Obsessive-compulsive disorder therapists & psychiatrists in Santa Cruz, CA

I am dual board-certified as a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner and family nurse practitioner with a passion for functional medicine. I believe mental health is best addressed by looking at the whole person—mind, body, and soul. I’ve been working in healthcare for over 20 years. Through my experience in mental health, I have the privilege of working with adults aged 21–60. I support individuals navigating anxiety, depression, ADHD, PTSD, OCD, mood disorders, and eating disorders, offering a safe and respectful space for growth and healing.

My goal is to create a space where you feel seen, understood, and supported. I believe mental wellness is an essential part of overall health, and that healing begins by moving from survival to thriving through nervous system regulation, processing past experiences, and strengthening the mind-body connection. Meaningful change and healing happens within a strong therapeutic relationship built on trust, authenticity, and collaboration. Whether you're navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship challenges, addiction, performance anxiety, work-related stress... or simply feeling overwhelmed by life's demands, we'll work together to build insight, process difficult experiences when appropriate, develop practical coping skills, and create meaningful, lasting change.

I’m here to make this journey feel gentle, welcoming, and human. I keep things clear and simple so you can focus on what matters, not the overwhelm. My style is warm, encouraging, and a little poetic—because softness helps us breathe. Let’s take this step together, one calm moment at a time.

I am dedicated to helping teens struggling with trauma and self-harm behavior. My experience working with Orange Unified School District, running groups from grade 6-12 for students struggling with emotional and behavioral problems has given me unique insight into not only helping teens, but also working with the families, schools, and community to provide more effective treatment. I have partnered with Western Youth Services in helping at risk teens and low income families in helping adolescents to overcome academic barriers and families cope with serious defiance and drug use.

Welcome,

I’m glad you’re here. Reaching out for support takes courage, and you don’t have to navigate this alone. I am Eziaha Ihediwah a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) and I specialize in working with individuals dealing with ADHD, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD, OCD, and eating disorder, this is a space where you will be heard, respected, and taken seriously. Your experiences matter, and your care will be tailored to you—not a one-size-fits-all plan.

Your role in this process Healing is a partnership. You’ll always have space to ask questions, express concerns, and be involved in decisions about your care. Progress may take time, but we will move at a pace that feels safe and manageable for you.

If you ever feel overwhelmed between visits, please reach out. Support is available, and you deserve consistent care.

I look forward to working with you and supporting you toward stability, clarity, and improved quality of life.

You have probably been carrying something for a while without saying it out loud: anxiety that will not switch off, grief that still ambushes you, drinking that stopped feeling like a choice, or trauma your body has not put down. Helping people find their way through that feels like my sacred calling. Ever since I was young, I've been the person who deeply listens, and I've always sensed the healing that happens when we finally have a trusted, compassionate witness to our story. The story you carry about your past can be the source of your suffering or the key to your freedom, and together we can gently begin to shift it. Whatever pain you're holding, you don't have to hold it alone. I work with individuals, and with couples and families who want to find their way back to each other.

I have a Masters Degree in Clinical Social Work, and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), working in private practice as a Psychotherapist. I live in Los Angeles, and work in-person or hybrid, with adults, teens, couples and the aging population. I specialize in anxiety, life transitions, relationship issues, work stress/dissatisfaction, career goals, sleep disorders, substance use, trauma (ptsd/complex/acute), obsessive compulsive disorders (OCD/OCPD), attention deficit disorders (ADD/ADHD). In addition I deal with grief, isolation, and breaking creative blocks.

It is my prayer to build a practice that helps you reach a place where your mental health is truly at the forefront. My hope is that with each appointment—and each day—you feel supported in moving closer to the best version of yourself.

I specialize in supporting women and queer folk heal from complex trauma, anxiety, and depression. I believe meaningful healing involves more than understanding our experiences intellectually—it also involves reconnecting with the body and helping the nervous system develop a greater sense of safety. In our work together, I can help you move beyond insight alone and develop practical tools and embodied practices to better understand and respond to the patterns underlying your struggles.

I am trained in Somatic Experiencing, EMDR and Brainspotting, evidence-informed somatic approaches that can support healing from trauma and C-PTSD. I am currently completing my training in EMDR. I love helping people reconnect with their bodies, access and integrate the full range of their emotions, and develop a deeper sense of aliveness, authenticity, and connection with themselves and others.

I have experience working with neurodivergent individuals, highly sensitive people, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and people who embrace alternative relationship and lifestyle structures, including consensual non-monogamy. I strive to create a space where you can show up as your whole self—without judgment—and feel genuinely seen, understood, and supported.