anxiety, trauma, relationship / attachment issues, couples counseling, adjustment difficulties, and emotion regulation difficulties.
I earned my Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from California University of Pennsylvania in 2020. Since then, I’ve worked with children and adults facing depression, anxiety, trauma, eating disorders, and some substance use, also at a psychiatrist hospital and with youth in the juvenile system. I’m a first-generation Nigerian American and the creative “black sheep” of my family. I bring empathy, authenticity, and individuality into my therapy practice, helping clients heal and grow.
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with extensive experience supporting adolescents, adults, and older adults through life’s most challenging transitions. My background spans mental health therapy, crisis intervention, trauma recovery, child welfare, and geriatric care, which allows me to work with clients from a holistic, compassionate, and well-rounded perspective.
I use a strength-based, trauma-informed, and person-centered approach, meeting each client where they are and honoring their unique experiences. My clinical work integrates evidence-based modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), DBT-informed skills, Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused Therapy, and mindfulness-based practices. I work collaboratively with clients to set meaningful goals, build coping skills, and create sustainable change.
I have experience helping clients navigate anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, stress, emotional regulation, self-esteem, relationship challenges, and major life transitions. I also bring a strong background in crisis support and safety planning, ensuring clients feel supported, grounded, and safe throughout the therapeutic process.
Above all, I strive to provide a warm, non-judgmental, and culturally responsive space where clients feel heard, respected, and empowered. Therapy with me is collaborative and paced to your needs, with a focus on helping you reconnect with your strengths and move forward with greater clarity and confidence.


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