Jennifer Shafi

I became a therapist, first and foremost, to help people who are struggling. When I was younger, I went through a very difficult time with my health. That led me to pause my life and look at how I was coping with my stress and anxiety. It was part of a life-changing journey that took me to a new place. I decided to go back to school to become a mental health counselor and art therapist.

I first worked with people who had OCD in an outpatient setting, and that led me to train as an ERP therapist. ERP helped so many people that it was always interesting and motivating to go to work. Treatment does take effort, and with effort, you will see results.

I have worked in various settings as a mental health clinician. I was initially trained as a marriage and family therapist and an art therapist. I have worked as an individual therapist in community mental health and been a lead therapist for an intensive outpatient program and a partial hospitalization program focusing on OCD, anxiety, and mood disorders.

Often, just starting something is the most difficult step. Before we get started with treatment, I will answer all the questions you have about ERP. I will never ask you to do something you don’t want to do. Everything I ask you to do comes from having your best interest in mind. We will be partners in this journey, with you taking the lead. We will need to unlearn safety behaviors and compulsions, so I will try to model that as much as possible in the sessions. I like to send the message that we don’t want to “negotiate” with OCD. We will take a slow, methodical approach to facing fears and worries together, so you can progress at a speed that feels achievable but also challenging.

I know that sharing your OCD or anxious thoughts with a stranger can be daunting, especially thoughts that may bring up feelings of guilt, shame, or embarrassment. I want you to know that I'm a professional who has been working with OCD for 11 years, and I'm here to help you understand and work through OCD together. Although OCD thoughts can differ from person to person, the themes can be very similar. Chances are you're not the only person who experiences the thoughts you're having. By sharing your thoughts with me, you're helping me help you.