EMDR Therapist
with Kalya Castillo, Ph.D.
serving: New York + Connecticut
address healing through the mind-body connection
Is talk therapy no longer working for you?
People opt to explore Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy for different reasons.
You have tried traditional talk therapy but are feeling stuck in distressing memories and past experiences.
You are looking for a therapy modality that honors the relationship between body and mind.
Unlike traditional approaches, EMDR directly targets the body’s information processing systems to reprocess and heal from trauma.
"The past affects the present even without our being aware of it."
How can EMDR help me?
EMDR is an evidenced-based therapy approach that helps you process distressing memories and traumatic experiences. It works by using bilateral stimulation (rhythmic, left-to-right patterns to help unlock your brain’s natural healing abilities). This can be done through visual (following a therapist’s hand movements), tactile (gentle self-tapping), or auditory methods (hearing soft tones). By safely reprocessing unresolved memories, EMDR helps reduce your highly reactive emotional and physical responses.
Together, we use EMDR to address three areas:
Past memories that triggered the distress.
Present disturbances that are causing current disruptions.
Future actions and tools to help you navigate life with confidence.
Phases of EMDR
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We will discuss your background and pinpoint the specific traumatic memories to target for healing. We will practice coping techniques to handle emotional reactions that may arise.
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Identify memories we want to target. Use bilateral stimulation until memories no longer trigger distress. We will work to strengthen empowering beliefs.
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Every session concludes by safely returning to a calm state, to ensure you feel stable. We will reevaluate whether distress remains low.
There are eight phases to EMDR. Please access the following link to review the phases.
Conditions treated with EMDR:
Anxiety disorders
Depressive disorers
Grief
Phobias
Trauma
EMDR Questions
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We will prepare a signal or word to use for when you want to stop. We will immediately stop and use resourcing exercises to return you to a calm state.
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While EMDR consists of eight distinct phases, the total number of sessions depends entirely on your specific goals and history. A typical course takes 6 to 12 sessions, though complex or long-term trauma may require more time.
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Yes, EMDR can be facilitated virtually. For virtual sessions, we would opt to use gentle self-tapping or auditory bilateral stimulation.
About Kalya Castillo, Ph.D.
My clinical background—including treatment of trauma, anxiety, struggles with family dynamics, and academic or career burnout—is deeply informed by both rigorous training and my own lived experience. I offer specialized insight into the unique psychological pressures of multiracial identity, cultural navigating, motherhood, and emerging adulthood. 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,
& Trainings
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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
If interested in learning more about how therapy might help you, feel free to reach out and set up a free 15-min consultation or book an initial first session.
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.