OCD and Related Disorders
Facing OCD and anxiety requires tremendous courage, and I’m here to support you every step of the way. I specialize in evidence-based treatments for OCD and anxiety-related disorders, including generalized anxiety, phobias, panic disorder, and social anxiety, in both children and adults. These treatments are grounded in research to ensure they are effective and tailored to your needs.
I use Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), the most effective and well-researched method for treating OCD and anxiety, with success rates of up to 80% in OCD cases. My training at NOCD allowed me to work with leading experts in OCD and Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs).
My treatment approach is flexible, collaborative, and focused on helping you set and achieve values-based goals. We begin with a thorough assessment to understand how your symptoms impact your life and create a customized treatment plan to address your unique challenges.
I integrate ERP with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help you build skills for managing uncertainty and responding effectively to your thoughts and emotions. For clients with co-occurring conditions, like autistic individuals with OCD, I provide neuro-affirming modifications such as sensory-safe environments and incorporating special interests into treatment. These tailored strategies ensure you can work toward a more meaningful and fulfilling life.
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Obsessions
Intrusive thoughts, images, feelings, sensations, or urges that cause anxiety or distress. Remember: OCD attacks what we value the most. This means that our obsessions can be about anything!
What if he
really isn't
the one for me?
Relationship
OCD
What if I
get a
disease just
by talking
about it?
Contamination
What if I don't
love my baby?
Perinatal and Postnatal OCD
I must find the correct
word for
everything I say.
"Just Right" /
Perfectionism
Intrusive thoughts or doubts about the "rightness" of your relationship, your compatability, the attractiveness level of your partner, etc.
Intrusive thoughts or images about being contaminated or the fear of contaminating others.
Unwanted, intrusive thoughts or images about your baby and/or yourself (e.g., images of harming your baby; repetitive thoughts about your baby becoming sick, etc.)
Needing things to be “just so” or feeling incomplete (e.g., perfect written or verbal communication; needing things to be done perfectly on both sides of the body).
What if I
lose
control?
Harm (including suicidal OCD)
Did I
offend
them?
Scrupulosity
What if their
negative
thoughts
& feelings
are contagious?
Emotional
Contamination
Am I
blinking
the correct
number of
times?
Somatic /
Sensory-Motor
Fear and uncertainty that you will harm someone else or yourself (e.g., intrusive, violent images).
Obsessions surrounding one's morals, ethics, or faith.
Repetitive, intrusive thoughts or fears about being contaminated by someone else’s emotions “catching” the “negative” emotions of others.
Hyperaware of normal bodily functions or bodily sensations (e.g., "This body part needs attention." Often fixated on breathing, blinking and eye contact, heartbeat, etc.).
Compulsions
Repetitive physical OR mental acts performed to alleviate distress or prevent perceived harm.
I'm going
to make
the wrong
decision.
Rumination
Repetitively thinking and dwelling on something in an attempt to “figure it out” or problem-solve.
Let's see
what Dr.
Google
thinks about
my new
freckle . . .
Reassurance-
seeking
Seeking reassurance from others, doctors, Dr. Google, etc., that you will be okay.
I don't want
to start this
task unless
I know I'm
going to do
it perfectly.
Distraction
Attempting to ignore intrusive thoughts by constantly staying busy or making yourself think about something else.
As long as I avoid
driving, I know I
can't hurt
anyone.
Avoidance
Avoidance of people, places, things, or situations that may trigger your OCD.
I am
clean,
I am
clean,
I am
clean.
Maybe she
didn't really
understand
what I
meant.
My child won't get sick if I picture her safely
in my arms.
Repetition
Repeating phrases or mantras to yourself to feel better or safer.
Mental Review
Compulsively trying to get clarity about something that happened in the past.
Thought
Neutralization
Replacing a “bad” thought with a “good” thought.
Counting
Counting with the goal of alleviating distress or keep something bad from happening.
What is Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)?
ERP therapy is a form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) that was created specifically to treat OCD. ERP works by interrupting the cycle of obsessions and compulsions by promoting new learning. What does this look like?
Through repeated, gentle, and gradual exposures, you will learn to cope with your distress without engaging in compulsions. Your brain will learn that it does not have to rely on your safety behaviors.
Exposure
purposefully and compassionately
facing the thoughts,
feelings, sensations, and urges that are distressing to you and/or that trigger your obsessions.
Response Prevention
choosing not to
engage in compulsive behaviors
once your anxiety or obsessions
have been triggered.
What is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)?
ACT therapy is an exposure-based therapy and also under the umbrella of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). ACT includes some elements that ERP does not. With ACT, we spend time exploring your values, what matters to you, and how your OCD, anxiety, trauma, etc. is interfering with your ability to live the life that you hope for.
Acceptance & Mindfulness
You will learn psychological skills to cope with painful thoughts and feelings more effectively.
Clarifying Values & Cultivating
Self-Compassion
You will learn to accept what you cannot control while committing to values-based actions that will improve the quality of your life.
What are Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs)?
Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs) refer to chronic self-grooming behaviors that are difficult to control, often leading to harm or damage to the body.
Common BFRBs include:
-
Skin-picking (Excoriation Disorder)
-
Hair-pulling (Trichotillomania)
-
Nail-biting (Onychophagia)
Effective treatment for BFRBs requires specialized approaches. I am trained in Habit Reversal Training (HRT) and Mindful Self-Compassion therapies, which are evidence-based treatments for these behaviors. Research shows that integrating compassion-focused interventions not only improves the chances of recovery but also reduces the risk of relapse.
13
It takes an average of 13 years from the time an individual first experiences OCD symptoms to when they finally receive a diagnosis (NCBI).
70
70 percent of youth with OCD have more than one condition (e.g., OCD and ADHD; OCD and depression, etc.) (Sharma et al., 2021).
7
Percentage of new mothers who experience OCD during postpartum. You are 1.5 to 2 times more likely to have OCD when pregnant or postpartum.
20
One in five children with OCD have co-occurring ADHD.
