You already have the strength within you. I'm here to guide, support, and educate you, helping you reclaim control, so anxiety no longer controls your life. Together, we’ll empower you to live the life you want and become the person you aspire to be.
![6B9479EC-08BA-411E-8165-25040F6BB7B4[2263].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/5c9221_7ed442cde78a4b98a41f5e429295f69f~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_122,h_93,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_avif,quality_auto/5c9221_7ed442cde78a4b98a41f5e429295f69f~mv2.jpg)
Hello!
My name is Samantha Rouette (Acevedo) and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker
providing highly specialized virtual care for individuals over18 suffering from anxiety and OCD disorders residing within Illinois, Maryland, Virginia, and DC.
Many of my clients struggle with being overwhelmed by intrusive thoughts, excessive worry, compulsive behaviors, and an overall difficulty staying present. They often feel stuck in a cycle of fear, trapped in a constant state of fight or flight. It's exhausting to be at war with our own minds. Anxiety is meant to be a life-saving tool, but with anxiety and OCD, the wires get crossed.
Our brains start telling us that even the things we want to do the most—or once found safe—are dangerous.
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Together, my clients learn a new way to relate to that inner voice, physical discomfort, and the urge to avoid anything that triggers fear. In doing so, they uncross the wires that are holding them back.
I’m really glad you’re here. Think of me as your personal cheerleader, ready to help you tackle the anxiety and OCD that have kept you from fully engaging in the life you wish you could live. Together, we’ll work to EMPOWER you to build a healthier relationship with your anxiety and/or OCD.
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With years of experience, I’ve supported countless individuals in breaking free from the grips of anxiety, panic, and OCD. Through guidance, education, and encouragement, we can prove that we are capable of overcoming HARD things.
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Contact me now for a free 15-minute consultation.
Areas of Expertise
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Anxiety Related Disorders:
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Intrusive Thoughts
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Harm Obsessions (Fear of causing harm to others or oneself)
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Contamination Obsessions (Fear of germs, dirt, or illness)
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Symmetry or "Just Right" Obsessions (Need for things to feel balanced or aligned)
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Anxiety and Panic Disorders
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Panic Disorder (Recurrent panic attacks)
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Phobias (Intense, irrational fears)
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Vomit (Emetophobia)
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Spiders/Insects
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Heights
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Flying
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Driving
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Agoraphobia (Fear of being in situations where escape might be difficult)
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Hoarding Disorder
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Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs)
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Skin Picking (Excoriation Disorder)
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Hair Pulling (Trichotillomania)
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Services offered for Anxiety and OCD:
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Exposure Response and Prevention(ERP)
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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy(CBT)
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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
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Treatment
Empowered Path specializes in the treatment of anxiety and OCD disorders by utilizing Exposure and Response Prevention, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment therapy.
I value and place an emphasis on utilizing therapies that are the Gold Standard treatment for anxiety and OCD disorders. I have witnessed first hand that when these therapies are applied to individuals suffering from OCD and Anxiety disorders, they are extremely effective at tackling these symptoms in a limited amount of time because they give you the confidence, motivation, and ability to take back control.
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Treatment with Empowered Path is not meant to be long term, the goal is to empower you to learn the skills you need to manage the symptoms getting in the way of living a life reflective of what is important to you. ERP, CBT, and ACT work by creating a different relationship to our internal voice, difficult feelings, and the behaviors that we engage in.
Most importantly, these behavioral interventions display that we are all doing the best we can with our current knowledge while concurrently exploring what is MOST important to you to help guide your behavior versus let the anxiety do the "driving."
Contact Us
By exploring this page, you have already taken the first step to tackling your OCD and anxiety - I am proud of you! When you are ready to start improving your lifestyle and get back to living the life you want (or dream about), I will walk you through that empowering journey one step at a time. Contact me today for a free 15-minute consultation.
At this time I currently only provide therapy virtually through a HIPPA compliant platform to individuals over 18 residing in Illinois, Maryland, Virginia, and DC.