

I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in Massachusetts with dual graduate degrees from the University of Pennsylvania—an M.S.Ed. in Mental Health Services and an M.S.PHL in Professional Counseling. I’m passionate about supporting individuals through challenges related to anxiety, trauma, and relationships. My multicultural background and specialized training in evidence-based practices for emotion regulation and trauma-informed care inform my compassionate and collaborative approach to therapy. I offer evening sessions Mon–Thu for adults after work and after-school sessions for kids/teens, in-person or online.
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.
As a person-centered therapist, I energize your strengths so you can identify the solutions. I specialize in children and teens who have experienced trauma and the families that support them. I'm here to walk with you, remind you of your greatness, and witness your growth. Your experience is uniquely yours!
I have been a counselor for 40 years, working with individuals, couples, families and groups with psychological as well as addiction issues. I have extensive experience in inpatient as well as outpatient settings. I am eclectic in my evaluation and treatment methods, which gives me flexibility to treat individual needs. Primarily, I use cognitive-behavioral techniques. Many of my clients suffer with depression, anger, and anxiety (panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive disorder); all of which impact potential addictions. I also treat couples and families to better understand their dynamics and to improve their communication skills.
My background consists of psychological testing and understanding personalities. This has helped in my work with children, adolescents, & families. I enjoy working with gay and straight couples, to help them with empathy and communication. I do extensive cognitive work as well as teaching techniques with people suffering from anxiety, anger, and addictions.
I encourage self-awareness to stimulate one's potential. Understanding oneself is essential to reducing anxiety, depression & anger (and in improving relationships). I teach relaxation, meditation, & self-hypnosis techniques to improve personal balance. I guide couples and families to improve relationships through empathy, acceptance, and communication.
What led me to become a therapist...
When I was a child, my mother taught me a poem called “Children Learn What They Live.” It had a big influence on me – so much so that I knew at age 15 that I wanted to work with kids.
When I was a junior in college, the unimaginable happened, as I lost my teenaged brother. That tragedy affected me profoundly, igniting a passion for turning life’s lemons into lemonade.
I had a mission: to help people who are suffering but don’t know how to change it.


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