Judith Steverson

I suffered from trauma, and that made me more sensitive to people who were suffering from similar issues. I decided to become a therapist because of that time when I was younger, going through those same struggles. I also have family members who have mental health issues - some that weren't diagnosed.

I was mainly drawn to helping people with OCD because of the trauma that I experienced earlier in life. I've been able to overcome a lot of my own personal mental health issues related to trauma, but I still deal with them. Fear is a huge one, which is also a big factor for people with OCD that I can relate to personally. I get a lot of personal satisfaction from helping people heal from their fears and be successful. Additionally, the basis for the majority of my clinical work has been CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy – and the treatment for OCD is ERP, which comes from the CBT family.

I've worked with a lot of different people from many different backgrounds and cultures, and I've worked with adults, adolescents, and children. I've assisted them with depression, anxiety, ADHD, trauma, and grief.

Any therapy is a lot of hard work. NOCD is no different than any other therapy in that way. If you want to get better, you have to do that hard work. It's not easy, because no therapy is easy – but it’s extremely worth it. Sometimes the first session can be especially difficult, but I put myself in your shoes and try to look at things from your standpoint: You're telling your thoughts and fears to a stranger. I will take the time to create a good connection with you. You should also know that ERP has been tested, and it's empirically sound. People react differently to different therapies, but most people who go through ERP experience a decrease in symptoms.

I completely understand. It's difficult to share those innermost thoughts and fears with someone else who's a stranger to you. But there is no judgment. This is a safe place. After a couple of sessions, if you feel like you still can't share your thoughts with me, we'll find some way to get through that. For example, you can put them down in a journal, and I can see them that way. Or while we're doing our session, you could put the information in the Zoom chat. We’ll find a method that works together.