Experience Treating OCD and Anxiety

Given the prevalence of anxiety and depression across various demographics, I have had the privilege of assisting numerous clients in managing these common yet challenging forms of suffering. Twenty-five years ago, I began working with elementary school-aged children with OCD, following a protocol developed by Dr. John March at Duke University. The success of these early interventions inspired me to extend my services to adolescents and later adults, using similar evidence-based approaches. In 2010, I completed a Behavior Therapy Training Institute (BTTI) course sponsored by the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF). Over the years, I have gained substantial experience in treating various OCD subtypes, primarily utilizing ERP and increasingly incorporating ACT.

My Treatment Approach

Evidence-Based Practice

My professional work is guided by a decision-making practice model known as Evidence-Based Practice (EBP), which involves integrating the best available research with clinical expertise, while considering client characteristics, culture, and preferences. This model ensures that the treatment provided is personalized, collaborative and effective.

Process-Based Therapy

I also utilize Process-Based Therapy (PBT), an integrative approach developed by some of the leaders in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. PBT shifts the focus from asking, "What treatments work?" to "How do treatments work?" and "What are the processes involved in psychological disorders and health?" This approach allows me to customize therapy to each individual's unique issues and needs in the present moment, rather than adhering strictly to any one therapeutic orientation.

In their work, the developers of Process-Based Therapy (PBT), along with a large group of colleagues, conducted an extensive review of intervention science outcome studies. Through this research, they identified that one set of skills stood out as being the most commonly effective: psychological flexibility. You can read a brief summary of their findings and learn about the three pillars of psychological flexibility here.

Evidence-Based Psychotherapies

Within these frameworks, the primary psychotherapeutic approaches I utilize are:

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): An empirically-based intervention that uses acceptance, mindfulness, commitment, and behavior change strategies to increase psychological flexibility and promote valued living.

  A non-technical, easy-to-read overview of ACT can be found here.

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

• Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)

My approach is also informed by Attachment Theory, Interpersonal Neurobiology, Developmentally Based Psychotherapy, Contemporary Psychodynamic Therapy and Positive Psychology. I incorporate a variety of research-based self-compassion and mindfulness practices in my work with clients.

Professional Affiliations and Summary

As an independently licensed Clinical Social Worker I have been providing outpatient psychotherapy services to the central Ohio community for the past thirty seven years, primarily in private practice settings. Most recently, a large part of my practice focused on diagnostic evaluations for neurodevelopment conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder and ADHD. I earned my Masters of Social Work degree from The Ohio State University in 1987 and my Bachelor of Science in Social Welfare from The Ohio State University in 1986. In 2000, I completed the postgraduate infant mental health Certificate Training Program in Working with Infants, Toddlers, and Their Families, through The University of Michigan’s School of Social Work. While therapy will often focus on the alleviation of distress, I also view it as a unique opportunity for clients to create a richer, fuller and more meaningful life.

I am a member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF), and the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science. My Ohio license can be verified here.