Samantha Weltz PhD

The majority of my clinical caseload involves providing individual therapy for the treatment of OCD. I am experienced with treating all forms of OCD and emphasize a period of assessment prior to the treatment/intervention phase of therapy in order to understand each particular presentation of OCD as thoroughly as possible. I tell my patients that I want to understand their OCD as though I am living it so that we can design exposures collaboratively and that truly get at the specific, unique manifestation of their OCD. The investment into assessment allows for more effective, honed treatment and progress that lasts.

I am a licensed clinical psychologist and work with people via telehealth therapy. I have been practicing psychology for over a decade and specialize in treating OCD, anxiety, trauma/PTSD and other comorbid conditions, such as depression and bipolar disorder. I received specialized training in exposure and response prevention (ERP), the gold standard of treatment for OCD, and regularly work with people experiencing all types of OCD (e.g., harm-based, contamination-based, symmetry/exactness, “just right”, “Pure O,” etc.). As appropriate, I also integrate other therapeutic techniques, such as from ACT and family-systems approaches, into treatment to maximally benefit patients’ needs.

Oftentimes, OCD co-occurs with other disorders, such as PTSD, depression, generalized anxiety, bipolar disorder, etc. I will work with you to build a treatment plan and identify in what order we will address any problems you are experiencing. Each case is unique and, together, we will understand how problems overlap and may feed into one another and why one aspect of an issue should be addressed first before addressing another issue. I always aim to use evidence-based practices into my work so that treatment is effective, efficient and grounded in research-backed techniques.

I have been working with the OCD community since 2013. I received specialized training as a psychology doctoral extern and then as a post-doctoral fellow at Northwell Health’s OCD Center, where I trained under top psychologists researching and treating OCD and OCPD while providing individual and group therapy. There, I trained in exposure and response prevention (ERP) and continue to provide ERP to veterans with OCD as a psychologist at the Washington DC VA. I also have extensive experience and VA certification in exposure therapy for trauma (Prolonged Exposure, PE) and frequently use exposure techniques in my clinical work.

Diversity Statement:

As born and raised New Yorker, who trained in NY and NJ and now lives and works in the Washington DC area, my whole life has been spent working with and learning from diverse communities and multicultural populations. I have extensive clinical work with people of diverse cultural backgrounds, including minorities and underserved populations. I always aim to understand and integrate culture and identity into case conceptualization and treatment in a sensitive and collaborative way. Cultural competence has been a core focus of my training as a clinical psychologist but is also a cornerstone of my personal values.