Presenting concern
The thought is not the problem. The bargain is.
Obsessive-compulsive patterns run on a simple, brutal deal: an intrusive thought arrives, a ritual makes it quiet, and the relief teaches your brain to demand the ritual again sooner. Most people know the logic and still cannot stop, because knowing was never the missing piece.
01OCD
Naming the loop
Obsessions and compulsions are often invisible from outside — mental reviewing, silent counting, seeking reassurance in ordinary-sounding questions. Getting the whole loop on paper is the first useful step.
02OCD
Loosening it
Cognitive-behavioral work, ACT for making room for the discomfort rather than negotiating with it, and mindfulness for the moment before the ritual. Everything is agreed in advance; nothing is sprung on you.
03OCD
About the content
The themes OCD picks are frequently the ones you would be most ashamed to say out loud. That is characteristic of the condition, not of you, and Erin has heard it before.
Signs this is the right page
- Checking, counting or reviewing that keeps growing
- Reassurance that helps for an hour
- Intrusive thoughts that horrify you
- Time disappearing into rituals
None of this is a diagnosis, and no outcome is guaranteed. It is a starting point for a conversation.
In Erin's words
What she would say if you called today.
Intrusive thoughts are not confessions. We work on your relationship to the thought and on loosening the compulsion, at a pace you agree to in advance — never by ambush.
Free 15-minute consultation
Book a consultation with Erin
Fifteen minutes by telehealth, at no charge. You can describe what is going on, ask how Erin works, and decide afterward whether to book a first session. Scheduling opens in her secure SimplePractice portal.
Schedule your free consultationOpens the SimplePractice client portal in a new tab.
Keep reading