“There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t.” ― John Green
Therapy for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
You feel out of control. You get intense thoughts that get stuck in your head and that you can’t seem to escape.
The only thing that you have found that has helped are things you do to help regain a sense of it. Washing, cleaning, checking, repeating. These compulsions are calming, soothing, anxiety relieving.
Until it isn’t.
This is because you’ve now noticed that you are plagued by constant intrusive, obsessive OCD thoughts that you can’t get out of your mind. And you now find that you have to engage in compulsions to feel safe and to relieve your anxiety and OCD. You don’t understand how something which you began to help calm yourself and to instill a sense of control in your life, is now what leads to you feeling so trapped.
The good news is that with treatment for OCD, you can experience relief and freedom again. You are not alone. You can break free of your OCD and live a full life again.
Signs and Symptoms of OCD
Performing compulsive behaviors and having obsessive thoughts does not necessarily mean you have obsessive compulsive disorder. The behaviors and thoughts of individuals with OCD cause extreme distress, interfere with relationships and daily life and take up a sufficient amount of time, or at least one hour per day.
Common compulsive behaviors in OCD include:
- Praying excessively
- Engaging in rituals triggered by religious fear
- Spending lots of time cleaning or washing
- Arranging or ordering items in a particular fashion
- Accumulating refuse like empty food containers or old newspapers
- Double-checking things incessantly, like switches, appliances or locks
- Checking in on loved ones throughout the day to ensure they’re safe
- Tapping, counting or repeating certain words
Common obsessive thoughts in OCD include:
- Fear of being contaminated by germs
- Violent or sexually explicit images and thoughts
- Fear of harming oneself or others
- Fear of losing control
- Repetitive thoughts that everything must “line up just right”
- Excessive attention on places or things that are considered lucky or unlucky
- Fear of not having or losing essential items
- Extreme focus on moral or religious ideas
Gettting Started With Therapy For OCD
We work with teens, young adults, and adults experiencing Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), unwanted, intrusive thoughts, images or urges that feel out of your control; intense, distressing emotions including fear, disgust, and restless doubt; as well as compulsions.
We can help with all types of obsessions, including:
- Contamination Obsessions
- Responsibility Obsessions
- Perfectionism-Related Obsessions
- Identity Obsessions
We can help with all types of compulsions as well, including:
- Checking Compulsions
- Washing, Cleaning, and Contamination Compulsions
- Symmetry Compulsions
- Repeating Compulsions
- Mental Compulsions
- “Just Feels Right” Compulsions
We are passionate about offering treatments for OCD that are based in research that are designed and found to be effective. OCD treatment approaches we specialize in include Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), relaxation training, and stress management.
Are you ready to gain freedom over your thoughts, moods and life?
