Thelma Rivera

Thelma Rivera

Licensed Therapist, MSW, LCSW

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I have personal experience with OCD. I understand how OCD can impact an individual and those around them. Everyone is different, so I'll take time to understand how OCD impacts each person I work with. I pay attention to how each person learns, then I utilize their strengths to motivate them throughout treatment. I love seeing people regain control of their lives and increase their confidence. In my 19 years of experience, I have treated PTSD, depression, bipolar, and BFRBs (body-focused repetitive behaviors).

Location

Licensed in Texas, Utah, Washington

About

Clinical Expertise

OCD, Anxiety, Depression, Phobias, Skin picking, Hair pulling, Nail biting, Tics, Children and Adolescents

LGBTQ+ affirming

Cultural competencies

Buddhism, Christianity, Agnosticism, Atheism

Education

Our Lady of the Lake University

Insurance

Plans accepted by Thelma

Aetna, Ascension SmartHealth, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, Cigna, ClaimDOC, EMI Health, Forest County Potawatomi, GEHA, Healthcare Management Administrators, Horizon BCBS, Imagine Health, Independence Blue Cross, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington, Kaiser Permanente, Medical Mutual, Meritain Health, Partners Direct Health, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah, Regence BlueShield, Regence BlueShield of Idaho, Regence Group Administrators, UHC Student Services, UMR, UMR - The Alliance, United Health Care Student Services, United Healthcare, United Healthcare Shared Services,

Why our members love working with Thelma

c.s.

c.s.

Good experience
Oct 1, 2026

I've been having therapy with NOCD for the last 18 months. Its been a huge journey for sure but I can honestly say it was so worth it. Thelma has been my therapist throughout and I have really appreciated her calm, kind and steady presence. She has supported me while at the same time helped me hold myself accountable. I still have ocd but despite that i am living the life i want to live. I am really thankful to have found my therapist Thelma and to have found NOCD 😊

K.M.

K.M.

Good experience
Dec 31, 2025

Thelma has been excellent at treating my OCD, kind and honest, and then helping me understand where I need to go next now that my OCD is controlled, including telling me when it was time for me to go on to another therapist to continue treatment.

c.s.

c.s.

Good experience
Dec 10, 2025

Thank you NOCD for providing such expert and specialised ocd therapy. I have had diagnosed ocd for 39 years and the last eight months of therapy with nocd have been truly life changing. I am super thankful for my nocd therapist Thelma Rivera. She keeps it real, shows care and understanding and helps me push through some really difficult "stuff". Real help, where you can learn, grow and live a better life... definitely looks like this 💯

H.W.

H.W.

Good experience
Apr 23, 2025

I have worked with Thelma on two occasions over the past two years and she is amazing. She understands OCD in and out. She has the perfect balance of compassion and directness to help you manage OCD. NOCD program works and has great therapists like Thelma.

K.C.

K.C.

Good experience
Feb 9, 2024

she is simply awesome

J.N.

J.N.

Good experience
Dec 3, 2023

Excellent engagement between our therapist and our family

L.G.

L.G.

Good experience
Dec 1, 2023

Thelma is great at keeping me accountable but being compassionate too.

M.C.

M.C.

Good experience
Nov 28, 2023

I’ve always been a very methodical person - which is an extra struggle with OCD. Thelma has been there to help me through periods I felt there was no coming back to maintenance sessions because I’ve overcome the worst parts. I couldn’t have done this without her!

M.W.

M.W.

Good experience
Nov 15, 2023

I feel very supported by Thelma and she motivates me to continue facing my fears. I am very grateful that she is my therapist!

L.P.

L.P.

Good experience
Nov 12, 2023

Thelma has an in-depth understanding of OCD and how to treat it because she is she a talented ERP therapist, and she has OCD herself. This means she is uniquely qualified to help OCD sufferers like you and me. For this reason you can open up to her about anything without fear of judgement because you know she “gets it”. She is not only skilled as an ERP therapist but as a therapist in general. She is incredibly wise and I am so grateful that I found her.

M.W.

M.W.

Good experience
Oct 18, 2023

Is very compassionate, gives me helpful feedback and helps me feel my emotions

J.W.

J.W.

Good experience
Oct 3, 2023

Thelma is an amazing therapist. She is caring and compassionate and very good at what she does.

R.G.

R.G.

Good experience
Sep 20, 2023

I love that Thelma is open to hearing my perspective and consistently offers feedback for how I can challenge myself.

C.W.

C.W.

Good experience
Sep 19, 2023

She is awesome

G.C.

G.C.

Good experience
Sep 7, 2023

Thelma always helps me so much, and listens so well. I came out of this session with several fresh insights.

A.S.

A.S.

Good experience
Aug 16, 2023

Thelma is so lovely and understanding! She really validates my experiences and makes me feel seen (without providing reassurance! 😝)

K.M.

K.M.

Good experience
Aug 10, 2023

I’ve done about 12 sessions with her- it was really challenging and frustrating at first that I couldn’t stop ruminating, but she’s been pretty patient. I like her metaphors for OCD since it’s a new concept to me, and she’s validated me when there have been actual relationship problems vs OCD.

T.H.

T.H.

Good experience
Jul 27, 2023

Felt like I got new Insight to why I do my BRFBs. Very helpful.

L.G.

L.G.

Good experience
Jul 24, 2023

I spent about 9 months in treatment through NOCD and I am in such a better place because of it. My therapist Thelma approached our sessions with a balance of exposure and compassion that was just what I needed. I was not expecting this to work. I wasn’t even sure I had OCD. I am sure of it now and I am confident in the tools I have developed to manage my OCD. I’m really grateful to have this program at my fingertips, and I feel OCD has significantly less power over me. What an incredible space to be in.

R.W.

R.W.

Good experience
Jul 18, 2023

Thelma is the best! She has been great at helping me navigate OCD through the ups and downs!

T.H.

T.H.

Good experience
Jul 16, 2023

Loving my sessions. It is making me realize factors in my life that may be contributing to my BFRB's. My therapist is understanding, insightful, and real.

G.C.

G.C.

Good experience
Jul 14, 2023

I've had three sessions with Thelma and I feel like I've made so much progress. Stressful things do come up in my life but I'm handling them better. Thelma is a great coach and advocate.

T.H.

T.H.

Good experience
Jul 13, 2023

Had a great session with valuable input and ideas presented.

G.C.

G.C.

Good experience
Jun 27, 2023

Thelma is so prepared! She listened to me so well too. I feel more prepared to address my OCD

R.G.

R.G.

Good experience
May 24, 2023

Thelma is really good about helping me to identify themes in my progress and thinking, as well as listening to my feedback if something is not what I was aiming to communicate. I am really grateful she’s my therapist and I’m glad we work together. She’s an ally and encourages me to see things differently when I get “stuck.”

M.P.

M.P.

Good experience
May 21, 2023

It was okay.

A.W.

A.W.

Good experience
May 17, 2023

A great specialist who knows her stuff

D.O.

D.O.

Good experience
May 16, 2023

I feel confident to conquer OCD with Thelma :)

D.O.

D.O.

Good experience
May 1, 2023

I’m excited to start my OCD journey with Thelma :)

M.L.

M.L.

Good experience
Apr 25, 2023

Thelma did an amazing job I cannot tell you how much she has changed my life. I do not know what I would do without her she understood me and understood why I do the things that I do and why I do the compulsions that I do and I'm so grateful for her and for her helpfulness for me to get my OCD compulsions down to that negative 49%. :-)

A.W.

A.W.

Good experience
Apr 19, 2023

She was very kind and understanding and fun to talk to. Excited to work with her.

R.C.

R.C.

Good experience
Apr 10, 2023

I absolutely loved my therapist and understood a lot what I was going through

A.G.

A.G.

Good experience
Apr 8, 2023

Great, overall. I don’t have any complaints.

R.W.

R.W.

Good experience
Mar 20, 2023

Thelma is the best! She is helping me a ton with overcoming my OCD!

P.H.

P.H.

Good experience
Mar 18, 2023

Our Therapist was great. My daughter felt comfortable and was engaged.

A.F.

A.F.

Good experience
Mar 16, 2023

She’s so nice and understanding, always great to work with her 😊

I.C.

I.C.

Good experience
Mar 12, 2023

The difference between when I started and finished erp therapy with Thelma is honestly night and day. She instantly made me feel very comfortable which is important when opening up about the content of my more taboo ocd themes. She gave very good guidance which I still use in my day to day life. My ocd was affecting me so severely when I first started therapy but after a year of hard work Thelma helped me get my life back to the point where my ocd felt almost non existent at times. I highly recommend her!

L.P.

L.P.

Good experience
Feb 27, 2023

My therapist was great. Very empathetic. We did have some audio issues.

M.L.

M.L.

Good experience
Feb 21, 2023

Thelma was the best! When OCD was so bad I had quit doing everything I loved, she guided me on the recovery journey and showed me how to live a thriving life even if OCD pops up. I went from being unable to do schoolwork to being crowned prom queen at senior prom and getting the lead role in my senior drama production. Thelma gave me the tools I needed to get back to living a beautiful, amazing life no matter what OCD throws my way! I’m so grateful for her well-rounded support and encouragement. I could tell she was so genuinely happy to see me make progress! Thelma is a therapist that cares, and a therapist that has the tools you need to get your life back. I’m so grateful God used her to give me my life back.

L.A.

L.A.

Good experience
Feb 18, 2023

Thelma was so amazing and gave great word pictures to help explain OCD.

A.F.

A.F.

Good experience
Jan 31, 2023

Another great experience with my therapist, she’s so kind and very thorough, I felt heard

A.F.

A.F.

Good experience
Jan 28, 2023

Super super kind, I am excited to move forward and to work with my therapist

N.Y.

N.Y.

Good experience
Jan 28, 2023

I loved how Thelma helped me to understand my ocd can morph and change to try and feel scary, new, or different. I felt understood and supported by someone who clearly understands the ins and outs of this condition.

T.R.

T.R.

Good experience
Dec 5, 2022

I love meeting w miss thelma she just gets me lol

W.G.

W.G.

Good experience
Nov 23, 2022

All around great experience

E.R.

E.R.

Good experience
Nov 2, 2022

Thelma has been so helpful in guiding and supporting me through my OCD recovery. I had previously searched for help for decades and never met anyone who understood OCD as well as her. Thank you for being such a great resource in my journey.

T.R.

T.R.

Good experience
Oct 11, 2022

Miss Thelma a real one fr

T.R.

T.R.

Good experience
Sep 27, 2022

Thelma is just too funny and very helpful/understanding lol!

A.S.

A.S.

Good experience
Aug 30, 2022

Thelma is incredible. I can’t say enough good things about my experience with her so far.

C.T.

C.T.

Good experience
Aug 29, 2022

Thelma was very friendly and validating. I really appreciate how well our first session went.

T.R.

T.R.

Good experience
Aug 27, 2022

Thelma was super nice and understanding. I think this is the first therapist I’ve felt this comfortable with.

A.M.

A.M.

Good experience
Aug 23, 2022

I have loved working with Thelma. I feel like she’s really helped me recognize my OCD brain and given me tools to move forward with life.

A.H.

A.H.

Good experience
Jul 6, 2022

Thelma is great! She always has insights and ideas to help.

C.M.

C.M.

Good experience
Jul 6, 2022

Thelma is always able to help me no matter where I am in the OCD recovery process

A.B.

A.B.

Good experience
Jun 23, 2022

I am so happy I took the leap to join NOCD. I was nervous every part of the way but they have made the process easy and comfortable. I was especially nervous about my therapist but I truly lucked out and I am sure all the therapist are amazing here. I feel seen, heard, and understood which is huge when it comes to OCD. I wanted to say thank you to Thelma because she is outstanding at what she does and it’s changing my life with every meeting we have!

C.R.

C.R.

Good experience
Jun 22, 2022

OK so I've suspected I had OCD for a number of years, but hadn't really done much about it other than reading a few books. My primary OCD types are "Just Right," Scrupulosity, and Relationship OCD, all with mostly mental compulsions like rumination. At a low point in my relationship with my wife, I decided that if I didn't do something about it, the trajectory of my life was not going to go the way I would like. I was resistant to NOCD at first because I wanted to do in-person therapy. I couldn't really find any OCD specific therapists that were available in person locally, so I bit the bullet and did NOCD. Well what can I say? It really changed my outlook on life for the better. I would say I am still in recovery (and likely always will be, this is no cure) but meaningful results happened for me really quickly. I had a new lease on life and felt more in control in a matter of about 2 weeks. If you've been struggling for a long time, you owe it to yourself to do something about this. NOCD therapists can both diagnose and treat, so if you don't know if what you have is OCD, they can help you with that as well. It's a really accessible way to do it.

M.R.

M.R.

Good experience
Jun 18, 2022

<Name> enjoyed his session and likes this therapist.

E.C.

E.C.

Good experience
May 28, 2022

Therapists was able to completely focus on me to find my core fear.

G.B.

G.B.

Good experience
May 18, 2022

My son’s OCD is practically gone now!!!

anonymous

anonymous

Good experience
May 14, 2022

Excited to start learning more and working through my issues.

anonymous

anonymous

Good experience
Apr 25, 2022

Thelma continues to surprise me with her skills and finding my sneaky compulsions. She has given me permission, I didn’t know I needed, to allow myself to take space in this world and betters me with every visit. Thelma is awesome!! Thank you NOCD for making this all possible!

anonymous

anonymous

Good experience
Apr 4, 2022

Just when I think I won’t make any sense to the therapist. They always come through with incredible insights and understanding and help push me in the direction (of uncertainty) I’ve so desperately been needing.

anonymous

anonymous

Good experience
Dec 7, 2021

I feel a million times better than I did 6 months ago thanks to my therapist’s guidance and also feel more confident that I can maintain these new skills.

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