Tia-Channell Hernandez

Growing up in a culturally diverse family, my curiosity about people and relationships was insatiable. During my college years, I explored various majors, but after several years of searching, I found my way back to psychological sciences, and it felt like the right path for me. Through my own successful journey with therapy, I have experienced the profound impact it can have on one's life, and I am passionate about extending that help to others, just as therapy has helped me.

Having a general background in therapy, I aimed to specialize in a specific area while completing the remaining hours required for licensure. My motivation came from two close friends who have OCD, and their experiences shed light on how misunderstood this diagnosis often is. Previously, I worked in community mental health, where I gained valuable experience in treating various conditions like anxiety, depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. During my time there, I encountered OCD, which seemed to receive limited attention and treatment within our clinic. Recognizing this gap in care, I'm driven to make a difference by aligning myself with a company that shares my core value of providing much-needed support to those in need.

I have generalized experience working with severe and chronic mental illness such as anxiety, depression, trauma, psychosis, and bipolar. Formerly, as a therapist working in an outpatient clinic in a community mental health setting, I led dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and grief groups. I have experience working in higher levels of care at an intensive outpatient program for seniors, where I used cognitive behavior therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy. I have worked with children for several years as an applied behavior analysis therapist and doing school social work.

It's entirely natural if taking this step feels daunting or unsettling; those emotions are expected. The most significant part of embarking on the therapy journey is taking that initial step, which you've bravely done! Please take a moment to acknowledge and congratulate yourself for getting here. Therapy can indeed appear intimidating, and it's essential to emphasize that this process is entirely member-led, meaning you are in control. We'll work together in manageable, incremental steps to gently challenge your comfort zone. Initially, things may feel uncomfortable or trigger anxiety, but it's crucial to understand that these feelings are transient and won't persist indefinitely. Our overarching objective is to confront and conquer doubt and uncertainty, and we'll do this collaboratively.

You are not alone in this journey. Many individuals who come here are initially fearful of sharing their thoughts and may have harbored them in silence for weeks, months, or even years. OCD is a diagnosis that is often widely misunderstood and tends to target the very things we hold dear. It's highly likely that the thoughts you're experiencing are things you genuinely don't want to act on or see happen. We will proceed at your pace, ensuring you are comfortable every step of the way. This therapeutic process is tailored specifically for individuals dealing with these types of thoughts, so rest assured that you are entering an environment where we specialize in treating this precise challenge.