“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”
― Viktor E. Frankl
Our Specialty
How does our work benefit our clients?
At Atlas Counseling, we help clients recover emotionally and psychologically after accidents, injuries, or traumatic events — especially those involved in personal injury cases like car accidents or slip-and-falls.
We provide focused behavioral health treatment over 1 to 3 months to reduce distress, restore daily functioning, and improve long-term outcomes. Our therapists specialize in treating trauma, depression, anxiety, and related conditions that often follow physical injury or emotional shock.
How We Help:
Early Intervention – We begin care soon after the incident, when research shows treatment is most effective.
Evidence-Based Therapy – We use CBT, exposure therapy, and trauma-focused approaches proven to reduce PTSD, anxiety, and depression.
Whole-Person Support – We address not only symptoms, but also help clients return to work, rebuild relationships, and regain emotional stability.
Short-Term, High-Impact Care – Our brief treatment model delivers focused, effective help without long-term therapy commitments.
How does our work benefit a personal injury case?
Our counseling team brings the often‑overlooked emotional toll of personal injuries into clear focus, helping attorneys and insurance adjusters understand the full scope of “pain and suffering.” Through thorough intake assessments, standardized symptom tracking, and ongoing therapy notes, we document anxiety, depression, PTSD, and loss of life enjoyment directly tied to the incident. Our licensed clinicians establish causation and project future care needs—strengthening demand letters with credible, expert-backed evidence. Beyond bolstering settlements, our approach accelerates clients’ return to their “new normal,” reducing downtime and improving cooperation throughout the legal process. Whether through detailed clinical reports or other testimony, we turn what were once invisible wounds into measurable outcomes, maximizing clients’ claims and supporting their journey toward recovery.
-
![]()
Compassion First.
Every client is met with empathy, dignity, and respect.
-
![]()
Evidence Always.
Our care is grounded in the latest research and best practices.
-
![]()
Results That Last.
We focus on meaningful, lasting impact in every life we touch.
Locations
Florida
Geogia
Missouri
Colorado
New Jersey
Texas
Our Values
At Atlas Counseling, our clients are at the center of everything we do. We are committed to delivering compassionate mental health care that is tailored to each individual’s needs. We uphold the highest professional and ethical standards, ensuring our services are guided by best practices. Our dedication to ongoing education and innovation allows us to provide care that is not only current, but also effective, collaborative, and results-driven.
Our Services
Individual Therapy
Addressing issues such as: anxiety, depression, addiction, trauma, and life transitions.
Trauma Therapy
Prolonged exposure and other trauma-informed therapy.
Group Therapy
Social support, accountability, social skills, and boundary-setting.
Traumatic Brain Injury Therapeutic (TBI) Support
Cognitive and behavioral therapy that target TBI-related symptoms.
EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychotherapy treatment that is designed to alleviate the distress associated with traumatic memories. EMDR facilitates the natural accessing and processing of traumatic memories to remove the mental “blockage” and resume healing. Unlike talk therapy, the insights patients gain in EMDR result from their own accelerated healing processes that bring emotional resolution and relief.
Meet the Team
-
Founder & Chief Executive OfficerDr. Gerardo Casteleiro is a leading expert in behavioral health and case conceptualization, with extensive experience in clinical leadership and therapeutic practice. As the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Atlas Counseling, he established the organization with a mission to improve awareness of mental health needs within personal injury cases — an often overlooked intersection of physical trauma and psychological impact.
Dr. Casteleiro is a strong advocate for clients, both in the therapy room and beyond. He works closely with individuals to help them process their experiences and illustrate the depth of their pain and suffering, supporting not only their healing but also the accurate documentation of their psychological injuries.
His academic work includes published chapters on case conceptualization and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), reflecting his commitment to evidence-based approaches and the integration of theory with real-world practice. Through his leadership and scholarship, Dr. Casteleiro continues to shape the field of behavioral health with clarity, compassion, and clinical precision.
-
Founder & Chief Operations Officer, Atlas Counseling
Dr. Shell Vasquez is a physician with a strong foundation in behavioral health and a deep understanding of the legal community, uniquely positioned at the intersection of medicine, mental health, and law. As the Founder and Chief Operations Officer of Atlas Counseling, she has dedicated the past four years to building and leading a mission-driven organization that provides specialized mental health care to individuals impacted by personal injury incidents.
Under her leadership, Atlas Counseling has grown from a single-state practice to a multi-state provider, expanding access to high-quality care across diverse communities. Dr. Vasquez has cultivated strong partnerships with medical providers, attorneys, and case managers, ensuring that each client receives comprehensive, coordinated, and results-focused support.
Her strategic vision and operational expertise have driven Atlas Counseling’s reputation for excellence, fostering a culture of compassion, innovation, and accountability. With her dual expertise in clinical care and organizational leadership, Dr. Vasquez continues to guide Atlas Counseling toward new opportunities for growth while remaining committed to its core mission—helping clients heal, recover, and thrive.
Why early intervention is important:
Recent studies show that starting therapy within weeks of a traumatic event significantly reduces the risk of long-term PTSD and depression. For example:
A 2018 meta-analysis found that psychological treatment within 3 months of injury led to moderate improvements in PTSD and depression symptoms (Bryant et al., 2018)
A pilot study of trauma survivors treated within 12 hours showed lower PTSD and depression scores even 12 weeks later (Rothbaum et al., 2012)
Patients who received early intervention had better long-term functioning, including return to work and improved quality of life (Zohar et al., 2011)
