Heidi Vanderhei

I became a therapist because I always had interest in helping others. When I was a teenager I struggled with anxiety, low self-esteem, and an eating disorder. When I finally was brave enough to seek treatment, my therapist helped me to get my life back on track. This made me want to do the same for others, I want to give back and do for others what others once did for me.

Where I grew up, there was a behavioral health hospital. It had a residential program that specialized in OCD. After receiving my bachelor's degree, I tried out different areas such as working with the elderly and working in community mental health. I eventually ended up focusing on for OCD. Anxiety disorders run in my family, so it just felt like a really good fit. I enjoyed it then, and I still do today.

I have over 20 years of experience working in the mental health field. More than 10 of those years have been working with adults, adolescents, and children with OCD and related disorders in a residential setting. Other conditions that I have treated include depression and other mood disorders, GAD, PTSD, trauma, substance abuse, and eating disorders.

When you enter my session, it's safe for you to share anything with me. I understand that a lot of the themes that come up in OCD can be very difficult to talk about. I want to encourage you to talk about them here so that we can address them and face them together.

I want you to know that this is a safe space and that I have been working with people with OCD for a long time. I'm used to hearing some pretty intense things, and, as a result, I'm unshockable. In addition, I know that these thoughts have nothing to do with who you are as a person, and I'm not going to judge you for them.