Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) affects one in every 40 adults in the U.S. However, what many might think of as traditional talk therapy often doesn’t adequately address their symptoms, since it is contraindicated for OCD.
As two mental health providers who see patients virtually all over Utah, Jessica Otis and Jennifer Jones had experience treating clients for different mental health concerns, but they wanted to focus their attentions on one specific area.
“We specialize in OCD treatment using Exposure Response Prevention [ERP]. That is the gold standard for OCD,” Jennifer explains. “We also treat anxiety and panic disorders, but our specialty is OCD. It’s what we feel most passionately about.”
ERP is a treatment intervention that both Jessica and Jennifer very much advocate for. Under the guidance of a trained professional, OCD patients learn strategies to help them gradually find their triggers less of a threat, reducing their symptoms.
“Just yesterday I was sending [Jessica] a text saying ‘I love doing ERP,’” Jennifer recalls. “We have to be pretty creative in how we provide or suggest clinically appropriate exposures for folks.”
Fulfilling a Need in the Community
For over ten years, Jessica and Jennifer have been best friends, having met when they were new to social work. As they grew in their careers, they always wanted to start a business together, so in 2025, they decided to take a chance and open their practice in Ogden, Utah. With a personal connection to anxiety and panic disorders, they chose OCD as their area of focus.
“We knew the need was there, but we weren’t sure if the community knew it,” Jennifer notes. “We weren’t sure if they knew that OCD requires such a specialty intervention. We have learned through this process that a lot of folks out there are getting subpar treatment [for OCD].”
Many patients with OCD receive treatment virtually due to a lack of options in their area. However, when possible, all clients at The OCD Relief Clinic are seen in person.
A Reallocation of Resources
As experienced psychotherapists, Jessica and Jennifer were already familiar with a challenge many of their clients faced when trying to receive treatment: a lack of child care.
Having someone at the front desk to check in clients alleviates the need for therapists to constantly check the waiting room to see if their next appointment has arrived. The Receptionist for iPad serves as the solution to that particular challenge. However, Jessica and Jennifer saw another benefit.
After choosing The Receptionist for iPad to check in clients, Jessica and Jennifer decided to use the money that would have been otherwise spent on a front desk staff member’s salary in a very different way: by providing complimentary onsite childcare.
They have a dedicated space within their office for children (infants to 12 years old) to sit, play, and have fun, all while being supervised by a licensed adult.
As Jessica expresses, “It’s something we’re really proud of. We had to go through the state and we had to do licensing, and it was a lot of extra work, but it was necessary. We really are trying to expand outside of the box and think about stuff that hasn’t been done, and things that should be done.”
Now their clients can attend their therapy appointments without having to worry about finding someone to watch their children.
If Jessica and Jennifer had any advice for behavioral health providers looking to start their own practices, it would be to focus on something you’re passionate about. Enthusiasm for the work makes it more fulfilling.
“You want the numbers to make sense,” Jennifer asserts. “You want to be able to bring in a profit to keep the lights on. All of that is super important. But you have to love it. If you don’t love the treatment you’re doing or the population you’re working with, it’s not worth it.”
To learn more about The OCD Relief Clinic and their treatment options, you can visit their website, Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn.
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