About Therapy for OCD
Is OCD treatable?
Living with OCD can be exhausting. Whether you're struggling with intrusive thoughts, compulsions, reassurance-seeking, checking, or scrupulosity (religious OCD), it can feel like your mind never lets you rest. The good news is that OCD is considered highly treatable. You don't have to keep living according to OCD's rules. Healing is possible, and I'd be honored to walk alongside you as you pursue lasting freedom.
What does OCD Therapy look like?
I use Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy, the most well-researched and effective treatment for OCD. ERP helps you gradually face the fears and uncertainties that OCD uses to keep you stuck while learning new ways to respond without giving in to compulsions. Over time, this helps reduce OCD's grip so you can live with greater freedom and confidence. Treatment is personalized to your unique experiences and goals. Together, we'll work to understand how OCD shows up in your life and develop practical tools to help you respond differently, so OCD no longer gets the final say.
How long does ERP take to work?
The length of OCD treatment varies depending on your symptoms, goals, and the ways OCD is affecting your life. ERP is a structured, skills-based approach, and many people begin noticing meaningful changes as they practice responding differently to OCD over time. Consistent work both in and outside of sessions can help support progress and lasting change.
What types of OCD do you treat?
OCD can take many different forms, and treatment is tailored to the specific ways OCD shows up in your life. I work with adults experiencing OCD themes such as intrusive thoughts, checking, contamination fears, relationship OCD, health anxiety, perfectionism, harm OCD, and scrupulosity (religious OCD). While the content of OCD may look different from person to person, the underlying cycle of fear and compulsions can be addressed through ERP.
What if my OCD involves my faith?
OCD often targets the things that matter most, including a person's faith, values, and relationships. Scrupulosity can involve fears about sin, salvation, blasphemous thoughts, making the wrong decision, or feeling like you can never be certain you are doing enough. Treatment focuses on breaking free from OCD's cycle while honoring your relationship with Christ and helping you distinguish anxiety-driven compulsions from genuine faith.
Will ERP make my intrusive thoughts worse?
Many people worry that focusing on their intrusive thoughts will make the thoughts stronger. ERP is not about giving thoughts more attention or proving that fears are true. Instead, it helps you practice allowing thoughts and feelings to be present without responding with compulsions, which can reduce the power OCD has over you over time.
Do I have to talk about my intrusive thoughts in therapy?
Many people with OCD feel ashamed or afraid of their intrusive thoughts, especially speaking them aloud. But having an intrusive thought does not mean you want it, believe it, or are likely to act on it. Therapy provides a safe, nonjudgmental space to understand your OCD without shame. That said, I aim to move at a pace that fits your treatment goals, and will never pressure you to share beyond your comfortability. Together, we will focus on understanding the patterns that keep OCD going and building new ways to respond to intrusive thoughts, anxiety, and uncertainty.
Can OCD return after treatment?
OCD is a condition that can fluctuate throughout life, but learning ERP skills can help you respond differently when OCD shows up again. The goal of treatment is not to eliminate every unwanted thought, but to help you build confidence that you can handle uncertainty without OCD controlling your choices.