DC Talk Therapy Responds to Growing OCD Demand in Washington, D.C.

How One Practice is Expanding OCD Resources in D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C., DC, UNITED STATES, February 18, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- DC Talk Therapy, one of the leading psychotherapy group practices in Washington, D.C., is responding to the increased demand for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) help.

The 11-therapist practice, located in Woodley Park, added a second OCD therapist last year, and it is in the process of getting a third therapist the required training to become an OCD therapist.

"We've seen a significant increase in the number of requests for OCD therapy in the last year or so," said owner and founder David Sternberg, LICSW, who estimates a 25% jump in OCD inquiries to his practice in the last 12-18 months.

"It likely has something to do with the trauma and heightened stress a lot of people are experiencing under the new administration. It most certainly has affected a lot of federal government workers, which we've always seen a lot of," he added.

There are about 150,000 federal government workers in the District of Columbia, according to multiple reports.

OCD is a mental health condition characterized by intrusive thoughts, urges, or images known as obsessions, and repetitive behaviors or mental acts called compulsions. Cleaning and washing, and ordering and arranging, are two of the most common compulsions.

In the U.S., approximately 1.2% of adults experienced OCD in the past year. Women are diagnosed about three times more often than men.

Sternberg acknowledged the role social media has played in raising awareness of mental health disorders, including many forms of anxiety. He noted that many patients believe they have been living with OCD for years and are only now seeking treatment for it.

Sophie Bauer, LICSW, is one of the OCD therapists at DC Talk Therapy. More than half of her caseload consists of OCD clients. Bauer is trained in a type of behavioral therapy known as Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), considered the gold standard for treating OCD. She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).

Another therapist in the practice, Eve Sussman, LICSW, also uses ERP. She has conducted some of her sessions outside the office, gradually and systematically exposing a patient to a fear trigger, such as an escalator at a subway station.

Both Bauer and Sussman report excellent progress with their OCD patients, according to Sternberg.

"We want to help as many patients with OCD as we can," said Sternberg. "Living with OCD can be extremely difficult. We want to help take that pain away."

David Sternberg
DC Talk Therapy
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