Our Staff

Dr. Marla W. Deibler is a licensed psychologist, board-certified in behavioral and cognitive psychology, and the Founder and CEO of The Center for Emotional Health. She specializes in the evidence-based treatment of anxiety and obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders and is nationally recognized for her clinical expertise, leadership, and public education efforts.

Dr. Deibler serves on the Faculty of the Behavior Therapy Training Institute (BTTI) of the International OCD Foundation and on the Board of Directors of OCD New Jersey, the state affiliate of the IOCDF. She also serves on the Scientific Advisory Committee of the New Jersey Center for Tourette Syndrome and Associated Disorders, as Visiting Clinical Supervisor at Rutgers University Psychological Services Clinic, and on the Executive Council member of the OCD Special Interest Group within the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science.

Dr. Deibler is co-author of The BFRB Recovery Workbook, a widely used resource offering practical, research-informed guidance for those struggling with body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs) such as hair pulling, skin picking, and nail biting, as well as co-autor of the forthcoming book, Free to be Me with a BFRB: The Ultimate Kid’s Guide to Living Well with Hair Pulling, Skin Picking, Nail Biting and Other Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors.

Dr. Deibler holds a doctorate in clinical psychology with a specialization in health/neuropsychology and a postdoctoral master’s degree in clinical psychopharmacology. Her formative experiences include both scientific research as an Intramural Research Training Award Fellow at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) as well as clinical intervention at the Children’s National Medical Center, Kennedy Krieger Institute at Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Behavior Therapy Center of Greater Washington, and Temple University Hospital. Dr. Deibler began her career in both academic and clinical roles as Assistant Professor at Temple University Schools of Medicine, Dentistry, and Allied Health. She also served on the Scientific Advisory Board and Executive Board of the TLC Foundation for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (TLC) and as Faculty of TLC’s Professional Training Institute (PTI). 

A respected voice in the field, Dr. Deibler is frequently featured in national media. She has appeared on The Dr. Oz Show, Today with Megyn Kelly, Hoarders (A&E), Hoarding: Buried Alive (TLC), and Swift Justice with Nancy Grace. Her insights have been cited in The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, CNN, Today, Vice, and Maria Shriver’s LifeEd, among others. She is also a contributor to publications such as Slate and several peer-reviewed journals. Committed to advancing mental health awareness and clinical excellence, Dr. Deibler is a frequent speaker at national conferences and professional training meetings.

Dr. Deibler is licensed to practice psychology in New Jersey (License #35S1004380000), Pennsylvania (License #PS0157790), and New York (License #027208), and holds an Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology (APIT #6145) under PSYPACT, allowing her to provide telehealth services across participating states.