OCD and Anxiety Specialist in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Meet Julie Plutt, LPCC

OCD doesn’t always look like hand-washing and having an organized space.

Intrusive thoughts don’t have a limit to what they can touch. No matter what your unwanted and recurring thoughts revolve around, you deserve proven and compassionate support from someone who knows how confusing these thoughts can be in the first place. 

BOOK A CONSULTATION

Hi! I’m Julie, a queer OCD specialist and anxiety therapist in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

I know firsthand how convincing OCD can be, because I have it too. I also know how difficult it can feel to resist the urge to seek certainty, avoid discomfort, or engage in compulsions, even when they pull you further away from the life you want.

Since 2019 my career has centered around helping children, adolescents, and adults find relief from OCD and anxiety through evidence-based treatments including Exposure Response Prevention (ERP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and mindfulness. Now it’s your turn to get relief from your OCD and anxiety symptoms.

My Professional Background

  • I’m licensed to practice in Minnesota and California 

  • My bachelors of arts in Psychology is from the University of St. Thomas

  • My masters in Counseling and Psychological Services is fromSaint Mary’s University of Minnesota

  • My clinical work is informed by specialized training, supervision, and consultation in:

    • Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD and anxiety disorders, including extensive training, and supervised clinical practice throughout speciality OCD programs at Rogers Behavioral Health, Spectrum CBT, Wavemind, and NOCD.

    • Advanced OCD assessment and treatment, including ongoing case consultation and supervision from clinicians who previously held leadership roles within UCLA’s OCD treatment programs

    • Treatment of severe and complex OCD, providing ERP across outpatient, intensive outpatient (IOP), and partial hospitalization (PHP) levels of care

    • Prolonged Exposure (PE) for PTSD through NOCD

    • Habit Reversal Training (HRT) through Rogers Behavioral Health, and NOCD

    • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for OCD and anxiety disorders

    • CBT for Hoarding Disorder through Rogers Behavioral health, and NOCD

My Approach to OCD and Anxiety Therapy

Therapy with me goes beyond what you’ve already tried like talking through your fears, reassuring yourself, or telling yourself all the reasons your fear “isn’t realistic.” Instead, we’ll be using evidence-based approaches to help you get back in control of your life.

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) 

Instead of sitting there talking through your fears, and trying to convince you that they aren't going to happen, we are going to approach them. We do this gradually while helping you change how you respond to the fear–whether that response is checking, reassurance, avoidance, or another compulsion.

And no, I’m not going to make you do the scariest thing you can imagine on day one. We will work together to create exposures that are challenging yet manageable and build from there. I will never ask you to do something that I wouldn’t be willing to do.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Rather than fighting with anxiety or trying to make uncomfortable feelings go away, we’ll focus on learning how to make room for them as they come up. It’s a bit like a Chinese finger trap—the harder we pull, the tighter its hold on us. Through mindfulness, identifying what matters to you, and learning how to create some distance from your thoughts and emotions, we’ll work toward making choices based on your values rather than what anxiety is telling you to do.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Together, we’ll look at how your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors interact and identify patterns that may be keeping you stuck. We’ll work on changing behaviors that reinforce anxiety while also exploring beliefs you may have about yourself, your anxiety, or your OCD. The goal isn’t to convince you to “just think more positively,” but to help you recognize unhelpful patterns and respond to them differently.

My Values

Authenticity

I don’t believe that therapy has to be stiff or overly clinical. I’m going to show up as myself and I encourage you to do the same. Therapy is a space where you can bring all parts of yourself—even the messy and embarrassing ones. We can be honest about the hard stuff while leaving room for humor, connection, and being human.

Collaboration

You are the expert on your life and I bring my clinical expertise. We’ll work together to understand what’s keeping you stuck and what approach makes sense for your individual needs. Therapy is something I do with you, not to you.

LGBTQ+ Affirming

As a queer therapist, I also have a passion for working with LGBTQ+ individuals. I understand how meaningful it can be to work with someone who recognizes the ways identity, relationships, and lived experiences can shape mental health, and I strive to provide care that is both affirming and culturally responsive.

  • Crocheting, whether it’s clothing, blankets, or winter accessories. You’ll find me making a little bit of everything

  • Gallivanting with friends and family

  • Snuggling and playing with my cat Liam

  • Keeping an eye out for Trixie and Katya’s next Bald and the Beautiful episode

  • Watching live theatre

  • Swimming laps at the local YMCA

  • Singing

  • Hunting down pins to add to my collection

  • Binging a new true crime docuseries

  • Attending local queer events

Now that OCD doesn’t control my own life, here are some ways I find joy:

Ready to Start Therapy for OCD and Anxiety in Minnesota?

Book a free consult

Schedule a free 15 min consultation where we’ll get to know one another a little better. You can ask any questions you have and we’ll talk about what you’re looking to for in therapy to see if we’re a good fit.

Schedule your first session

During our first session I’ll learn more about your history, and what brings you to therapy. You only have to share what you’re comfortable with. If talking about certain parts of OCD or anxiety feels difficult, that’s okay–we’ll focus on building trust and going from there.

Start working together

We’ll figure out how often to meet, and start working towards your goals. Sessions may include reviewing homework, practicing exposures, learning new skills, and making space to process whatever else is going on in your life.

Book a free consultation