The Holistic Approach

Hello, and welcome to the Holistic OCD Treatment Center! I'm Carissa Atkinson, founder and licensed professional counselor (LPC), specializing in OCD and anxiety-related disorders. I believe that effective therapy includes an appropriate balance of empathy, humor, active listening, and empowerment. Through proper guidance rooted in evidence-based practices, I utilize an eclectic mix of therapeutic modalities to tailor treatment according to the specific needs of each individual.

My treatment approach typically involves three phases: building insight and awareness around delineating between OCD-related intrusive thoughts and your own logical thought processes; developing skills to appropriately manage and dismiss intrusive thoughts and compulsive urges; and ultimately structuring effective, yet manageable, exposures to incrementally build distress tolerance and systematically desensitize to triggering experiences.

While our work together will focus on addressing OCD and anxiety-related issues, I intend to utilize a holistic approach necessary in treating the whole person, which may include family work as well. My primary goal is to help clients realize happy, healthy, fulfilling lives by taking their freedom back from the binds of OCD and anxiety. I aim to work in a creative, collaborative environment while cultivating meaningful relationships with my clients. I find it extremely rewarding to help people who are struggling with OCD and anxiety, as progress is often consistent and evident. As they say – if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life!