Obsessive-Compulsive (OCD) Therapists in Cardiff By The Sea, CA

If you're suffering from depression, traumatic memories, anxiety, or OCD, Image Transformation Therapy (ImTT) can restore your effectiveness in the world and the balance in your life. I developed ImTT while working at Camp Pendleton Marine Base because I needed a treatment that could release the most intense pain, terror, and memories without the person having to experience the feelings or relive the memories. The result is that ImTT treatment enables a person to live without self-consciousness and fear -- spending more of their life in the "creative zone."

As a psychotherapist, I use a holistic approach that blends clinical research with Eastern wisdom. I have trained extensively for a decade with renowned Psychiatrist, Dr. Jeffery M. Schwartz in his Four Step Method, which combines Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy with the Buddhist principle of Mindfulness. Although, the Four Steps was originally created to treat OCD, my recent collaboration in the advancement of the Four Steps has shown that it is also successful for various circumstances including anxiety, depression, phobias, addiction, and eating disorders. My work is highlighted in Dr. Jeffrey M. Schwartz's new book, "You Are Not Your Brain".

Accepting New Clients. How do you handle anxiety? Do you need support and have a hard time asking for help? We often isolate, hide our emotions, disappear into gaming, work, social media, substances, have destructive relationships, and often while putting others before ourselves. Holding in these stresses and trying to "fix it" alone can weigh on your mind, and it can come out in ways that make your life difficult and unenjoyable. I can provide a space where we focus on you, and we ask where are things challenging for you, and how can things be better?

Welcome! With over twenty years of experience in clinical practice, I specialize in treating Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Anxiety, supported by advanced studies in neuroscience. As a clinician who personally experiences OCD and anxiety, I am uniquely positioned to blend professional knowledge with personal understanding, fostering a therapeutic environment that empowers and inspires. I aim to provide compassionate and effective therapy to adolescents and adults, transforming our sessions into a pivotal journey towards healing and self-discovery. Let's get started!

Do you worry too much about different things? Are you hard on yourself, withdraw from others or struggle to engage in life due to feeling down? Would you like to feel less anxious, less depressed or finally work through unresolved trauma? Establishing a relationship with a well-informed therapist provides for no longer feeling alone in your experiences and safely addressing such underlying issues that may be keeping you stuck in your problems, preventing you from reaching your goals and living your best life. I am trained in a variety of evidenced-based therapy approaches to best meet your needs with a personalized care experience.

Beginning therapy is generally a decision that has been contemplated and carefully considered for quite some time. It requires an incredible amount of courage to take that first step and face what is no longer working in your life. I specialize in the treatment of OCD, eating disorders, BFRBs, and anxiety disorders. In addition to individual therapy I offer IOP (intensive outpatient program) and wellness coaching programs to address issues related to food, body image, and care for physical health. I completed my BA in Psychology at Cal State University Northridge and my MA in Clinical Psychology from Antioch Los Angeles.

I specialize in working with adults and teens on the autism spectrum who struggle with anxiety or depression, or who need support with navigating the academic, occupational, or social world. My goal is not to “fix” you - you are not broken! I aim to facilitate understanding, grow your skills, and expand your options in order to help you achieve your goals. In addition to autism, I treat those with anxiety disorders, OCD, tic disorders, ADHD, depression, and trauma. I also love working with parents, offering support for parenting stress, as well as tools and strategies for managing behavioral challenges in younger children.

I have extensive experience and training in treating eating disorders, OCD, and addiction in partial hospitalization (PHP), intensive outpatient (IOP), and outpatient levels of care across the lifespan. My approach pulls from a number of evidence-based treatment modalities including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Family Based Treatment, Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Exposure and Response Prevention. I specialize in treating children, adolescents and families.

We are an outpatient practice specializing in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) for anxiety, stress, and related problems. We provide cutting edge, empirically supported treatments in a warm, empathic environment. We currently offer treatment for stress, anxiety, panic, agoraphobia, OCD, PTSD, social anxiety, phobias, medical conditions, life transitions, and other life difficulties resulting from these problems. Our therapy is solution-focused and helps clients reach their full potential and improve quality of life.

The therapeutic relationship can be an invaluable opportunity to foster growth, take intelligent risks, and rewrite unhelpful narratives. Often the most important and difficult changes in life are internal. Moreover, the most critical changes can begin with the acceptance of a painful reality. Sometimes it is helpful to explore these realities with a supportive individual who has some distance from the situation. I find the most successful clients are curious about their own beliefs and feelings. While they want to be challenged, they also believe in the necessity of self-compassion.

Any of these thoughts sound familiar? What if I harm someone? What if I harm myself? What if I act on an urge to do something I really don’t want to do? What if I am a bad person and just fooling everyone? What if I touched something that could contaminate me or my family? What if I want to act on that sexual thought I really didn’t like? What if I go to jail for something I did but forgot or didn't know? What if that thing I did will come back to haunt me? What if I cheat on my partner? What if I am with the 'wrong' partner even though I love my partner? What if my sexual orientation will change even though I don't want it to?

Whether you've had a long struggle with your emotions, or just want a little help overcoming a recent difficulty, finding the right person to help makes a big difference. We believe in combining compassion and empathy, with therapies that have been proven to work by clinical researchers. We teach children, teens, and adults effective skills for changing behaviors, and provide the support and encouragement needed along the way. Through this process, you can overcome feelings of depression, isolation, shame, and fear while also building confidence in your strengths and gaining tools to overcome future challenges.

I offer a customized approach to all my clients and do not limit myself to one type of treatment modality. I limit my client load in order to provide my clients with more personalized care. My clients are afforded a customized psychological evaluation tailored to answering specific referral questions. With this unique approach, every client will be able to reach their treatment goals more efficiently, by getting the results they want faster. In my concierge counseling practice, I offer extended time in sessions, weekend appointments, mobile visits, phone sessions, priority email reply and feedback.