Anxiety & OCD Therapy for Women

For too long, women have been sold the idea that their anxiety means something is wrong with them. But I’m here to tell you, that just isn’t true. Whether you’re struggling with anxiety or OCD, it’s time to remember your mind isn’t trying to fight you, it’s trying to protect you.

Anxiety is a mirror. It shows us our relationship with uncertainty.

Because of that, both anxiety and OCD respond to specific, learnable ways of working with doubt by challenging it, rather than arguing against it.

Welcome to Aligned Counseling. I’m Deanna, a licensed counselor offering virtual therapy across Delaware and Tennessee. Since I work with anxiety and OCD often in my practice, let me share my thoughts, strategy, and approach.

A woman smiles and waves at her laptop camera during a virtual therapy session.

What is Anxiety?

Simply put, anxiety is your nervous system anticipating a threat and trying to prepare you for it. It can show up as racing thoughts, a tight chest, restlessness, or a persistent sense that something is about to go wrong.

For a lot of the women I work with, anxiety isn't one big moment. It's cumulative: work, family, health, and everyone else's needs, stacked until the body starts sounding an alarm, even when nothing obvious is happening.

Often, it shows up specifically in women who are high-achieving yet overwhelmed, holding perfectionism or self-doubt, or caught in patterns of people-pleasing. If any of that sounds familiar, you're not alone in it, and it's not a personal failing.

What is OCD?

OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) has two connected parts: an intrusive thought and a compulsion. The intrusive thought is an idea your mind won't let go of. The compulsion may present as checking, asking, avoiding, or mentally reviewing a situation, intended to make the discomfort of the intrusive thought stop.

The relief compulsions offer is real, but it's often very short. The thought comes back, often louder, and the loop asks to be repeated until a conclusion or resolution is found.

Learn more about how OCD is currently understood by the International OCD Foundation.

What Can Therapy Work Through?

You don't have to be in crisis to benefit from therapy. Virtual counseling can help with:

  • Anxiety and chronic stress

  • Nervous system dysregulation

  • Depression and mood concerns

  • Chronic illness and health-related stress

  • Cancer support, as a patient or as someone loving a patient

  • Work stress and burnout, including healthcare and music industry professionals

  • Life transitions and self-discovery

  • Simply wanting to understand yourself and the world a little better

If you've been wondering whether what you're feeling is "enough" to warrant therapy, it is. You do not need to struggle to “earn” support.

Who I Work With

I work exclusively with women, and I bring specialized experience to a few communities that are often underserved when it comes to mental health support:

  • Healthcare providers and mental health professionals: Therapists, counselors, nurses, and other healthcare workers.

  • People in the music industry: Musicians, songwriters, vocalists, producers, and business professionals.

  • People living with cancer and those loving them: I have specialized experience supporting both patients and caregivers through that experience.

Don’t see yourself in this list? No worries. I have experience working with clients from different backgrounds and experiences.

Counseling Unconditionally

As counselors, therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers serving clients in Tennessee, we affirm that we do not discriminate based on sexual orientation or gender identity and we will not use our own sincerely held principles as a reason to turn clients away.

Learn more about this pledge at The Tennessee Equality Project

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Meet Deanna Candeloro

I moved to Nashville for graduate school at Vanderbilt University, where I earned my M.Ed. in Counseling and completed my licensure training. Before that, I spent years working in the music business, an experience that makes me uniquely qualified to help clients with the pressures, lifestyle, and emotional landscape of the entertainment world. The music scene ultimately led me to counseling and to a deep understanding of the people who make that world run. Though I am currently living in Delaware, my roots are anchored deeply in TN, the people who live there, and the communities that make it thrive.

Learn More About Deanna
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What to Expect from Virtual Therapy

Every client and every journey looks different. But here is what you can always count on from Aligned Counseling:

  • A warm, judgment-free space to explore your feelings at your own pace

  • Evidence-based tools including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Mindfulness practices

  • A client-centered approach built on self-compassion

  • Ongoing support to help you align your actions with your values

  • Resources and tools to build your own support system outside of sessions

I don’t believe therapy is about “fixing” you, but about helping you hear yourself more clearly and accept yourself more fully.

A woman with curly black hair sits cross-legged on the floor, while logging into her virtual therapy session.

Fees and Scheduling

I do not currently accept insurance plans in Tennessee, which means I am considered an out-of-network provider. However, I am happy to provide you with a superbill after each session (a detailed receipt you can submit directly to your insurance plan for potential out-of-network reimbursement). If desired, I can also check your out-of-network benefits for you.

    • Intake Session: $225 (60–75 minutes)

    • Individual Session: $165 (50–55 minutes)

    Payments are self-pay and accepted at the time of service.

  • I believe cost should never be the reason someone goes without support. Because of that, I offer a sliding scale fee for clients who qualify. 

    I am also a proud member of Open Path Collective {link → openpathcollective.org}, a network that connects clients with affordable therapy options. If you're unsure whether you qualify, just ask. We can figure it out together.

A woman with dark hair sits in her living room, logged into her online therapy session.

How to Get Started

Recognizing your need for support is often the hardest part. You’re already here, so the next step is reaching out for a free consultation. Here's what the process looks like at Aligned Counseling:

01
Schedule a Free Consultation

I offer a free 30-minute consultation before we commit to working together. It's a chance for you to ask questions, get a feel for my approach, and make sure we're the right fit.

02
Complete Your Intake Session

In our 60-75 minute Intake Session, we'll cover your history, your goals, and what you're hoping to get from therapy.

03
Begin Individual Counseling

From there, based on your needs and schedule, we'll begin to meet for 50 to 55-minute sessions, moving at a pace that works for you.

Schedule your free consultation today
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Anxiety and OCD FAQ

  • Both anxiety and OCD involve a nervous system trying to resolve uncertainty. Both can produce racing thoughts, avoidance, and a felt sense of urgency. That overlap is exactly why the two get confused, by clients and sometimes by well-meaning people around them.

  • Though both anxiety and OCD can create the same feelings of urgency, racing thoughts, and an urgent need to reduce discomfort, the difference tends to show up in the loop itself. 

    Anxiety often centers on a broad worry without a specific ritual needed to relieve the discomfort. OCD tends to pair a specific intrusive thought with a specific action or compulsion meant to neutralize it.

  • Yes, you can have anxiety without OCD. You can have OCD without a generalized anxiety pattern. And you can have both at once, which is common. The good news is having both doesn't make your experience harder to work with, just more layered to understand together.

  • Intrusive thoughts are common and don't, by themselves, indicate OCD. OCD involves the compulsion that follows the thought, not the thought alone.

  • Virtual therapy has been shown to be comparably effective to in-person therapy for many people, and it often makes consistent sessions more realistic for women managing work, caregiving, full schedules, or health demands.

  • If anxious or intrusive thoughts are shaping your decisions, taking up significant time, or making daily life harder to move through, that's reason enough to explore support. You don't need to reach a particular severity first. Your peace of mind, well-being, and comfort are worth it!

    You can book your free consultation here.

Related Reading:

This page offers general information and reflects my clinical perspective. It isn't a diagnosis or a substitute for individualized care. If you're in crisis, please contact a crisis line or local emergency services.

Ready to Talk Through What This Could Look Like for You?

Doubt and fear are loud, but they don’t have to have the last word. Whether it's anxiety, OCD, or both, there's a way to work with your mind instead of against it. We'll figure out the rest together.

Let's Get Started