Effective OCD Treatment for Adults in Florida
If you’ve landed on this page, you probably know what OCD is, so I won’t bore you with the technical details of an OCD diagnosis.
In a nutshell, OCD is:
➡️ Relentless worries or intrusive thoughts (obsessions), and
➡️ The urge to do something (compulsions, rituals) to reduce the anxiety created by those nagging obsessions.
I am passionate about working with adults with OCD because I have seen time and time again, the pain and struggles that OCD brings to everyday life. And, I've witnessed the life-changing results of effective therapy.
In a nutshell, OCD is:
➡️ Relentless worries or intrusive thoughts (obsessions), and
➡️ The urge to do something (compulsions, rituals) to reduce the anxiety created by those nagging obsessions.
I am passionate about working with adults with OCD because I have seen time and time again, the pain and struggles that OCD brings to everyday life. And, I've witnessed the life-changing results of effective therapy.
I've provided evidence-based therapy (aka, therapy we know works based on scientific studies) in the South Florida area for over decade. That means I've had the incredibly rewarding opportunity of being a part of many people’s journey toward recovery. I have helped many adults kick OCD’s butt, and if you’re ready – I would love to help you beat OCD, too.
Coping with Obsessions and Intrusive Thoughts
What I hear patients say about their intrusive thoughts:
- I obsessively worry about… getting contaminated/sick, keeping things organized/even/perfect, acting in an immoral way (e.g., doing something sinful/irreverent), things not feeling “just right” (e.g., the way I said or did something, the way I touched something), etc. This list is just a small sample of intrusive thoughts.
- What kind of horrible person am I to be having these kinds of thoughts? (e.g., harming myself, harming my child/parent/loved one, doubts about my sexuality, violent thoughts, etc.)
- I know these thoughts don’t make any sense. They are not logical - but in the moment I can’t help but believe them and give in to them.
- I try to distract myself – but no matter what, these unwanted thoughts come back, stick around, and make me feel miserable.
Coping with Compulsions and Mental Rituals
What patients say about trying to break free from the grip of compulsions:
If any of this sounds familiar to you, you are not alone. I want to tell you loud and clear: There is hope. With effective OCD treatment - you CAN get better, and you can have your life back.
- I am so tired of (insert compulsion/ritual here: counting, fixing, checking, straightening, ordering, washing, swallowing, blinking, etc.), but it feels impossible to stop.
- I worry that others might notice my compulsions/rituals (at work, at home) and will think I’m strange/weird/crazy.
- Am I crazy? What is wrong with me? Why do I keep doing these compulsions?
- Once I start a compulsion or ritual, I just can’t stop. It’s like I’m in a trance and want to snap out of it, but I can’t.
- I want my life back. There are so many things I would rather be doing, and I’m so tired of spending my time on these rituals.
If any of this sounds familiar to you, you are not alone. I want to tell you loud and clear: There is hope. With effective OCD treatment - you CAN get better, and you can have your life back.
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) Therapy for OCD
Tons of research studies have shown that Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is the most effective treatment for adults with OCD.
At the start of your ERP treatment for OCD, you will learn what exactly is going on in the OCD cycle. ERP helps you see how obsessive thoughts are sticky thoughts - and usually facts don't help the stickiness subside.
In therapy, you will learn ERP tools for OCD that help you to:
- Notice the obsessive thought, and label it as OCD
- Use strategies to disengage (or unhook from) the obsession
- Learn to tolerate and accept uncertainty
At the start of your ERP treatment for OCD, you will learn what exactly is going on in the OCD cycle. ERP helps you see how obsessive thoughts are sticky thoughts - and usually facts don't help the stickiness subside.
In therapy, you will learn ERP tools for OCD that help you to:
- Notice the obsessive thought, and label it as OCD
- Use strategies to disengage (or unhook from) the obsession
- Learn to tolerate and accept uncertainty
An important focus of ERP is learning to gradually face the situations that trigger your obsessive thoughts. In therapy, we call approaching anxiety-provoking situations exposures. Through lots of exposure practice, you will teach your body and brain that:
1. The feared situations are uncomfortable but not dangerous
2. You can tolerate that discomfort
3. If you stick with the exposure, the discomfort will subside
4. The more you practice facing your fears, the easier it gets
1. The feared situations are uncomfortable but not dangerous
2. You can tolerate that discomfort
3. If you stick with the exposure, the discomfort will subside
4. The more you practice facing your fears, the easier it gets
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) Treatment for OCD
ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) just means that you will learn to face your fears AND gradually stop doing the compulsions/rituals you feel that you have to do. This will feel very challenging at first, but we will ease into it. We will practice ERP together in session, and help you feel confident about applying ERP at home on your own.
You might first try to delay the compulsion, change it or mess it up in some way, before you eventually learn to stop doing the compulsion altogether. My goal is to help you spend less time on compulsions, so that you can get back to living your life, which you have probably been missing out on for some time.
You might first try to delay the compulsion, change it or mess it up in some way, before you eventually learn to stop doing the compulsion altogether. My goal is to help you spend less time on compulsions, so that you can get back to living your life, which you have probably been missing out on for some time.
Other Effective Treatments for OCD
Another effective OCD treatment with lots of research supporting its effectiveness is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) . ACT helps us to clearly identify your values in life, to practice mindfulness and self-compassion, and perhaps most importantly: ACT helps us understand and accept that thoughts are just thoughts.
You can choose to act on your intrusive thoughts by engaging in a compulsion, OR you can choose to look at the thought, hold it out in front of you, diffuse from it (separate yourself from the thought) – and mindfully choose an action that aligns with your values. It takes practice to learn to treat intrusive thoughts in this way, but with the right therapist and lots or practice, it is possible.
You can choose to act on your intrusive thoughts by engaging in a compulsion, OR you can choose to look at the thought, hold it out in front of you, diffuse from it (separate yourself from the thought) – and mindfully choose an action that aligns with your values. It takes practice to learn to treat intrusive thoughts in this way, but with the right therapist and lots or practice, it is possible.
Starting ACT and ERP Treatment for OCD
Although the grip of OCD can be intense, there is likely a big part of you that wants things to be different – to be able to make decisions in your own life, without regard for those nagging intrusive thoughts, and without spending time ritualizing (which provides short-term relief from anxiety, but in the end leaves you feeling exhausted).
Taking that initial step toward OCD treatment can feel so scary. What if therapy doesn’t work for me? What if my therapist doesn’t really understand what this feels like and doesn’t understand me? ERP sounds really hard; maybe I’m not ready for that. These doubts and questions are all completely normal.
But, if you make the courageous decision to come in for that first therapy session, I would feel honored to join you on your personal journey toward beating OCD. Here is what I can promise you about trying out therapy with me:
Taking that initial step toward OCD treatment can feel so scary. What if therapy doesn’t work for me? What if my therapist doesn’t really understand what this feels like and doesn’t understand me? ERP sounds really hard; maybe I’m not ready for that. These doubts and questions are all completely normal.
But, if you make the courageous decision to come in for that first therapy session, I would feel honored to join you on your personal journey toward beating OCD. Here is what I can promise you about trying out therapy with me:
- The space that we will create in therapy together will feel empowering and free of judgment
- The intrusive thoughts that feel shameful or wrong, and that you cannot fathom sharing with anyone else– I have almost certainly heard before from other patients struggling with OCD. I know that the content of these thoughts reflects nothing about who you are or what you value.
- The journey toward beating OCD is tough, but we WILL find a place where you feel comfortable starting this difficult work.
- My specialized training and experience using Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) will give us an effective roadmap to beat OCD and win back your life, one step at a time.
