OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)
is a mental health disorder that presents with a cycle
obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are unwanted intrusive thoughts, images, feelings or urges that cause anxiety and distress. Compulsions are acts or thoughts aimed at reducing the anxiety that is associated with the obsession.
OCD thoughts can take on many different themes including:
Taboo themes (sex, violence, harm)
Scrupulosity (religion)
Contamination
Magical thinking
Sexuality
Just Right/Symmetry
Anything can become a theme. OCD thoughts are ego dystonic, which means that they are not in line with a person's core values. Compulsions only relieve the anxiety temporarily, strengthening the OCD and reinforcing the false sense of control that the perceived fear is now gone or neutralized.
OCD can occur at any age and present with one theme or multiple themes. OCD that occurs in childhood with a sudden onset following an acute illness is often diagnosed as PANS/PANDAS.
The Gold Standard Treatment for OCD is Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy (ERP. This is an evidenced based behavioral model that gradually exposes someone to their fears/triggers that cause anxiety while learning how resist completing compulsions. Response prevention is leaning into the uncertainty and sitting with the anxiety until habituation (decrease in anxiety levels) occurs.
This work is done in conjunction with a trained ERP specialist and is done gradually with consent and input from the person suffering from OCD.
Anxiety Disorders
including panic disorder, phobias, social anxiety and generalized anxiety disorder are treated within the framework of cognitive behavioral therapy, including ERP.
Trauma and PTSD
It is not uncommon for people to experience traumatic events in their lifetime. There is a spectrum of traumatic events from mild to severe, as well as the complex trauma that results from compounding traumas. Most people who go through traumatic events are able to process and integrate these events overtime with good self care and get better. Other times, symptoms can persist over months and years and impact functioning, causing distress. PTSD symptoms are generally grouped into four types: intrusive memories, avoidance, negative changes in thinking and mood, and changes in physical and emotional reactions.
Effective treatment modalities include: Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (Ages 5-18). Prolonged Exposure Therapy (18+), and EMDR.
Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)
BDD is a mental health condition characterized by a preoccupation with perceived flaws or defects in one's physical appearance, which are often minor or nonexistent to others. Individuals with BDD often engage in repetitive behaviors or mental acts, such as excessive grooming, checking their appearance in mirrors, seeking reassurance from others, or comparing themselves to others. These behaviors are aimed at either hiding or fixing the perceived flaws, but they often lead to significant distress and impairment in daily life. Effective treatment is BDD_ Cognitive Behavioral Treatment.
During your intake, treatment options and modalities will be discussed to create a treatment plan that will be right for you.
Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is a mental health condition characterized by a preoccupation with perceived flaws or defects in one's physical appearance, which are often minor or nonexistent to others. Individuals with BDD frequently engage in repetitive behaviors or mental acts, such as excessive grooming, checking their appearance in mirrors, seeking reassurance from others, or comparing themselves to others. These behaviors are aimed at either hiding or fixing the perceived flaws, but they often lead to significant distress and impairment in daily functioning.
Treatment for BDD typically involves a combination of psychotherapy and medication