Sandra Magliacani-Shern

I love empowering people to reach the meaningful life they're looking for. I started my career in human resources and training. I thought that was what I wanted to do because I liked working with people. That's where I was trained to do the Myers-Briggs personality test. But I found that every time I did a Myers-Briggs, I wanted to do more—to get to know that employee, find out what made them tick, and determine how I could help them to be more successful not just at work, but in their life. I created my own life coaching company, then I went for my second master's degree to become a therapist. I love helping people align with their values and tackle whatever they're struggling with, whether it's depression, OCD, or anxiety. On the other side of that is a full, meaningful life.

In the '70s, I grew up in a household with OCD. It was one of those things everybody tiptoed around. We didn't know what to call it, and there really wasn't treatment. My mom really suffered. Additionally, when I was young, several younger people in my family died. In my early 20s, I started having severe anxiety about my health and fear of death. I don't have an OCD diagnosis, but I know what it feels like to be completely freaked out about something that doesn't make sense.

My first job as a therapist was in a community mental health agency, so I treated literally everything, including OCD cases. My supervisor was trained in ERP, and she could tell that I had an interest in it. So I worked with OCD cases and anxiety disorders, including panic disorder, social anxiety, and general anxiety. In addition to that, I treated schizophrenia, severe bipolar disorder, and addiction, and I worked in the prison system.

Have the willingness to be open. Stay in communication with me as your therapist. Transparency is the best way to get through the process. The most important thing is to realize you don't have to walk in feeling strong, brave, courageous, and able to do it. Some people don't start because they believe they have to be in that spot of bravery. You don't—you just have to be willing.

If you're too scared, tell me. We'll work on getting you to feel stronger. Maybe we can break down the exposures. ERP is hard, but as a therapist, I can manage the exposure process so you still feel safe.