As a specialty clinic, our emphasis is on anxiety and OCD treatment rather than simple talk therapy. Our clinicians are here to help you reduce symptoms and move toward the life you want to live! Therefore, we structure the course of therapy with your success in mind. This means that we ask all clients to commit to at least weekly therapy initially. The frequency may be reduced over time depending on severity of symptoms and other circumstances. Sessions are generally 50 minutes in duration, but we also have 80-minute sessions available if needed.

We do not accept insurance. Clients pay at the time of the appointment and are given statements at the end of the month. These statements have all of the necessary information on them for clients to file with their insurance for out-of-network reimbursement should they choose to do so. Many insurance companies will reimburse a percentage of the fee charged. Please note that not all insurance plans reimburse for out-of-network services, and some may have initial deductibles to be met first. If you have concerns about this, it is best to check with your insurance provider to clarify.

Our fees are based on the clinician’s level of experience. Intakes range from $205-$270, and regular sessions generally range from $140-$200. Each therapist has a limited number of reduced rate slots as well ($100 for 50 minute sessions). We also often have student trainee rates available at $60 per session.

We generally treat ages six and older. We do not treat younger children as our primary treatment methods include cognitive (or thought-based) components. Young kids sometimes have difficulty examining and challenging their own thoughts. We have made a few exceptions in the case of pediatric OCD, given that there are so few providers who work with this condition. For more information about child and family therapy, click here.

We are able to provide HIPAA-compliant video-based therapy. There are many reasons for this as an option, including 1) for those who live far from our clinic locations but still reside in the state of TN, 2) for clients who are unable to travel due to medical reasons, or 3) for clients whose work schedule necessitates video sessions. The decision to offer video-based therapy is based on the clinician’s assessment of whether or not this is an appropriate fit for each client. Although we do serve clients from surrounding states, our clinicians are all licensed in the state of TN, and most cannot practice across state lines. Therefore, these sessions must be conducted in person. We do have two psychologists who are licensed in multiple states, however, so you can inquire about their availability. Initial intake sessions (80 minutes) may be held in person or virtually.

Our student trainees are currently pursuing advanced degrees in the field of mental health at Vanderbilt University, Lipscomb University, and Trevecca Nazarene University.  In addition to coursework through their university, they are supervised by a licensed clinician at the NOATC and receive 1-2 hours of formal supervision per week.

Supervised clinicians have completed their coursework and obtained their advanced degree. However, all professional fields in mental health require a certain number of supervised hours before a therapist can become fully licensed. Supervised clinicians are in the process of obtaining these hours. Supervised therapists attend team case consultations weekly and are supervised weekly by licensed clinicians at the NOATC.

Finally, our licensed clinicians have completed their degrees and supervised hours. They can practice independently without formal supervision. All of our licensed clinicians have received specialty training in evidence-based treatment, and are active in the Nashville mental health community. Additionally, some provide supervision to students/pre-licensed clinicians and consultation to therapists learning CBT and ERP locally and nationally.

This is where things get really confusing! To become a psychologist, a therapist must have obtained a PhD or PsyD and completed a yearlong clinical internship.  Psychologists generally have more exposure to research in their programs than other disciplines. Professional counselors (LPCs) and social workers (LCSWs and LMSWs) complete Master’s degrees and generally have a heavier emphasis on service than research. That being said, all of our therapists have been selected based on their merits rather than the degree they hold. They have expertise in providing evidence-based treatment for OCD and anxiety. We are committed to diversity in professional background at the clinic, as this enriches our collective knowledge and approach to care.

We do not have medication providers at the Nashville OCD & Anxiety Treatment Center. However, we are glad to provide referral information for current clients who want to pursue medication consultations.

Generally, the answer to this is yes, provided that the other clinician is not addressing the anxiety or OCD directly. We just ask that you sign a release of information form so that your therapist at our clinic may speak with your other providers. However, at times individuals may find themselves getting two very different kind of therapies for the same presenting concern. This can lead to confusion and can stymie progress. For example, if a client is learning how to treat OCD with Exposure and Response Prevention at the NOATC while simultaneously seeing another therapist who is encouraging compulsive behavior (e.g., providing excessive reassurance), the client will end up confused and frustrated. We can provide more clarity about this during your phone screening.

A list of the types of concerns we address is provided here.  However, given the sensitive nature of some OCD and anxiety symptoms, many individuals are reluctant to reach out for help for fear of being judged or misinterpreted. A common example of this is individuals with intrusive obsessive thoughts of a violent or sexual nature. Although this is common in OCD, unfortunately these symptom presentations are not well known to all therapists. Other examples may include complex tics, uncommon phobias, sensorimotor or philosophical OCD, and severe health-related anxiety. You can rest assured that our clinicians have likely encountered variations of the types of symptoms you are experiencing before. And if we determine that we’re not ultimately the best fit for your care, we will provide referral information during your free 20-minute screening call.

We do not provide pastoral counseling services. However, we know that faith is important to many of our clients, and we are respectful of diverse faith backgrounds. Additionally, we have Christian and Jewish therapists at our clinic, and you may specify if being matched with someone from a similar background is more comfortable for you. Our treatment methods are based in research and are effective for the treatment of anxiety and OCD. These methods can ultimately help clients reestablish a deeper relationship with their faith, unencumbered by anxiety or OCD. We are also glad to partner with faith leaders to help individuals who are struggling with scrupulosity or other difficult symptoms.