OCD Therapy
You don't have to let intrusive thoughts and compulsions dictate your life.
Does this sound like you?
Maybe you have thoughts that feel disturbing, unwanted, or completely out of character. You may spend hours analyzing what a thought means, asking others for reassurance, checking things repeatedly, or trying to find certainty that you haven't done something wrong.
Sometimes OCD doesn't look like obvious rituals. You may experience mostly mental compulsions, such as replaying conversations, mentally reviewing memories, comparing feelings, researching, praying repeatedly, or trying to "figure out" whether a thought is true.
You may even recognize that your fears don't seem logical, but knowing that doesn't make them go away.
If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. OCD can be incredibly convincing, but having an intrusive thought does not mean you want it, believe it, or will act on it. Therapy can help you step out of the cycle of fear, doubt, and compulsive behaviors.
Common Symptoms of OCD:
Unwanted or intrusive thoughts, images, or urges
Repeated checking or reassurance-seeking
Excessive cleaning or fear of contamination
Mental reviewing or replaying events
Excessive research or Googling
Repeating words, prayers, or actions to feel "just right"
Fear of harming yourself or someone else
Excessive concern about making a mistake or being responsible for something bad
Constantly analyzing your feelings, intentions, or memories
Avoiding people, places, or situations that trigger obsessive fears
Difficulty tolerating uncertainty
How Therapy Can Help
Understand the OCD Cycle
We'll work together to identify your obsessions, compulsions, avoidance behaviors, and reassurance-seeking patterns so you can better understand how OCD is affecting your life.
Learn to Tolerate Uncertainty
OCD often demands certainty: What if? What does this mean? How do I know? Therapy can help you develop greater comfort with uncertainty rather than continually seeking reassurance or trying to find the perfect answer.
Reduce Compulsions and Avoidance
Rather than allowing OCD to dictate what you do or avoid, we'll work toward responding to intrusive thoughts in healthier ways and reclaiming the activities and relationships that matter to you.
My Approach to Treating OCD:
Learn more about my approach to therapy here
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Exposure and Response Prevention
Christian Counseling
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
OCD, Faith, & Scrupulosity
For some people, OCD becomes intertwined with their faith. This can sometimes take the form of scrupulosity, in which obsessive fears and compulsive behaviors center around sin, morality, religious beliefs, or the fear of displeasing God.
You may find yourself:
Repeatedly confessing the same sin
Praying until a prayer feels "right"
Seeking reassurance that you've been forgiven
Constantly questioning whether something is sinful
Analyzing your intentions or whether you have committed a moral wrong
Fearing that you've offended God without realizing it
Avoiding religious practices because they trigger anxiety
When OCD targets your faith, it can be especially confusing and painful. You may wonder whether you're experiencing a spiritual problem or an OCD problem.
For clients who desire it, we can thoughtfully explore the relationship between OCD and faith while using evidence-based treatment strategies. The goal is not to take away your faith, but to develop a pursuit of God that stems from joy and love rather than fear.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Yes. OCD is a treatable mental health condition, and many people experience meaningful improvement with appropriate therapy. Treatment focuses on changing the patterns that keep OCD going and helping you respond differently to intrusive thoughts, anxiety, and uncertainty.
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Mental compulsions are still compulsions. OCD doesn't always involve visible behaviors such as checking or washing. Reassurance-seeking, mentally reviewing events, analyzing thoughts, comparing feelings, researching, and repeatedly trying to achieve certainty can all become part of the OCD cycle.
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Intrusive thoughts can be upsetting precisely because they conflict with what matters to you. Having an unwanted thought does not mean you want it, agree with it, or will act on it. Therapy can help you change your relationship with these thoughts rather than continuing to analyze what they might mean.
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Yes. OCD can focus on areas that are especially important to a person, including faith, morality, and relationships. When obsessive fears and compulsions center around religious or moral concerns, this is sometimes referred to as scrupulosity. Faith-sensitive OCD treatment can help you address the OCD while respecting the importance of your beliefs.
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Yes. Online therapy can be an effective and convenient option for many people seeking treatment for OCD. I offer secure telehealth counseling to adults throughout Iowa, allowing you to receive support without needing to travel to my office.