How an experienced OCD therapist deepened his expertise, expanded his skills, and found ongoing support at NOCD
When Augusto Barbaran talks about what makes a great place to practice therapy, he keeps coming back to this: strong training, knowledgeable colleagues you can turn to, and the opportunity to grow into the strongest version of yourself as a clinician. At NOCD, he found that combination.
When Augusto joined NOCD in December 2023, he wasn’t new to treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Coming from a specialized behavioral health organization, he had already received training in OCD and exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, and he enjoyed providing structured, evidence-based treatment for OCD and seeing how effective it could be.
At NOCD, Augusto built on that foundation, expanded his clinical skills, and joined a community where learning and support continue long after initial training ends.
Deepening his expertise
Even with his previous experience treating OCD, Augusto was struck by the depth of NOCD’s training, which expanded beyond OCD to include habit reversal training (HRT) for tics and body-focused repetitive behaviors, prolonged exposure for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and behavioral activation.
“I feel really confident in the training I received,” he says. “It helped broaden my skills too.”
The support doesn’t end once formal training is complete—it’s built into how NOCD’s platform is designed to work alongside therapists and Members long-term. Augusto, for example, values having tools that assist Members between sessions, when OCD triggers can arise in the course of everyday life – specifically, the practical language and tools Members can use when navigating mental compulsions.
“I thought that was a really great addition,” Augusto says. “Sometimes it could be hard for my Members to know what to do during an exposure when it comes to their mental compulsions.”
Having those tools available outside of planned exposures gives Members something to draw on when a trigger happens unexpectedly.
“They’re just going throughout their life, and then the trigger happens when they’re living their life, because that’s what happens,” Augusto says. “I thought it was helpful to give them an extra kind of tool to use.”
That ongoing support extends to therapists, too. Augusto points to NOCD’s consultation groups as an important part of continuing to develop as a clinician after training.
“Group consultations that are offered throughout the week are really important,” he says. “You get to hear different perspectives from other therapists or other group leaders.”
Augusto tries to attend at least once a week, even when he doesn’t have a case or question to bring.
“Even if I don’t have anything to present, just to hear people talk and see what’s going on,” he says.
Between consultation groups, clinical support, and peer connections through Slack, he always knows where to turn when something comes up.
“There’s so much support everywhere,” Augusto says. “You don’t feel alone.”
That accessibility has made a difference in his confidence, too.
“I think it’s made me feel more comfortable in providing therapy,” he says. “If I have a question, I can just ask someone.”
For Augusto, that combination has been particularly meaningful precisely because he didn’t come to NOCD looking to learn OCD treatment from scratch—he already had specialized experience. Instead, he found an opportunity to deepen that expertise, broaden his clinical skills, and continue learning alongside other therapists doing the same work.
