Child & Teen OCD Therapy in Santa Clarita
Supporting Kids and Teens with Big Thoughts and Repetitive Behaviors
If your child is stuck in a cycle of repetitive thoughts or rituals - whether it’s constant hand-washing, checking, confessing, or needing things to be “just right”- you’re not alone. OCD can show up in kids in many different ways, and it often feels confusing or even invisible to others. But to your child or teen, it can feel incredibly real and overwhelming.
At The Garden, I specialize in supporting children with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and it’s other presentations using evidence-based approaches that are designed just for kids. My goal is to help your child learn what OCD is, learn to challenge or ‘face it’ step by step, and reclaim the parts of their life it has been interfering with.
What does OCD look like in children and teens?
OCD in children often gets mistaken for anxiety, ADHD, or just ‘quirky’ behavior. Some signs to look for:
Repetitive Behaviors
Intense fear of germs, harm, or doing something “bad”
Needing reasurance over and over
Rituals or rules that must be followed in a very specific way
Difficulty concentrating due to intrusive thoughts
HOW I TREAT OCD
HOW I TREAT OCD
In our sessions, I use a child friendly form of Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) — the gold standard for treating OCD — alongside:
Play based tools to help externalize OCD (we often give it a nickname!)
Visual aids and interactive to help kids feel empowered
Parent coaching so you can support your child’s progress at home
TKids are often relieved to learn that they’re not “crazy” or “bad”— they’re just dealing with a tricky brain pattern. Together, we help them face OCD in a safe, structured, and encouraging way.
OCD can be scary—but with the right tools and support, it is absolutely treatable.
If you think your child may be struggling with OCD, I’m here to help. Let’s work together to loosen OCD’s grip and help your child feel more confident, capable, and free.