Heather (Chik) Plinovich, Ph.D., HSPPFounder and Director
Licensed Clinical Psychologist |
|
Heather (Chik) Plinovich, Ph.D., HSPP is a licensed clinical psychologist and the founder of the Anxiety & OCD Behavioral Health Center (AOBHC), with offices in Schererville and Chesterton, IN. With nearly 25 years of experience, she specializes in treating anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and related conditions across the lifespan.
Dr. Plinovich’s passion for this work began in 2001 as an undergraduate research assistant at the Anxiety Disorders Unit at the University of British Columbia, where she assisted with ERP therapy before ever stepping into graduate school. Since then, she’s built a career around walking alongside kids, teens, and adults as they confront fears, resist compulsions, and reclaim their lives.
Known for her compassionate, evidence-based approach, Dr. Plinovich provides Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and incorporates strategies from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), mindfulness practice, self-compassion, and assertive communication. She is also trained in SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions), a parent-based treatment for youth with anxiety, OCD, ARFID, or high family accommodation.
She is licensed in Indiana and authorized to practice telehepsychology in over 40 states through PSYPACT. She previously served on the board of OCD Midwest, where she launched their free consultation group for Indiana-based OCD providers.
Dr. Plinovich completed her clinical training at several leading anxiety and OCD centers in the U.S. and Canada, including the Anxiety Disorder Center at St. Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute, the Anxiety Treatment Center of Greater Chicago, and the Vancouver CBT Centre. She taught as an adjunct professor, provides clinical supervision, and regularly speaks at conferences, universities, and community events.
When she moved to Northwest Indiana in the late 2000s, she saw how many families had to travel to Chicago or beyond to find quality psychological care. In 2013, she founded AOBHC to change that - to bring cutting-edge, research-backed treatment home to her community.
Dr. Plinovich brings expertise, humor, and deep commitment to her work - and expects her patients and their families to bring the same energy in return. She earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (formerly the Chicago Medical School), where she published research under her maiden name, Chik.
EMPOWERING COURAGEOUS, COMPASSIONATE, AND CONNECTED LIVING WITH TREATMENTS THAT WORK |
|
P H O N E 219.228.7630 | Call us for FREE CONSULT
F A X 219.228.1083 M A I N O F F I C E 322 Indianapolis Blvd., Suite 105, Schererville, IN 46375 S A T E L L I T E O F F I C E 1100 S Calumet Road, Suite 3B, Chesterton, IN 46304 I N - P E R S O N Easily traveled from within the state of Indiana; south/southwest suburbs of Chicago, Illinois; and West Michigan T E L E H E A L T H Illinois, Indiana, New Mexico, and PSYPACT States |