Jose "Lee" Castillo

WELCOME Hello, I’m Lee and thank you for visiting my profile. That must mean you are looking into your own potential to being a “Happy Homo”, “Happy Homosexual, a “Happy Homosapien”, or are exploring your journey towards self-discovery, growth, freedom and hopefully joy and self actualization. We are all having a human experience and in that we have an array of emotions to experience. Sometimes we get stuck visiting a specific emotion due to trauma, heartache, or adversity, and that’s where I come in, or psychotherapy comes in. If you are interested in psychotherapy and think this a good fit, I look forward to working with you. If not, I wish you the best on your journey. ABOUT ME I’m an out and proud gay man and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in the Palm Springs, California area. I am happy to serve the Coachella Valley in person or via telehealth or in office. Like many, I came to Palm Springs to have a taste of freedom, queer joy, opportunities, and positive experiences. I practice affirmative therapy for our Queer community with a sex positive mindset, and understand many queer struggles! I strive to be an honest, open, loving, and accepting person in all I do. I believe we all deserve a safe space to process, exist, and to thrive. Sometimes the world sends negative messages to our queer community and our allies. I hope I can give you enough space, time, and therapy to remember all the greatness and resiliency you already possess. Let your own greatness, social connections, and self-love act as a counterweight to those negative messages. MY APPROACH My approach is simple, I meet you where you are at (mentally), and we build from there. The first few sessions are rapport building/getting to know you and identifying your needs. I work with adults (18- 99 years old) and can/may use a blended approach of therapy. I most frequently utilize Strengths Based, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Mindfulness modalities, again depending on your needs. I studied at the University of Utah for both my undergraduate and Master’s Degree. I’ve practiced social work in various ways, through Child Protective Services, Mental Health Competency Assessments, therapy in a nonprofit clinic setting, and have been a practicing therapist since 2012. I spent most of the pandemic working in Utah Emergency Rooms until my move to California. I’m open to working with anyone who is looking to better understand themselves and unlock their potential (when you are ready). Client Population I love working with the Queer Community. My client population and specialty focus is on LGBTQAI+, Seniors, People with HIV+/AIDS, grief and loss, post religious trauma, and loneliness. Since moving to the desert, I find loneliness and social connections are missing for many of our community members. So many of us move here and although we are part of a larger collective or tribe, some struggle to find and make connections to form their smaller tribe. I encourage you to be brave and keep looking – because they, we are out there. My Communication Style I’m an active listener, engaged, and personable. This is your therapy; we can talk about whatever you want. This is a safe space AND I’m easy to talk to. Our first session…. Our first session we do some basic ground rules, rapport building, and complete an intake assessment with you. These can be anywhere from 60+ minutes. I’ll need your help to get a sense of what brings you into therapy, and other assessment related questions. This will help us identify where we should go from there with therapy. Everyone is different, and I look forward to building a plan that suits your needs. From intake, if you feel like it’s a good fit and would like to proceed, we move to Individual sessions. They are typically 45-55 minutes one time a week. As you progress in your goals/treatment, we can move to biweekly or whatever best fits your needs and schedule. Wishing you joy, J. Lee Castillo, LCSW