Anna Dufford

Personal growth is a core value for me. I’ve always been passionate about the fact that we can choose how we want to develop as a person! During my first Psych 101 course, it dawned on me that I could embody this in a career as a therapist. I’ve been a psychology nerd ever since.

Life brings plenty of challenges, but OCD makes those challenges personal. Resolving OCD is about learning to be present with the discomfort that is a natural part of life. This isn’t just an OCD skill—it’s a quality-of-life skill, and that resonates with me. I wanted to specialize in an area I feel authentically connected to.

My background is in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), another evidence-based approach, which has the goal of helping people build “a life worth living.” I spent the first six years of my career at a DBT psychiatric hospital, which granted me the opportunity to work with a wide range of people and mental health conditions. I facilitated the hospital’s DBT Intensive Outpatient Program, helping people transition from inpatient into daily life.

ERP is different from other therapy approaches. That's because traditional talk therapy is ineffective for OCD and can even make things worse. Instead, during sessions we will work together to gradually approach your fears and reduce compulsions. This process will be hard, but living with OCD is harder.

Let me know if you’re feeling that way. Therapy is a vulnerable process; it takes time, and I respect that. I'm here to help, and the more I know, the more I'll be able to do so.