
Our Story & Mission
Dr. Maha Zayed and Ben Harris, LCPC opened The OCD and Anxiety Center (OAC) as a way of bringing specialized, evidence-based treatment for anxiety, OCD, and related disorders to the western suburbs of Chicago. A native of Oak Brook, Dr. Zayed realized the need for specialty anxiety services. Both Dr. Zayed and Ben Harris graduated from Northern Illinois University and have years of experience in treating anxiety disorders. They have devoted their careers to obtaining advanced trainings and clinical experiences in order to provide the best possible care. At OAC, our therapists primarily utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in order to help patients address anxiety-related concerns. CBT is a broad category of treatments that emphasizes how thoughts affect feelings and behaviors, as well as focusing on how changing thoughts and behaviors can help people live a better life. Some therapies that fall under CBT include Exposure and Response Prevention, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy. At OAC, our goal is to provide individualized, customized treatment plans to help inspire patients toward change and to transform their lives quickly and efficiently.