florida Anxiety Specialists | OCD Treatment

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Hello! 

First, thank you for taking the time to learn more about me—I’m glad you're here. As a clinician with lived experience with OCD, panic, and anxiety, I bring a unique perspective to client care. I understand the relentless, irrational messages fear and anxiety can send, and how overwhelming it can feel to be trapped in a cycle of constant worry. I've been where you are—frozen, exhausted from the ongoing battle in the mind—and that insight drives my approach to healing. 

For over ten years, I was a public-school teacher, moving across the southeast to follow my husband’s military career. My experiences as a teacher shaped my clinical approach and provided valuable insight into the deep connection between learning and healing. I saw firsthand how trauma and fear affected my students’ ability to retain lessons, regulate emotions, and succeed academically. It became clear to me that learning—whether in the classroom or emotionally—was essential to overcoming life’s challenges. This realization led me to pursue a career in mental health counseling, and I am now a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC).

If you’ve ever felt stuck in patterns of frustration or emotional turmoil, struggling to find relief or make sense of your thoughts and behaviors, I am here to help. I work with clients to break through those barriers and find new ways to regain control, heal, and grow.

My Education & Approach

I hold a bachelor’s degree in Communication and Psychology, and a graduate degree in Counseling Psychology and Education. My dissertation utilized a framework based on Cognitive Coaching, a person-centered counseling method. My research demonstrated the profound impact that building strong, empathetic relationships—along with evidence-based practices—had on helping individuals learn and grow. This reinforced my belief that understanding and connecting with clients on a deep level is critical to effective therapy.

My original training as a teacher greatly influences my approach as a therapist. I combine compassion with structure, offering practical methods to support your healing while setting clear goals. I am trained in several evidence-based therapeutic techniques, including EMDR, Prolonged Exposure (PE), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), internet-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (iCBT), and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), all of which are effective for treating anxiety and trauma. Additionally, I incorporate Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) when appropriate to help clients address emotional and behavioral challenges.

My Experience

I’ve worked in a variety of therapeutic settings, including community mental health, private practice, and group practices. My clients have included individuals facing childhood trauma, physical and sexual abuse, postpartum depression and OCD, PTSD, post-infidelity stress disorder, relationship issues, and anxiety. No matter the challenge, I am committed to helping each person navigate their unique journey with care, empathy, and evidence-based support.

Education:

• B.A. in Communication and Psychology from Florida Atlantic University 
• M.S. in Counseling Psychology from Troy University
• Ed.D in Curriculum and Instruction from University of Florida -- Dissertation in Cognitive Coaching Teachers 

Training:  (Recent  & notable trainings, not exhaustive)

• Scrupulosity, harm OCD, and Social Anxiety, October 2025
• Digging Deeper into the YBOCs Assessment, October 2025
• CBT for Body Dysmorphic Disorder, October 2025
• Social Anxiety Disorders: Fundamentals and Behavior Treatment, July 2025
• Exposure-based Treatment of Panic Disorders, July 2025
• Emetophobia: Assessment and Diagnosis, March 2025
• BTTI (Behavior Therapy and Training Institute) with the IOCDF, April 2025
• Treating Contamination OCD, April 2025
• Comprehensive Treatment for BFRBs, March 2025
• Intensive Trauma-Focused Therapy Training, February 2025
• iCBT for OCD, February 2024
• CBT-I (CBT for Insomnia), April 2024
• Suicide Assessment and Intervention, January 2023
• Healing from the Trauma of Infidelity, February 2023
• Anxiety Certification--Certified Clinical Anxiety Treatment Professional (CCATP), February 2023
• Clinical Applications of the Polyvagal Theory with Stephen Porges, March 2023
• Basics of Exposure Therapy, July 2023
• DETUR, Urge Reduction, EMDR Protocol, September 2023
• Pregnancy and Infant Loss: Effective Strategies to Support Grief and Treat Trauma, October 2023
• Concussion and TBI in military and veteran populations, November 2023
• CPT (Cognitive Processing Therapy) for Trauma, December 2023
• EMDR Distancing Approach for Anxiety Disorders, December 2023
• CCTP (Certified Clinical Trauma Professional), June 2022
• Gaslighting 101, July 2021
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: ACT for PTSD, Anxiety, Depression, and Personality Disorders, June 2021
• Clinician's Suicide Prevention, August 2021

Consultations & Certifications: 

• EMDR Certified, Consultation with Bronwyn Shroyer LCSW & Dr. Andrew Dobo
• Prolonged Exposure with UPenn CTSA, Consultation with Emory University  from Jennifer Simpson LICW
• OCD & Trauma Consultation with Bronwyn Shroyer LCSW (iCBT Trainer & EMDR Consultant)
• BTTI Completer from the IOCDF, Consultation with Dr. Charles Masueto 
• Misophonia Consultation with Dr. Megan Faye

 Professional Affiliations: 

• iCBT SIG (Special Interest Group) member for the IOCDF
• ACA--American Counseling Association
• EMDRIA--Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing International Association
• IOCDF--International OCD Foundation
• Association for Inference Based Cognitive Therapy
• MHAOW--Mental Health Association of Okaloosa & Walton County