Spectrum CBT Treatment Team
Sarosh J. Motivala, PhD, Director
Dr. Motivala is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in CBT and exposure based approaches to treat OCD spectrum and Anxiety spectrum disorders. From 2011-2021 he worked in the UCLA Adult OCD Treatment Program and developed their externship training program for clinical psychology doctoral students and psychiatry residents. He currently serves as the Training Director for the UCLA Adult OCD Treatment Program and holds faculty appointments in UCLA’s Psychiatry Department and Psychology Department. He has presented at the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) Annual Conference, has served on the IOCDF Task Force Committee and Diversity Council. He conducts community lectures annually through UCLA Health on OCD and anxiety.
He also oversees a longitudinal research project at UCLA looking at long-term follow up in OCD patients who have completed intensive treatment. He was the recipient of a 5 year Clinical Scientist Award from the National Institutes of Health. He received his doctorate from the University of Miami and completed his clinical internship at UCLA and was a postdoctoral fellow at the UCLA Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology. He has authored or co-authored over 30 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters, and has presented his work at numerous national and international research conferences. In his clinical work, he integrates traditional behavior therapy with CBT and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and relies heavily on research validated treatments to guide his practice.
Christopher Nuñez, PhD OUTPATIENT & INTENSIVE
Dr. Christopher Nuñez is a licensed clinical psychologist and neuropsychologist with over 20 years of experience in assessment and treatment of individuals across the lifespan (children, adults, and older adults). He specializes in evidence-based psychotherapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and behavioral therapy, to treat mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders. He has received intensive training in Exposure with Response/Ritual Prevention (ExRP) at the University of Pennsylvania Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety. Dr. Nuñez has previously worked as a neuropsychologist in the UCLA Department of Neurology where co-founded the Cultural Neuropsychology Initiative in the UCLA Department of Psychiatry. As Associate Clinical Professor in the UCLA Department of Psychology, he supervised and trained clinical psychology trainees. He completed his postdoctoral fellowship at the UCLA Laboratory of Neuroimaging where he studied developmental neuroscience with MRI and fMRI techniques and was Assistant Professor of Research in the USC Department of Pediatrics where he conducted studies on brain development in typically developing children and children with neurodevelopmental disorders. His treatment approaches are informed by his knowledge of clinical and neuroscience research. Dr. Nuñez also works with clients who have medical and/or neurocognitive conditions, with an emphasis in behavioral medicine strategies to promote and improve overall health and quality of life (e.g. treatment for insomnia, stress management, behavioral changes to improve health, and adjustment to medical diagnosis). Cultural issues are of particular interest to him, and he is multilingual (Spanish and French).
Mubeena Mirza, LCSW OUTPATIENT & INTENSIVE
Mubeena is a licensed clinical social worker with years of experience in the treatment of OCD and anxiety disorders. She developed expertise in treating OCD during a one year rotation at the UCLA OCD Intensive Outpatient Program. Since then she has received certification in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy from the Academy of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies. Over the years she has improved client outcomes by adopting mindfulness based practices, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, into treatment.
Mubeena received her BA in Psychology from UCLA. She received a Masters of Social Work from California State University Long Beach, with a focus on integrative health. She completed internships in an adult psychiatric hospital and in a community mental health setting. Mubeena strives to create a culturally sensitive and inclusive environment. She works to develop an understanding of each individual’s needs, circumstances, and limitations.
Tamara Bailey, PhD OUTPATIENT & INTENSIVE
Dr. Bailey is a postdoctoral registered psychological associate specializing in anxiety, OCD and related mood disorders and sport and performance psychology. She earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Fielding Graduate University with her research and clinical training at UCLA's Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. She spent a year working at the UCLA Intensive Outpatient Program for OCD doing ERP with individuals with severe OCD. Dr. Bailey specializes in treating OCD, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, health anxiety and she provides sport psychology services for athletes. Dr. Bailey completed her Ph.D. internship at the University of Oklahoma's Division-1 Athletics Department. Dr. Bailey was also previously trained in the performing arts at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) and completed yoga teacher training and qi gong teacher training in Sydney, Australia. Dr. Bailey views clients' mental health concerns from a holistic, biopsychosocial perspective utilizing therapeutic modalities including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and exposure response prevention therapy (ERP), and mindfulness. Dr. Bailey believes a strong therapeutic relationship, based on compassion, trust, empathy, and collaboration is vital to delivering effective, evidence-based and complementary treatments.
Connor Hansen, MA, AMFT OUTPATIENT
Connor Hansen is a registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT) and works with children, adolescents, and families, helping clients experiencing anxiety and panic, depression, emotional regulation difficulties and a special interest in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorders informed by his lived experience. Connor’s approach draws from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and mindfulness-based practices, adapting evidence-based interventions to the individual needs and developmental stage of each client.
Connor earned his Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of the West, where he specialized in Buddhist Psychology, and completed his clinical training in a school-based setting working extensively with children, adolescents, and families. Before becoming a therapist, Connor earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing for Film and Television, developing an appreciation for storytelling, perspective, and the ways people construct meaning from their experiences. He brings this curiosity into his clinical work by helping clients better understand the patterns influencing their thoughts and behaviors and develop new ways of responding to life's challenges. Connor believes a strong therapeutic relationship grounded in authenticity, compassion, humor, trust, and collaboration provides an important foundation for effective evidence-based treatment.