Meet Jennifer Siegel | Psychiatrist (MD)

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jennifer Siegel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jennifer, how do you think about risk?
Growing up, I used to think about every decision in terms of risk. It was automatic. I would internally question most of my behaviors – Is it risky to try a new food? I could be allergic and not know. Is it risky to give a presentation? I might black out and embarrass myself. Is it risky to stay home alone? What if I had a medical emergency and no one was there to call for help?
Any of those things could happen, but I eventually realized that if I wanted to, I could make almost anything into a risk. In anxiety and OCD our minds overestimate threat and underestimate our ability to tolerate uncertainty.
As someone who has faced OCD and anxiety myself, I’ve had to learn to relate differently to uncertainty, to stop trying to eliminate every possible risk and instead learn to live alongside it. Through that process, and the same evidence-based strategies I now use with my clients, I’ve come to see uncertainty as something to be welcomed rather than feared.
And it’s also what allowed me to take one of the biggest risks of my own: starting my own private practice. Risk doesn’t have to mean recklessness. Risk can mean alignment with my values, growth, and the willingness to move forward even when outcomes aren’t guaranteed – the same process I guide my clients through. Now, I see risk not as something to avoid, but as something to move toward intentionally. It’s how growth happens: in therapy, in our personal lives, and in the work I do every day.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I’m a psychiatrist and the founder of Jennifer Siegel Psychiatry, PC, where I see clients virtually throughout California. I specialize in the treatment of OCD, OCD-related disorders, and anxiety-spectrum disorders (generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, etc). I see individuals for medication management, therapy, or both.

What sets my work apart is that I offer both medication management and evidence-based therapy, particularly exposure and response prevention, or ERP for OCD. That combination isn’t super common among psychiatrists, but it’s something I’ve always been passionate about. Before medical school at the University of Pennsylvania, I also studied studio art, and that background really shapes the way I approach mental health care. I like taking a collaborative, creative, and humanistic lens in my work.

I first got involved in OCD treatment years ago as an ERP coach, before later training and receiving supervision to practice ERP therapy. That early experience gave me a deep understanding of the therapy side, which I now draw on when working with patients on the medication side. For example, I can recognize when somatic OCD or health anxiety is influencing how someone approaches medication decisions, and help them find the right balance between getting necessary medical information and avoiding compulsive reassurance seeking. Many of my clients are individuals who are new to medication or who have medication-related anxiety, as well as young adults and working professionals looking for specialized care.
I also enjoy teaching and presenting. I’ve presented at IOCDF, OCD SoCal, and at USC for audiences including other professionals, those affected by OCD (patients & family members), and medical trainees.

In terms of challenges with starting my private practice, one of the biggest for me has been self-promotion. As someone who tends to be more reflective, putting myself out there and sharing my work publicly didn’t come naturally. But over time I’ve come to see it not as self-promotion, but as education and advocacy, helping people connect to effective, compassionate, and specialized care for OCD and anxiety. Advocacy is particularly important, since individuals are often mis-diagnosed or delayed in receiving an accurate diagnosis for OCD, resulting in delayed treatment and unnecessary suffering.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
That’s always a tough one! There’s just so much to see and do here. If a friend were visiting for a week, I’d probably want to show them a little bit of everything that makes LA and the surrounding areas so special, which includes the food, the nature, the culture, and a few quiet spots to slow down. We’d spend some time near the coast, maybe drive along PCH. At some point, we’d then head out to Joshua Tree for a couple of nights to hike, stargaze, and just take in all of the amazing landscapes.
Back in LA, we’d probably do a hike in the Santa Monica Mountains and spend a day at the Huntington Gardens – one of my favorite peaceful spots in the city. And honestly, a lot of the week would revolve around food. Breakfast at Sycamore Kitchen on La Brea, an iced chai from Neighborhood next door, Mini Kabob for the best kabobs and hummus, and Pizzeria Bianco because their marinara pizza is perfect in its simplicity. These spots are of course truly all over, so we will get in some exposure to the LA traffic scene.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d love to dedicate my shoutout to a few really special people. First, my mentor, Dr. Barbara Van Noppen. She’s had such a huge influence on my work and on me personally. I’ve learned so much from her about treating OCD, especially around exposure and response prevention and understanding family accommodation. She’s truly one of the best in the field, and I’ve been so lucky to learn from her. Beyond her expertise, she’s been a genuine advocate and source of support, which has meant a lot to me along the way. I also want to recognize my family. They’ve been there through every phase of my journey, and their cheerleading has really kept me motivated. And finally, my patients and clients. They’ve been some of my greatest teachers. Watching them face their fears, embrace uncertainty, and reclaim their lives continues to inspire me every single day.

Website: https://jennifersiegelpsychiatry.com/

Instagram: @ocd.psychiatrist.drjen

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-siegel-md-a9136a141