Ted Witzig, Jr. PhD

I am a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and a pastor in the Apostolic Christian Church of America. My clinical interests are in CBT for anxiety and mood disorders; most specifically scrupulosity and primarily obsessional forms of OCD. I use a combination of CBT, ERP, and ACT-based treatments in my work with clients. Providing treatment in a way that is both sensitive to my clients’ religious beliefs and clinically effective is very important to me. My roles as a psychologist and minister give me a special desire to help the scrupulous. I also provide consultations to clergy about mental health issues.

Due to my roles as both psychologist and Christian pastor, many people seek out my services so they can integrate their spiritual beliefs and faith tradition into their treatment. By using a Christian-accommodative approach, clients can use their personal and spiritual values in a way that encourages use of ERP/CBT/ACT skills. I use a collaborative approach that often includes family and clergy which leads to more supportive, holistic, and effective care for sufferers.

I have had the privilege of working with people with OCD and their families since 1999. I published research on obsessional beliefs, religious beliefs and scrupulosity in Fundamental Protestant Christians. I graduated from the IOCDF’s Behavior Therapy Training Institute (BTTI) in 2007 and have attended numerous Advanced Behavior Therapy Trainings over the years. I have had the opportunity to facilitate the Scrupulosity Support Group at the IOCDF annual conferences. In addition, I have done presentations and participated on panels discussing the topic of religious scrupulosity and improving treatment for people whose OCD becomes entwined with their religious beliefs.

I have had a lifelong affiliation with the Apostolic Christian Church of America (the denomination is of the Anabaptist tradition). I grew up in a home where my father was a minister and, eventually, an elder of the church. I have been a minister in church since 2004 and became an elder (senior pastor) in 2020.