Danielle Wischenka, PhD

My practice is highly specialized in OCD and anxiety-related disorders, with roughly 80% of my caseload focused on OCD across childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood. I provide evidence-based, developmentally attuned treatment using ERP, CBT, and ACT, and I work closely with parents to support a confident, sustainable recovery process. I also treat complex variants of OCD—including disgust-based presentations, medical/needle-related fears, “just-right” experiences, and intrusive thought subtypes—and integrate family systems work as needed. My goal is to help clients build meaningful lives that are not defined by anxiety or avoidance.

I treat co-occurring anxiety disorders, depressive symptoms, ASD, and medical-related anxieties alongside OCD using a structured, evidence-based approach. Treatment integrates ERP, CBT, ACT, and family work to target OCD while also addressing emotional regulation, rigidity, uncertainty tolerance, and functional impairment related to co-occurring conditions. For clients with ASD or complex anxiety presentations, I incorporate visual supports, predictable scaffolding, parent involvement, and skills training. Coordination with medical providers or psychiatrists is included as needed to ensure comprehensive and developmentally informed care.

I received intensive training at the UCLA OCD IOP, where I specialized in CBT and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for children, teens, and adults. I have spent the past 10+ years treating OCD and OC-related disorders using a combined ERP, CBT, and ACT framework with individuals ages 6 through adulthood, as well as parent-based consultation. Prior to UCLA, I trained at NYU Langone Medical Center in the treatment of pediatric anxiety disorders and OCD, with a strong emphasis on differential diagnosis, complex presentations, and family participation in care.

My practice serves clients from a wide range of cultural, racial, religious, and linguistic backgrounds. I pay close attention to how cultural identity, family systems, and community norms shape anxiety, OCD presentations, and treatment needs. I regularly work with multicultural and immigrant families, bilingual households, and clients navigating identity transitions or cross-generational expectations. My approach is inclusive, collaborative, and tailored to each client’s unique cultural context to ensure that treatment is both effective and personally meaningful.

My cultural competency training includes formal graduate coursework, supervised clinical training in diverse urban settings, and ongoing continuing education focused on culturally responsive care. During my training at UCLA and NYU Langone, I worked with families from varied racial, ethnic, and linguistic backgrounds, gaining experience adapting ERP, CBT, and parent work to different cultural contexts. I continue to integrate cultural humility, bias awareness, and inclusive communication into my practice. I emphasize collaboration, respect for cultural values, and individualized care that acknowledges the role of culture, identity, and systemic factors in mental health.