David Castaneda, MPS, LPCC LADC (they/them; he/him)
I’m David - a neurodivergent (autistic, ADHD), queer, Minnesota-based psychotherapist and substance use counselor holding dual LPCC and LADC licenses through the state of Minnesota. I provide telehealth and in-person therapy options for clients. I see clients in-person exclusively at our Inver Grove Heights location. I enjoy working with people of all gender and sexual identities and value working with clients from backgrounds and lived experiences that are messy, complex, or confusing. I value YOUR power to make informed decisions about your mental health to create meaningful and transformative change in your life.
My upbringing in a multi-cultural/multi-ethnic Mexican-American family in Southern California shapes how I navigate personal meaning-making and life purpose when working with individuals in the therapy space. I am passionate about helping clients discover their unique meaning and life purpose while needing to constantly navigate the “grey” area of a complex, confusing, and uncertain world. I seek to provide clients a positive healing space in therapy where we can cultivate self-respect, compassion, and curiosity to overcome obstacles, navigate systems of oppression, and work towards improving your quality of life. I actively work to provide this affirming space as we engage in therapy as collaborative partners. My approaches to psychotherapy and substance use work are both strongly rooted in neurodiversity-affirming, harm-reduction, trauma-informed, LGBTQIA+ affirming, sex-positive, culturally responsive care.
A continued goal of mine as a substance use counselor is to advocate for practical and liberatory strategies to reduce the negative consequences of substance use. I believe people who actively use substances deserve to live safe, meaningful, and dignified lives. A current special interest of mine since the recreational legalization of cannabis in Minnesota is working with clients on reducing shame and stigma around cannabis use - exploring ways clients can navigate their cannabis use in safer ways, and in stronger alignment with their personal healing journey.
Outside of work I am grounding and restoring my neurodivergent self in a plethora of special interests, including (but definitely not limited to): loving on, and spoiling my senior kitty cat; researching various topics; reading; playing video games; admiring visual and performing art; listening to music; making food and drink; spending time in nature; chilling with my friends and family.
David Castañeda MPS, LPCC, LADC is a proud first-generation college graduate in their family - completing a Master of Professional Studies in Integrated Behavioral Health from the University of Minnesota in 2022 to assist clients with mental health, substance use, or co-occurring disorders. Their therapy philosophy is largely shaped by Existentialism and Accelerated Experiential-Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP).
Specialties: individual therapy, ages 18+, co-occurring disorders, neurodiversity, anxiety, trauma, Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET), substance use, toxic masculinity, DBT skills, gender, sexuality, multi-ethnic identities, life purpose, meaning, and transitions.
Locations: Inver Grove Heights, Virtual
