Dr. Erika Nurmi
Medical Director
Erika Nurmi, MD, PhD is a board-certified child, adolescent and adult psychiatrist and expert in the treatment of anxiety and obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders, including OCD, Tourette and body-focused repetitive behaviors (hair pulling and skin-picking), as well as common comorbities such as ADHD, depression, and autism spectrum disorder.
Dr. Nurmi received her doctoral degrees from Vanderbilt University and her clinical training in adult, child and adolescent psychiatry from UCLA. She is currently a tenured Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences in the UCLA Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, where she is involved in medical training and research. Her research explores genetic contributions to mental illness vulnerability and response to treatment, with over 100 publications and numerous federal and private grants. Dr. Nurmi was Medical Director of the UCLA Pediatric OCD Intensive Outpatient Program for 12 years, as well as Associate Medical Director of the Childhood OCD, Anxiety, and Tic Disorders Program. She is a member of the UCLA Tourette Association of America Center of Excellence, Cares Anxiety Center, and the Brain Research Institute. At the Greater Los Angeles VA, partner to UCLA, she is the Anxiety Disorders Section Chief and the Director of Mental Health Research Training.
Dr. Nurmi has been recognized as an American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Master Clinician, serves on the Medical Advisory Board of the Tourette Association of America, and has received numerous teaching awards. She is a national and international speaker in educational forums, clinician trainings, parent/patient support groups and public events, where she enjoys sharing her passion for science and medicine.
Dr. Nurmi’s approach to treating anxiety and OC-spectrum disorders emphasizes empowerment and strength. While she believes medications can be important in conjunction with other evidence-based approaches, the overarching goal is a rapid return to health with a long-term plan to minimize medications and promote healthy coping and self-efficacy.
