Tammy LaBrake, LCSW-R

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Specialized therapy for the treatment of OCD and related issues. Therapeutic approaches include Exposure & Response Prevention, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, and Inference-Based Therapy. 

Treatment provided is scientifically supported to be effective and the preferred approaches in treating OCD. Beware: Not all providers who treat OCD use Exposure & Response Prevention and yet, extensive research has documented it to be most successful and likely to achieve best positive results.

I am tenacious and unshakable when it comes to finding ways to defy OCD. Click HERE to find out why I find this work to be so rewarding.

It's hard to concentrate and read when in the midst of an OCD storm. So I write brief and to the point books that give guidance with the person in mind who is having trouble focusing. Be sure to read all the reviews HERE. 

Every month I hold classes to help people develop and sharpen their "Boss it Back" skills. Classes are also held for family & friends who want to learn the best way to help their loved one. At each class a new topic will be presented. Sliding scale fee accepted.

• Waiting List: Due to the high volume of emails and phone calls received on a daily basis, please be persistent and keep contacting me until you are satisfied by my response. You will not bother me and your tenacity will payoff. When I am not in a session no matter what time of day it is, I am often interacting with current clients and they take priority. 
• Frequency of Visits: You can book sessions in increments of 50 minutes. Generally speaking, people seem to benefit from 3 months of regular 1 -2 sessions per week and then step down to less frequent meetings, eventually leading to a discharge or group setting.
• Insurance: I do not accept insurance. My services are private pay only. Through my client portal you can obtain and print information you need to submit to your insurance company. Even then, very few insurance companies will reimburse you as I am not in any insurance networks.
• Field Trips: Not all sessions occur in an office setting. If needed, I will visit your home or we will go out and about to hunt down places, people and things, so that you can confront your fear.
• Surprises: I am not going to trick you. Exposure & Response Prevention is about facing fears because you WANT to, not because you're forced to. I will encourage you to do hard things but your consent is important. However, it is possible that an exposure will surprise you, in that it is easier or harder than predicted. Also, it should be no surprise that ERP is supposed to trigger your anxiety and cause feelings of uncertainty.
• Telehealth Therapy: Due to specific symptoms, not all people are able to leave their home or allow me into their home. I offer a HIPAA compliant option to provide video-conference based therapy. If accepted into my program, this video service is available as long as you are a resident of NYS, not in crisis, not a danger to self or others, and not involved in any legal matters.
• In-Between Sessions: You can contact me outside of sessions as long as it is not an emergency. In non-emergent situations I am happy to provide clarification regarding assignments and answer brief questions. If you are in crisis and in danger you must call 911 or go to the nearest hospital. Overall my clients are pleasantly surprised how accessible I am in between sessions.
• Student Observations: I am frequently contacted by graduate students asking to sit in and observe groups. I do not permit this type of observation.
• Recording Sessions: Only if we mutually agree can a session be recorded. Often we create scripts for you to record and listen to in-between sessions but this is done only with full disclosure.
• Discharge Policy: You are eligible for immediate discharge if: 1) You cancel 3 appointments in a short period of time; 2) Are a no call/no show for more than 2 appointments; 3) You do not provide payment as discussed; 4) Have not been seen for 90 days; 5) Have not followed through with any assignments after 3 sessions; 6) If you are not able to engage in ERP due to complicating issues. If you're not ready for therapy, that's understandable and we can try another time, but I need to be mindful of those who are waiting on the sidelines eager to begin.
• Medications: I do not prescribe medications. I am not a doctor, I am a social worker. There are several drug options but it can take many trials before the right drug and dosage is found. I find the best prescription is one called RESIST. Meaning resist compulsions. It's not a drug, it's a mindset.