Augusto Barbaran

When I had my first open heart surgery when I was 20, I didn't expect it to be so traumatic. I experienced panic attacks about my heart and death, which led to more panic attacks. I started having trouble leaving my home and enjoying life. I went to a therapist at my college, and the rest is history. She helped me to take back control of my life. Two years later, I saw that they were accepting applicants for a counseling program at my college and I applied. Throughout my master's program and experience in the field, I've seen how powerful therapy is in my members' lives and in my own life. The treatments in this field work, and I love to see people realize they ultimately have control over their own lives despite all the challenges. We are more resilient than we think.

OCD is a destructive and insidious disorder. It affects all parts of a person's life and can lead to the development of other disorders, such as anxiety and depression. But OCD has an extremely effective and empirically based treatment: ERP. I want to teach people ERP because it's an amazing treatment everyone needs to know about.

I've worked with anxiety, depression, substance use, and trauma. To be a knowledgeable therapist, it's important to delve into many areas of mental health. In reality, all these disorders are connected and require us to be vigilant of them.

Prepare to be challenged, in a good way! Progress is made outside of your comfort zone, and in therapy, we spend a lot of time outside the comfort zone. But I'm here every step of the way. I will be teaching you what you need to know, making sure you understand it before putting it into practice and coaching you throughout. I won't let you do things that will be too hard or too easy. We'll find the middle ground and go on this ERP journey together.

This is your space, and you're free to share your thoughts as long as you feel comfortable. I will not push you. This is a judgment-free zone. I'll never judge you for any thoughts that you share, no matter how taboo they may seem. I've heard them all in my previous work. OCD is not rational, and I understand this 100%.