Specialized Treatment for Pediatric OCD & Selective Mutism
With Expertise in Anxiety & Medical Anxiety in Women
Focused, evidence-based care for children, families, and women when anxiety starts interfering with daily life, school, health, confidence, and relationships.
When anxiety begins to run your home — or take over your mind — reassurance usually isn’t enough.
You need a clear path forward.
Support that is structured, compassionate, and specific to the way anxiety is showing up in your life.
Find the Support That Fits
For Parents of Anxious Kids
Your child may talk freely at home but freeze at school. OCD rituals, reassurance loops, avoidance, or anxious meltdowns may be taking over daily life.
You may feel caught between comforting your child and not wanting anxiety to keep growing.
Support is available for families navigating pediatric OCD, selective mutism, school anxiety, avoidance, reassurance-seeking, family accommodation, and anxiety that is affecting home, school, or relationships.
Services include:
- Kids and family therapy
- Optional self-paced companion programs
- Parent program with monthly Q&A
- School support programs
Self-paced companion programs, parent programs, monthly Q&A, and school support services are educational and skills-based. They can be used independently or alongside therapy, but they are not psychotherapy and do not replace therapy.
For Women with OCD & Medical Anxiety
Your mind may constantly scan for what could go wrong. Health fears, intrusive thoughts, mental checking, rumination, reassurance-seeking, or chronic doubt may be consuming more energy than anyone else can see.
You may look capable on the outside while feeling trapped in fear, uncertainty, and the need to “figure it out” inside your mind.
Support is available for women navigating OCD, health anxiety, medical anxiety, intrusive thoughts, rumination, mental checking, reassurance-seeking, perfectionistic anxiety patterns, and chronic worry.
Services include:
- Individual therapy
- Self-paced I-CBT companion program
- I-CBT 4-Day Intensive for Women — Coming Soon
The self-paced I-CBT companion program is an educational resource that can be used on its own or alongside therapy to help women understand obsessional doubt, health anxiety, rumination, and chronic mental over-analysis.
School Support Planning for Parents
Tools for navigating OCD, selective mutism, and anxiety-related school challenges
When OCD, selective mutism, or anxiety-related avoidance affects school, parents can feel stuck between understanding their child and trying to explain it to the school.
You may know your child needs support, but feel unsure what to ask for, how to describe what is happening, or how to turn anxiety patterns into practical accommodation and intervention ideas.
This service helps parents prepare for school conversations with more clarity, language, and practical tools.
The goal is not for me to take over communication with the school.
The goal is to help you understand your child’s needs and walk into school meetings feeling more organized, informed, and confident.
Services include:
- Initial school support consultation
- Follow-up school planning sessions
- School-year planning package
- Parent tools for school meetings
School support services are educational and consultative. They are not therapy, legal advocacy, or a promise of formal school services.
A More Structured Way Forward
This is not general anxiety support.
My work is focused on anxiety patterns that can become highly disruptive: OCD, selective mutism, health anxiety, school anxiety, reassurance loops, compulsive checking, and family accommodation.
The goal is not to offer vague reassurance or endless coping skills.
The goal is to help you understand the pattern, respond differently, and build a clear path forward with support that is structured, compassionate, and practical.
Not Sure Where to Start?
That’s okay.
Anxiety can show up in complicated ways, especially when it affects children, families, school, health fears, or daily decision-making.
We can begin by clarifying what is happening, what kind of support fits, and what next step makes the most sense.
You do not need to have it all figured out before reaching out.
About Deborah Mertlich, LCSW
I’m Deborah Mertlich, LCSW, and for over 20 years I’ve specialized in helping children, families, parents, and women navigate anxiety disorders that begin taking over daily life.
My work focuses on pediatric OCD, selective mutism, health anxiety, medical anxiety, OCD-related conditions, anxious avoidance, and family accommodation.
My approach combines warmth with structure. I use evidence-based treatment and practical frameworks to help people move from fear, confusion, and reassurance cycles toward steadiness, confidence, and meaningful progress.
You do not have to figure this out alone.
There is a path forward.
Not Ready to Schedule Yet?
You can start with practical guidance in your inbox.
For Parents
Get support around anxious kids, reassurance loops, avoidance, accommodation, OCD, selective mutism, and school anxiety.
For Women
Get support around OCD, health anxiety, rumination, mental checking, reassurance-seeking, chronic doubt, and fear-based narratives.
Therapy & Program Availability
Therapy services are available to clients located in Oregon and Washington.
Self-paced companion programs, parent programs, school support planning, monthly Q&A, and newsletter content are educational and skills-based services. They are not psychotherapy, counseling, medical treatment, or healthcare services.
Educational programs may be used independently or as optional companion resources alongside therapy, but they are not required for therapy and do not replace therapy.
Participation in educational programs, school support planning, monthly Q&A, or newsletters does not establish a therapist-client relationship outside of formal therapy services.
Therapy available to residents of Oregon and Washington.
Educational programs available nationwide.