Specialties
While I support clients through a wide range of challenges, I specialize in treating anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Explore the sections below to learn more about my approach in treating these issues.
Anxiety
Anxiety can often feel all-encompassing. It can affect us physically and mentally, making everything seem urgent and worrisome. When we experience anxiety physically, we might experience racing thoughts, muscle tension, or sweating. When we experience anxiety mentally, we might experience excessive worry and dread that often feels involuntary.
In my practice, I not only work with clients struggling with generalized anxiety, but I also work with clients who struggle with social anxiety, panic, and phobias. I utilize evidenced-based treatments like Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Mindfulness to help clients manage anxiety.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy consists of examining how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors interact with each other. We will work to identify negative thought patterns and unhelpful behaviors that can lead to anxiety.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy consists of learning to notice and accept thoughts and feelings without judgment, and focus on living your life according to your values, even when uncomfortable thoughts and feelings arise.
Mindfulness consists of practicing being present. We will learn specific mindfulness tools that allow us to reorient ourselves to the present moment instead of constantly worrying about the past and/or the future.
OCD
OCD can cause you to feel stuck, like you’re a prisoner to your own thoughts and behaviors. It can cause you to feel like you need to doubt your own mind, which can often feel scary and isolating.
OCD is commonly misunderstood as a mental health issue that only involves a fear of germs and/or extreme cleanliness. While OCD can present in this way, this is only one of many subtypes of the disorder. Some examples of other common subtypes of OCD are Harm OCD, Relationship OCD, and Scrupulosity OCD (this is not a comprehensive list of subtypes).
OCD involves the presence of obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are unwanted, intrusive thoughts, urges, or images that cause significant distress. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors an individual engages in to try to reduce or get rid of obsessions and the discomfort that accompanies obsessions.
I primarily utilize Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) to help clients who struggle with OCD. ERP is the gold-standard treatment for OCD. It involves deliberately triggering obsessions and then intentionally refraining from engaging in compulsions. Through ERP, you learn to tolerate anxiety and distress associated with obsessive thoughts without engaging in compulsive behaviors, which in turn reduces the presence of obsessive thoughts and breaks OCD’s nasty cycle of obsessions and compulsions.
As adjuncts to ERP, I also utilize Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Mindfulness to help treat OCD.