Specialized Therapy for OCD & Eating Disorders - including where they overlap.
I provide virtual therapy for teens and adults with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), eating disorders, and related anxiety concerns, with particular interest in the complex ways OCD and eating disorder symptoms can overlap.
My goal is to provide evidence-based, collaborative care while working closely with a client's existing treatment team when appropriate. I welcome referrals from therapists, dietitians, physicians, psychiatrists, college counseling centers, and other mental health and medical professionals.
Looking to refer a client?
FOR PROVIDERS
WHEN I MAY BE A GOOD FIT
Consider referring when
A client needs specialized OCD treatment.
They may be experiencing intrusive thoughts, compulsions, reassurance seeking, checking, avoidance, mental rituals, or significant difficulty tolerating uncertainty.
A client needs specialized eating disorder treatment.
Food, exercise, weight, body image, or eating-related rules and behaviors are interfering with their well-being and daily life.
OCD and eating disorder symptoms seem to overlap.
Food, exercise, health, weight, or body-related behaviors may be driven by OCD, an eating disorder, anxiety or several processes at once.
It isn't clear what's driving a particular behavior.
Confusion or difficulty determining whether avoidance, checking, rigidity, reassurance seeking, or a rule is functioning as an OCD compulsion, an eating disorder behavior, or both.
ED symptoms are interfering with OCD treatment.
Restriction, food or body-related fears, compulsive exercise, or other eating disorder behaviors may complicate exposures, reinforce avoidance, or make it harder to distinguish what is maintaining the OCD cycle.
OCD is interfering with eating disorder recovery.
Contamination fears, health-related obsessions, “just right” experiences, perfectionism, or compulsive attempts to gain certainty may create additional barriers to eating disorder recovery.
A client would benefit from ERP alongside their existing care.
I can provide specialized OCD treatment while collaborating with an established therapist, dietitian, prescriber, physician, or other members of the treatment team when clinically appropriate.
WHEN OCD & EATING DISORDERS OVERLAP
Understanding the function behind the behavior matters
OCD and eating disorders can share features such as rigidity, avoidance, checking, reassurance seeking, repetitive behaviors, perfectionism, and distress when rules are not followed. Similar-looking behaviors, however, may serve very different functions.
Treatment therefore isn't simply about deciding whether a behavior “belongs” to OCD or an eating disorder. We work to understand what is driving the behavior, what function it serves, and what is maintaining it so interventions can be selected thoughtfully.
I work together with a client’s outpatient teams such as their dietitian, physician, prescriber, and other providers so that ERP and eating disorder recovery goals align.
TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE
I am a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in OCD, eating disorders, and the complex ways they can overlap.
My clinical experience includes specialty eating disorder treatment, university counseling centers, community mental health, hospital-based programs, and outpatient care.
I received specialized OCD training at the International OCD Foundation with expert clinical consultation. My eating disorder experience includes over 10 years of specialized training and clinical work with clients across multiple levels of care, giving me experience with a wide range of eating disorder presentations, severity, and treatment needs.
I am licensed in Georgia and authorized to provide telepsychology in participating PSYPACT jurisdictions.
Katie Burns, PsyD
Treatment works best when providers work together. With the client’s permission and when clinically appropriate, I’m happy to collaborate with other professionals involved in their care. This may include dietitians, physicians, psychiatrists or other prescribers, therapists, treatment programs, and other members of the treatment team.
For clients with eating disorders, I value a multidisciplinary approach that addresses both psychological and medical/nutritional needs. I can provide specialized therapy while coordinating with the client’s broader team to support consistent, integrated care.
If a client’s needs extend beyond what can be safely or effectively supported in outpatient individual therapy, I will work with the client and their team to identify appropriate additional supports or a higher level of care.
Collaborative Care
The Practicals
REFERRAL INFORMATION
Format
Secure virtual therapy via SimplePractice
Fees
$240 initial appointment
$200 ongoing sessions
Limited sliding-scale availability
Availability
Weekday evenings + Saturday mornings
Location
Georgia + participating PSYPACT jurisdictions
Insurance
Out-of-network
Superbills provided for clients seeking potential reimbursement
HOW TO MAKE A REFERRAL
If you believe a client may be a good fit, you're welcome to reach out. Please avoid including sensitive or protected health information in an initial inquiry unless you're using an appropriate secure method of communication.
Prospective clients are also welcome to contact me directly to schedule a free 15-minute consultation so we can briefly discuss what they're looking for and determine whether my practice may be a good fit.