ABOUT 

Sam del Castillo, Ph.D.

Pronouns: they/them/elle

Dr. Sam del Castillo is a queer and trans Mexican immigrant (indigenous and white). They have dedicated their life’s work to serving their communities. Dr. del Castillo is a licensed psychologist (CA license #PSY3496). They hold a doctorate degree in Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara (APA Accredited) where they also conducted research on LGBTQIA+ and Latino/a/e populations. Dr. del Castillo completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University in the gender and sexual identities track. As a researcher, they study parental support of transgender Latine youth. Dr. del Castillo also has extensive experience developing and expanding institutional support for marginalized students in higher education. 

MY STORY

They have served in numerous leadership and service roles in organizations, including National Latinx Psychological Association (NLPA)’s Orgullo and Gaylesta. While at UCSB, Dr. del Castillo co-founded the Queer and Trans Graduate Student Union at UCSB, (an organization that still exists today). They were successful in advocating to the university for funding for programming, mentorship programs, and an inaugural conference on LGBTQIA+ wellbeing. They also created the Decolonizing Psychology Learning Group, a space for psychologists-in-training to interrogate beliefs about psychology and learn anti-colonial methods of healing.

Dr. del Castillo has facilitated workshops on topics such as impostor syndrome, queer and trans identities, disability justice, strengthening institutional support for mental health, and transforming institutions and building institutional equity. 

They have taught undergraduate courses on topics such as Psychology of Gender, Feminist Studies - Women and Cultural Production, and introductory psychology courses. They have also supervised doctoral students at the practicum and internship levels. They enjoy teaching and mentorship. 

Dr. del Castillo is available to develop and lead workshops, teach courses, and provide consultation.

Dr. del Castillo is bilingual in English and Spanish

  • Postdoctoral Fellowship, Stanford University, Counseling and Psychological Services - Gender and Sexual Identities Specialization

  • Ph.D. in Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology, University of California, Santa Barbara (APA Accredited)

    • APA Accredited Doctoral Internship, California State University, Long Beach Counseling and Psychological Services

  • M.A. in Counseling Psychology, University of California, Santa Barbara

  • B.A. in Psychology, University of Houston

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

  • LGBTQIA+, Sexuality and Gender, Gender Diversity, Transgender, Nonbinary, Bisexual, Questioning

  • Black, Indigenous, and People of Color

  • Immigrants, children of immigrants

  • Parents, Parents of LGBTQIA+ children, Transgender Parents

  • Young adults, Adults

  • Graduate students

  • Masculinity 

  • Difficulties with embodiment - eating disorders, in recovery, body image issues - from a health at every size, harm reduction perspective 

  • Neurodivergence/neurodiversity

  • Disability justice 

  • Anxiety

  • Depression

  • OCD

  • Life transitions

  • Grief

  • Trauma

SPECIALTIES AND EXPERTISE