OCD Therapy in Minnesota and California
Stop letting doubt, intrusive thoughts, and anxiety dictate your life.
Specialized online OCD therapy using Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for adults and young adults throughout Minnesota and California
Does Your Brain Refuse to Let Things Go?
Do you find yourself worrying about things that don’t feel “normal?” Maybe thoughts or images seem to pop into your mind out of nowhere–and even though a part of you knows that they probably don't make sense, they feel so real. You send an email and suddenly wonder “what if I accidentally wrote a curse word or something derogatory?” You see a door handle and think “what if I get HIV from touching that?” You drive over a bump and your brain says “what if that was a person?” Or you’re holding your nephew and the image of dropping him bursts into your mind.
You may have tried managing your anxiety by asking your partner for reassurance, repeatedly checking your email, or reviewing conversations hours later to make sure you "didn't say anything bad.” Maybe you retrace your route to make sure you didn't hurt anyone, avoid certain people, places, or situations that trigger these thoughts, or tell yourself "don't think about it” and try to push them away. Or your fears might look completely different, but you find yourself doing something to make the anxiety, doubt, or thoughts go away
And maybe these things do help–for a little while.But the doubt comes back, and you find yourself doing them again, and again. Over time you’ve noticed you're less present with loved ones, have difficulty focusing on your responsibilities, doing everyday tasks, or the things you used to enjoy.
If any of this sounds familiar, you may be experiencing OCD–even if you’ve never thought of yourself as someone with OCD. With the right treatment you can learn how to respond differently to these thoughts and stop having them dictate your life.
Hi, I’m Julie, and I’m glad you’re here.
Now, you might be thinking, Why the hell would I trust this random lady with some of my scariest thoughts? Fair question. I guess I’ll start by saying that I have OCD myself, which is what ultimately led me to specialize in treating it. I understand firsthand how isolating OCD can feel—and how scary it can be to tell someone what’s actually going on in your head.
I’ve spent years specializing in OCD and anxiety, treating severe and complex cases across outpatient, intensive outpatient (IOP), and partial hospitalization (PHP) settings. Something I tell clients when we first start working together is that there is literally nothing you can tell me that will make me judge you. I’ve heard it all. You don’t need to convince me that you’re a good person or worry that your intrusive thoughts are going to scare me away. They won’t.
I’m queer and love working with the LGBTQ+ community. I know how important it is to have a therapist who understands your identity and your world without you having to educate them. Therapy with me is a place where you can say the scary or embarrassing stuff out loud, do the hard work without judgement, and laugh a little along the way. The goal isn’t to get rid of every uncomfortable thought but instead to learn how to stop letting those thoughts decide how you live your life.
How I can help
You’ve probably already spent a lot of time trying to make these thoughts and your anxiety go away. In therapy we’ll focus on something different: changing how you respond to the thoughts, feelings, and uncertainty that keep you stuck.
OCD and Intrusive Thoughts: OCD can show up in a lot of different ways and doesn't always look like “just washing your hands.” Some common “themes” in OCD include; contamination, harm, relationships, symmetry or “just right” feelings, sexual intrusive thoughts, religious or moral fears, and fears of making a mistake or doing something “wrong.”
Anxiety: Maybe you don't struggle with intrusive thoughts but find you cant stop thinking or worrying. You find yourself worrying about your health, what other people think of you, whether something bad is going to happen, or everything all at once.
LGBTQ+ Affirming Therapy: Whether your identity is a part of why you're coming to therapy, or has nothing to do with it, you deserve a therapist that understands, and affirms that part of who you are.
I provide LGBTQ+ affirming therapy where you don't have to spend time explaining your identity or wondering whether your therapist “get it.” And when OCD or anxiety does latch onto sexuality, gender, relationships, or identity, we can work on the OCD without treating your identity as the problem.
What Therapy for OCD and Anxiety Looks Like
You may have already tried talking through your fears, reassuring yourself, or telling yourself all the reasons your fear “isn’t realistic.” So you might be wondering okay, so what’s different about this?
For OCD and anxiety I primarily use 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.
I also incorporate Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help you change your relationship with uncomfortable thoughts and feelings– and make choices based on what matters to you, rather than what anxiety is telling you to do.
Online Therapy in Minnesota and California
I provide online therapy to adults and young adults located throughout Minnesota and California, so you can attend sessions from the comfort of your own space (yes your pets are not only welcome, but encouraged)
Individual sessions last 50 mins
$225 per session
I do not accept insurance but provide superbills upon request for reimbursement through your out of network benefits. I recommend calling the number on the back of your insurance card to learn more about your plan’s coverage
Minnesota: Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, #CC04515
California: Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, #15126
How to Get Started
Complete the form to schedule a free 15 min consultation.
During this call you’ll have the opportunity to share a bit about yourself, what you’re hoping to get out of therapy, ask any questions you may have, and see if we’re a good fit.
I look forward to connecting with you!
Services only available to individuals in California and Minnesota