Our Team

Dr. Nick Flower is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist (Psy.D.) and the president of OCD Spectrum. He created OCD Spectrum to be the pre-eminent Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and anxiety treatment center for Pittsburgh and the region. Dr. Flower graduated from Xavier University with his doctorate in clinical psychology in 2007 and has been licensed as a psychologist in Pennsylvania since 2010. He is a graduate of the Behavioral Therapy Training Institute put on by the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) where he received specialized training in Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy (ERP). He is also the president of OCDPA, the Pennsylvania affiliate of the IOCDF. He is also a member of the Diversity Committee for the IOCDF where he works on ways to disseminate effective OCD treatment to under-served populations. For the past few years he has been a speaker at the annual IOCDF conference and has organized support groups for patients with harm OCD among other topics.

Dr. Flower has a warm and personal style with a sense of humor that allows for a good rapport with his patients. The type of therapy that he does is likely not what one might consider “typical” where the patient sits on a couch to discuss problems. It is an active and goal-directed approach so the patient can face fears directly while gaining a sense of mastery. His theoretical approach is largely based on something called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). It’s an approach that focuses both on a person’s thinking patterns and behavior changes. In sessions, he will often help a patient examine thinking patterns and connect them with feelings so that they can change their behaviors. CBT has been widely supported in various research studies as an effective treatment approach for depression, anxiety, and many other disorders. He looks forward to working with you to help you conquer your OCD and anxiety.

Dr. Josh Riley is a psychiatrist with a special interest in working with people struggling with OCD and anxiety disorders. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Cambridge before completing a PhD in Linguistics at the University of Maryland – College Park and an MD at the University of Kentucky. After medical school he completed residency training in General Psychiatry at Western Psychiatric Hospital/UPMC. He has experience working with people suffering from OCD, anxiety, body dysmorphia, depression, bipolar disorder, intense unusual perceptual experiences, and psychosis.

Dr. Riley takes a collaborative approach, helping people identify what is truly valued and important to them and assessing their experiences to determine what might be standing in the way of pursuing those values. Medications can be a helpful part of living a life worth living but not all problems need a medicine and no medication is right for every single person, no matter what their diagnosis might be. He works with people as a guide, someone who is knowledgeable about different options and approaches and will recommend a path but ultimately remembers that you are the one taking the journey.

Tiffany Song is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Pennsylvania. She completed her graduate degree in Social Work from the University of Pittsburgh in 2003 and has held an independent clinical license since 2006. In 2010, She completed a 10-month intensive training course in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) which has allowed her to gain specific skills to help her patients achieve their treatment goals with empirically supported treatment techniques.

Tiffany has over 15 years of experience working in behavioral health and is passionate about helping clients overcome anxiety disorders of all types: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic, Social Anxiety, Phobias, PTSD, and others. She primarily uses CBT, Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and Mindfulness during treatment. Prior to joining the team at OCD Spectrum, Tiffany worked as a therapist in a pediatric practice and in private practice treating both children and adults with anxiety disorders. She loves helping people of various ages learn new ways of thinking and behaving so that they can live the lives they want.

Marlana Wilson is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in the state of Pennsylvania. Marlana earned her graduate degree in social work from Edinboro University, and her undergraduate degree, also in social work, from Slippery Rock University. She has experience providing both individual and group therapy with adults and adolescents struggling with trauma related disorders, mood and anxiety disorders, as well as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Marlana is trauma-informed and LGBTQIA+ affirming. She primarily utilizes Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) during treatment. She is also trained in Prolonged Exposure (PE) for PTSD, and EMDR. Marlana is authentic and hopeful in her approach while working alongside individuals to help them work toward and meet their goals.

Emma Smith is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who specializes in providing behavioral health services to adults with mood and anxiety disorders. She earned her graduate degree in social work from the University of Pittsburgh and earned her undergraduate degree in psychology from American University. Emma has a special interest and expertise in the treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and has extensive training and experience with Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy (ERP). She works full time as the lead clinician for the OCD Adult Intensive Outpatient Program at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital. She is also a board member of OCD Pennsylvania, the local affiliate of the IOCDF. She is genuine and warm in style which allows her to quickly build rapport and get to work on her patient’s issues. Emma is eager to work with clients at OCD Spectrum and help them to reclaim their lives back from OCD.

Maria Nicholas is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and graduate of the University of Pittsburgh where she earned both her undergraduate and graduate degrees. After completing her masters in social work, she was employed at UPMC Mercy Hospital’s Behavioral Health Unit as part of an interdisciplinary team where she provided a wide range of behavioral health services based on specific patient needs. Maria has worked as a full time clinician at the UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital’s Adult Mood and Anxiety Intensive Outpatient Programs where she provided behavioral health treatment to adults suffering from a variety of mood and anxiety disorders. Maria currently works as a full time clinician at the UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital’s Child and Adolescent Pediatric OCD Intensive Outpatient Program where she provides both individual and group therapy. Maria has developed a strong passion for working with individuals who have been diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). She is a member of the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) and attends the annual IOCDF conference to learn from experts in the field. Maria has a warm and generous style which helps her connect with patients who find themselves having a difficult time coping with their issues. Maria is eager to help her patients regain their sense of freedom taken from them by OCD while instilling a sense of hope for their future.

Akirah Wyatt is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in the state of Pennsylvania. After completing her graduate degree in social work from the University of Pittsburgh in 2013, Akirah worked as one of the lead clinicians at the Adult Mood and Anxiety Intensive Outpatient Programs at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of UPMC. There she provided evidence-based behavioral health treatment to adults experiencing various mood and anxiety disorders. Most recently Akirah provided trauma-informed treatment to adults at WellSpan Philhaven, a behavioral health clinic located in Central Pennsylvania. In addition to providing evidence-based individual therapy, Akirah has ample experience and great skill when leading groups and has specialty training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and DBT Prolonged Exposure (DBT-PE) for PTSD. Akirah has particular interest in helping new parents recover from perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and is currently completing requirements to earn her Certification in Perinatal Mental Health. Akirah enjoys helping her patients build confidence in their ability to be skillful so that they can go on to live their best version of a value-based life. She is excited to offer telehealth services to patients as part of the OCD Spectrum team.

Kara Taylor is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in the state of Pennsylvania. She completed her graduate degree in Social Work from the University of Pittsburgh in 2003. In 2008, Kara joined the United States Air Force where she has spent the past 13 years in mental health clinics across the Air Force treating active duty service members and their family members with a wide spectrum of mood, anxiety and substance use disorders using evidence-based treatment modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Prolonged Exposure (PE).

Kara’s warm heart and compassionate style helps her quickly gain rapport and trust with the clients that she has had the privilege to serve. She is passionate about helping her clients learn the skills needed to change their thoughts, feelings and behaviors so they have the confidence to live the life they have always dreamed of. Kara is excited to offer telehealth services as part of the OCD Spectrum team.

Kasey Puleo is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of Pennsylvania whose passion lies in treating children, teenagers, and young adults. Kasey earned her graduate degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Waynesburg University and her undergraduate degree in psychology from Slippery Rock University. Following her undergraduate studies, Kasey completed an internship study at the UPMC Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic’s pediatric OCD Intensive Outpatient Program. After gaining this experience, Kasey went on to graduate school and interned at a community mental health agency as an outpatient therapist, where she later became employed. She has had the privilege of working with children and their families in the mental health field since 2016.

Kasey values the power of the therapeutic relationship and believes all effective therapy requires a strong foundation of trust, care, and safety. Kasey offers a humanistic approach to therapy, working with patients to identify their inner strengths and recognize how they have control of their own lives. She primarily utilizes the evidence-based treatments of CBT, existentialism, and client-centered therapy and is looking forward to further integrating exposure and response prevention therapy into her work as she treats patients at OCD Spectrum.

Michelle Camper is OCD Spectrum’s Office Manager. She has over 15 years experience managing Mental Health Practices in Pennsylvania and Georgia. Michelle graduated from Duquesne University with a Bachelors of Science, majoring in Criminology and minoring in Psychology. She also obtained her Bookkeeping Certification from Cambridge Accounting Center in Pittsburgh, PA. Michelle is always available to answer your questions and her knowledge and experience in regards to billing, scheduling and general practice information is just a phone call away.