evidenced-based treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder
Anxiety & OCD Therapy in Philadelphia, PA
The constant cycle of “what ifs” and self-doubt is starting to ruin your life.
Maybe you’ve been in therapy for years, but you’re not getting better. You keep trying to find relief, but you end up feeling worse.
Your spouse is losing patience with your doom spirals, and you’re worried your marriage is in trouble. You want to open up to your partner about what’s going on in your head, but you’re afraid they’ll be just as freaked out as you are.
You stay up all night googling things and imagine the worse case scenario. You’re late to work because of your rituals and can barely concentrate on tasks because you’re running on 3 hours of sleep.
You avoid making decisions because you don’t want to get it wrong. The simplest things like ordering from a menu become a back and forth inner dialogue in your head. So much that you lose sight of what you actually want.
maybe you are…
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Whenever you hear a bump while driving, you wonder if you’ve hit someone with your car. You’re in a constant state of panic on whether you’ve accidentally hurt someone and find yourself replaying past events. You often wonder if you’ve said the wrong thing and if the other person is offended. You’re terrified of having these thoughts because you’re afraid they’ll come true.
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You’ll mentally replay past relationships to look for clues of your sexuality and look at videos and photos to see how you feel and react. The more you try to prove to yourself that you’re queer, the more confused you feel.
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You’re in the thick of post-partum and are terrified of hurting your newborn baby. You’re won’t change your baby’s diaper and are exhausted from constantly checking to see if they are breathing.
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Things with your partner will go well for a while until you find yourself fixating on their flaws, and whether they are the right person for you. You constantly question your attraction to them and compare them to other relationships.
ocd therapy can help
Exposure and Response Prevention is an evidenced-based therapy approach that rewires your brain so that OCD doesn’t call all of the shots.
We’ll address the thoughts and triggers that bring up your anxiety through therapy exposure exercises, both during our sessions and outside of the therapy room. Instead of responding with compulsions or rituals, I’ll help you practice sitting with your feelings.
Over time, your brain learns that you can handle your anxiety and that it can’t control you. You’ll learn tools for building confidence and flexibility so you can live the life you want.
Understanding Your OCD Symptoms and Anxiety
Obsessive compulsive disorder affects children and adults across all walks of life, manifesting through intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors that can consume hours of your day. You might experience:
Obsessions: Unwanted, repetitive thoughts about contamination, harm, identity, relationships, or moral concerns
Compulsions: Repetitive behaviors or mental rituals performed to reduce anxiety from obsessions
Anxiety disorders: Including generalized anxiety disorder, panic attacks, and social anxiety
Perfectionism: Rigid standards that fuel both OCD symptoms and anxiety
Identity-related doubts: Questions about gender, sexuality, or authenticity amplified by obsessive thinking
Specialized Support for LGBTQ+ and Trans Clients
My practice specializes in treating OCD and anxiety within the context of LGBTQ+ experiences. As a queer therapist with advanced training in gender-affirming care, I bring both professional expertise and personal understanding to this work.
For Trans and Non-Binary Individuals
Obsessive compulsive disorder can create particular challenges around gender identity, including:
Obsessive doubts about being "trans enough"
Compulsive behaviors around gender presentation
Anxiety about transition decisions
Managing OCD symptoms during hormone therapy
Differentiating between OCD-driven doubts and authentic questioning
For Partners and Families
Supporting a loved one through transition while managing your own mental health requires specialized care. I help partners process complex emotions, manage anxiety about changes, and maintain wellbeing throughout the journey.
Eating Disorders and OCD
Many clients with obsessive compulsive disorder also struggle with disordered eating or body image concerns. Traditional eating disorder treatment often operates from heteronormative assumptions that alienate queer and trans individuals. My approach addresses:
How OCD symptoms manifest in food and body relationships
The intersection of gender dysphoria and body image
Challenging diet culture from a queer-affirming perspective
Pursuing intuitive eating while managing OCD's demand for certainty
I work from a Health at Every Size framework, recognizing that recovery looks different for everyone, especially when navigating both OCD treatment and identity exploration.
Therapy for OCD can help you…
Make Decisions With Clarity
Whether it’s ordering off of the menu, creating your RPG character, or deciding what to wear to a theater show, you’ll be able to move through these situations with more confidence.
Be More Present
Cuddling on the couch with your partner while rewatching your favorite episode of Star Trek is a lot more fun when you’re not bogged down by doom and gloom thoughts.
Sleep and Rest
Falling asleep and staying asleep is more possible when you’re not lying in bed replaying every moment of the day. You’ll be able to truly relax and enjoy that podcast when you have down time.
Manage Your Anxiety
Intrusive thoughts might still come up, but they become background noise. You no longer believe them and they don’t control you.
Enjoy Your Life
You’ll have more appreciation for your morning coffee routine during the work week and look forward to going to Ren Faire over the weekend.
Be More Flexbile
A sink full of dishes won’t spin you out and you’ll be able to roll with last minute plans to meet up for game night.
Your thoughts don’t define you and you’re not a bad person.
Let’s quiet the noise in your head so you can finally breathe again.
Questions?
FAQs
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I help people overcome OCD using the evidenced-based model, Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). Learn more by clicking here.
Treatment begins with an assessment to confirm whether you meet the criteria for OCD, and the level of intensity your symptoms are. This can take 1-2 sessions.
We’ll go over in detail how ERP works, and how it will help your OCD. The goal is for you to have a full understanding of what to expect from treatment.
Next, we’ll create a detailed list of your obsessions, fears, triggers and thoughts. We’ll use that list to create exposure exercises that you’ll practice in session.
A large part of treatment will be practicing these exposure therapy exercises in sessions, while working to resist doing your compulsions. I will support you throughout this process.
Treatment involves 1-2 sessions a week, and homework in between sessions.
Homework involves practicing exercises that are completed during sessions at home or in the community with ongoing work on resisting doing your compulsions.
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There is no set timeline with therapy. The duration of treatment depends on your obsessions, how often we meet, and your ability to complete homework between sessions. Some people end treatment after ERP while other people continue therapy to work on different mental health goals
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While there are no guarantees, Exposure and Response Prevention is considered the first line of treatment for OCD. With that being said, it’s not for everyone! It requires a commitment of time and energy, and can feel uncomfortable since you’ll be confronting your fears directly. It’s not uncommon to see a slight uptick in anxiety before you start to feel better.
ERP is a good fit for you if:
You’re able to commit to at least one hour long session a week.
You’re able to complete daily exposure exercises that are about 15-20 minutes a day, while also working on resisting your compulsions.
You’ve tried other types of therapy before but haven’t found relief.
You’ve been recently diagnosed with OCD.
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You can schedule a phone or video consultation by booking online. If you prefer to email, I’ll reply within 1-2 business days (not on weekends). From there, we’ll pick a day and time that works for both of us.
Here’s what to expect from the consultation call:
We’ll discuss what’s bringing you to therapy and what you’re hoping to get out of sessions.
If you feel it’s a good fit, we can schedule your first appointment.
You will receive an email to set up your client portal and complete the intake paperwork online. Once all of the forms are completed, your appointment will be confirmed.
Why Choose Ruberti Counseling Services
Specialized Expertise
My advanced training in both Exposure and Response Prevention and gender-affirming care means you won't have to educate your therapist about your identities or experiences. I understand how obsessive compulsive disorder intersects with:
Gender transition and exploration
Queer relationships
Creative professions and perfectionism
Medical anxiety and health concerns
Minority stress and discrimination
Personalized Treatment Plans
I don't believe in one-size-fits-all approaches. Your treatment plan will be tailored to your specific OCD symptoms, identity, values, and life circumstances. Together, we'll create an approach that feels authentic and sustainable for you.
Holistic Therapy
You might want to address other concerns in addition to OCD. I am trained in a variety of modalities that help you tap into your emotions in ways beyond talk therapy. I use art therapy, IFS, and psychodynamic therapy to help you address anxiety, body image, disordered eating and trauma.
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