OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder)
You are not your thoughts. And you don’t have to let them run your life.
If you are visiting this page, you might be feeling exhausted. Perhaps you are trapped in a exhausting cycle of "what ifs," checking things repeatedly, or performing mental rituals just to feel safe or certain.
OCD can make you feel incredibly isolated, and it loves to target the things you care about most. But here is the most important thing you need to know today: You are not trapped, and you are not crazy. You have OCD, and it is highly treatable.
What Does OCD Actually Look Like?
Pop culture often reduces OCD to a love for cleanliness or organization. In reality, OCD is much deeper than that. It consists of two main parts:
Obsessions: Intrusive, unwanted, and distressing thoughts, images, or urges that pop into your mind against your will.
Compulsions: Repetitive behaviors or mental acts (like overthinking, reassurance-seeking, or counting) that you feel driven to perform to ease the anxiety caused by the obsession.
OCD can manifest in many different ways, including:
Contamination: Fears of germs, illness, or chemicals.
Harm & Safety: Constant worry about accidentally harming yourself or others, or checking locks/appliances repeatedly.
"Just Right" / Symmetry: A driving need for things to feel perfectly aligned, balanced, or done "correctly."
Intrusive Taboo Thoughts: Distressing, unwanted thoughts regarding morality, relationships, religion, or identity that do not align with who you actually are.
A Note on Intrusive Thoughts: OCD thrives on guilt and shame. Please know that having a thought is not the same as wanting to act on it. In therapy, we provide a completely judgment-free space to talk about all themes of OCD.
How We Treat OCD
You cannot simply "stop thinking" about your obsessions—if you could, you would have done it by now. Instead, we use the gold-standard treatment for OCD: Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), often combined with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
What is ERP?
ERP is a specialized form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Together, we will:
Identify your specific OCD triggers and rituals.
Gently lean into the anxiety-inducing thoughts in a safe, controlled way (Exposure).
Practice resisting the urge to do the compulsion (Response Prevention).
Over time, your brain learns a powerful lesson: the anxiety will fade on its own, and the worst-case scenario didn't happen. You regain your time, your energy, and your freedom.