OCD & Anxiety Specialist
Online CBT & ERP Therapy for Anxiety and OCD in Arizona
Serving Phoenix, Tucson, Scottsdale, Flagstaff, and Across Arizona
If you or someone you care about is living with constant worry, intrusive thoughts, panic attacks, or overwhelming fear, you know how overwhelming and isolating it can feel. But effective, research-based help is available, and you don’t have to face it alone.
I provide evidence-based therapy for adults, teens, and children using structured, research-supported methods including Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).
At the heart of effective therapy is a genuine, trusting relationship. I can know every skill, tool, and intervention in the world, but if you don't feel safe with me, we won't get anywhere - Josh Kaplan, LCSW
Meet Josh Kaplan, LCSW. Anxiety and OCD Specialist.
I’m Josh Kaplan, LCSW, and for more than 15 years, I’ve helped individuals across Arizona overcome anxiety and OCD using the gold-standard, evidence-based treatments: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for anxiety and Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy (ERP) for OCD.
Treating anxiety and OCD isn’t just part of what I do; it’s all I do. I’ve spent my entire career studying and treating these disorders, training and supervising other therapists, and sharing my expertise through presentations and professional education. This experience has taught me not only the mechanics of CBT and ERP Therapy, but also how to adapt these approaches to fit each person’s unique personality, values, and goals.
I’m deeply passionate about this work because I know how powerful and life-changing the right treatment can be, and because you deserve nothing less. You deserve therapy that helps you recover faster, feel more in control, and get back to living your life without anxiety running the show.
A Different Kind of Anxiety Therapy: Structured, Proven, and Designed for Results. Why CBT and ERP are the best treatments available.
If you’ve tried traditional “talk therapy” and still feel stuck, you’re not alone. Many of my clients come to me after years of traditional talk therapy or attempts at self-help, only to find that their anxiety keeps coming back stronger. They feel hopeless and out of options.
That’s because anxiety and OCD don’t improve through reassurance or insight alone. In other words, talking about it doesn't change anything. They improve through structured, targeted treatment that addresses the mechanisms keeping the fear alive. That’s exactly what CBT and ERP Therapy do.
These treatments are backed by decades of research and are considered the gold standard for anxiety and OCD recovery, helping you achieve lasting change rather than temporary relief. CBT and ERP are recognized worldwide by organizations including the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF), the American Psychological Association (APA), and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as the first-line approaches for OCD and anxiety.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety in Arizona
CBT for anxiety is a structured, goal-oriented approach that helps you identify and change the thought patterns and behaviors that fuel excessive worry, panic, and avoidance. Together, we’ll work to retrain your brain’s response to anxiety and build new, more balanced ways of thinking and acting.
Whether you struggle with generalized anxiety, panic disorder, health anxiety, or specific phobias, CBT helps you gain real-world skills that reduce fear and restore confidence.
Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy for OCD in Arizona
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is the first-line treatment for OCD and many other anxiety disorders, recommended by organizations like the International OCD Foundation and the American Psychological Association.
ERP works by gradually facing the thoughts, images, or situations that trigger obsessional fears, while learning to resist the compulsions, avoidance, and reassurance-seeking that keep the cycle alive. Over time, this process retrains your brain to see those triggers as less threatening.
With consistent practice and my guidance, clients often notice fewer intrusive thoughts, less distress, and a growing sense of freedom.
What Sets Me Apart
True Specialization in Anxiety and OCD
Anxiety and OCD aren’t just part of what I do, they’re all I do. Every session is focused, strategic, and designed to help you get better faster.
Over a Decade's Experience in CBT and ERP
With nearly 15 years of experience specializing in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), I’ve helped hundreds of clients recover from anxiety and OCD.
I've Been There Too
Having experienced anxiety myself, I know how overwhelming and relentless it can feel. That personal insight allows me to approach therapy with both professional expertise and real empathy.
Direct, Compassionate, and Results-Focused
I don’t just talk about change, I help you practice it. In our sessions, we go beyond conversation as I coach you through facing anxiety and OCD directly, applying practical tools in real time. My approach is warm, direct, and focused on helping you make lasting progress.
What I Offer: Specialized Treatment for Anxiety and OCD throughout Arizona
I specialize in treating the full spectrum of anxiety disorders and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) for individuals across Arizona, using only evidence-based, research-supported therapies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and Exposure Therapy. My online therapy practice serves adults, teens, and children throughout Phoenix, Tucson, Scottsdale, Flagstaff, and across the entire state of Arizona, making specialized OCD and anxiety treatment accessible, effective, and convenient, no matter where you live.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
With Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), worry becomes a habit your brain struggles to turn off. Using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), we’ll target the thoughts and behaviors that keep anxiety going. You’ll learn how to interrupt excessive worry, shift your focus to the present, and gradually retrain your brain to respond more calmly and confidently to life’s uncertainties.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
OCD involves intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors that create cycles of fear and temporary relief. I use Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)—the gold-standard treatment—to help you break that cycle, retrain your brain’s response to anxiety, and reduce both obsessions and compulsions over time.
Panic Disorder & Agoraphobia
Panic attacks can feel terrifying and unpredictable, often leading people to avoid certain situations or places. Using CBT + Exposure Therapy, we work together to gradually and safely face the physical sensations and triggers of panic in a structured way, helping you reduce fear, decrease the frequency of panic attacks, lower overall anxiety, and rebuild confidence in your ability to cope.
Health Anxiety (Illness Anxiety Disorder)
Health anxiety causes persistent fears about physical symptoms or medical conditions, even when reassurance or medical tests show nothing is wrong. Through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), I help clients reduce checking, reassurance seeking, and compulsive online researching while learning to trust their body and tolerate uncertainty. Over time, this leads to less preoccupation with health concerns and a significant decrease in overall anxiety.
General Phobias
From flying and driving to needles and public speaking, phobias can severely limit daily life. With targeted CBT and Exposure Therapy, we systematically face the situations or sensations you’ve been avoiding, helping you retrain your nervous system’s response to fear, reduce anxiety, and expand your comfort zone.
What to Expect
Your first one or two sessions will include a comprehensive diagnostic assessment to fully understand your symptoms, history, and goals. From there, we’ll create a personalized treatment plan built around Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy (ERP) for OCD or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for anxiety.
Each session has structure and purpose. You’ll leave with a clear plan, practical strategies, and guided exercises to practice between sessions. Most clients begin to see meaningful progress within 10–14 sessions.
Take the First Step Toward Freedom from Anxiety
If you’re ready to begin Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy for anxiety or OCD, I invite you to schedule a free 20-minute online consultation. We’ll talk about your symptoms, goals, and how evidence-based treatment can help you find lasting relief. I provide online therapy throughout Phoenix, Tucson, Scottsdale, Flagstaff, and across the entire state of Arizona,, so you can access expert care from the comfort of home. Together, we’ll take the first step toward real recovery and peace of mind.