Hi! I’m Beth (she/hers). You're wondering if we would make a good team and I'm here to help you figure that out.

I love working with individuals with OCD, anxiety, and/or BFRBs. I get it. I have what I call a "sticky brain." You might have one too. Our sticky brains can quickly grab onto fears, doubts, and uncertainty and want to dive in, dissecting them indefinitely. Through my own work, I've learned how to stop having a sticky brain hijack my life.

As a result, I've completely shifted my relationship with anxiety, and things are way better on this side of the fence. This isn’t to say the goal is to be completely free from any anxiety the rest of your life. In fact, anxiety in certain doses can be helpful. Our goal can be to radically change the way we engage with anxiety; which leads to a change in the way we experience anxiety.

Now, my journey will not be yours. We each have our own learning to do, which is an incredibly personal experience. In addition to my extensive training and experience in the field (which I'll get to in a bit), I have insider knowledge about how it feels to be where you are.

I'm always trying to learn more; if possible, I'd be a lifelong student. But instead, I channel that into teaching social work graduate students at the Brown School at WashU, alongside my clinical work. The more we compassionately discuss evidence-based practice for anxiety, the bigger the ripple effect and the more people can be helped.

If you can't already tell, I could talk about anxiety recovery non-stop!

You might have been to talk therapy before and didn't see much of a positive impact on how you engage with anxiety. Individuals with OCD who see a non-specialized provider may actually feel worse over their time in talk therapy. Thankfully, I am not a talk therapist. Yes, we'll talk. And we're going to laugh as well. There may even be tears at times. But perhaps the most important thing we'll do is roll up our sleeves, go out and do the scary stuff (hell, we may even seek out the scary things!), and see actual change. That makes it all so worth it.

I work with individuals who want to get unstuck from their thought spirals. They want to be mentally and emotionally present, not just physically. As a result, my clients are learning to disengage from their thoughts, make space for their emotions, and mindfully redirect toward their values.

Strong and brave might not be how you describe yourself now, but I’m confident you can shift your perspective as you face your fears and emerge on the other side. You might be a bit beat up and exhausted, and yet you learned something powerful about yourself. You are more capable than your anxiety gives you credit for. You might just be stronger than you realize (hint: you are!).

Now, it's not enough for me to know what it's like to have wrestled with anxiety to be an effective OCD and anxiety disorder specialist. You want to see if I'm good at what I do. Yes, I'm an expert at what I do, and I love doing it.

I utilize evidence-based practice including exposure and response prevention (ERP), cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), behavioral activation (BA), mindfulness, and motivational interviewing (MI), in the way that will best meet your needs.

I began specializing in OCD, anxiety disorders, and BFRBs upon graduating with my Master's in Counseling from Webster University in 2013. I spent time training at a residential treatment center and eventually moved into their OCD specialist role. I then transitioned to owning my private practice, Life Without Anxiety (because we all want a life without anxiety sitting in the driver's seat, right?!) since 2015.

I am a graduate of the Behavior Therapy Training Institute (BTTI) through the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) and have completed both the foundational Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE) and expanded SPACE for Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) and Failure to Launch (FTL) trainings .

I am regularly an expert presenter at conferences, including the International OCD Foundation, Trichotillomania Learning Center for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors, Anxiety and Depression Association of America, and the St. Louis OCD Mini-Conference. I also lead clinician trainings throughout St. Louis.

I am an adjunct professor at the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis. It is so fulfilling (and honestly fun!) to teach future social workers Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Exposure and Response Prevention. In addition, I am the co-founder and co-president of OCD Missouri, a local IOCDF affiliate.

Phew! That was a lot. If you made it this far, major props to you.

We can make a great and effective team. I'm so grateful to get to do this work. Reach out to start working towards recovery.