CFS Offering OCD Treatment / Therapy in Atlanta, Georgia

Shala Nicely, MS joins the staff and provides exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)

ATLANTA (May 30, 2013) – Cornerstone Family Services, LLC, (www.cornerstonefamilyservices.com) a private practice offering outpatient therapy for children, adolescents, adults, couples and families in Marietta, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta, announces the addition of Shala Nicely, MS, LAPC, NCC (www.shalanicely.com) to its staff. She is an Associate Counselor focused on the treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and related disorders, including Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Hoarding Disorder, Trichotillomania, and Skin Picking Disorder.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or OCD, is estimated to affect 2 to 3 million people in the United States. According to the International OCD Foundation (www.ocfoundation.org), individuals with OCD can spend between 14 and 17 years, on average, from the time OCD symptoms begin until they receive effective treatment – years of needless suffering and anguish. Effective treatment includes exposure and response prevention therapy, or ERP, a type of cognitive behavioral therapy.

Along with her Master of Science degree in Mental Health Counseling from Mercer University, Nicely has received specialized training in exposure and response prevention therapy. “Shala is highly qualified, and we are thrilled she has joined our practice,” said Jennifer Vann, LMFT, director of services and therapist at Cornerstone Family Services, LLC. “Offering exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP) for people with OCD is vitally important, as there are not nearly enough clinicians offering OCD treatment in Georgia. We look forward to continuing to serve the OCD community through Shala’s focus on helping those who have OCD and related disorders.” Nicely is under the direction and supervision of Jennifer Vann, LMFT, and under the supervision of Kathleen McKinney Clark, LPC.

Nicely has been active in the OCD community in Georgia for several years, co-founding OCD Georgia (www.ocdgeorgia.org), the official Georgia affiliate of the International OCD Foundation, in 2011. She is also Past President and an OCD Spokesperson for OCD Georgia.

Nicely’s OCD advocacy work extends to the national level this year, as she will be sharing the story of her triumph over her own OCD, “Is Fred in the Refrigerator?” as the keynote speaker at the International OCD Foundation conference (www.ocd2013.org) being held in Atlanta on July 19 – 21, 2013. “What we love about Shala’s keynote is that it’s a series of enthusiastically-told, engaging stories about her life with OCD,” said Carly Bourne, director of communications for the International OCD Foundation. “Her stories combine candor, humor, and suspense. Not only will these stories keep audience members on the edge of their seats, but they will also give a real sense of what it’s like to have OCD and how you can take your life back from the disorder.”
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) recently awarded Nicely one of three 2013 Clinician Trainee Awards for her work during her internship. In its commitment to clinical care and training, ADAA’s Clinician Trainee Award acknowledges those who have excelled in their performance in an internship or clinical training setting. The award was presented at the 2013 Anxiety and Depression Association of America annual conference in La Jolla, California on April 4 (http://www.adaa.org/resources-professionals/awards/clinician-trainee-awards-winners).

If you would like to set up an appointment with Nicely, call her office at 404-632-4804 or fill out the Contact Me form at www.shalanicely.com. Her website includes “Aha! Moments,” a weekly blog where she shares “aha!” moments about OCD sparked by great books. You can also follow her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/shalanicelyatcfs and on Twitter @ShalaNicelyCFS.

About Cornerstone Family Services, LLC
Cornerstone Family Services, LLC offers a comfortable environment for children, adolescents, adults, couples and families to explore therapeutic issues with highly-qualified, caring therapists. In warm and inviting offices, Cornerstone’s therapists strive to help clients find the solutions that work best for them. The practice’s areas of specialty include addictions, anxiety, Asperger’s syndrome, depression, family issues, OCD and related disorders, and relationship issues. Cornerstone Family Services, LLC serves clients in Atlanta, Acworth, Alpharetta, Dallas, Dunwoody, Kennesaw, Marietta, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Smyrna, Woodstock, and surrounding areas in Georgia. To learn more or to set up an appointment please visit www.cornerstonefamilyservices.com or call 404-632-4804 or 770-910-2753.

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This release is available at PRWeb.