Obsessive-Compulsive (OCD) Therapists in Alexandria, VA

Are you ready to begin a journey of self growth? The journey of self growth begins with allowing ourselves to heal. No matter if your struggles come from your past or your present, I am here to help you heal from them and work towards the future you want. Life can be overwhelming, but you don’t need to face life's challenges alone. I believe that everyone deserves access to tools that allow them to live a happy and healthy life. Wherever you are in your journey of self growth, I’m happy to meet you there. Counseling is a safe space to process your emotions and work through challenges in your life.

Francinne Anez is a Certified Brain Health Coach and clinical supervisee who specializes in helping clients enhance their ability to effectively cope with life's stressors .

I specialize in Rumination-Focused ERP (RF-ERP) for OCD. This approach to ERP focuses on treating compulsive rumination, and provides a highly systematic yet gentler approach to exposure therapy. I recognize the value of integrating psychoanalytic treatment with ERP to provide a comprehensive therapeutic approach that goes beyond symptom management.

Anxiety and OCD are my areas of expertise. While at one point your energy, thoughtfulness and persistence served you and helped you to accomplish things, perhaps you've noticed these patterns and behaviors take on a life of their own. Now you might be more fearful, doubtful, and engaging in avoidance. What used to bring you joy is now being perceived as a chore or a threat. You want peace of mind and freedom to enjoy what's right in front of you without being consumed by all the what ifs and other worst case scenarios. You recognize that the anxiety that used to serve you is now being used against you and you're tired of it.

Currently, my practice is full and I cannot accept new clients. I have 30 years' experience successfully helping people with depression, anxiety, OCD, phobias, low self-esteem, relationship and many other issues. I am trained in several therapy modalities including mindfullness-based cognitive behavioral, clinical hypnotherapy, and traditional talk therapy. Using knowledge in brain science and mind/body connection, I can teach you simple techniques for immediate emotional and/or physical relief as well as help with stress, chronic fatique, and fibromyalgia.

I enjoy working with adolescents and young adults struggling with anxiety, OCD, eating disorders, depression, life transitions, and relationship concerns. I am passionate about helping individuals find peace within and acceptance of themselves while working toward a life full of fulfilling relationships and experiences. I believe that, although it may look different for each person, healing and thriving are available to those who are willing to work for and receive it.

Clients can experience a life situation or a series of life situations that cause some level of unwanted emotional arousal (sadness, hurt, pain, fear, anxiety) and as a result of the intensity, increases an urge to do a behavior they consider ineffective (self harm, suicidal behavior, isolate, withdrawal, shutdown, verbally/physically aggressive, tantrums, obsessions, compulsions, avoidance, school refusal). They are in need of skills to help them cope with their emotions and problem solve their life situations. Despite the discomfort, they want to be effective, maintain relationships and feel better.

As a Clinical Psychologist, I aim to create a safe and non-judgmental space where I can develop successful working relationships with my clients. My goal is to support my clients in developing more awareness on how their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors impact on the quality of their lives, and assist them in developing the necessary skills to overcome the challenges of their daily lives. I believe every person deserves to have treatment tailored to their own unique needs. Therefore, I work collaboratively with my clients on the areas of their lives they value as important and that they believe need improvement.

Is life becoming too difficult, or is stress wearing you down? You are not alone. Millions of adults in the United States are affected by anxiety and depression yearly. Have you been living with OCD going without treatment? OCD can be debilitating and difficult to manage, but you do not have to live a life burdened by these problems. As a clinical psychologist, I have specialized training in evidence-based approaches such as CBT and Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) to treat anxiety, depression, stress, and exposure and response prevention, a first-line treatment for OCD.

I strive to create a safe, supportive space to help you explore and challenge yourself. I work collaboratively with clients using evidence-based interventions from a cognitive behavioral (CBT) framework to manage symptoms, enhance coping skills, strengthen relationships, facilitate change, and improve quality of life. I value a strengths-based treatment approach and tailor therapy interventions to your individualized needs. Together, we can process your challenges, gain insight into unhelpful patterns of thinking and behaving that are holding you back, and develop concrete skills to help you achieve a fulfilling and meaningful life.

I enjoy working collaboratively alongside adults, young adults, and college-aged students, navigating interpersonal relationship concerns, time management, stress, and communication issues. I am trained to work through trauma and PTSD, OCD, anxiety, depression, adjustment concerns, family relational issues, and ADHD.

For many of us, it can seem easier to support others, yet we struggle with taking care of ourselves. We often know how to be a good friend to a loved one, while falling short on being our own friend. Therapy is a great step in practicing self-awareness and self-care. It also is a way to learn skills that can help you achieve your goals. Using Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and other evidenced-based interventions, I work with clients to relieve suffering and achieve better quality of life. I specialize in working with depression, anxiety, OCD, adjustment difficulties, and relationship concerns.

If you are ready to change the way you respond to anxiety and stress, you're in the right place. I work with clients seeking long-term lifestyle changes in the way they approach uncertainty in life, being stuck in thought loops, and obsessive thinking and compulsions. In our work together, we address anxiety and depression, OCD, and/or other mental health concerns through introspection & outward action. We work together in developing insight & creative exploration of self while taking actionable steps to rebuild trust in yourself. You can learn to meet your needs & live through your values, not your fears.

I understand that therapy is hard work, time-consuming, and expensive. I want to make sure that you are getting your money's worth and that you are making concrete progress towards your goals. In order to do this, I collaboratively set concrete goals at the outset of treatment and use these goals to track progress with my patients. I work with my patients to identify the function of their problematic behaviors. This helps to reduce shame around the behaviors and encourages acceptance of oneself that unblocks patients and leads to change. I teach my patients value-congruent coping skills to use in place of the problematic behaviors.

I have the privilege of accompanying clients as they go through some of the most painful and some of the most joyous times of their lives. I believe that improving your relationship with yourself and balancing your thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and energy can help you to reach your fullest potential. My approach is both practical and insight-oriented, and my goal is to help you understand what ways you can better take care of yourself by providing you the skills you need, and a vision to become who you want to be.

If someone asked you not to think for 10 minutes how hard would that be? Is overthinking about the “What Ifs” driving you to relentlessly check things over and over again? Are you determined to find certainty in an uncertain world? Do you frequently ask others repeatedly if something or someone is going to be OK? No matter how much you do a task or say a particular thing does peace of mind elude you? Does the compulsion to handwash, re-read, double check, pray, or re-arrange items never provide lasting relief? Do you find yourself burdened by intrusive thoughts that strike against your will and preoccupy your mind for hours a day?

Are you or your child struggling with anxiety, OCD or overcoming scary & upsetting events? Does it impact your sleep? Are you noticing you or your child freezing or panicking in everyday situations? Together, we'll work on rewiring your brain to no longer perceive everyday situations as scary and dangerous. I specialize in reducing intrusive thoughts and teaching effective skills to manage symptoms leading to a sense of safety. Clients gain the skills to control their thoughts, manage their anxiety and get back to living the life they want.

Do you have intrusive thoughts that become distracting and disrupt your day? Do you feel compelled to perform certain acts or rituals to alleviate your anxiety? Have you experienced a traumatic event that still haunts you? Has the stress of moving to a new country impacted your well- being? Are you lonely and struggling in an unfamiliar environment? You can move beyond your struggles. Gain coping skills to manage your OCD, heal from trauma and thrive in your new home. Reach out now, I look forward to hearing your story.

Whether you're looking to set a new course in life, heal a wounded heart, break from unhealthy habits, I can teach you strategies and skills to become the person you want to be. Any positive change requires awareness, determination, and effort. At heartsandmindshealth, my goal is to improve your mental health and well-being. I take an insight-oriented, solution-focused approach to our work, After setting mutually-determined treatment objectives, I help individuals, couples, and groups achieve life goals, heal emotional wounds, become "unstuck", or break free from unhealthy patterns.