Hi, I am Jelena

I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a mom of three, and someone who has spent nearly a decade doing one thing: helping people with OCD and anxiety get their lives back.

I was born and raised in Montenegro, came to the US at a young age, and built my clinical foundation across inpatient, partial hospitalization, and specialty outpatient settings, including years at a dedicated OCD and anxiety center. I've worked with kids as young as 4 and adults who have been struggling for most of their lives. What all of them have taught me is that real change doesn't come from talking about anxiety. It comes from facing it, with the right tools, a clear plan, and a therapist who is just as invested in your progress as you are.

I'm fluent in English & Serbian. I'll meet you where your anxiety lives, sometimes literally.

My Approach

I love this work because I get to problem-solve alongside people who are ready to actually change things. And what I know after years in this specialty is that understanding your anxiety isn't enough. You have to move through it. That's what treatment here is built around.

My approach is short-term, goal-oriented, and grounded in real-world change:

I do exposures where the anxiety actually lives. Sometimes that means leaving my office and going where your anxiety is, whether that's a grocery store, a school hallway, or a highway. Anxiety can't always be replicated in a therapy room, so we practice in the situations that actually matter. (If the location requires travel, I do charge a travel fee, but this kind of flexibility is often what breaks through when nothing else has.)

I meet you where you need to be. If school refusal or severe anxiety is keeping you or your child from functioning, I'll come to you. If intensive treatment makes more sense than weekly sessions, we can structure things accordingly, with more frequent sessions, longer sessions, or both. One 50-minute hour a week isn't always the right fit, and I'd rather design something that actually works.

I include your family. I'm trained in SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxiety, OCD, and Related Disorders) and weave parent coaching into treatment whenever it's relevant. The people around you either help anxiety grow or help you break free from it, and I want them in your corner. I also collaborate with psychiatrists, occupational therapists, schools, and other providers, because real progress happens when everyone is working from the same page.

I build confidence alongside symptom relief. My goal isn't just to reduce what's hard. It's for you to walk away feeling capable, grounded, and genuinely confident in your ability to manage your own mind.

What I am tried in:

I stay current through ongoing training and professional development because OCD and anxiety treatment keeps evolving, and I want to make sure I'm always bringing you the best approach.

What matters:

ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) — the gold standard for OCD
CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) — for anxiety, depression, and related conditions
ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) — building psychological flexibility
ComB (Comprehensive Behavioral Treatment) — evidence-based treatment for BFRBs
HRT (Habit Reversal Training) — for BFRBs and repetitive behaviors
CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia) — treating sleep disorders without medication
SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxiety, OCD, and Related Disorders) — parent coaching and family involvement
iCBT (Internet-delivered CBT) — bringing evidence-based care into flexible formats
DBT skills — for emotional regulation when needed

I hold a Master's degree in Social Work and am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) licensed in Illinois and Iowa, with an application pending for Indiana.

I offer in-person sessions in the Naperville area and telehealth across Illinois and Iowa. If you need a home visit for school refusal, anxiety support, or family coaching, I can do that. If you need intensive sessions, I can do that too.

I'm here to meet you where you are.

Request a Consultation

Adress:

PHONE: +1 630-394-5878

Links:

EMAIL: jelena@untangledocd.com

ADDRESS: 640 South Washington St. Suite 212 Naperville, IL, 60540, United States

LICENSED IN: Illinois & Iowa | Indiana coming soon

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