Joel Velazquez, LPC

The OCD Practice provides specialized outpatient treatment for OCD, anxiety disorders, trichotillomania, and body-focused repetitive behaviors. Approximately 90% of my caseload consists of clients with OCD and related disorders. I offer individual teletherapy using body-based Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) integrated with ACT, metacognitive therapy, and DBT skills. Treatment focuses on targeting physiological activation and externalizing intrusive thoughts rather than traditional thought-focused approaches. I serve adults in Washington, D.C. and Maryland through virtual sessions. Since launching my specialized practice, I have treated clients with various OCD presentations including contamination fears, harm obsessions, scrupulosity, relationship OCD, and pure-O.

I address co-occurring conditions within anxiety-focused treatment. Using body-based ERP as the foundation, I integrate DBT skills, mindfulness techniques, and ACT principles to manage comorbidities like ADHD, depression, or mild substance use that commonly present alongside OCD and anxiety disorders. Treatment remains structured around anxiety reduction while addressing how co-occurring symptoms interact with compulsive patterns.

I completed specialized training in OCD and anxiety disorders at the National Anxiety and OCD Treatment Center, where I developed expertise in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD and related disorders. My training emphasized evidence-based cognitive-behavioral interventions for OCD, including traditional and body-based ERP approaches, Habit Reversal Training for trichotillomania and BFRBs, and integrative strategies combining ACT and metacognitive therapy. I have treated clients across the OCD spectrum including contamination fears, harm obsessions, scrupulosity, sexual orientation OCD, relationship OCD, and pure obsessional presentations. I hold licenses as an LPC in Washington, D.C. and LGPC in Maryland.

I specialize in OCD, anxiety disorders, and body-focused repetitive behaviors, serving adults in the DC/Maryland area through teletherapy. My caseload consists primarily of professionals, students, and individuals seeking evidence-based ERP treatment. I am bilingual and bicultural (English/Spanish), which allows me to serve Spanish-speaking clients who prefer therapy in Spanish. I am an LGBTQIA+ affirming provider. The DC metro area’s diversity is reflected in my practice, and I integrate cultural considerations into treatment planning while maintaining the evidence-based foundation of body-based ERP and anxiety-focused interventions.

My graduate training included multicultural counseling coursework addressing cultural considerations in mental health treatment. As a bilingual and bicultural clinician, I can provide therapy in English or Spanish when appropriate for client needs. I integrate cultural awareness into my OCD-focused practice by recognizing how cultural background, family systems, and identity intersect with anxiety presentations. I am LGBTQIA+ affirming and stay current on best practices for working with diverse populations through continuing education and consultation. My primary focus remains evidence-based ERP treatment, with cultural considerations informing how I deliver and adapt interventions for individual clients.