Malissa Duckworth, LCSW

11/13/2025

Always learning how to…

Every couple faces moments of emotional distance, misunderstanding, or hurt. These moments, called ruptures, are part of every close relationship.

A healthy relationship depends on how two people come back together after those ruptures.

When partners repair successfully, trust grows. They feel seen, valued, and emotionally safe again. Each repair becomes a bonding experience that strengthens the relationship over time.

When repair fails, mistrust builds. Partners begin to feel alone in their pain, and the emotional distance widens. The real goal is to turn back toward each other, to rebuild connection and safety after disconnection.

07/29/2025

Being a specialist in OCD, I see how valuable that extra training really is every single day!! Read this for more information.

OC symptoms can be complex, confusing, and malleable. So, it’s important that therapists’ training and experience be extensive. This means having taken multiple targeted workshops, immersing oneself in the scientific literature of the field, and ideally working alongside other professionals who ...

09/23/2024

When does a sad or unwanted event, a worry, or a social concern become an OCD issue? When the thoughts pervade almost every non-distracted moment, make themselves known whenever you don’t want them to, and efforts to resolve the distress around them become unrealistic, repetitive, self-critical, and defy logic.

09/20/2024

Enhancing Your Practice with Acceptance, Self-Compassion, and Values-Based Action

09/18/2024

Join us for the 2024 MSPA Fall Conference: understanding OCD and Related Dosorders in School Aged Children. 🧠

We will be learning from Jon Hershfield, Director of the Center for OCD and Anxiety at Sheppard Pratt and Molly Schiffer, Associate Director of the Center for OCD and Anxiety at Sheppard Pratt.

Both in-person and virtual attendance is offered. Register by October 16 for virtual attendance. Day-of walks available for in-person attendance, space permitting.

09/18/2024

08/21/2024

With Nashville OCD & Anxiety Treatment Center – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉

08/07/2024

Many people acknowledge some amount of discomfort when it comes to socializing. Often concerns about how we are perceived, what others think of us, or our ability to perform the way we believe we “should” in our interactions can feel daunting. This can be relatively normal, and despite these con...