Robert Ortega (he/him/his)

Anxiety can be a debilitating and complex reaction to stressors. I have helped people navigate a wide variety of forms of anxiety. My approach focuses on recognizing the client's anxious reactions and developing new ways to approach or challenge anxiety-producing stimuli, whether they be internal or external. Above all, my approach focuses on a client's goals and addressing how anxiety can be overcome as an obstacle to those goals.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a persistent and intense type of anxiety, which often leads people to engage in behaviors they wish to change. My approach in treating OCD is to recognize the patterns and histories of symptoms, then find ways to interrupt them. I utilize a combination of acceptance- and exposure-oriented strategies to interrupt the cycle of obsessive thoughts and compulsive behavior.

I view ADHD treatment from a neurodiversity perspective. This means that part of our work involves understanding the messages people with ADHD internalize from a neurotypical society regarding their ways of thinking, doing, and being. I help clients with ADHD work to understand and harness their strengths, rather than helping them adjust to appear more neurotypical or "non-ADHD." My goal in working with people with ADHD is to help them achieve their goals meaningfully and authentically.

My approach to Interpersonal Therapy is ultimately focused on discussing the here-and-now of therapy. How do you feel as we discuss this topic? Does it feel like we are playing out a dynamic that you are experiencing in other points of your life? In taking this approach, my clients and I are able to use the therapy space as a "laboratory" in which the client can try new approaches to other relationships in their lives where they might feel stuck or unfulfilled.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is one of the most researched and validated approaches to mental health treatment. I utilize a variety of strategies from CBT, including recognizing the relationships between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors which impact client's overall well-being. Oftentimes, I find that better understanding these processes helps clients recognize how their symptoms or stressors developed and how they can make changes in the future.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is my primary treatment orientation. In ACT, my clients often work toward self-understanding and -acceptance through understanding their cognitive and emotional responses. I help clients slow their internal processes down so they can notice how, when, and why they react to the stressors in their lives the way they do. Further, from an ACT perspective, a lack of mental illness is not the only goal; instead, we work towards a life of meaning and fulfillment.

Anxiety can be a debilitating and complex reaction to stressors. I have helped people navigate a wide variety of forms of anxiety. My approach focuses on recognizing the client's anxious reactions and developing new ways to approach or challenge anxiety-producing stimuli, whether they be internal or external. Above all, my approach focuses on a client's goals and addressing how anxiety can be overcome as an obstacle to those goals.