Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a serious mental health diagnosis that impacts people of all ages. It is not a preference or a personality trait or quirk. People experiencing OCD often struggle to engage in their lives in a meaningful way, which can be extremely difficult.

OCD consists of two parts that distinctly set it apart from other mental health diagnoses - obsessions and compulsions.

Obsessions = Unwanted thoughts, images, or urges that trigger highly distressing feelings (ie anxiety, disgust, hopelessness, etc)

Compulsions = the behaviors an individual engages in to try to get rid of the obsessive thought

So, in a classic example of contamination OCD, the obsession might be a worry about getting sick from germs after touching something considered dirty, and the compulsion might be washing hands until that worry goes away.

However, OCD can present itself in a wide variety of subtypes - not just those stereotypically understood like contamination and symmetry (though these should also be taken seriously!)

 Other subtypes of OCD include

• Harm OCD

• Relationship OCD

• Scrupulocisty (Religious) OCD / Morality OCD

• Perinatal OCD

• "Just Right" OCD

• Mental Compulsions / "Pure O"

• POCD

• and more

OCD can be complex, sneaky, and sometimes even dibilitating. We know through lots of research that their are specific treatments that work for OCD (such as ERP) and many that just don't. 

While talk therapy may work well for other presenting problems like depression, anxiety, trauma and more, OCD requires a specialized type of therapy. General talk therapy not only doesn't typically help OCD symptoms, it can actually make them worse. 

OCD specialists like myself have the training and experience to truly address the complexities of OCD. I hear from clients very often that they have tried lots of other therapy before they find me, and while some of it might be somewhat helpful, they often haven't made the progress they want to on their OCD symptoms to keep it from interfering with their life. Unfortunately, I also hear from clients quite a bit that it took them a long time to get an OCD diagnosis even when reguarly seeing other mental health providers because they did not know enough about OCD to recognize it.

If you have a heart problem, you go to a cardiologist. If you have a foot problem, you see a podiatrist. And if you have OCD, you go to an OCD specialist! 

Find more info here on the IOCDF's OCD treatment guide.

I primarily utilize Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) to treat OCD. ERP is considered the gold standard treatment for OCD, and many clients do well with ERP. More on how I use ERP can be found here.

Additionally, I often utilize Acceptance and Committment Therapy (ACT) to supplement ERP. I find that ACT is very helpful for clients in deepening their work after a round of ERP. More about how I utilize ACT can be found here.

I have experince treating and assessing for a wide variety of OCD subtypes including 

• Harm OCD (including "Hit and Run OCD")

• POCD

• Relationship OCD

• Contamination OCD

• Perfectionism

• "Just Right" OCD

• Mental Compulsions / "Pure O"

• Perinatal OCD

• Scrupulocity/Religious OCD and Morality OCD

& more! 

OCD can present itsself in so many different ways it is impossible to list them all here. If you'd like to know more about how I could help you with your specific OCD symptoms, click here to schedule a free 15 min consultation call with me! 

I have over 5 years experience specializing in treating clients with OCD as a primary diagnosis utilizing ERP. At least 75% of my caseload are clients with an OCD diagnosis at any given time (including families and couples where someone in the system has an OCD diagnosis). I'm truly an OCD specialist!

Here's a list of additional OCD & ERP training I've completed in the past several years, and other qualifications:

• • International Obsessive Compulsive Disorders Foundation (IOCDF) Behavioral Treatments Training Institute (BTTI), Pediatric (Completed March 2024)

  • IOCDF Online Consultation Group - OCD and Sense of Self (Spring 2025)

  • IOCDF Online Consultation Group - General Adult OCD (Spring 2022)

  • IOCDF Advanced Forum on Comorbidities and Complexities (attending in October 2026)

  • Member of the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) https://iocdf.org/providers/lanier-pszczola-ashley/

  • Multiple other trainings and 5+ years experience implementing Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and supplemental evidence-based OCD treatments

Additionally, I also reguarly teach workshops to other therapists about OCD and related topics. Some of my workshops for therapists include 

• "OCD and the Family System" 

• "Intro to OCD in Kids and Teens"

• "OCD 101: Assessment, Subtypes and Best Practices"