Marawan Elwakil
LMHC
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My approach to OCD treatment is a balanced one. I reinforce the behavioral work necessary to manage symptoms, while remaining sensitive and collaborative for individuals who are struggling. A major part of OCD therapy is getting comfortable with being uncomfortable; doing so in the short term enables long-term improvement. I'll provide a safe space for you to share things that may feel difficult, shameful or uncomfortable to explore. You'll be treated with the care, sensitivity and warmth you deserve. My other focus areas include anxiety, mood disorders, ADHD, life transitions, identity/role confusion, generational stressors, and addiction.
My approach to OCD treatment is a balanced one. I reinforce the behavioral work necessary to manage symptoms, while remaining sensitive and collaborative for individuals who are struggling. A major part of OCD therapy is getting comfortable with being uncomfortable; doing so in the short term enables long-term improvement. I'll provide a safe space for you to share things that may feel difficult, shameful or uncomfortable to explore. You'll be treated with the care, sensitivity and warmth you deserve. My other focus areas include anxiety, mood disorders, ADHD, life transitions, identity/role confusion, generational stressors, and addiction.
Location
Licensed in California, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York
About
Clinical Expertise
OCD, Anxiety, Depression, Phobias, Skin picking, Hair pulling, Nail biting, Tics, Children and Adolescents
LGBTQ+ affirming
Cultural competencies
Agnosticism, Atheism, Islam, Christianity
Education
Brooklyn College
Insurance
Plans accepted by Marawan
Aetna, Ascension SmartHealth, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Northeastern New York, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Western New York, Blue Shield of California, Cigna, ClaimDOC, Claritev (MultiPlan) PHCS, Curative, Forest County Potawatomi, GEHA, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Highmark, Horizon BCBS, Imagine Health, Independence Blue Cross, Kaiser - Northern California Region, Kaiser - Southern California Region, Kaiser Permanente, Meritain Health, Oscar Health, Partners Direct Health, Positive Healthcare, Tufts Health Plan, UHC Student Services, UMR, UMR - The Alliance, United Health Care Student Services, United Healthcare, Western Health Advantage,
Want to work with Marawan?
Talk with our team to learn more.
Get to know Marawan
My personal connection to OCD and mental health
A few of my closest friends struggled with OCD. Being so close to them, I witnessed the way OCD progressed and how significantly it impacted their quality of life. They described OCD as being stuck in their head for so much of the day. When they did find help, I was so happy to see how they were able to regain a sense of their own lives.
Why cultural understanding matters in therapy
Culture can play such a major role in how mental health presents. It has to be considered when working with people from all walks of life. Certain things may not blend well, so I try to take cultural competency—and all of these cultural factors—into consideration when working with people of different races, creeds, and orientations.
How I create a safe, supportive environment in therapy
My Members have commented on how relieving it can be just to speak out loud about things that have been going on in their head, things they may have felt fearful to say—even to themselves. Being able to say it to somebody else often provides a sense of relief on its own.
My message to you if you're considering therapy
I'd like to help my Members see how resilient they can be, and how becoming comfortable with discomfort can be a major strength. Exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy may seem scary at first, and many people probably felt the same way at first, as you do now. We don't have to take it too fast—we can work at it slowly—and ERP tends to be a very effective way to treat and manage OCD in the long run.
Why our members love working with Marawan
D.H.
My last session went really well. We got into my deep fears at the heart of one of my primary obsessions, and now I feel more prepared to tackle it by exposing myself to it without responding with my typical compulsions. I still have a lot of practicing to do to overcome this particular obsession, but this was a huge first step in the right direction.
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