OCD Treatment
Online therapy based in El Paso, TX, serving women across Texas and PSYPACT states
When “Just a Thought” Feels Like It Might Shatter You
Are you feeling overwhelmed from fighting your thoughts every day?
Do you know your thoughts are not logically true, but you still feel controlled by them?
Do “what if” scenarios send you into a spiral?
Living with OCD
What is OCD?
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by the presence of obsessions and compulsions (1). Obsessions manifest as recurrent, intrusive, and unwanted thoughts, images, or urges. Compulsions are actions (either mental or behavioral) that someone feels compelled to do to remove or neutralize the distress resulting from the obsessions. Other related OCD-spectrum disorders include those focused on repetitive body-focused behaviors (e.g., hair-pulling, skin-picking), perceived flaws in appearance (body dysmorphia), and excessive saving/difficulty discarding of possessions (hoarding).
Although OCD has a certain set of symptoms, the way it manifests varies across people and can even shift over time within the same person. Some common obsession themes and compulsive actions include contamination/cleaning, symmetry/ordering, taboo thoughts (e.g., aggressive, sexual)/checking, harm to self or others/checking, and religiosity/praying. For many living with OCD, obsession themes and compulsions change–creating a relentless game of whack-a-mole, where resolving one theme only leads to another taking its place.
Who Gets OCD?
OCD affects children and adults across gender, race, and ethnicity. The lifetime prevalence of OCD is estimated to be 2.3%, and the 12 month prevalence is about 1.2% (1). It’s estimated 1 in 40 adults have OCD or will develop it at some point in their lives (2). Actual rates are likely higher given many cases of OCD go undiagnosed. The course of untreated OCD is typically chronic with episodic symptom flares and low remission rates.
What’s Not OCD?
Most people experience intrusive thoughts or action urges at one time or another. The difference with true OCD is the frequency, severity, level of distress, and impact on one’s life. Having a preference for a tidy home or organized closet is much different than being driven to clean an already neat kitchen for hours on end or rearranging a row of shoes over and over again until it feels “just right.” It’s the difference between a preference versus an inflexible and unwanted drive that causes problems. For those living with OCD, hearing casual remarks about someone being “so OCD” can be upsetting, given the agony of relentless mental loops from a hijacked mind.
It’s like a constant battle with another part of yourself that never ends. The intrusive, disturbing images or shame-inducing thoughts make you worry you’re a horrible person. Rumination or imagined scenarios of catastrophic events ramp up anxiety. Mental gymnastics like repeating phrases or ritual acts like checking the oven multiple times a day drain your energy and time. Feeling a sense of relief when those intrusive sexual thoughts subside only for them to be replaced with existential ones. Will it ever end?
Living with OCD can feel like playing a never-ending chess match against your most cunning enemy, except it’s your own mind. Just when you think you’ve got the winning move, the rules suddenly change. What was a checkmate yesterday is a brand-new battle today. Effective OCD treatment is like finally being handed the rulebook: one that helps you understand the game, outsmart your opponent, and take back control of the board.
Treatment for OCD Can Help You Break the Cycle
Although OCD can be a chronic and debilitating condition, several effective treatments have been developed to manage and combat symptoms. The gold standard of care is a combination of therapy and medication, as using both is typically more effective than either treatment alone, particularly for those with severe OCD and those with additional mental health conditions (3).
The first-line therapy (strongest research evidence) for OCD is Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). It’s a type of cognitive behavioral therapy typically lasting 12-20 sessions during which a therapist helps you to face your fears in a structured way in a supportive environment. By repeatedly confronting your fears and not engaging in compulsions, your mind and body gather the evidence needed to learn that the feared outcome won’t happen even if you don’t perform the neutralizing ritual. Research has shown that the ERP rewires brain circuitry (3). ERP also serves as a solid strategy that can build your confidence in being able to handle obsessions when they arise. ERP is not a fit for everyone, however, so it’s important to have a skilled and experienced therapist who can find the right approach for you.
VastMind Wellness, PLLC takes a holistic, culturally sensitive, and personalized approach to OCD treatment that includes Exposure and Response Prevention. Although people living with OCD share common symptoms, how they show up and affect someone’s life is unique and deeply personal.
Because many people with OCD also live with other mental health disorders, it’s important to consider evidence-based adjunctive treatments in addition to ERP to heal the whole person, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) that integrates values, mindfulness, and acceptance strategies. VastMind Wellness adapts evidence-based treatments to your circumstances and goals—no cookie cutter treatment approaches here.
The Personalized OCD Therapy You’ve Been Looking For
The VastMind Wellness Process
Clarify Values & Create a Customized Plan
Together, we’ll explore your core values and goals, creating a personalized roadmap that reflects your true self and desired future. This tailored approach ensures that each step of your OCD treatment journey is tied to the bigger picture of what you’re working toward.
Uncover Root Issues
We’ll examine your past experiences and current struggles to identify the factors that are keeping you stuck. By understanding these root causes and current contributors, it can make it easier to break stubborn, longstanding patterns.
Equip for Lasting Change
Through practical, evidence-based strategies, you’ll have the opportunity to learn skills targeted to OCD treatment as well as other areas of concern. From improving self-awareness to enhancing communication and setting healthy boundaries, my work aims to empower you to navigate challenges with confidence and adaptability.
Move from self-doubt and exhaustion to clarity and confidence to embrace life with intention and optimism.
FAQ: Common Questions, Answered
>My intrusive thoughts are awful… I’m embarrassed to talk about them.
OCD is very good at convincing you that your intrusive thoughts mean something about you, your values, or your character. This OCD con job is the main reason these thoughts or images are so distressing. I’ve heard it all before, and my job is to help you take the power back from OCD.
>What if I start therapy and the OCD symptoms change? Won’t therapy be pointless then?
Even though themes can shift focus (e.g., from health fears to violent images), the underlying cycle is the same. This is one of the most important reasons skills development is key to managing OCD. Once you learn the skills, you can apply them to any theme OCD hurls your way.
>What if therapy doesn’t work for me?
If you’ve tried therapy before and it didn’t help, it might not have been the right approach. I use the evidence-based, first line therapy treatment for OCD and adapt it to fit your needs and goals.
That being said, not every therapist is right for every person, and that’s okay. If we discover that your needs would be better met elsewhere, we’ll work together to find you another trusted provider. My goal is for you to get the support that actually helps—whether that’s with me or someone else.
Still have more questions? Visit the FAQ section to learn more!
For practical tips and tools related to mental health and women’s issues, be sure to check out my blog.
Ready to take the next step in your journey? Request a free 15 minute discovery call to learn more!
For any questions, message me at the contact page. I’ll get back to you within 2 business days.
1. American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787
2. Ruscio, A. M., Stein, D. J., Chiu, W. T., & Kessler, R. C. (2010). The epidemiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Molecular psychiatry, 15(1), 53-63.
3. International OCD Foundation. (n.d.) OCD Treatment Guide: Best Evidence-Based Therapies, Medications, and New Advances. Retrieved from https://iocdf.org/ocd-treatment-guide/