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General Outpatient Services
for OCD and Anxiety

Accessible Care Where You Need It 

We provide evidence-based care for OCD, anxiety, and related conditions, offering therapy that’s grounded in proven methods and tailored to each person’s needs. General Outpatient Services are available in Massachusetts and Maine through in-person and telehealth appointments, and through telehealth for clients in New York.

   What are General Outpatient Services at NECOA?

General Outpatient Services at NECOA provide flexible, individual therapy for children, teens, and adults. Sessions typically last 45–60 minutes, and you and your clinician decide how often you meet based on what makes sense for your goals. This approach allows you to build consistency at a pace that fits your life while maintaining room for adjustments over time.

What can you expect when you begin therapy?

You and your clinician work together to build skills that help you make meaningful change. Sessions are grounded in evidence-based approaches like CBT, ERP, and ACT and are guided by the goals you’re working toward. You’ll learn strategies for working with anxiety or OCD and how to carry them into everyday life.

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Therapy may include things like approaching situations you’ve been avoiding, learning tools to manage anxious thoughts, and identifying values that can guide your choices. Your clinician will support you through each step, helping you practice what you’re learning in a steady, ongoing way.

What is Cognitive Behavioral Coaching?

Cognitive Behavioral Coaching gives you structured time to practice the approaches you’re learning in therapy. Drawing from CBT, ACT, and ERP, coaching offers a focused space to work on skills between sessions, build consistency, and stay engaged with the changes you’re working toward. It complements your work with your clinician by helping you keep momentum in a steady, manageable way.

Who do we help?

We work with children, teens, and adults who experience OCD, anxiety, or related conditions. People come to NECOA for help with experiences like intrusive thoughts, worries, panic, phobias, perfectionism, school or work stress, body-focused repetitive behaviors, and other concerns that affect daily life. . We tailor therapy to each person so they can move forward in a way that feels manageable and aligned with their needs. If you'd like a full list of the conditions we treat, you can view our Who We Serve page

Where does NECOA offer General Outpatient Services?

You can meet with a NECOA clinician in person or through telehealth, depending on what works best for you.

In-Person Appointments

​We offer in-person care at the following locations:

  • MA:: Cambridge, Melrose, Medfield (MetroWest), Norwell, Hanover

  • RI Providence

  • ME: Bangor

Telehealth Sessions

We provide HIPAA-compliant virtual services in the following states:

  • Massachusetts

  • Rhode Island

  • Maine

  • New York

If you’d like to get started or learn more about our team, these links can help:​

What evidence-based approaches do we use?

At NECOA, we use a wide range of evidence based treatments, often combining ACT and ERP when working with our clients.. Blending ERP & ACT offers not only evidence-based treatment, but deeply personalized plans to help clients live the life they love.Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) – work together in powerful, complementary ways to support individuals struggling with OCD and anxiety.

 

ERP (Exposure and Response Therapy), is considered the first-line psychological treatment for OCD, is a specific form of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT). The “exposure” part means intentionally facing the thoughts, images, situations, or things that trigger obsessions. The “response prevention” part means resisting the compulsive behaviors or rituals that normally follow. Over time, this helps clients learn that anxiety can rise and fall on its own, without relying on compulsions, and that they are capable of navigating discomfort with confidence.

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ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), also a form of CBT, differs in its focus. Rather than aiming to reduce or eliminate unwanted thoughts, feelings, or physical sensations, ACT emphasizes changing our relationship with these internal experiences. Through mindfulness, acceptance strategies, and values-based action, clients learn to make room for difficult thoughts and feelings while moving toward the meaningful lives they want to build.

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When used together, ERP and ACT create a uniquely effective treatment approach.

  • ACT helps clients build the willingness and psychological flexibility needed to engage fully in ERP, even when exposures feel challenging.

  • ERP gives clients structured, evidence-based practices that reinforce ACT principles, showing them through experience that they can face discomfort without needing to control or avoid it.

  • Both emphasize acting in service of your values, even when anxiety shows up.

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This integrated approach not only helps reduce symptoms – it strengthens resilience, empowers clients to make choices aligned with what matters most to them, and supports long-term recovery and wellbeing.

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While these are our core approaches, treatment is not one-size-fits-all. Depending on your needs, your clinician may incorporate other evidence-based strategies to support your goals. You can explore the full range of approaches we offer on our Treatment page.

Ready to get started?

The first step is filling out our contact form. From there, we'll guide you through the process.

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Step 1: Fill out our inquiry form

This helps us understand what you're looking for and whether our program might be a good fit.

 

Step 2: Phone screening

We'll call you to talk about your needs and answer any questions you have about the program.

 

Step 3: Diagnostic assessment

You'll meet with your provider to create a treatment plan tailored specifically to you.

 

Step 4: Begin treatment

Start therapy with your clinician

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