Alumni Spotlight: Catelin Castellanos

Catelin (Dreibelbis) Castellanos is a 2015 graduate of Trinity Baptist College. 

Her story begins with overwhelming hardship, but has become a beautiful testament to the power of Christ to transform and bring healing through relationships. Catelin allowed Christ-centered relationships to impact her broken childhood and now she serves others through mental health counseling.

Catelin was abandoned by her biological parents at the early age of two.

She was later adopted, only to endure further trauma when her adoptive parents divorced due to domestic abuse. At sixteen, she experienced the heart-breaking loss of her adoptive mother.  She spent the next few years living with different families until she was able to attend college. Despite these trials, she held on to the belief that God had a plan for her life.

She explains that in addition to her tragic loss of family relationships, she faced additional challenges. 

“I come from a background where graduating high school is often seen as a major accomplishment, and pursuing a college degree is a rare aspiration. Growing up, I faced many challenges, including relying on food stamps and Section 8 housing, and enduring other significant hardships along the way.”

Catelin says that her trust in Christ and her relationships with individuals who cared for her changed the trajectory of her life. 

God’s work in her life and her willingness to be used by Him is nothing short of inspiring. The power of positive and supportive relationships to transform is evident. She is now a mental health therapist in Arizona, using her experiences with hardship as a beacon of hope for others learning to live with a broken childhood. 

As a student at TBC, she says she discovered friends and mentors with whom she developed deep, meaningful connections.

Catelin learned about TBC through her youth pastor as well as alumni missionaries JJ and Melissa Alderman. Knowing she wanted to serve others with her life, she enrolled as a Missions major at TBC in 2011.

“I was really lucky to have a close group of friends who made a huge impact on my life. Starting my freshman year, I had a lot of emotional work to do, but I found a few caring people who accepted me just as I was. TBC was a place for us to connect and grow together, and those friendships truly helped me through that time. I am still very close with some of them.”

She recalls mentors like Toni Elkins, who acted as a mother figure, Mark Elkins, who encouraged her to pursue a debt-free lifestyle, and the Hannah family who welcomed her into their home.  She began to build her life with purpose and stability. 

Graduating debt-free was a major achievement that opened doors for her future.

She took advantage of financial aid options and she worked multiple jobs to make it happen, saying her life experience fueled her determination. 

“I remained committed to pursuing higher education while seeking ways to do so without accumulating debt… I completed my four-year degree without any debt, surrounded by a support system of friends who became my new family.”

This accomplishment granted her the freedom to pursue a master’s in mental health counseling without the extra commitment of college student loans.  Catelin maintained her debt-free lifestyle and completed her Masters in Clinical and Mental Health Counseling in 2023. She is now living out her vision of supporting kids with stories similar to her own.

Today, Catelin works as a mental health therapist in her community.

She feels truly grateful to be part of a dedicated team providing quality care at The Well in Mesa, Arizona. Catelin counts it a privilege to work with faith-based clients, children, teens, and couples.  The art studio has become her favorite space, where she sees creativity enhancing the therapeutic process for her clients.

One aspect of her work that resonates deeply with her is the commitment to offering low-fee services, making therapy accessible to those who need it most.  This is not accomplished through grants or government funding, but rather through therapists willing to take a pay cut. 

Catelin wants people to know that seeking help is not a sign of weakness but rather a step toward healing.

“Our team is grounded in the belief that those seeking mental health support are not on the fringes of society, far from God, or weak, but are instead part of a shared community of joy and suffering that comes with being human. This includes individuals who are grieving unbearable loss, those who struggle with suicidal ideation, people going through a divorce or life transition, those dealing with addiction, and those looking for a safe space to deconstruct during a faith crisis. This is our way of following Jesus’ example and His call to care for and love our neighbors in a compassionate and embodied way.”

Her journey from adversity to advocacy is a reminder of how God uses compassion and relationships to transform lives.

Catelin is married to Joshua, and they reside in the beautiful state of Arizona.