LCSW · WI  |  IL  |  NE · ERP & CBT Specialist

Hi, I'm Brianne. I'm really glad you're here.

You're not losing your mind. You're losing the battle with a very convincing brain, and you've probably spent a lot of time trying to think and plan and logic your way out of it. Here's the thing though: that's actually the more solvable problem.

I'm a licensed therapist specializing in OCD, anxiety, panic, and phobias. I use evidence-based treatments that go beyond traditional coping skills, because you can't deep-breathe your way out of OCD.

My goal is simple: help you trust yourself again, then send you off not needing me.

Brianne Birtic, LCSW, OCD and anxiety specialist smiling
"If your brain feels loud, busy, or stuck in nonstop what-if mode, you're in the right place."

I became a therapist because anxiety is paralyzing. I know that firsthand. Not in a "I read about it in grad school" way. In a "I called in to work so many times my coworkers noticed and still nobody asked if I was okay" way.

That experience is a big part of why I started Beautiful Minds. I wanted to work for myself, in a way that aligned with my own values, with clients I believed in, and without anyone telling me I needed to quiet down about how broken the system is for people who are struggling with their anxiety.

Read my full story

What makes working with me different

Evidence-based only

I use ERP, CBT, and ACT. Not because they're trendy, but because they have the most research behind them and the strongest outcomes of any approach.

Specialist, not generalist

13+ years passionately focused on OCD and anxiety disorders. Not a therapist who treats everything from grief to relationship issues and squeezes anxiety in on Thursdays.

Built to end

The goal of therapy with me is to not need therapy with me. I want to help you build the skills that make you your own therapist, and then send you on your way.

60-80%
of people with OCD improve significantly with ERP therapy (based on published clinical trials)
13+
years of specialized experience in OCD and anxiety
3
states served: Wisconsin, Illinois, and Nebraska

You might be in the right place if…

  • You've tried to "just stop thinking about it" approximately ten thousand times
  • Your anxiety is running the show and you're exhausted from managing it
  • You cannot possibly smell any more lavender oil
  • You've been told to "just relax" and briefly considered committing a crime
  • You want to actually get better, not just cope forever
  • You're ready to do the work, even if it sounds uncomfortable

I work with adults in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Nebraska via telehealth. All sessions are virtual, which means you can do hard therapeutic work from your couch in your pajamas. No judgment (I will also likely be in sweats).

Your anxiety has had the wheel long enough.

A free 15-minute consult is all it takes to find out if we're a good fit.

Schedule the Consult

Free tools to help you right now

You don't have to book an appointment to start getting clarity. These tools are free, private, and yours to use whenever you need them.

Is This OCD? Self-Assessment

10 questions. 3 minutes. No signup. Find out if what you're experiencing might be OCD, and what to do about it.

Take the Quiz

The Spiral Notebook

A guided thought journal for when your brain won't quiet down. Walk through the thought, name the emotion, and reframe it. Right here, right now.

Open the Notebook

A little bit about me

I started Beautiful Minds because people struggling with OCD and anxiety deserve access to someone who actually knows this work inside and out, not a therapist who treats everything from grief to relationship issues and squeezes anxiety in on Thursdays.

I also have the deeply personal pleasure of a front row seat to what anxiety actually feels like from the inside, which means when you describe the 3am spiral or the thing you've never said out loud to anyone, I'm not going to flinch.

When I'm not doing therapy things, I'm probably watching something I shouldn't admit to or advocating loudly for my dog and cat's extremely specific needs.

Read my full story

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