Carlos Castañeda Jr
Carlos Castañeda, PhD, LPC, NCC is an assistant professor of psychology at St. Edward’s University and CEO of ThinkAITA LLC, a startup developing AI-powered tools for healthcare, education, and public safety. He is also the founder of The Missing Peace Clinic, a neurodivergent-affirming counseling practice in Austin, TX.
Dr. Castañeda coined the term AI Therapeutic Adjuncts to describe supportive AI technologies designed to extend therapeutic care between sessions and enhance clinical decision-making. His flagship projects include PSYTA, a next-generation clinical HER ecosystem integrating AI tools to support both clients and counselors, and CompassAI, a gamified AI teaching adjunct preparing graduate counseling students for the NCE and NCMHCE. His expertise spans conversational AI, AI-supported decision-making in healthcare, and AI literacy and workforce eduction.
He was one of 89 faculty members worldwide selected by the OpenAI Academy for its Professors Teaching with AI series and has consulted with universities, government entities, and national professional bodies including the American Psychological Association and the National Board for Certified Counselors on the responsible integration of AI into healthcare and education. His scholarship includes peer-reviewed publications and a forthcoming textbook chapter on generative AI and mental health as an APA subject matter expert.
Dr. Castañeda presents nationally on AI ethics, clinical documentation, and emerging technologies, with a focus on helping clinicians adopt practical, compliant, and effective AI tools without sacrificing the human-centered practice their clients depend on.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Carlos Castañeda maintains a private practice and is the founder of THINKAITA, LLC. He is a consultant with the American Psychological Association and has employment relationship with St. Edward's University and Palo Alto University. Dr. Castañeda receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Carlos Castañeda is a member of the American Counseling Association and the American Psychological Association.
