“What happened to my happy child?”
We hear this question often from parents who are feeling completely overwhelmed and confused by their child’s obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) or anxiety. Often times, it starts with a small fear—about something bad happening to Mom or Dad, about getting sick, about doing poorly in school—or a nighttime ritual that eventually disrupts your daily routine. Over time, the fear and anxiety grows and keeps your child from experiencing the calm and joy you wish for them. Instead of really engaging in their lives, your child may retreat and avoid people and situations that used to bring them happiness.
Many parents do their best to reduce their child’s symptoms and help them regain control of their thoughts and emotions. Unfortunately, many of their efforts seem to make no difference, and the condition worsens.
The good news is we can stop OCD and anxiety from being in control. Proper assessment and therapy can help you understand your child’s difficulties and provide manageable steps towards a more confident, happy future. Following therapy, we often hear parents say, “I never understood how all the pieces fit together until now,” or a child or teen tell us, “I didn’t think I’d feel this way again.”
Let’s give your child the confidence and freedom to return to feeling happy and relaxed.
How Treatment Works
At Marquis Child Psychology, our work focuses not only on symptom relief but also on fostering increased self-understanding and confidence moving forward.
Current anxiety and OCD symptoms are primarily addressed with exposure and responsive prevention (ERP) and other empirically-supported practices based in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). And while it isn’t easy, clients and their families are often struck by how years-old patterns and approaches can break down relatively quickly with effective treatment. Beyond learning practical tools, clients and their families develop a new stance towards their anxiety, OCD, or challenging behaviors that allows them to feel confident facing future challenges.
Facing our fears and changing the way we view our world is very challenging work - if this was easy to do, you would’ve done it already! We will be with you each step of the way, providing support, humor, validation, and encouragement - and, of course, to celebrate your child and family’s big and small steps towards relief.
Psychological Services (In-Person & Telehealth Available)
Therapy formats
Individual therapy
Family therapy
Services
Psychotherapy
Psychodiagnostic assessment
Treatment planning and consultation
Conditions treated
OCD
Anxiety
Specific phobia
Social anxiety
Panic attacks
School refusal
Bedtime and sleep difficulties
Behavior management
ADHD
Parent-child communication
B.A., Williams College | Ph.D., UCLA | PSY30756 | She/Her
Dr. Willa Marquis
I am the founder and owner of Marquis Child Psychology, and I am a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in child, adolescent, and adult anxiety and OCD treatment and assessment. I received my B.A. in Psychology from Williams College and my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from UCLA, where I trained at the UCLA Child and Adolescent OCD Program. I then completed my Predoctoral Internship at UCSD/Rady Children’s Hospital and my Postdoctoral Fellowship at the UCSD School of Medicine.
I am passionate about providing evidence-based care for anxiety and OCD for youth and families in San Diego. I provided consultation for clinicians in the Rady Children’s Hospital Anxiety and OCD Clinic, and I have led workshops and invited lectures for mental health providers and psychiatrists at SDSU, Rady Children’s Hospital, and UCSD. I have also served as Clinical Supervisor at Rogers Behavioral Health San Diego.
B.A., SDSU | Ph.D., Northern Illinois University | PSY32379 | She/Her
Dr. Sara Conley
I am a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in the treatment of OCD and anxiety disorders in children, adolescents, and adults. I received by B.A. in psychology from San Diego State University and my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Northern Illinois University. Both my Predoctoral and Postdoctoral training were completed with Rogers Behavioral Health. I have over 10 years of experience working with OCD, anxiety, and mood disorders and have extensive training in CBT and ERP at various levels of care, from weekly outpatient therapy to residential settings.
I believe strongly in the use of evidence-based treatment methods and understand the importance of flexibly applying treatment to fit with the individuals and families I am working with. My experience and training allow me to comfortably tailor therapy to meet each client’s specific needs while staying true to the evidence-based approach. My ultimate goal is to work collaboratively with my clients to identify and explore fears, target problematic thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and help them to achieve their fullest potential.
Location
Our office is located in the West Clairemont neighborhood of San Diego, at the corner of Balboa and Genesee Avenues. The office is easily accessible by the 5, 805, 163, 8, and 52 freeways. Ample free off-street parking is available.
Address
5252 Balboa Avenue
San Diego, CA 92117
AVAILABILITY
Our office is open Monday-Friday. Please contact us for information about availability.
Frequently Asked Questions
What ages do you see?
We specialize in working with children and adolescents (ages 3-17). However, we also see adult clients with anxiety or OCD.
How long does treatment last?
Treatment length depends on symptom severity, session frequency, and treatment adherence, but will typically last between several weeks and several months.
Do you take insurance?
While we do not take insurance, we can provide a receipt that you are welcome to submit to your insurance provider for reimbursement.