OCD Therapy in San Diego
A Bit More About Me
Are you feeling stuck and overwhelmed? You're not alone—and there is help available.
With over 19 years of experience, I specialize in treating OCD, BFRBs, trauma, and anxiety using evidence-based methods, including Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), EMDR, Habit Reversal Training (HRT), and the Comprehensive Behavioral Model (ComB).
OCD is one of my primary areas of focus, and compassionate, client-centered care is at the heart of how I treat it. I have extensive training and experience treating OCD across the lifespan, and I work closely with clients to reduce compulsions, avoidance, and mental habits like rumination—always meeting people where they are, without shame or judgment. I also support families using SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions), a parent-based approach that helps reduce accommodation and build resilience at home. I currently serve as a board member and Director of Training for OCD SoCal, an IOCDF affiliate. I'm committed to providing therapy that is both evidence-based and genuinely compassionate, because healing happens fastest when clients feel safe, understood, and never pushed faster than they're ready to go. There is so much hope for healing—and you don't have to go through it alone.
As the founder and Clinical Director of Resilience Counseling, I also oversee and support all of the therapists on our team, including our OCD therapists. I'm closely involved in their training and case consultation, which means every client who walks through our doors—whether they see me or one of our other clinicians—receives the same high standard of evidence-based, compassionate care. You can learn more about our full team here.
My Approach to OCD Therapy, BFRBs & Anxiety in San Diego
Specialties & Areas of Support
Therapeutic Approaches
Clients I Work With
Treating OCD Across the Lifespan
Over nearly two decades in practice, I've worked with young children, teens, and adults, and I've seen how differently OCD, anxiety, and BFRBs can show up depending on age and stage of life. My training reflects that range, and so does my approach: the goal is always treatment that fits the person in front of me, not a one-size-fits-all protocol.
Families are a big part of that picture. When a child or teen is struggling, I bring parents into the work using SPACE, helping them respond in ways that support recovery instead of unintentionally reinforcing the OCD cycle.
OCD Therapy in San Diego with Katherine
OCD is one of my primary areas of focus, and I’ve spent nearly two decades treating it in children, teens, and adults. Many people who come to see me have been struggling for years, often with rituals no one can see, such as mental reviewing, rumination, or constant reassurance-seeking. My OCD therapy in San Diego helps clients reduce compulsions and avoidance without shame or judgment.
The International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) describes exposure and response prevention (ERP) as the most effective first-line therapy for OCD in adults, children, and adolescents, and it’s the foundation of my work. I’m a board member and Director of Training for OCD SoCal, an IOCDF affiliate, and I’m closely involved in training and consulting with every therapist at Resilience Counseling, so you receive the same standard of OCD care whichever clinician you see. Learn more in the IOCDF’s guide to OCD treatment.
OCD Therapy with ERP in San Diego: What to Expect
What is ERP therapy for OCD?
ERP is a specific form of cognitive behavioral therapy. You gradually and deliberately face the thoughts, situations, or triggers that set off your OCD while practicing not responding with a compulsion. With a trained therapist guiding each step, the anxiety loses its grip over time. We plan every step together, so there are no surprises.
How long does OCD treatment take?
It depends on the person, the symptoms, and how long OCD has been part of daily life. At Resilience Counseling, many clients begin to see improvement after roughly 12 to 20 sessions of ERP, though the timeline varies widely. I never push clients faster than they’re ready to go, and we review progress together along the way.
OCD treatment for children and teens: the role of parents
When a child or teen has OCD, the whole family adjusts around it. I include parents using SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions), which helps you reduce accommodation and respond in ways that support recovery instead of unintentionally feeding the OCD cycle.
Signs You or Your Teen May Need OCD Therapy in San Diego
OCD involves obsessions, meaning unwanted, intrusive thoughts, images, or urges that cause intense distress, and compulsions, meaning repeated behaviors or mental acts used to relieve that distress. Common themes include contamination, harm, perfectionism, religious or moral concerns, and relationship doubts. Consider reaching out if:
- Intrusive thoughts keep returning, even though you know they don’t make sense.
- Rituals, checking, reassurance-seeking, or mental reviewing feel impossible to stop.
- You or your teen are avoiding places, people, or activities because of fear or doubt.
- The cycle takes up significant time or interferes with school, work, or relationships.
You don’t need a diagnosis to ask for help, and OCD is treatable. If you’re unsure whether what you’re experiencing is OCD, book a free 15-minute call and we can talk it through.
A Closer Look at OCD Therapy, BFRBs & Trauma in San Diego
OCD & Compulsions
OCD can look like visible rituals, or it can be a quieter pattern of mental compulsions and rumination that's harder for others to see. ERP remains the most effective, evidence-based way to treat it, and I draw on nearly two decades of specialized training to help clients reduce compulsions and avoidance at a pace that actually works for them.
BFRBs: Hair Pulling & Skin Picking
I'm trained in Habit Reversal Training and the Comprehensive Behavioral Model (ComB) for treating hair pulling, skin picking, and related BFRBs. We work together to understand the specific triggers and sensations driving the behavior, then build a plan around what's actually maintaining it for you.
Trauma & EMDR
For clients carrying the weight of past experiences, I use EMDR to help process what happened without needing to relive it in detail. Healing is possible, and we move through it together at whatever pace feels safe.
Anxiety
Anxiety often shows up alongside OCD, as constant worry, physical tension, or a nervous system that won't settle. I use CBT and other evidence-based tools to help clients build coping skills they can actually use in the moments that matter, not just talk about anxiety in the abstract.
Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Body dysmorphic disorder involves a fixation on perceived flaws in appearance that can take over a person's daily life. I use ERP and CBT to help clients reduce the checking, reassurance-seeking, and avoidance that keep BDD going, so appearance concerns stop running the show.
Supporting Parents with SPACE
When a child's OCD or anxiety has the whole family adjusting around it, SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) gives parents a concrete way to reduce accommodation and respond with more confidence, without the child needing to be in the room.
Questions About OCD Therapy in San Diego
What is ERP therapy for OCD?
ERP, or exposure and response prevention, is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy and the foundation of how I treat OCD. Clients gradually face the thoughts and situations that trigger their fear while practicing not doing the compulsion, at a pace we plan together.
How long does OCD treatment take?
It varies from person to person. At Resilience Counseling, many clients begin to see improvement after about 12 to 20 sessions of ERP, though it can take more or less time depending on the person and their symptoms.
Do you treat OCD in children and teens?
Yes. I treat OCD in children, teens, and adults, and I bring parents into the work using SPACE when a child or teen is struggling.
Do you offer in-office sessions in San Diego?
Yes, I see clients in person at Resilience Counseling's San Diego office, and I also work with clients anywhere in California over telehealth.
Is Resilience Counseling in network with insurance?
Resilience Counseling is a private pay practice and does not bill insurance directly. I can provide a superbill that you're welcome to submit to your insurance company for possible out-of-network reimbursement.
How do I know if ERP is the right fit for OCD treatment?
ERP is the gold-standard, evidence-based treatment for OCD, and it's the approach I rely on most. A free 15-minute consultation is a great way to talk through your specific symptoms and find out whether it's the right starting point for you or your child.
What can I expect in our first session together?
Our first session is focused on getting a full picture of what you're experiencing, what you've already tried, and what hasn't worked. From there, we build a treatment plan together, grounded in evidence-based care and paced to what actually feels doable for you.
Starting therapy can feel like a big first step, and I want you to feel genuinely comfortable before we begin. If you're ready to talk about what you're facing, I'd welcome the chance to connect.
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