Find a therapist in Elmira, NY — covered by insurance

I admire you for your courage and vulnerability in seeking counseling services. Your pain matters, you deserve to be heard, and you are worthy of the help you receive. You are more than the worst thing that has ever happened to you. Trying to heal from your worst experiences in life may leave you questioning yourself, your reality, and your feelings. Trauma can leave us with outdated beliefs about ourselves and the world around us. I am here to help you challenge and replace those beliefs in a safe, supportive environment where you are seen and heard.

Welcome to Headway. My name is Maria LoCastro, LCSWR. I've been a clinical social worker for over 20 years and have been working in the mental health field for almost 30 years. My path has been shaped by a deep interest in understanding how people adapt, cope, and heal through difficult experiences. I’ve worked across a range of settings, including outpatient mental health clinics, community-based programs, and leadership roles where I’ve supervised clinicians and helped shape services. These experiences shaped my approach to be both insight-driven and practical—helping clients understand themselves more deeply while also making meaningful, lasting changes in their daily lives.

Welcome and thank you for taking the time to learn more about me. As a licensed therapist practicing in both California and New York, I believe deeply in the inherent resilience and transformative potential within every individual. I earned my Master’s Degree in Mental Health Counseling from Teachers College, Columbia University. Throughout my clinical practice, I have supported clients across all life stages in navigating complex emotional challenges, including trauma, anxiety, and depression, while empowering them to cultivate healthy, fulfilling interpersonal relationships.

I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with a Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Adelphi University. I have experience working with children, adolescents, young adults, and families in a variety of clinical settings. My clinical experience includes supporting individuals with anxiety, depression, ADHD, neurodivergence, life transitions, and other mental health concerns.

Psychiatric provider with experience supporting children, adults, and older adults, I provide compassionate, holistic, evidence-based psychiatric care tailored to your needs. Through comprehensive assessments, personalized screenings, lab testing, psychotherapy, medication management, and education, I empower you to understand your treatment and potential responses.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with advanced training in contemporary psychodynamic/psychoanalytic approaches. I work with diverse populations, including people struggling with behavioral, emotional and/or relational difficulties resulting from varying degrees of early conflict or trauma. I also work with adults dedicated to making meaningful discoveries about themselves that enhance wellness, self-appreciation, and self-confidence. I have a deep regard for all of a person's experiences as I believe them to be be impactful and meaningful. Truly recognizing and understanding how a person is impacted by their experiences whether internal, external, spoken or unspoken of can lead to valued self-development.

I've spent over 40 years helping people navigate some of life's most challenging moments — and that work began long before I had a formal practice. Coming of age during the AIDS crisis, I watched everyone around me step into caregiving roles, often while struggling themselves. Witnessing the emotional weight of that — the anxiety, the fear, the toll — shaped everything about how I approach this work. My focus ever since has been helping people not just survive difficult experiences, but genuinely grow from them.

I've maintained a private practice in psychotherapy since 1983, and I hold a doctorate from Columbia University along with post-doctoral training in Organizational Development.

Outside of work, you'll find me hiking, swimming with my family, or playing the ukulele.

Hi, I’m Jennifer, a licensed clinical social worker with seven years of experience. I’ve spent most of my career in community mental health, where I’ve gained broad, diverse clinical experience. I hold a Master’s degree in Social Work and a Bachelor’s degree in Communication. Because communication is such a vital part of effective therapy, my background in communication strongly enhances my clinical practice and the work I do with clients.

Psychotherapy provides a space to achieve personal growth and navigate challenges within a trusting, supportive relationship with a trained expert. As a clinical psychologist, I specialize in helping people with a variety of problems, including those struggling with mood, emotion regulation, trauma, identity, relationships, academic/professional issues, body image, and eating disorders. Together, we identify and work toward goals while seeking deeper understanding into their behaviors and problems.

I am trained in multiple treatment modalities, including psychodynamic, relational, cognitive-behavioral, dialectical behavior, and systemic family therapies. My work is highly influenced by a multicultural approach, and I work with each individual to develop a tailor-made, integrative treatment to address his or her needs.

Personal growth is a lifelong process and for many, psychotherapy can be an incredibly fulfilling step in the journey. My goal is to provide a warm and safe environment that is fruitful to deep and long-lasting change. See my website for more information on my practice and areas of specialization, and call or email me to set up an initial consultation.