OCD and Anxiety Specialty Services

OCD is perhaps one of the more misunderstood diagnoses. It is often used incorrectly in casual settings (e.g., “I’m so OCD”) and is generally portrayed poorly on television. OCD is defined by both obsessions (worries, fears, and other distressing thoughts) andcompulsions (rituals or repetitive behaviors that interfere with our lives). Though OCD is not under the umbrella of anxiety disorders, the role of anxiety is clear—because of something we are afraid might happen (e.g., “I will get sick and die if I touch things in public without washing my hands immediately after”), we are driven to engage in compulsive behaviors or rituals (e.g., dousing our hands with hand sanitizer after touching every item or surface) to try to prevent this from happening. Despite how OCD is discussed in popular culture, it is not a personality quirk. OCD is debilitating and controls our lives until we decide to take back our power and agency.

You may be surprised to learn that body dysmorphia (body dysmorphic disorder or BDD) is a type of obsessive-compulsive disorder. When you stop to think about it, it makes perfect sense. BDD is characterized by preoccupation with (i.e., obsessive thoughts about) perceived flaws or deficits in our appearance and engaging in compulsive, repetitive behaviors (e.g., mirror checking, adjusting our clothes or body position, skin picking, reassurance seeking) or mental acts (e.g., comparing our appearance with that of others) in response to the perceived flaws. It is important to note that the things we consider flaws are either not noticeable by others or others view it as slight or minor. For example, a burn survivor who is self-conscious about obvious, severe scars on her face would not be diagnosed with BDD—the scars are significant and easily noticed by others, and there is very real social stigma toward body disfigurements.

Through evidence-based treatment, you can learn to reduce and manage both unwanted, obsessive thoughts and time-consuming compulsive behaviors. In doing so, you can spend your mental and physical energy doing things that are more meaningful, enjoyable, and fulfilling to you.

I offer evidence-based treatments for OCD, body dysmorphia, and other related obsessive-compulsive conditions including Exposure and Response/Ritual Prevention (ERP or ExRP), Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), and mirror (perceptual) retraining (for BDD).

Bonus: eating disorders can sometimes happen alongside body dysmorphia. In fact, there is emerging research that compares eating disorders to OCD—we have obsessive thoughts about food and our bodies, and engage in compulsive behaviors such as bingeing and purging. The treatment for anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorders—Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Enhanced (CBT-E)—is based in many of the same principles as ERP and CBT-BDD.

Hoarding disorder is considered an “obsessive-compulsive related disorder”, similar to BDD described above. I have separated hoarding in this chart due to its distinctness from OCD and BDD. Hoarding disorder is defined by difficulty throwing away possessions, the accumulation of such items to a dangerous degree (e.g., walkway hazards, decaying trash, etc), and significant emotional distress associated with discarding them. Individuals with hoarding disorder may also have difficulty with compulsive buying, which accelerates the accumulation. Regardless of the value of the items, there is a strong emotional connection to them and an internal drive to save them.

Hoarding can be a debilitating condition that affects not only the individual, but their loved ones as well. In addition to the severe mental and emotional impacts of hoarding, there are often safety and quality of life hazards due to cluttered walkways, items stacked too high and at risk of falling, and the decay of various types of trash. Despite well intentions, forced clear outs by family or other organizations should never be done unless there is imminent risk to life or safety. This often sets the individual back and further entrenches the condition.

Fortunately, there are effective treatments for hoarding. Treatment often lasts longer for hoarding than other conditions, and can last for 25+ weekly sessions. Treatment includes at home visits or guided at home exercises if being seen virtually.

Through the evidence-based treatments I offer, you can achieve significant progress and recovery from hoarding disorder. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is the gold standard, and treatment integrates other effective approaches such as Motivational Interviewing, Coping Skills Training, and possibly medication.

There are many different anxiety-related diagnoses, such as generalized anxiety (GAD), social anxiety (social phobia) and other phobias, health anxiety, and panic disorder. We can also have anxiety secondary to a primary issue such as depression. Evidence-based anxiety treatment is designed to address the factors that reinforce anxiety and provide practical tools for managing and overcoming it. Often, we may want to dive into the past and figure out why we developed anxiety. While we can brainstorm educated guesses, the most important part of successful treatment is focusing on the now—“I have severe anxiety, so what do I do about it?”

Together, we will focus on how to reduce and manage your anxiety so you can move forward in life. I offer a supportive environment for individuals to explore their anxiety-related concerns and work towards long-term relief.

I offer evidence-based treatments for anxiety disorders including Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Exposure Therapy.

These words tend to be used interchangeably, but they are different. PTSD is a very specific diagnosis that describes how our emotions, thoughts, and behaviors can be affected following traumatic events such as hypervigilance, nightmares, avoidance behaviors, irritability, emotional numbness, and more. Traumatic events can impact us in many ways, and PTSD is only one possible outcome. “Trauma” is a more broad umbrella that includes a wide variety of challenges we may have.

Beyond a strict PTSD diagnosis, we can also develop low self-esteem, become suspicious or distrusting of others, isolate ourselves, and more. Traumatic events also tend to negatively impact our thoughts and how we see ourselves, other people, and the world. We tend to stop doing the things we used to enjoy doing, and typically experience more negative emotions on a day-to-day basis than before the incident(s).

Regardless of the ways traumatic events have impacted you, evidence-based treatment can help you process the experience, identify how trauma is holding you back in the present, and make changes in your life to improve your future.

I offer evidence-based treatments for trauma and PTSD including Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (CPT), and Exposure Therapy (written and behavioral).