Finding the Right Kind of Help: My Path to Becoming an OCD Therapist (Pt. 2)
By Jen Lescher, LCSW/LICSW
My Private Practice Origin Story
From Graduate School to Community Mental Health Work
In my last post, I wrote about how I came to work in mental health and eventually went to graduate school to earn my Master’s in Social Work. In this post, I want to share how I ultimately became an OCD therapist after graduate school.
When I was in school, I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do in the mental health field. The program I attended had a strong social justice and anti-oppressive lens, so while I was drawn to one-on-one clinical work, I was also interested in broader political and social change. After graduating, I moved back to Northern California and began working in community mental health.
Early Career as a Therapist: Intensive Work and Limited Support
After graduate school, it takes years to become a licensed therapist. During that time, you work under supervision until you’ve completed the required number of clinical hours, and then you take two licensing exams. For most people, this period is long and difficult. New clinicians often do some of the most intense work in the field for very little pay, and that was true for me. I worked with low-income adults who were living with severe mental illness, often alongside substance use. The work was incredibly stressful, but I learned a great deal.
Living With Undiagnosed OCD While Working in Mental Health
At the same time, I was living with undiagnosed and untreated OCD. This wasn’t because I was ignoring my mental health; I was actively seeking help. But like many people with OCD, I hadn’t yet received care that truly helped. On average, it takes 10–17 years for someone to be properly diagnosed with OCD, and that statistic held true for me. I was a mental health professional, surrounded by therapists, psychiatrists, and academics, and I was in therapy myself — and I was still suffering without meaningful help.
I continued working in community mental health settings while pursuing licensure, all while managing OCD that was sometimes quite severe.
Losing Faith in Traditional Therapy (and Why That Matters)
Eventually, a dear friend and colleague recognized what was going on with me and named it as OCD. Unfortunately, this realization came at a time when I wasn’t open to hearing it. After years of seeking help that didn’t work, I had lost faith in what I thought of as “mainstream” mental health care. I had grown skeptical of evidence-based practices — approaches that are researched and shown to help many people — because they hadn’t helped me. That’s a hard thing to admit, especially as someone who was becoming a therapist.
Instead, I turned toward spirituality and more transpersonal forms of therapy. These practices supported me deeply and remain an important part of my life. Still, despite yoga, meditation, and other grounding practices, I continued to struggle with OCD. Eventually, a major life trigger led to a significant flare-up, and that spike became the turning point that pushed me to seek specialized OCD treatment.
Why General Self-Care Isn’t Always Enough for OCD
I see this pattern in my clients, too. Practices like movement, meditation, time in nature, good sleep, and nourishing food really do support mental health. But in my experience, when someone is dealing with moderate to severe OCD, those things often aren’t enough on their own. OCD requires learning how to understand your mind, how to respond when symptoms flare, and how to get support along the way.
The way I think about it is that the OCD mind works a little differently. Not in a broken or hopeless way — just differently. There’s often a tendency to get stuck, to feel an intense sense of responsibility, and to have a complicated relationship with fear and uncertainty. When life inevitably brings stress or loss, these patterns can become overwhelming. Because of that, it’s important to learn skills that are specific to OCD.
Working With an OCD Specialist: When Things Began to Change
That was true for me. Although I was resistant to anything that felt like traditional mental health care, the flare-up I mentioned eventually led me to work with an OCD specialist. That’s when things truly began to change. Therapy wasn’t easy, and progress didn’t happen all at once—it was slow, gradual, and far from linear. But it was real. My life began to change once I finally received the right kind of help
There is no “cure” for OCD, at least not in the way we often think about cures. What recovery has meant for me is that my symptoms are no longer running my life. They aren’t debilitating or defining my day-to-day experience. But recovery requires ongoing practice and care. I still sometimes wonder what my life might have been like if I had received this kind of support earlier.
Why I Chose to Become an OCD Therapist
That question is a big part of why I decided to become an OCD specialist. I don’t want others to spend years suffering the way I did — especially when effective, specialized care exists. We need more awareness of OCD within the mental health system, and more people who know when and how to refer clients to the right kind of support.
Once I made the decision to focus on being an OCD therapist, something shifted. The sense of flow I mentioned in part one of this blog showed up again. I met OCD therapists, clinical trainers, and mentors with surprising ease. It felt less like forcing a path and more like stepping into one that was already there. That doesn’t mean it’s been easy — starting a private practice comes with plenty of challenges — but becoming an OCD therapist has felt natural, grounded, and deeply aligned.
Finding Alignment in OCD Therapy and Private Practice
This work grew directly out of my own story. And while I never would have chosen the suffering that led me here, I’m grateful for the clarity it gave me about the kind of therapist I wanted to be.
As I mentioned in part one of this blog, I’m intentionally sharing only the parts of my story that are relevant to my work and, I hope, helpful to others. I’m mindful not to overshare, as that wouldn’t be helpful for clients or potential clients—the focus of therapy is not on me. However, if others find comfort in my story or value in understanding where my work comes from, then I believe sharing it serves a purpose.
OCD Therapy in Boston, MA & Los Angeles, CA
If you’re noticing that OCD or anxiety has been taking up more space in your life, working with a therapist who truly understands OCD can make a meaningful difference. Jen Lescher, LCSW, offers specialized therapy for OCD and related anxiety disorders for individuals in Boston, Massachusetts and Los Angeles, California.
My approach to COD counseling is thoughtful, collaborative, and tailored to each person’s experience. Rather than trying to eliminate intrusive thoughts or uncomfortable feelings, the work focuses on changing your relationship to them—so OCD no longer runs your day-to-day life. Therapy is a space to slow down, make sense of what’s happening in your mind, and practice skills that support long-term recovery and resilience.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
When you’re ready, therapy can become a space to learn skills specific to OCD, build tolerance for uncertainty, and reduce the ways symptoms interfere with your life. Progress doesn’t have to be fast or perfect to be real. What matters is that you’re supported by a therapist who understands OCD and knows how to treat it. You don’t have to wait until things feel unbearable to reach out. If OCD is taking more than it’s giving, support is available—and change is possible, even if it doesn’t feel that way yet.
Reach out to start a conversation and ask any questions you may have.
Explore the blog to learn more about OCD, anxiety, and what effective treatment can look like.
Begin working toward meaningful, sustainable change.
Additional Support for OCD
Along with one-on-one OCD therapy, I also offer supportive resources that address challenges many clients face outside of sessions. On the Common OCD Themes page, you can explore detailed insights into recurring thoughts and behaviors. The OCD and Social Life page offers guidance for managing friendships, dating, and relationships while living with OCD and anxiety. These resources are designed to complement therapy by providing practical tools and new perspectives, extending your growth and healing beyond the therapy room.
About the Author Jen Lescher
I’m a therapist, a devoted coffee lover (truly— it's one of my favorite daily comforts), and someone who really values small moments of presence. That might look like slowing down with mindfulness, getting lost behind my camera, or taking a quiet walk just to notice what’s around me. Photography, in particular, helps me stay grounded and curious—two qualities I bring into my work with clients as well.
I’ve been interested in healing and spirituality since my teenage years and have explored many paths along the way, from meditation to energy-based practices. At the same time, I’m just as likely to be blasting music in the car or deep into a true crime podcast. To me, healing isn’t only about stillness or insight—it can also include movement, humor, and moments of joy. Therapy should have space for all of that.
I’ve worked in a wide range of mental health settings since 2007, and that experience shaped one of my core beliefs: healing is never one-size-fits-all. It’s personal. It changes over time. It can feel messy. And it’s always possible.
Training & Background
Inference-Based CBT (ICBT) for OCD – The OCD Training School & The Cognitive Behavioral Institute
Certified in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) – The Cognitive Behavioral Institute
Gottman Method Couples Therapy – Level 1
Master’s in Social Work – Portland State University, 2012
