Online Therapy for OCD

 

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​Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is one of the most commonly misunderstood mental health conditions, even though it affects up to 1 in 40 people. OCD involves recurring, unwanted intrusive thoughts, images, or urges that cause significant anxiety or distress. To cope, individuals often engage in compulsions—mental or physical rituals—meant to temporarily relieve the anxiety triggered by these obsessions. A hallmark of OCD is that these intrusive thoughts are in direct conflict with a person's values and true intentions, which makes them especially distressing. Through evidence-based OCD therapy, such as Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), individuals can learn to reduce the impact of these symptoms and reclaim their lives.

 

Common OCD obsessions sound like: 

• What if I'm a bad person?

• What if I throw my baby down the stairs? 

• What if I'm not in love with my partner?

• What if I hurt someone I love?

• What if I offend God?

• What if I have an underlying heart condition?

• What if I contaminate my child and they die because of me?

• What if I lose my mind and go crazy?

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Common OCD compulsions look like:

• Ruminating for hours on whether or not you're a bad person

• Checking to see if the obsession is true (ie. checking if you love your partner, checking if you're angry, checking if you turned the stove off)

• Replaying past events for evidence 

• Avoiding situations that may trigger you

• Seeking reassurance from others that the bad thing won't happen

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I often find people with this disorder to be some of the most caring individuals on this planet. This is exactly why the thoughts are so jarring and horrifying-- they are what the individual most fears becoming. The OCD brain believes that because a thought happened, it must be true/important/relevant. This is false, and together, we will work on helping you learn to separate imagination from reality (ie. what's going on in your brain vs. what's going on in the present moment) and understand that your thoughts  are not an indication of you becoming what you fear most. When these realities set in, compulsions eventually become unnecessary, and you will be back living the life you've longed to live. 

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Recovery from OCD is possible—with the right support and evidence-based treatment. As an OCD therapist with both clinical expertise and lived experience, I understand just how overwhelming obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors can feel. It's important to know that general talk therapy isn’t always effective for OCD—and in some cases, it can worsen symptoms. That’s why I specialize in research-backed approaches specifically proven to reduce OCD symptoms.

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I’m trained in all three evidence-based treatments for OCD: Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Inference-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (I-CBT). Together, we’ll choose the approach that best fits your needs—whether you're looking for OCD therapy in Seattle, postpartum anxiety treatment, or online therapy in Washington State or Texas.

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How ERP Therapy Works

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Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) was the first treatment for OCD that was proven to work. You may have even heard it called, "the gold standard." It helps you gradually face the thoughts, images, or situations that trigger anxiety (the “exposure”)—while learning to resist the urge to perform compulsive behaviors (the “response prevention”). As your OCD therapist, I emphasize learning skills to reduce compulsions, because let's be real, life can be an exposure when you have OCD. 

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ERP doesn’t mean being thrown into your worst fears. It’s a collaborative, step-by-step process where you build confidence in your ability to tolerate distress, let go of rituals, and trust yourself again.

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Using ACT in OCD Therapy for Women

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When you're living with OCD, anxiety, or intrusive thoughts, it’s easy to feel like you’re constantly battling your mind—trying to silence unwanted thoughts or avoid the uncomfortable emotions they bring. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) offers a different path: one rooted in mindfulness, compassion, and a fancy phrase called "psychological flexibility." Rather than trying to eliminate unwanted thoughts, ACT helps you change your relationship with them—so they no longer control your actions or define your worth.

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I often integrate ACT into OCD therapy for women, especially when shame, self-criticism, or perfectionism are keeping you stuck. ACT teaches you how to accept what you can’t control (like the presence of intrusive thoughts), while committing to actions that align with your values (like giving your baby a bath despite your intrusive thoughts). You’ll learn how to observe your thoughts without getting tangled in them, show up for the life you want, and build resilience even in the face of anxiety. For many women, ACT provides not only symptom relief, but a deeper sense of self-trust, purpose, and emotional flexibility.

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Rebuilding Trust in Yourself Through Inference-Based CBT

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Inference-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (I-CBT) is designed to treat OCD by targeting the root of obsessive thinking: doubt. Unlike the more behavioral approaches to OCD therapy, I-CBT helps clients understand how their minds jump to false conclusions—“inferences”—that spark obsessive fears in the first place. If you’ve ever felt like your fear "makes no sense" but still feels intensely real, I-CBT may be especially helpful.

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In OCD therapy for women, I-CBT is a powerful tool for addressing intrusive thoughts related to morality, contamination, relationships, health, and harm—areas where doubt and guilt often collide with the pressures many women face to be perfect, responsible, or selfless. This approach helps you recognize when you're relying on imagined possibilities instead of reality-based thinking, and guides you in rebuilding trust in your own perception and experience. I-CBT supports long-term recovery by shifting the focus away from compulsions and toward strengthening certainty, self-confidence, and internal safety.

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Specialized OCD Therapy for Women

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OCD therapy for women is about more than managing symptoms—it’s about feeling seen, understood, and supported in the unique ways OCD shows up in your life. For women, OCD often brings up fears surrounding morality, perfection, health, relationships, and postpartum concerns about motherhood.

 

Whether you're constantly second-guessing yourself, stuck in a loop of “what if” thoughts, or battling intrusive fears around motherhood, health, or perfectionism, you're not alone—and you're not broken. Together, we’ll create a space where you can talk openly about what you're experiencing without fear of judgment while also targeting your symptoms with therapy that genuinely works. Using compassionate, evidence-based approaches, we'll help you quiet the noise of OCD, get back to trusting yourself, and reconnect with who you are beneath the anxiety.

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Ready to Trust Yourself Again? Let’s Talk​

If you are terrified of your thoughts and ready to get back to truly living again, please reach out today for a free, 15 minute consult call.

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