Brief Overview

OCD is in the name of this practice due to the epidemic of individuals with OCD struggling to find proper diagnosis and treatment; however, Dr. Curiel treats many other types of compulsive and anxiety conditions as well (see Conditions tab).  Patients include pediatric and adult individuals whose primary complaint is frequent discomfort or anxiety manifesting as long-term, stable traits rather than fleeting, temporary states that arise on occasion.  There are typically symptoms in the following categories that impact emotional, social, and occupational wellbeing:

Neurological - intrusive thoughts, images, urges

Physiological - sensations, markers of emotions

Cognitive - finding intrusions significant, misperceiving/overestimating threat, underestimating tolerance

Behavioral - feeling compelled by the intrusion to respond with particular mental or physical actions and/or avoidance

The therapy approaches utilized are supported by research as the gold-standards of care, most are Cognitive-Behavior Therapy approaches.  Supplemental interventions and skills are also implemented from Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.  Treatment is structured, thorough, tailored, educational, skills-based, and action-oriented.  It is the goal to teach you to be your own "therapist" and feel equipped with how to manage anxiety going forward.

Please note these conditions require behavioral practice between sessions in order to reach healing potential.  Processing only or tending to the condition solely in session is ineffective.  This means taking an active role in your treatment on a daily basis, partly to implement skills in natural, real time functioning, and partly to pause the day and focus on practice in private.  Patients will be monitoring use of skills and outcomes of practice so that they may be reviewed in the next session.  Please carefully consider if treatment can be a priority so that resources may be maximized and you feel relief more quickly.