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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.

Chely was very nice and professional. The onboarding was thorough. She was very thoughtful and considerate with my daughter. It was a great experience overall.

Parent of a 12 year old

Jul 13, 2026

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Chely Craig
Provider:

Chely Craig, LCSW-A

Great conversation and helpful breakthroughs in understanding deeply rooted emotions.

An Adult client

Jul 13, 2026

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Sonia Maria Landino
Provider:

Sonia Maria Landino, LCSW

Carrie is fantastic and helpful while we figure out what kind of medicine my daughter needs to be on. It’s a journey but she’s making it easy!

Parent of an 11 year old

Jul 13, 2026

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Carrie Colson
Provider:

Carrie Colson, PMHNP

She allowed us time to fully express our concerns and goals moving forward. My daughter feels like she will be easy to connect with and open up to. She looks forward to future sessions!

Parent of a 17 year old

Jul 13, 2026

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Christina Avila
Provider:

Christina Avila, LPC

Milton is kind, patient, and very invested in my child's mental health. He's a great support to our 12-year-old and to our family.

Parent of a 12 year old

Jul 13, 2026

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Milton Hernandez
Provider:

Milton Hernandez, LPC

Matt is really great and really is helping me see things from a different perspective and I really apperciate his help

An Adult client

Jul 13, 2026

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Matt Dellon
Provider:

Matt Dellon, RCSWI

Kendall said her session today was great. She is doing much better in a lot of areas of her life.

Parent of a 13 year old

Jul 13, 2026

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Miranda Delehoy
Provider:

Miranda Delehoy, LCSW

It was helpful to learn that Jennifer has experience with a wide range of ages and with neurodivergent children.

Parent of a 6 year old

Jul 13, 2026

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Jennifer Onibudo
Provider:

Jennifer Onibudo, LPC

She is amazing and so flexible with our schedule and my son does really seem to be opening up to her!

Parent of a 7 year old

Jul 12, 2026

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Korina Herrera
Provider:

Korina Herrera, LMHC

Just starting out we will see how we go

Parent of a 10 year old

Jul 12, 2026

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Dagmar Chinchilla
Provider:

Dagmar Chinchilla, LCSW

I love Ms. April. She is an amazing therapist. I enjoy my sessions. Even when it gets hard. She’s insightful and knowledgeable.

An Adult client

Jul 11, 2026

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April Medici
Provider:

April Medici, LMHC

Even though it was hard for him to express himself, he knows it will get easier

Parent of a 7 year old

Jul 11, 2026

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Zi'nequa Parker
Provider:

Zi'nequa Parker, LSW

A very patient, unbiased, considerate woman! Excited to speak to her again

An Adult client

Jul 11, 2026

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Shannon Anes
Provider:

Shannon Anes, PMHNP

She was very easy to talk to and listened to what you had to say. She was very reassuring about the process and made sure to answer any questions and asked great questions to make sure she understood my child the best she could to give the best suggestion.

Parent of a 3 year old

Jul 11, 2026

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Aishah Crosley
Provider:

Aishah Crosley, LPC

Michelle is absolutely the best! She is helping me with CPR training and it’s making such a difference!

Parent of a 5 year old

Jul 11, 2026

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Michelle Yoo
Provider:

Michelle Yoo, LPC

Made my 10 year old and myself feel very comfortable and trusting in her care. Looking forward to our next session.

Parent of a 10 year old

Jul 11, 2026

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Dr. Ana Zuniga
Provider:

Dr. Ana Zuniga, PsyD

I really have enjoyed my sessions with Carrie so far, in the past I’ve felt like my therapists weren’t a great fit and could tell from the first session or two. I feel like Carrie really cares about what I’m going through and is here to help me. I feel safe to talk to her and I’m excited to keep going through sessions with her and allowing her to help me with my challenges.

An Adult client

Jul 11, 2026

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Carrie Cotter
Provider:

Carrie Cotter, LPC-A

Maria is a very good therapist. She makes you feel heard.

An Adult client

Jul 10, 2026

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Maria Martinez
Provider:

Maria Martinez, RMHCI

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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