OCD doesn’t have to control your life. Learn how to manage obsessions and compulsions with the right support.
Evidence-based treatment for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in Atlanta and online across Georgia.
OCD can make you feel stuck in a cycle of thoughts and behaviors that seem impossible to break.
You may feel overwhelmed, frustrated, or even ashamed of your symptoms, especially if others don’t understand what you are going through. But you’re not alone, and there is help. Understanding what OCD is and how it shows up in your daily life is an important step toward getting the support you need.
What is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition characterized by persistent, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors or mental rituals (compulsions) aimed at reducing stress or preventing harm. While these behaviors bring temporary relief, they often become time-consuming and interfere with daily life, relationships, and overall well-being.
Common Signs You Might Be Struggling with OCD:
You experience distressing, unwanted thoughts, such as fears of contamination, harm, or losing control.
You feel consumed by the need for things to be perfect, symmetrical, or “just right.”
You engage in rituals like excessive hand washing, checking locks or appliances, or arranging items repeatedly.
You mentally repeat phrases, count, or pray to decrease anxiety or prevent imagined consequences.
You avoid situations, people, or places that trigger intrusive thoughts or discomfort.
You feel anxious, fearful, or ashamed about your thoughts and behaviors.
Although OCD can feel isolating and exhausting, therapy can help you find relief, reduce distress, and begin to reclaim your life.
There is a path forward with OCD treatment.
HOW THERAPY WORKS
You deserve a life led by your values-not your fears.
OCD can shrink your world, pulling you away from what matters most. When your decisions are driven by fear and uncertainty, it becomes harder to trust yourself, feel at peace, or enjoy meaningful relationships. Therapy can help you reconnect with your values and gradually expand your life in empowering and lasting ways.
In our work together, I’ll support you in learning tools to manage distress, increase mindfulness, and respond to difficult thoughts with more flexibility and self-compassion. These foundational skills can make it easier to face fears without judgment, and without getting pulled into the urge to avoid or control them.
One of the most effective strategies for OCD is Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). ERP involves gradually and intentionally facing the situations, thoughts or images that trigger your anxiety, while resisting the urge to engage in compulsions or avoidance behaviors. Over time, this reduces the intensity of your fear response, builds your tolerance for uncertainty, and helps shift unhelpful thought patterns.
ERP empowers you to step out of the OCD cycle so you can live more freely, with less fear and more confidence in your ability to handle discomfort.
I completed training in ERP in 2020 through Dr. Becky Beaton-York, and have been honored to help many individuals break free from the patterns of anxiety and compulsions. You don’t have to face this alone. Reach out when you’re ready, and we’ll take the next steps together.
Therapy for OCD can help you…
Better understand your obsessions and how they drive compulsive behaviors
Reduce fear, anxiety, and the urge to engage in rituals
Build tolerance for discomfort and uncertainty
Learn tools to manage intrusive thoughts
Strengthen your confidence in handling life’s challenges
Improve connection and communication in your relationships
Frequently asked questions about therapy for ocd
FAQs
-
During our initial sessions, we’ll take time to explore your symptoms and complete a thorough assessment for OCD together.
While we’ll explore this together in therapy, here are some common symptoms to be aware of - though OCD can look different for everyone:
Persistent, intrusive thoughts, images, or urges that feel distressing or unwanted
Excessive cleaning, hand-washing, or sanitizing of objects or body parts
Mental rituals such as silent prayers, repeating phrases, or reviewing past events to prevent harm
Avoidance of people, places, or situations that trigger anxiety or obsessions
Intense anxiety, fear, or a sense of urgency related to specific thoughts
Irritability or distress when unable to complete a compulsion or ritual
Spending significant time (often hours) on obsessions or compulsions, interfering with daily life
Difficulty connecting to others or maintaining relationships because of rituals or avoidance.
If any of this sounds familiar, know you’re not alone, and support is available.
-
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is the gold standard treatment for OCD. It involves gradually and intentionally facing the thoughts, images, situations, or urges that trigger your anxiety (the “exposure”) while learning to resist the urge to engage in compulsions or avoidant behaviors (the “response prevention”).
Over time, ERP helps reduce the intensity and power of your obsessive thoughts. You’ll learn that you can tolerate distress without performing rituals to feel safe. With support and practice, this process helps retrain your brain so you can respond to anxiety in healthier, more empowering ways.
ERP may sound intimidating at first, but you won’t be doing it alone. We’ll work together at a pace that feels manageable, building trust and safety every step of the way.
-
The length of OCD treatment varies from person to person. Some people begin noticing improvement within a few months, while others may benefit from longer-term treatment, especially if OCD has been part of their life for many years or is accompanied by other concerns like anxiety, trauma, or depression.
Effective treatment often includes ERP and may be combined with other approaches such as mindfulness to help you build tolerance to uncertainty and respond to anxiety in new ways. The goal isn’t to eliminate all intrusive thoughts, but to reduce their impact so you can live more freely.
We’ll work together to create a pace that feels manageable and sustainable for you. Healing takes time, but change is possible.
-
While symptoms might ebb and flow over time, OCD rarely goes away on its own. In fact, without treatment, obsessions and compulsions can become more intense and disruptive, often leading to increased distress and avoidance over time.
The good news is that OCD is highly treatable. With the right support, you can learn how to manage your symptoms, reduce the power OCD has over your daily life, and feel more in control. Therapy offers tools to help you break free from the patterns of fear and avoidance, so you can start living in alignment with your values-not your fears.
-
If you’re looking for extra support outside of therapy, there are many tools and resources that can support your healing journey. Here are a few of my favorites:
Books:
Freedom from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder by Dr. Jonathan Grayson
The Mindfulness Workbook for OCD by Jon Hershfield
Apps for Mindfulness & OCD Support:
NOCD - education, community support
iBreathe - guided breathing exercises
Helpful Websites:
Anxiety & Depression Association of America
Download Your Free OCD Resources Guide HERE
-
I invite you to reach out and schedule a free 15-minute consultation. It’s a chance for us to connect, talk through any questions you have, and determine if working together feels like the right fit.
Once we have scheduled your first appointment, I’ll send over my new client forms for you to complete electronically. These forms include your consent to begin therapy and some helpful background information. We’ll use this information to guide our first few sessions and begin developing your individualized therapy goals.
We will meet regularly - most clients start with weekly sessions - to create a consistent space where you can feel seen, supported, and start to make meaningful changes. Over time, you can expect to feel more in control and more connected to yourself. Learn more.