Natalie Najera, of the OCD Center of Los Angeles, brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our team as our Social Media Manager, as well as her own personal experience and recovery from OCD.
Hi, I’m Natalie Najera! I grew up in Laguna Hills, CA, with a childhood full of travel, studying for school, and soccer training and games taking up most of my free time. As a kid, I started noticing behaviors that felt a little “off,” like the urge to wash my hands after touching certain things, cleaning belongings excessively, or needing to shower after being in specific places. I would find myself in moments of hiding it as I was confused and didn’t quite understand how to explain what was happening. Despite this, life was pretty normal. It was more than manageable, and from the outside, you probably would never suspect a thing. It didn’t take up much time, so I continued on my way.
After graduating from Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, I pursued a degree in marketing at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, changing life as I knew it. As a 2020 college grad, my paid internship was canceled, and I moved back home with my family, including my older brother, who also returned from NYC. Living under one roof as adults was fun but definitely stressful. With so much uncertainty about the future and what was happening in the world around us, I noticed my anxiety and compulsive behaviors—like handwashing, showering, and cleaning—intensify dramatically. While I had always suspected OCD, the pandemic brought everything to the forefront. With encouragement from my parents, I sought professional help and was diagnosed with emotional contamination OCD.
The road hasn’t been easy—years of therapy, ups and downs, and the eventual discovery of Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy. ERP was terrifying at first, but it’s been life-changing. Some days, I feel free of OCD, while on others, it sneaks back in and I do lose my footing and slip up. It can be frustrating but it is also a part of the process. Learning to have grace for myself in those moments has been challenging and it’s about getting back up. It still isn’t consistently back to how it was pre-pandemic, but it’s a lifelong journey I will continue to tackle as it comes at me. It’s a tricky journey, but I’ve learned how resilient I am.
My experiences with OCD sparked a deep passion for mental health awareness, something I unfortunately didn’t pay much attention to before it affected me. While that’s tough to admit, I’m determined to create a space that feels safe for people to open up about what they are experiencing. Combining that passion with my career in social media and influencer marketing, I joined OCDLA as their Social Media Manager. I’m incredibly grateful to align my work with something truly meaningful to me.
OCD is confusing, frustrating, and challenging—but you are NOT your OCD. I’m so grateful to be a part of the OCDLA team, and I can’t wait to continue sharing more!
•Natalie Najera is the Social Media Manager at the OCD Center of Los Angeles, a private, outpatient clinic specializing in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for the treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and related anxiety based conditions. In addition to individual therapy, the center offers eight weekly therapy groups, as well as online therapy, telephone therapy, and intensive outpatient treatment. To contact the OCD Center of Los Angeles, click here.
