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Online OCD therapy for kids, teens, & young adults

Specialized ERP therapy that helps kids break free from obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors.

Support for contamination fears, harm obsessions, symmetry needs, and other OCD presentations.

Insurance accepted. Appointments often available within days.

Covered by insurance · Licensed specialists · Start within 48 hours

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Covered by insurance · Licensed specialists · Start within 48 hours

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Insurance providers Emora accepts

OCD, at a glance

1 in 50

About 1-2% of children and adolescents are affected by OCD.

2+ year delay

Average delay between OCD symptom onset and diagnosis in children.

Highly treatable

60-80% of children respond to ERP-based therapy.

Understanding OCD

What OCD looks like and how it affects daily life.

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Obsessions

Intrusive, unwanted thoughts that cause significant anxiety. Common themes include contamination, harm, and symmetry.

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Compulsions

Repetitive behaviors performed to reduce anxiety. Common examples include washing, checking, and counting.

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The OCD cycle

Obsessions trigger anxiety, compulsions temporarily relieve it, reinforcing the cycle. ERP breaks this pattern.

OCD is a neurobiological condition that causes unwanted, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions) performed to reduce anxiety.

A licensed clinician evaluates the cycle of obsessions and compulsions and considers overlapping conditions like anxiety or ADHD.

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Common OCD presentations by age

Symptoms look different at every stage of development.

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  • Young Children (4-7)

    Repetitive rituals at bedtime

    Excessive handwashing

    Need for things to be 'just right'

    Separation fears tied to rituals

  • School-Age (8-12)

    Intrusive harm thoughts

    Checking and rechecking

    Avoidance of 'contaminated' items

    Difficulty completing homework due to rituals

  • Teens (13-17)

    Mental compulsions and rumination

    Social avoidance tied to OCD

    Perfectionism and reassurance-seeking

    Hidden rituals and shame

  • Young Adults (18-25)

    Impact on work and relationships

    Avoidance patterns that limit independence

    Masking compulsions

    Co-occurring anxiety and depression

Could it be OCD?

Take a quick, clinically validated screening to better understand your child’s symptoms.

Y-BOCS OCD Screening

The Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) is a clinically validated tool that measures the severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. It can help you understand whether your child's behaviors may warrant professional evaluation.

This screening is not a diagnosis. Results should be discussed with a qualified mental health professional.

Take the Y-BOCS Screening
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How OCD therapy helps

ERP-based strategies for breaking the obsession-compulsion cycle.

  • Breaks the obsession-compulsion cycle with ERP
  • Builds tolerance for uncertainty and anxiety
  • Reduces avoidance behaviors
  • Tracks progress with Y-BOCS screening
  • Supports school and social functioning
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Why families choose Emora

Specialized pediatric OCD care vs. general providers.

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Other providers

Licensed pediatric and young adult clinicians

Generalist providers

ERP-trained OCD specialists

Talk therapy without ERP training

Parent-inclusive model

Limited parent involvement

Y-BOCS tracking built into the platform

Limited progress tracking

Insurance accepted

Insurance not always accepted

Virtual sessions reduce OCD-related avoidance

In-office visits can trigger OCD avoidance

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Get started in minutes

Three simple steps to connect with the right clinician.

  • 1

    Share what’s going on

    Answer a few questions about symptoms and goals.

  • 2

    Verify coverage

    See insurance estimates and available times.

  • 3

    Start sessions

    Meet your clinician and begin building skills.

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Frequently asked questions

What parents and young adults ask most about OCD therapy.

OCD involves two components: obsessions (unwanted, intrusive thoughts that cause distress) and compulsions (repetitive behaviors or mental acts performed to reduce that distress). If your child spends significant time on rituals, asks for constant reassurance, or seems trapped in repetitive patterns, it may be OCD.

Exposure and response prevention (ERP) is the gold-standard treatment for OCD. It involves gradually facing feared situations while learning to resist performing compulsions. Research shows 60–80% of children improve significantly with ERP — it's the most effective approach available.

Most children see meaningful improvement within 12–16 sessions of ERP-based therapy. Some children benefit from longer treatment depending on OCD severity and how many areas of life it affects.

Yes — OCD affects 1–2% of children and teens, but it's often underdiagnosed because children may hide their symptoms. On average, there's a 2+ year delay between symptom onset and diagnosis.

Yes. Family involvement is critical in OCD treatment. You'll learn how OCD works, how to avoid accidentally reinforcing rituals, and how to support your child's exposure work at home.

Yes, we accept most major insurance plans and verify your coverage before your first appointment. Most families pay between $0 and $30 per session.

Many children achieve significant symptom reduction with proper ERP-based treatment. While OCD is a condition that can wax and wane, the skills learned in therapy provide lasting tools for managing symptoms throughout life.

Real stories of growth

Every session is rated by parents. Our therapists maintain a 4.9+ average, because results matter.

She helped my daughter understand her feelings better.

Parent of a 9 year old

Jul 15, 2026

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Carrie Ellis-Crnkovich
Provider:

Carrie Ellis-Crnkovich, LCSW

Dr. Clique was extremely knowledgeable. She went over everything in detail and made sure all of my questions were answered. She was very easy to talk to and very understanding and compassionate. My son did well with the testing portion and said he like her!

Parent of a 12 year old

Jul 15, 2026

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Dr. Apree Clicque
Provider:

Dr. Apree Clicque, PsyD

Small goals to set that feel achievable in the short term are very helpful. The way the therapist is able to change the perspective of how my son looks at our household, and me, makes it all click for him.

Parent of a 9 year old

Jul 15, 2026

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Vanessa Williams
Provider:

Vanessa Williams, LPC-A

Kristie was fantastic, she is respectful and also very understanding. We feel satisfied and very excited about working with your professionals.

Parent of a 17 year old

Jul 15, 2026

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Kristie Papuchis
Provider:

Kristie Papuchis, LCSW

Yes, worked through a tough situation that made Aurora feel better about keeping boundaries.

Parent of a 9 year old

Jul 15, 2026

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Carli Pentz
Provider:

Carli Pentz, LCSW

Nev felt like she was heard so did i

Parent of a 10 year old

Jul 15, 2026

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Carrie Colson
Provider:

Carrie Colson, PMHNP

Nev felt heard. Not talked over.

Parent of a 10 year old

Jul 15, 2026

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Karla Hernandez
Provider:

Karla Hernandez, LPC-S

Dr. De Jesus was very helpful. She took her time to hear me out and the results that I want for my son.

Parent of a 10 year old

Jul 15, 2026

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Dr. Janitza De Jesus
Provider:

Dr. Janitza De Jesus, PsyD

She was really good with my son and very understanding of his needs.

Parent of a 7 year old

Jul 15, 2026

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Dr. Apree Clicque
Provider:

Dr. Apree Clicque, PsyD

5 STARS AS ALWAYS THANK YOU MATT FOR TRULY HELPING ME AND ENCOURGAING ME TO BE ALL THAT i CAN BE YOU TRULY HAVE SAVED ME :)

An Adult client

Jul 15, 2026

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Matt Dellon
Provider:

Matt Dellon, RCSWI

the person i spoke to was very kind and easy to talk to! i felt completely comfortable the whole time

An Adult client

Jul 15, 2026

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Dr. Megan Ingraham
Provider:

Dr. Megan Ingraham, PhD

She listened to my concerns and did not make me feel as though she already had her mind made up.

An Adult client

Jul 14, 2026

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Shannon Anes
Provider:

Shannon Anes, PMHNP

Perfect first session. We gently introduced counseling goals

An Adult client

Jul 14, 2026

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Amber Hastings
Provider:

Amber Hastings, LMFT

You did a great job connecting us to what would be best

Parent of a 15 year old

Jul 14, 2026

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Jennifer Guzman
Provider:

Jennifer Guzman, LPC

Korina is fantastic navigating my almost 9 year olds big emotions and transitioning her into a vulnerable space to heal.

Parent of an 8 year old

Jul 14, 2026

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Korina Herrera
Provider:

Korina Herrera, LMHC

I really appreciated that I received an update on the POC for my son and my son enjoyed his session and is looking forward to having a safe space. I especially like that this time is for him. That was very important to me that he have a space to talk and be himself with out the pressure of having a parent in the middle of the conversation.

Parent of a 13 year old

Jul 14, 2026

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Kela Collins
Provider:

Kela Collins, LMSW

My session it was amazing and super helpful!! Carol is a fantastic professional and i’m loving my therapeutic process with her!!

An Adult client

Jul 14, 2026

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Carol Afonso
Provider:

Carol Afonso, LCSW

Excellent . She felt warm and caring.

Parent of an 11 year old

Jul 14, 2026

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Karla Hernandez
Provider:

Karla Hernandez, LPC-S

OCD does not define your child

Structured, developmentally informed therapy can help build skills that last.

Not sure where to start? Book a clinical matching session.

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