Biracial & Multiracial Therapy
with Kalya Castillo, Ph.D.
serving: New York + Connecticut
I am biracial Black Japanese and mother of two kids who are Black, Japanese and Dominican American.
Wondering why you feel anxious about how others perceive you in predominately monoracial spaces?
Have you felt misunderstood or unseen by family members who do not share your mixed-race experience?
Do you feel the need to alter parts of yourself in order to fit into monoracial groups?
Do you experience complex feelings when people compliment your appearance or cultures for being mixed-race?
Does it make you uncomfortable when people dissect your identity or question your racial percentages (e.g. “You’re only a quarter Asian”)?
Have you had struggles finding a clinician offering biracial & multiracial therapy?
Mixed race people have the right to self- identification, to create vocabulary, and to social boundaries.
As a biracial Black Japanese American woman, I draw from my own lived experiences, research, and clinical training in my work with biracial/multiracial clients.
My approach is client-focused, empowering, and centered on how you want to curiously navigate your identity. Reflecting on experiences you have had with community (e.g. family, friends, co-workers) can sometimes bring up complex feelings like shame or resentment. Painful emotions can serve as barriers to self-exploration and empowerment if we have learned to avoid, repress, or deny them.
I am here to help you explore and navigate a path toward understanding and healing.
Healing involves an ongoing, relational journey.
I work with individuals navigating questions about identity that bring up uncertainty, grief, or confusion.
Therapy can help you navigate the following:
How messages about your identity from family and community shaped your self-perception
Life experiences that have may have taught you to hide parts of yourself in order to simply survive
The impact of unmet needs (e.g. for belonging, acceptance) have impacted you, and how this affects relationships and decision-making
Discover tools that we can work on together.
Therapy provides you with insight and clarity. My work blends reflection, structure, and emotional grounding to help you move forward with authenticity and intention.
Skills you’ll gain:
Cognitive Restructuring: Recognize negative thought patterns no longer serving you, learn to challenge them, and gain a more balanced persective
Identify Defense Mechanisms: Develop insight into strategies you have used (e.g. intellectualize) to protect yourself from painful emotions
Emotional Grounding: Learn what people, places, and things provide you safety and relief
Create Empowerment: Gain communication skills, boundaries, and insight needed to align with authentic self
How we’ll work together in therapy
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Helps quiet your inner critic, reframe unhelpful thoughts, and release the trap of self-blame and overthinking.
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Explore how your unconscious mind influences your daily life and relationships, empowering you to address old habits and regain control
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There are many methods that we can use to work together to reach your goals.
Here are some methodologies that I’ll use:
What Therapy With Me Is Like
I am an open, curious, and collaborative partner in your healing journey. I am gentle and warm in my approach, focusing heavily on your strengths to foster an environment of safety. Within that therapeutic space, I am also equipped to provide the direct feedback and gentle challenges appropriate for real clinical transformation. Given my personal and clinical experiences, I am uniquely attuned to the pressures of identity, culture, and success; my clients deeply appreciate that I bring my own lived experiences navigating demanding career environments and family expectations into our work, allowing us to build a connection rooted in genuine understanding.
About Me
As a biracial Black Asian American, I bring a blend of clinical insight and research expertise to the exploration of biracial/multiracial identity in therapy.
My clinical specialties—including trauma, anxiety, family dynamics, and academic or career burnout—are deeply informed by both rigorous training and my own lived experience. As a Black Japanese American woman, I offer specialized insight into the unique psychological pressures of multiracial identity, cultural navigating, motherhood, and emerging adulthood.
Having experienced firsthand the weight of chronic stress and the reality of being "othered," my practice is dedicated to helping you break through the pressure to suffer in silence. Together, we will work to unpack complex systemic stressors, heal from old relational patterns, and help you feel firmly grounded in your authentic self.
Education & Credentials
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Seton Hall University, PhD, Counseling Psychology
City University of New York, MSEd, School Counseling/Counselor Education
Bard College, BA
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American Psychological Association
Asian American Psychological Association
Connect and Change, Pro bono psychotherapy for women who have experienced intimate partner violence
Women’s Mental Health Consortium
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Licensed Psychologist: New York, Connecticut
EMDR- Trained Clinician
Get Started in 4 Steps
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Reach out using the contact form. Share a bit about what’s bringing you to therapy- no need to overthink it. I’ll get back to you with next steps.
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After receiving your contact, options will be provided for having a brief 15-20 minute phone consultation or directly scheduling a first appointment.
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In our first full session, we will explore factors bringing you to therapy and areas of your life where you have been feeling stuck. We will begin mapping out a plan for our therapy work.
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Together, we’ll meet weekly to identify coping mechanisms no longer serving you, strengthen communication, and work towards creating change—with every step personalized entirely to you.
You do not have to figure this out on your own. Let’s navigate together.
Your journey may have been heavy, but you don't have to carry the weight alone. Let’s focus on you and work together to bring sustainable relief and clarity.