Meet Your Therapist
Sheva Rajaee
MFT #97616
Is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of California, and the founder and director of CAOCD. Sheva received her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and her master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Southern California (USC).
Before founding the Center for Anxiety and OCD, Sheva was trained in behavioral therapy at the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. She also gained experience as a research aid at the UCLA Social Stigma and Social Interaction laboratory, where she studied the effects of social stigma on performance. Sheva then went on to specialize at the OCD Center of Los Angeles, where she spent years understanding the treatment of all types of anxiety disorders and body focused repetitive behaviors (BFRB’s), placing a special emphasis on pure obsessional OCD (Pure-O) and relationship themed OCD (ROCD).
Sheva is also the author of the popular book, Relationship OCD: A CBT-Based Guide to Move Beyond Obsessive Doubt, Anxiety, and Fear of Commitment in Romantic Relationships. She has been featured on CNN, Huffington Post, TED Talks, and various publications and podcasts throughout the years. To see her discuss her own journey with OCD on the TED stage, click here
EDUCATION
UCLA: BA in English Literature
USC: Master of Marriage and Family Therapy
TRAINING
Behavior Therapist: The UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior
Psychotherapist: The OCD Center of Los Angeles
Rebeca Ramirez
MFT #105331
Is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of California, and Director of Development at CAOCD. She received her master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Southern California (USC) and her bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in applied psychology from UC Santa Barbara (UCSB).
Prior to working at CAOCD, Rebeca was trained in applied behavioral analysis (ABA) and worked with children with Autism before moving on to advance her training with individuals, couples and families at the Richstone Family Center. There, Rebeca became the lead group facilitator for parent support groups, mindfulness groups, and anger management groups and discovered a passion for working with anxiety disorders. Rebeca is also Precision Nutrition Certified (PN1) and incorporates this expertise into her work when applicable.
Skilled in the use of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and exposure with response prevention (ERP), Rebeca has worked closely with Sheva to become specialized in the treatment of a variety of anxiety disorders including body focused repetitive behaviors (BFRB), social anxiety, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). She prides herself on developing a deep connection to her clients and creating the warm therapeutic relationship needed to achieve results.
Rebeca is trained in Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE), an evidence-based treatment which allows her to effectively coach parents on the best way to help their children manage anxiety and OCD. She is also an active member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) and the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF).
EDUCATION
UCSB: BA in Psychology; Minor in Applied Psychology
USC: Master of Marriage and Family Therapy
TRAINING
Behavior Therapist: Behavior Frontiers
Psychotherapist: Richstone Family Center
Ken Cunningham
LPCC #8455
Is a licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in the state of Illinois and California. After earning his bachelor’s degree in Law from Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan, he went on to attend Northwestern University for preclinical psychology and receive his master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Vanderbilt University.
Most recently, Ken worked at Rogers Behavioral Health as well as the Depression and Anxiety Specialty Clinic of Chicago where he specialized in the treatment of all types of anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, and facilitated an exposure with response prevention (ERP) group for adults. Ken has experience working in a variety of settings and levels of care including outpatient, intensive outpatient, and partial hospitalization programs. His work emphasizes building a strong therapeutic relationship with clients to maximize collaboration and achieve optimal results.
Ken customizes treatment plans to each individual, utilizing evidence-based practices such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and exposure with response prevention (ERP). Ken is fluent in English and Japanese and values multicultural competency in his work with clients. At CAOCD, it is Ken’s mission to help his clients improve the quality of their lives through strongly supported evidence-based practices and a compassionate therapeutic connection.
Ken is trained in Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE), an evidence-based treatment which allows him to effectively coach parents on the best way to help their children manage anxiety and OCD. Ken is an active member of the California Association for Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors (CALPCC) and the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF).
EDUCATION
Waseda University: BA in Law
Northwestern University: Preclinical Psychology
Vanderbilt University: M.Ed. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
TRAINING
Behavior Therapist: Rogers Behavioral Health, Chicago
Psychotherapist: The Depression and Anxiety Specialty Clinic of Chicago (DASC)
Lauren Best
MFT #123480
Is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of California. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in sociology at Chapman University, Lauren went on to earn her master’s degree in clinical psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy at Pepperdine University.
Prior to working at CAOCD, Lauren trained in community based mental health where she specialized in the treatment of anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and trauma. There, she quickly advanced to become lead group facilitator for parenting groups, anger management, therapeutic art, and mindfulness groups. Lauren also has extensive experience working with family systems as program manager of the home visits team and is skilled in navigating these unique dynamics. As a parent herself, Lauren has a passion for working with anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder with children, teens and their families as well as an interest in postpartum OCD and anxiety.
Lauren works from a strengths based, integrative approach which incorporates the client’s existing strengths while working with them to build the skills needed to achieve success in treatment and in their lives. She brings warmth, structure and a deep understanding of family systems to her work as a clinician at CAOCD.
Lauren is trained in Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE), an evidence-based treatment which allows her to effectively coach parents on the best way to help their children manage anxiety and OCD. Lauren is also an active member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT).
EDUCATION
Chapman University: BA in Psychology; Minor in Sociology
Pepperdine University: MA in Clinical Psychology
TRAINING
Trainee & Associate: Richstone Family Center
Jessica Van Ligten
MFT #118981
Is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of California, and the Head of Outreach at CAOCD. After graduating from Vanderbilt University with a degree in Psychology, Jessica pursued her master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Chapman University.
Prior to joining CAOCD, Jessica gained valuable experience in both hospital and outpatient therapy settings, using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) to work with children, teens, families and adults. Jessica prioritizes the use of evidence based treatments and consults research frequently to ensure she is current on best practices. In her time at Chapman University, Jessica co-authored a scholarly article which was published in the Journal of Humanistic Psychology, and has presented on various topics in the field of mental health.
Through her clinical work, Jessica realized her passion for treating anxiety and OCD, and is specialized in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), social anxiety, health anxiety disorder, panic disorder, body focused repetitive behaviors (BFRB’s), and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Jessica brings a deeply collaborative approach to her work with clients, offering a compassionate, engaging and structured path to recovery.
Jessica is trained in Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE), an evidence-based treatment which allows her to effectively coach parents on the best way to help their children manage anxiety and OCD. Jessica is also an active member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT).
EDUCATION
Vanderbilt University: BA in Psychology
Chapman University: Master of Marriage and Family Therapy
TRAINING
Psychotherapist: College Hospital
Research Assistant: Vanderbilt University, UC Irvine
Brianna Matamoros
LMFT #137424
Is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of California. Brianna earned her master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Southern California (USC) and her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of California, Riverside (UCR).
Prior to working at CAOCD, Brianna trained at the USC Kortschak Center for Learning and Creativity, where she facilitated individual and group sessions for college students needing support with stress management, time management, and self-care. She has extensive experience working with the young adult population and supporting individuals in developmental transitions. Brianna formed a passion for working with anxiety disorders after seeing the effects of anxiety on young adults, especially the effect of stigma and the way it hinders access to proper treatment. She became skilled in performing cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based strategies in her time at USC, and has become specialized in the use of exposure with response prevention (ERP) in her time at CAOCD.
Brianna strives to approach her clients with warmth and empathy. She works to create a comforting and encouraging environment so clients feel empowered to transform their lives without fear of judgment or stigma, a necessary component to the management of all anxiety disorders and OCD.
Brianna is trained in Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE), an evidence-based treatment which allows her to effectively coach parents on the best way to help their children manage anxiety and OCD. Brianna is an active member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT).
EDUCATION
UC Riverside: BA in Psychology
USC: Master of Marriage and Family Therapy
TRAINING
Trainee: USC Kortschak Center for Learning and Creativity
Madelaine Sanfilippo
LMFT# 136239
Madelaine is a licensed Marriage and Family therapist in the state of California and Head of Groups at CAOCD. She earned her master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Chapman University and her bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies from Loyola Marymount University (LMU).
Prior to working at CAOCD, Madelaine trained at the Frances Smith Center at Chapman University, where she conducted individual, family, couples, children, and group sessions with members of the Orange County community. She has also worked as a Youth Specialist in a Crisis Intervention Shelter providing residential care for adolescents and provided in-home care for children ages 2-4 with early onset intellectual disabilities. Because of this, Madelaine has extensive experience working with children and adolescents from the ages of 2-17 and is passionate about helping this population to manage the anxiety that comes along with early life cycle stages and transitions.
Madelaine became skilled in utilizing cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and family systems interventions during her time at Chapman University, and has since expanded her specialization to include acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and exposure with response prevention (ERP) for the treatment of anxiety disorders and OCD. In her work, Madelaine utilizes evidence-based approaches while creating an environment for her clients that feels safe, non-judgmental, and validating.
Madelaine is trained in Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE), an evidence-based treatment which allows her to effectively coach parents on the best way to help their children manage anxiety and OCD. She is also an active member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT).
EDUCATION
Loyola Marymount University: BA in Communication Studies; Minor in Sociology
Chapman University: Master of Marriage and Family Therapy
TRAINING
Trainee: Frances Smith Center for Individual & Family Therapy
Youth Specialist: Waymakers
Veronica Chou
AMFT# 140583
Is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist at CAOCD. She received her bachelor's degree in Psychological Science from the University of California, Irvine (UCI), and her master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Southern California (USC).
Veronica trained at the USC Leslie and William McMorrow Neighborhood Academic Initiative, where she supported clients suffering from a wide range of disorders across the acuity spectrum and developed a keen understanding of the unique challenges faced by individuals, couples, and families in historically underserved communities. A passionate advocate for psychological research, Veronica served as a research assistant for the UCI Hot Cognition Laboratory and the UCI Laboratory on Life-Span Development and Motivation. Her research focused on studying individuals' motivational processes throughout different life stages and examining the roles of emotion and motivation in decision-making and judgment processes, respectively.
Having been an active performing musician for 10+ years, including at the collegiate level, Veronica’s background in viola performance allows her to recognize the intricate relationship between artistry and mental well-being, and the power of music as a form of expression and healing.
Committed to continuous growth and professional development, Veronica actively seeks out opportunities for continuing education in order to stay abreast of the latest research and therapeutic techniques. She approaches therapy collaboratively, focusing on building trusted-therapeutic alliances with clients to empower long-lasting change.
Veronica is trained in Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE), an evidence-based treatment which allows her to effectively coach parents on the best way to help their children manage anxiety and OCD. She is also an active member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT).
EDUCATION
UC Irvine: Bachelor of Psychological Science
USC: Master of Marriage and Family Therapy
TRAINING
Research Assistant: UC Irvine
Trainee: USC Leslie and William McMorrow Neighborhood Academic Initiative
Meet Your Client Coordinator
Jane Gilchrist
Is currently earning her Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at Chapman University, where she hopes to become a licensed marriage and family therapist who specializes in the treatment of anxiety disorders and OCD. Jane brings a positive and nonjudgmental approach to her work and prioritizes client comfort from the very first call. As the first point of contact at the Center for Anxiety and OCD, Jane introduces clients to the therapeutic program and helps clients and their families navigate the often confusing process of choosing the program and therapist that is right for them.