Anxiety & OCD Treatment

I often tell clients that anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder are like cousins - they might have a lot of overlap in terms of how they present and the symptoms experienced, along with some differentiating features. While individuals with anxiety and OCD both experience anxiety symptoms (excessive worries, fears, irritability, and often, physical manifestations such as stomach issues, chest tightness/pressure, and so forth), those with OCD usually engage in compulsive behaviors to reduce their anxiety. Sometimes, this is pretty clear cut, and other times, people can go years without realizing that their behaviors and patterns might actually be related to OCD.

As a therapist, I feel less concerned with the diagnostic term that we use to describe your experiences (after all, your experiences are your experiences, regardless of what we call it), and place more emphasis on helping you understand your unique, individual patterns and work within them to make change and find relief.

Many of my clients are harsh self-critics, struggle with recurring feelings of guilt and shame, and face significant (often self-imposed) pressure to be “good enough,” whatever that might mean for them. So often, this creates a negative feedback loop with feelings of anxiety, or obsessive compulsive feelings and behaviors (e.g. trying to reduce anxiety by engaging in perfectionist behaviors). Others experience fears and worries that they know don’t seem rational, but that they can’t seem to shake or talk themselves out of. In therapy, we’ll zoom in and zoom out to really examine and understand the sources of these feelings, the types of patterns that they create, and how you can start to make changes in a sustainable manner.

When working with clients who are struggling with anxiety or OCD, I use evidence-based modalities such as ERP, EMDR, and EFIT. I realize that all of the acronyms and therapy lingo can feel foreign, so please don’t hesitate to ask questions about how these modalities may fit into your treatment.

I understand from personal experience with anxiety, and from years of working with clients, that this stuff is hard and that it can feel all-consuming. It doesn’t have to be that way, and relief from these experiences can be possible. I would love to hear from you and better understand your personal experiences so that we can see if working together is a good fit!