Licensed to practice in California. Specializes in Anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive (OCD), Trauma and PTSD and 3 more.
(she/her)
I specialize in helping adults recover from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), chronic anxiety, and the lasting effects of complex trauma. My approach is active, collaborative, and recovery-focused. My goal is not simply to help you feel better during our sessions, but to help you build the skills and confidence to live your life with greater freedom outside of therapy. For clients struggling with OCD and anxiety, I use evidence-based approaches including Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) to help reduce fear, break unhelpful patterns, and develop lasting resilience. For those recovering from complex trauma, I help clients strengthen their "inner adult," process emotions that may not have felt safe to express in the past, and create a life that is guided by values rather than survival. Therapy with me is an active process. Together we'll identify meaningful goals, practice practical skills, and take manageable steps toward lasting change. Recovery takes courage and commitment, but healing is possible. My role is to provide guidance, support, and evidence-based tools while empowering you to become increasingly confident in your ability to navigate life's challenges. If you're ready to do the work of recovery and build a life that feels bigger than anxiety, fear, or past experiences, I'd be honored to work with you.
In our first session, my priority is getting to know you as a whole person, not just the symptoms that brought you to therapy. We'll talk about what you're hoping to change, the challenges you're facing, and the life you'd like to build. I also want to learn about your relationships, interests, strengths, values, and the parts of your life that are most meaningful to you. We'll begin identifying patterns that may be keeping you stuck and discuss how I believe I can help. Together, we'll create a treatment plan tailored to your goals, and I'll explain my approach so you know what to expect moving forward. My hope is that you leave our first session feeling heard, understood, and with a clearer sense of direction for your recovery.
One of my greatest strengths as a therapist is my deep commitment to both personal and professional growth. I am passionate about learning, continually expanding my knowledge, and providing evidence-based treatment that helps clients create meaningful, lasting change. I strive to balance warmth, honesty, and humor in therapy because I believe laughter can be a powerful tool for navigating life's most difficult moments. My approach is both compassionate and practical—I will support you while also challenging the unhelpful beliefs and patterns that may be keeping you stuck. I believe that healing comes from developing new perspectives, processing grief and past experiences, and learning to accept ourselves with greater compassion. My goal is to help you build the skills and confidence to create a life guided by your values rather than fear or old survival patterns.
My ideal clients are adults who are motivated to actively participate in the recovery process and are ready to make meaningful changes in their lives. I work best with individuals struggling with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, chronic anxiety, and the lasting effects of complex trauma. Together, we'll establish clear goals, build practical skills, and work toward lasting recovery—not just symptom relief. I enjoy working with clients who are curious, willing to challenge old patterns, and committed to developing greater confidence, flexibility, and self-compassion. Whether you're learning to face fears, process difficult experiences, or break free from long-standing patterns, my goal is to help you build a life guided by your values rather than by anxiety or past experiences.
Other specialties
I identify as
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
I have completed training in Internal Family Systems (IFS)-informed parts work and integrate these concepts into therapy when they are a good fit for a client's goals. While I do not practice exclusively from an IFS model, I have found parts work to be a valuable intervention, particularly for individuals recovering from complex trauma. Together, we may identify and better understand different "parts" of yourself—such as protective parts, inner critics, or other patterns that developed to help you cope with difficult experiences. As we explore these parts with curiosity and compassion, you'll have the opportunity to respond to them from a calmer, more grounded place rather than from fear or self-criticism. I use this approach to help clients develop greater self-understanding, increase self-compassion, and reduce shame while building healthier ways of responding to life's challenges.
Exposure Response Prevention (ERP)
I have specialized training in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), the gold-standard treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and one of the most effective treatments for many anxiety disorders. ERP helps people gradually face feared situations, thoughts, and sensations while learning new ways to respond without relying on compulsions, avoidance, or other safety behaviors. Together, we'll identify the patterns that keep anxiety and OCD going, develop a personalized treatment plan, and work through gradual, manageable exposures at a pace that feels challenging yet achievable. Over time, this process helps reduce fear, increase flexibility, and build confidence in your ability to tolerate uncertainty and navigate life without anxiety making the decisions for you. One of the most rewarding parts of my work is watching clients regain their freedom as they become more confident in managing their lives and no longer feel controlled by OCD or chronic anxiety.
Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy
REBT is a practical, evidence-based approach that helps people develop greater emotional flexibility, reduce reactivity, and respond to life's challenges with more calmness and acceptance. Rather than trying to eliminate difficult emotions, REBT teaches us how to change the rigid beliefs and thinking patterns that often intensify emotional suffering. Together, we'll identify the core beliefs that contribute to anxiety, self-criticism, perfectionism, or emotional distress and work to replace them with more balanced, flexible, and helpful perspectives. My goal is to help you develop skills that you can continue using long after therapy has ended, empowering you to respond to life's challenges with greater confidence and resilience.
1 rating with written reviews
February 17, 2026
I felt a real aha moment! Stephanie made me aware of a behavior I had repeatedly used and hopefully we'll work through that.