“Teamwork is an important part of each patient relationship, and I provide a customized plan designed to proceed at a pace that is comfortable for each individual. It’s very rewarding to see a patient who had been debilitated by anxiety move forward to a position of strength, where they no longer have to live in fear.”
Approach to Therapy
Dr. Zayed approaches each patient with compassion and empathy. Personable and easygoing, she encourages patients to confront their fears and teaches them how to live the best life they can. She strongly believes in involving parents, significant others, and the patient’s support system in treatment so they can best support the patient. She works collaboratively with the patient to develop an individualized treatment plan and then works at a pace that is comfortable for the patient. She often uses humor to help put clients at ease, especially children. Dr. Zayed is comfortable utilizing a variety of interventions, tailoring treatment to meet each patient’s specific situation so they can best manage their own anxiety. Her goal is to empower patients to become their own therapists so they can manage anxiety as it occurs in their life.
Experience and Training
Dr. Maha Zayed earned her Ph.D. from Northern Illinois University. She completed her doctoral internship and post-doctoral work at Dartmouth College and the National Center for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. Prior to opening The OCD & Anxiety Center, Maha worked at The Anxiety Treatment Center of Greater Chicago; she also worked at a private practice in a rural Illinois community for several years, where she was one of the only clinicians in the area who provided CBT and exposure therapy. As a licensed clinical psychologist, she specializes in the use of cognitive behavioral therapy in the treatment of children, adolescents, and adults. Dr. Zayed has extensive training in cognitive behavior therapy, including the prestigious International OCD Foundation. Dr. Zayed successfully treats OCD, PTSD, all types of anxiety including social anxiety, panic attacks, phobias, and school refusal as well as disorders that often co-occur with anxiety (ie., hair pulling, autism, ADHD, depression). She often utilizes exposure-based therapy, and is able to provide treatment both in the office and in real-life situations where patients feel the most anxiety. She often adds cognitive therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, dialectical behavior therapy and mindfulness as needed. She is a member of the American Psychological Association, the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, Trichotillomania Learning Center, and International OCD Foundation. Dr. Zayed works with patients ages 3 through adulthood.
In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Zayed enjoys presenting both locally and nationally to help increase knowledge and awareness regarding various topics related to OCD and anxiety disorders. She is also a vetted expert for PediaSource, a first-of-its-kind platform that connects parents nationwide directly to treatment specialists and experts who can provide information and guidance regarding concerns they have about their child’s well-being.
More About Maha
Maha is originally from Oak Brook and realized the need for specialty anxiety services in the Western Suburbs. In her free time, Maha enjoys live music, traveling, and spending time with her nieces and nephews.
Contact Information
Phone: 630-522-3124
Email: mzayed@theocdandanxietycenter.com
