OCD Therapy
Juniper Blu Collective provides specialized telehealth therapy for OCD across Maryland, DC, and Pennsylvania. We use evidence-based approaches, including Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), CBT, ACT, and mindfulness-based therapy, with neurodivergence-affirming care for adults, teens, and children. Whether you're navigating Pure O, contamination, harm, relationship, or any other OCD subtype, our therapists understand that OCD is more than what you've seen on TV — and that real, compassionate treatment exists.
OCD Care at Juniper Blu
OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) is a treatable condition characterized by intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and the rituals or mental acts people use to relieve the distress those thoughts create (compulsions). It can show up in dozens of forms, many of which look nothing like the hand-washing stereotype most people picture.
At Juniper Blu, OCD care is one of our specialty areas. Our founder, Jamie L. Jones, is a Certified Anxiety, OCD, and Panic Specialist, and our team draws on Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), CBT, ACT, and mindfulness-based approaches to help adults, teens, and children break free from OCD cycles.
OCD Beyond the Stereotypes: Types of OCD
OCD is one of the most misunderstood conditions in mental health. Most people associate it with hand-washing or organization, but OCD takes many forms — and several of the most common subtypes are also the most stigmatized. The point of this section is to name them, so people who recognize themselves know they're not alone, and know specialized treatment exists.
Pure O (Pure Obsessional OCD)
Pure O involves intense intrusive thoughts without visible compulsions. The compulsions are mental, reviewing memories, mentally checking, seeking reassurance, ruminating. Because there's nothing observable, people with Pure O often go years before getting an accurate diagnosis. The thoughts themselves can feel terrifying, but they don't define you.
Contamination OCD
The form most people recognize: fear of germs, dirt, illness, or bodily fluids, often paired with washing, cleaning, or avoidance compulsions. Contamination OCD can also be emotional, fear of being contaminated by certain people, ideas, or experiences.
Harm OCD
Intrusive thoughts about accidentally or intentionally harming someone, often a loved one, a child, or oneself. These thoughts are deeply distressing precisely because they go against the person's values. Harm OCD is not a sign of true risk; it's a sign of severe OCD, and it responds well to treatment. If you've been carrying these thoughts in silence, please know: you are not alone, and you are not dangerous.
Relationship OCD
Persistent doubts about a relationship, a partner's feelings, or one's own feelings, often presenting as constant analysis, comparison, or seeking reassurance. Relationship OCD can be especially confusing because the doubts feel like real questions about the relationship, when they're actually fueled by OCD.
Just-Right OCD
A pervasive sense that something isn't quite right until a specific action is performed, touching, repeating, arranging, or counting until it "feels" complete. This subtype is more common in children and teens, but persists into adulthood for many.
Other Common Subtypes
OCD can also center on themes including sexual orientation, religion or morality (scrupulosity), health, existential questions, and somatic sensations. The specific theme varies; the underlying mechanism — intrusive thoughts plus compulsions, is what defines OCD.
What ERP Actually Looks Like
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is the most well-researched treatment for OCD, and the one we most commonly use at Juniper Blu. But ERP is also one of the most misunderstood treatments in mental health, partly because the name sounds intense, and partly because most descriptions skip past what it actually feels like in practice.
Here's the short version: ERP helps your brain learn that intrusive thoughts don't require a response. Instead of avoiding the thoughts or performing compulsions to neutralize them, you and your therapist work together to gradually face them, at a pace that feels manageable, without doing the compulsion. Over time, your brain stops treating those thoughts as alarms.
It is structured. It is collaborative. It is paced to you. And it works, but only when delivered by a therapist who understands OCD specifically, which is why we recommend specialized care rather than generic talk therapy for OCD.
OCD Across the Lifespan
OCD can begin in childhood, adolescence, or adulthood. The way it shows up varies by age, and so does the right approach to treatment. We work with all three.
OCD in Adults
Most adults seeking OCD treatment have been living with it for years, often since adolescence, without ever having a name for what they were experiencing. Adult OCD treatment usually involves ERP combined with skills for managing the inevitable spikes that come with stress, transitions, and life changes.
OCD in Teens
Adolescence is one of the most common times for OCD to emerge. Teen OCD treatment often includes the teen directly, parents in supportive coaching roles, and sometimes coordination with school. The work is collaborative, age-appropriate, and built around the teen's pace.
OCD in Children
Children with OCD often communicate distress through behavior, refusing certain routines, getting stuck on "what ifs," needing reassurance over and over. Treatment for younger children leans heavily on family-based approaches, where parents become active partners in the work.
When to Reach Out
If intrusive thoughts are taking up significant time, if rituals or mental routines are interfering with work, school, or relationships, if you've been carrying thoughts in silence because they feel too shameful to say out loud, or if you've tried therapy before and it didn't work for OCD specifically — those are reasons enough to talk to someone.
You don't need a formal OCD diagnosis to start therapy. Many people reach out before they have language for what's happening, and we can help you figure out the next step.
OCD and Co-Occurring Conditions
OCD often co-occurs with other conditions, and the way OCD shows up can shift depending on what else is going on. Some of the most common pairings we see:
- OCD and anxiety — anxiety disorders frequently co-occur with OCD, and the line between generalized anxiety and OCD can blur
- OCD and eating disorders — both involve intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors, and they often appear together
- OCD and autism or ADHD — neurodivergent brains can experience OCD differently, and treatment benefits from neurodivergence-affirming approaches
- OCD and trauma — OCD can emerge or intensify after traumatic events, and trauma-informed care is essential when both are present
Because Juniper Blu is a multi-specialty practice, we're often a strong fit for people whose OCD intersects with other areas of mental health.
How We Treat OCD
OCD care at Juniper Blu Collective is individualized. Our therapists draw on the leading evidence-based approaches for OCD, including:
- Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) — the most well-researched OCD treatment, and the cornerstone of our OCD work
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) — to identify and shift the thinking patterns that fuel OCD cycles
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) — to build psychological flexibility and reduce the power of intrusive thoughts
- Mindfulness-based approaches — to increase awareness of OCD patterns without getting hooked by them
- Neurodivergence-affirming care — for clients whose OCD intersects with autism, ADHD, or sensory differences
For clients whose OCD intersects with other conditions, we coordinate care across modalities and, when helpful, with other healthcare providers including psychiatrists, primary care physicians, and dietitians.
Looking for support with a related condition?
OCD often co-occurs with eating disorders, anxiety, autism, ADHD, and trauma. Visit our Eating Disorder Therapy, Neurodivergence-Affirming Therapy, or ARFID pages for more on how we work with these conditions.
What to Expect from OCD Therapy
Assessment & rapport
The first few sessions are about understanding your specific OCD presentation, history, what you've tried before, and what you want your life to look like. No exposure work yet — just listening, mapping, and building the relationship.
Psychoeducation & ERP planning
Understanding how OCD works in your specific case, mapping your obsessions and compulsions, and building an exposure hierarchy together. This is where ERP starts to make sense — and starts to feel possible.
Active ERP work
Gradually facing intrusive thoughts and triggering situations without performing compulsions, paced to you. This is where the work feels most active and where progress accelerates. Your therapist is with you the whole way.
Maintenance & relapse prevention
OCD can spike during stress and transitions. The final phase consolidates your skills and builds a plan for what to do when symptoms return — because they sometimes will, and that's normal.
Therapists Who Specialize in OCD
Jamie L. Jones
Founder · LCPAT, LCPC, ATR-BC
Certified Anxiety, OCD, and Panic Specialist with advanced DBT training, autism certification, and 17+ years of clinical experience.
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Batya H. Erickson
Licensed Graduate Professional Counselor
Attachment-based, mindfulness-informed support for OCD alongside anxiety, trauma, and life transitions.
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Jenna D. Howard
Licensed Graduate Professional Counselor
National Certified Counselor drawing on attachment-based therapy, CBT, DBT, and mindfulness-based approaches for OCD, anxiety, and mood concerns.
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Malca R. Gottlieb
Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker
C-DBT and EMDR-trained clinician offering relationship-centered psychotherapy for OCD alongside anxiety, trauma, and a wide range of life challenges.
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Megan M. Herbets
Licensed Professional Counselor
DBT-trained Board Certified Supervisor with experience treating OCD alongside anxiety, mood disorders, and personality disorders.
View full bio →Insurance & Cost
Juniper Blu accepts CareFirst insurance. For other plans, we offer concierge support to help you make the most of your out-of-network benefits, and we commonly work with PPO, HMO, POS, and federal plans.
Visit our Insurance & Payment Options page for full details.
Areas We Serve
Juniper Blu Collective offers OCD therapy via secure telehealth across Maryland, Washington DC, and Pennsylvania. As long as you're located in one of these states during your session, you can meet with your therapist from the comfort of home.
Maryland
Chevy Chase, Bethesda, Silver Spring, Rockville, Potomac, Annapolis, Baltimore, Columbia, Frederick, Gaithersburg, Towson & statewide
Washington DC
All wards, including Capitol Hill, Georgetown, Dupont Circle, Adams Morgan & surrounding neighborhoods
Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Allentown, Erie & statewide
Frequently Asked Questions
No. You don't need an OCD diagnosis to start therapy at Juniper Blu. Many people reach out because they recognize a pattern — intrusive thoughts, repetitive rituals, or fear-driven avoidance — without being sure what's going on. Your therapist can help you understand what you're experiencing as part of the early sessions.
ERP can sound intense, but in practice it's structured, paced to you, and never about flooding you with anxiety. The first sessions involve no exposure work at all — just understanding your OCD and building a plan together. Your therapist will never push you into something you're not ready for.
Pure O is real OCD, and it's treatable. The compulsions in Pure O are mental — reviewing memories, mentally checking, seeking reassurance, ruminating — and they respond to ERP just as visible compulsions do. We work with Pure O regularly.
Yes. Intrusive thoughts about harm, sexuality, religion, or other taboo themes are common in OCD and are not a sign of true risk. Our therapists are trained to hear these thoughts without judgment, and many of our clients say the relief of finally being able to say them out loud is part of the treatment itself.
Yes. Several of our therapists work with children and adolescents experiencing OCD, with a family-based approach that includes parents as active partners in treatment. We'll match you with the right therapist for your child's age and needs.
OCD treatment length varies based on severity, subtype, and life context, but evidence-based protocols typically involve 12 to 25 sessions for meaningful improvement. Some people need longer support, and OCD can spike during stress, so many clients return for shorter periods later. Your therapist will discuss a realistic timeline during the assessment phase.
Yes. Research consistently shows telehealth ERP is just as effective as in-person treatment, and for OCD specifically, telehealth often helps — exposures can happen in the actual environments where compulsions occur (your home, kitchen, bathroom), with your therapist guiding you in real time.
Juniper Blu accepts CareFirst insurance. For other plans, we offer concierge support to help you make the most of your out-of-network benefits, and we commonly work with PPO, HMO, POS, and federal plans. We do not accept Medicaid or Medicare at this time.
You can begin by visiting our contact page or calling (202) 244-0818 to schedule an initial consultation. We'll talk through what you're experiencing, answer your questions, and help you decide if one of our therapists feels like a good fit, with no pressure to commit before you're ready.
Start OCD Therapy with Juniper Blu Collective
If OCD has been narrowing your life, you don't have to keep figuring it out alone. Reach out today to talk through what support could look like.
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