You're Not Broken. You're Just Trapped.
If you’ve tried everything and still feel stuck, it’s not you — it’s the emotion running your life from the shadows.
Break Free From What Has Been Holding You Back!
Therapy and Coaching to help you see the trap, name it, and step out of it — for good.
The "Trapped By" Framework
What Therapy and Coaching Looks Like
This isn’t talk therapy. It’s guided clarity. Coaching with me is about getting unstuck — not someday, but now. Here's what to expect:
1. Spot The Symptoms
We start with what’s showing up — anxiety, burnout, guilt, overthinking. These aren’t the problem. They’re clues.
4. Choose Yes or No
Every trap ends in a decision. Not a maybe. Not “someday.” I’ll help you find the next real choice in your life — and act on it.
2. Name The Trap
You’ll learn which emotion is really running the show. Fear. Guilt. Control. Sadness. Once it’s named, it loses power.
5. Build Emotional Muscle
You’ll learn how to spot the trap before it pulls you back in. Coaching is practice — not perfection.
3. Interrupt The Pattern
We uncover the cycle that keeps you stuck — and I’ll show you how to break it in real time, not just understand it.
6. Create Change That Sticks
No surface-level fixes. We’ll implement small, powerful shifts that change how you move through the world — sustainably.
Client Transformation Stories
You’re Not Alone. But You Don’t Have to Stay Stuck.
About
Alexandra De Castro Basto
My journey into therapy and coaching began with my own experience of being stuck — doing all the “right” things but still feeling off. Therapy helped me uncover that what I was facing weren’t just surface issues, but emotional traps I didn’t yet have language for...
That realization changed everything.
As I began working with clients, I saw the same pattern over and over:
They came in overwhelmed by symptoms — anxiety, guilt, burnout, overthinking — but the real issue was what those symptoms were hiding.
They weren’t just anxious…
They were Trapped By Fear.
They weren’t just people-pleasing…
They were Trapped By Guilt.
The symptom was just the messenger. The real transformation happened when we named the trap.
That’s when change became possible.
In our work together, I’ll help you slow down, get honest, and finally see the pattern that’s been running your life. My approach combines deep listening with active strategy. I draw from tools like CBT, Motivational Interviewing, and psychodynamic work — but my focus isn’t theory. It’s what actually moves you forward.
My goal is to help you stop chasing short-term relief and start building long-term clarity. That begins by uncovering the trap, confronting it, and choosing your way out — one intentional step at a time.
This work is more than symptom management. It’s about reclaiming your ability to decide who you are and how you want to live.
If you’re ready to stop spinning in circles and start naming the thing that’s really holding you back — I’m here.
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Depression
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Anxiety and Phobias
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Relationship Difficulties
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Life Transitions
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Difficulties with Self-Esteem
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Eating Issues
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Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
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Professional/Career Issues
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College/Graduate School Issues
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Medical and Health Concerns
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Pain Management
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Stress Management
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Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
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Sexual Abuse
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Spirituality
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Gender Identity Support
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LGBT Counseling
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Grief, Loss, or Bereavement
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Other Issues
Let's Do The Work You've Been Avoiding
You’ve done enough managing symptoms. Now it’s time to name the trap — and break it for good.
Let’s talk about what’s really been holding you back.
Do You Have Questions?
