Rachel E. Mathews, PhD

I'm a pediatric psychologist at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, offering outpatient therapy and general psychological evaluation services. More specifically, I diagnose and provide specialized treatment for children with Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders (OCRDs), body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs, such as Trichotillomania and Excoriation Disorder), Tourette Syndrome (TS) and tic disorders, food allergy anxiety (FAA) and Avoidant and Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID).

After taking a psychology class in high school, I became interested in pediatric psychopathology. I received my undergraduate degree in psychology and worked in a cognitive psycholinguistics lab, which largely investigated learning processes and memory in the young adult population. While later attending graduate school, I further developed my interest in pediatric psychological disorders and began working as a school psychologist shortly after that. Through this experience, I determined that I wanted to provide psychological treatment to children within a medical setting and conduct research to address their mental health needs. After returning to graduate school, I was placed in a clinical practicum within a family medicine residency program that was pivotal to my academic and professional career. Through this practicum experience, I developed a strong interest in Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders (OCRDs), tics, and habit disorders in children. Assessing and treating pediatric OCRDs, tics, and habit disorders has since become my passion.

My patient care philosophy is to view each child as unique while also considering the role of family, community and belief systems in their functioning. Understanding how a child navigates through these various systems allows me to better support them through a holistic lens. Additionally, I have a strong commitment to evidence-based practices for behavioral health treatment and believe that research should drive clinical practice. As such, my priority is to ensure my patients and their families consistently receive high-quality therapy services and assessment practices aligned with and supported by current pediatric behavioral health research.

I want patients and their families to know that although pursuing therapy or psychological testing can feel intimidating, it does not have to be frightening. My goal in these service lines is to understand each child's symptoms and experiences better so I can more effectively guide them and their families through treatment. The most rewarding part of my job is seeing patients better understand their symptoms, develop skills for managing them, and apply therapeutic skills in real-life situations to improve their daily functioning.

In addition to my clinical practice, I conduct research examining the impact of family and social factors on youth with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Tourette Syndrome (TS), and Avoidant and Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). My research also examines food allergy anxiety (FAA) and its role in medical treatment adherence, quality of life and social functioning.

In my spare time, I enjoy reading, swimming, spending time with family and friends, and playing with my rescue dog, Violet.