Dr. Heidi Ojalehto (she/her/hers) is a postdoctoral fellow in the Anxiety Center at EBTCS.
Dr. Ojalehto provides evidence-based treatment for a range of psychological concerns, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, specific phobias, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), major depressive disorder (MDD), and couples’ distress.
Dr. Ojalehto completed her undergraduate degree in human development at Cornell University. After college, she worked as a research coordinator at the University of Washington Center for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress, working on clinical trials examining treatments for PTSD. She went on to pursue her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at UNC Chapel Hill where she received specialized training in evidence-based treatments for trauma and anxiety-related disorders. Her doctoral research focused on the role of trauma in the development of OCD as well as the perinatal transition as a time of risk for the onset of mood and anxiety disorders.
Dr. Ojalehto completed her predoctoral internship training at the Seattle VA where she provided Prolonged Exposure (PE), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and couples therapy to Veterans. She has also received specialized training in other evidence-based treatments such as Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy (IBCT). In her clinical work, Dr. Ojalehto prioritizes building a strong therapeutic relationship and takes a collaborative approach, partnering with each client to identify and work toward shared goals.