Thelma Rivera

I grew up in a culture where therapy wasn't accepted. But I could see that people in my family needed therapy and would have benefited from it. As I grew up and started getting an education, I became aware that this was an option for my career, and it very much interested me. I want to help people so they won't have to deal with the kinds of experiences I've dealt with. I love seeing people grow from the beginning to the end of therapy, when they're able to have a great quality of life.

To provide the support I didn't have. I discovered my OCD in college. Mine mostly involves symmetry and 'just right.' For example, water being just the right temperature. Or if I'm taking notes, they have to be perfect; if they're not, I have to start all over. Even now I find that I still have to resist doing those things. ERP is very effective. It still surprises me how quickly members see results. Often in eight to nine weeks.

Trauma, anxiety in general, depression, and personality disorders. I'm trained in EMDR and cognitive processing therapy. A close family member is a veteran who has some PTSD. When I trained in EMDR and started using it, it was initially with veterans.

It's like going up a hill. It seems hard at the beginning. You may want to just stop and quit and not do it. But in the end, it's all worth it. It's just about allowing yourself to feel uncomfortable, and you become comfortable with discomfort.

I have experienced this with a couple of members. I will let you know I'm empathetic and that I understand it can be difficult for you to share. But we're here to help. This is a place to start verbalizing those thoughts, and that's a really good beginning. This is a safe space. I'm not here to judge your thoughts.