OCD stands for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. It is not about just being neat or liking things a certain way (although that can be part of it) — it’s a mental health condition that can feel all-consuming.

The main symptoms of OCD are actually right there in the name:

It stands for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, which means it involves two key parts — obsessions and compulsions.

Obsessions are thoughts that get “stuck” in your mind. They’re usually unwanted, intrusive, and can feel really distressing — like thoughts you don’t want to be having, but can’t seem to shake. Even if you know they don’t make sense, they still cause a lot of anxiety, guilt, or even disgust. Sometimes it feels like they take over your whole mind.

To try and feel better or more in control, your brain might come up with things to do — and that’s where compulsions come in. Compulsions (sometimes called rituals) are anything you do to try to quiet the anxiety or "undo" the thought. That might look like asking for reassurance, checking something over and over, or doing things in a certain way until it feels “just right.”

But compulsions aren’t always visible. A lot of them happen in your head — like mentally reviewing memories, silently repeating words, overthinking, or trying to “neutralize” a thought with another thought.

Everyone’s experience with OCD is unique, and there’s no single list of symptoms that covers it all. But what’s common is how exhausting and real it feels. If any of this resonates with you, you’re not alone — and therapy can be a helpful space to explore what’s going on. I offer support for people navigating OCD and related struggles, and we can work together to find tools that feel right for you.

Yes! Overthinking — what we often call rumination — is super common in OCD and anxiety. It’s that mental loop where you keep going over the same thing again and again, even when you really want to let it go. It can feel like you’re stuck in an ongoing debate with your anxiety, and no matter how much you argue, there’s never a clear answer or sense of relief.

The thing is, rumination isn’t just something that “happens” to you — it’s actually a mental habit. And the good news is: habits can be changed. A big part of the work I do in therapy is helping people recognize when they’re stuck in that loop and learn tools to break out of rumination.

You may already have a sense of what Relationship OCD (ROCD) is—and yes, it’s just what it sounds like: OCD that attaches to your relationships. While most people think of romantic relationships when they hear ROCD, it can actually show up in any kind of relationship—whether with family, friends, coworkers, or others.

ROCD often shows up as intrusive doubts or worries, like:

• Do I really care about this person?
• Do they really care about me?
• Is something wrong with this relationship?
• Am I truly attracted to my partner?
• Did I genuinely enjoy that time with my friend/partner?

These kinds of thoughts can feel incredibly distressing. And in response to the anxiety, many people try to find relief by doing things like:

• Researching relationship advice or signs of a "healthy" relationship
• Asking others for reassurance
• Checking their feelings to see if they feel "enough" love, attraction, or connection
• Comparing their relationships to other people’s
• Feeling the need to confess thoughts or doubts to make sure they're being honest or good partners/friends

I often work with people navigating ROCD, and at its core, it’s really just another form of OCD. That means the therapeutic work remains the same: helping you learn to trust yourself, make space for uncertainty, and step away from the urge to get certainty or relief through compulsions.

You're not alone in this—and healing is absolutely possible.

Contact me at [email protected] to schedule your free intro call.

Virtual therapy for OCD works really well and makes getting help easier than ever. The types of therapy I use—Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Inference based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (ICBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and attachment based therapies—are all great for online sessions, so you can get support without the hassle of going anywhere.

It’s different for everyone, depending on how intense your symptoms are, how motivated you are to practice skills outside of sessions, and how much insight you have. But usually, people start noticing real progress around 4 to 6 months.

Yes, yes, and yes. People usually come to therapy because OCD starts messing with the things that matter most to them—like work, school, and relationships. That’s how OCD works: it attaches to what you care about.

One area I really focus on is how OCD impacts relationships, especially relationship anxiety and relationship OCD, since that can be really challenging. If it’s left untreated, OCD can affect every part of your life, even every moment of your day.

The important thing to know is, OCD is totally treatable. I’ve seen so many clients make real progress and get their lives back. Recovery is definitely possible.

The two main evidence-based treatments for OCD are Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and Inference-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (ICBT). I'm trained in both approaches and can work with you to figure out which one best fits your needs, your symptoms, and your personal style.

ERP stands for Exposure and Response Prevention. It helps you face the thoughts, situations, or feelings that trigger your anxiety (the exposure), while learning how not to respond with compulsions or mental rituals (that’s the response prevention part). You’re not just thrown into it—you’ll learn practical, step-by-step skills to help you sit with uncertainty, ride out anxiety, and resist the urge to do the thing OCD is demanding. Over time, your brain starts to realize those thoughts don’t need to be feared or controlled, and the anxiety starts to lose its power.

ICBT is a type of therapy that helps you understand how OCD pulls you into doubt and false beliefs. Instead of doing exposures, ICBT looks at the stories OCD tells you—those 'what ifs' that feel so real—and helps you spot when you’ve been pulled into OCD thinking. It teaches you how to reconnect with your own senses, values, and lived reality, rather than getting lost in OCD’s made-up scenarios. It can be especially helpful for folks dealing with more internal, mental obsessions—like relationship OCD or harm OCD—where the anxiety lives mostly in your thoughts, not your actions.

Not at all. You don’t need a formal diagnosis to get started. Part of what I do is help you figure out whether what you’re experiencing is OCD or something related—like Social Anxiety, Panic Disorder, Generalized Anxiety, or a Body-Focused Repetitive Behavior (like skin picking or hair pulling).

These are all treatable using approaches I’m trained in, including ERP, CBT, ACT, and mindfulness. I also incorporate attachment-based therapy, especially for folks navigating relationship or dating anxiety, so we can get to the root of what’s going on and help you feel more secure in yourself.

Want to learn more? Contact me at [email protected] for questions and to schedule a free intro call.