OCD & Anxiety Treatment in Richmond, VA: Evidence-Based Therapy for Children, Teens, and Adults

Battling OCD or anxiety can make you feel stuck in patterns you can’t seem to break. You may feel trapped by routines, rituals, or intrusive thoughts that you recognize don’t make sense—but still feel compelled to perform “just in case.” You might avoid activities you want or need to do because the fear or discomfort feels overwhelming. Your mind may race with worst-case scenarios, and no amount of reasoning seems to quiet them.

For many adults, this cycle impacts work, relationships, daily functioning, and emotional wellbeing. For children and teens, OCD and anxiety can interfere with school, friendships, independence, and confidence.

Support for Parents

You may be a parent watching your child struggle with fears that feel irrational or excessive. Maybe your child needs reassurance again and again, avoids schoolwork or social activities, or takes much longer than expected to complete simple tasks because they are stuck re-checking, re-writing, perfecting, or repeating. OCD and anxiety can be confusing, frustrating, and exhausting for the whole family. I work with children, teens, young adults, and parents every day to break these cycles using compassionate, research-supported approaches.

Do I Have OCD?

OCD can look different from person to person, but it typically includes a pattern of:

Obsessions

Intrusive, distressing, or unwanted thoughts, images, or urges such as:

• “What if I left the stove on?”

• “What if I harmed someone without realizing it?”

• “What if I get sick from touching that?”

• “What if this thought means something bad about me?”

Compulsions

Behaviors or mental rituals performed to feel safer or reduce anxiety, such as:

• Repeating, checking, or re-doing tasks

• Seeking reassurance from others

• Avoiding certain places, objects, or situations

• Mentally reviewing events or “trying to figure out” thoughts

• Counting, tapping, or repeating phrases

If you notice that you—or your child—find relief only temporarily after these rituals, and the anxiety quickly returns, OCD may be contributing to the pattern. I work with individuals and families to help my clients understand what they’re experiencing and explore effective treatment options.

What Is ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention)?

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is the gold-standard, first-line treatment for OCD for both adults and children.

ERP helps you learn:

• How OCD creates a cycle of fear and compulsions

• How to gradually face feared situations or thoughts

• How to resist compulsions so your brain learns you are safe without them

• How to tolerate uncertainty without relying on rituals

ERP empowers individuals to break free from the OCD loop and build long-term confidence, flexibility, and resilience.

I am happy to answer any of your questions about OCD and to chat about what treatment would look like for you or your loved one. I am currently accepting new clients.