OCD Treatment in Westchester, NY
DO I HAVE OCD?
People use terms like “OCD” and “obsession” to describe quirks or harmless habits. In reality, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a debilitating disorder. OCD affects approximately 1-2% of the adult population. Clients with OCD struggle with anxiety-based intrusive thoughts, feelings, and physiological sensations (obsessions). Often, these can lead to anxiety, guilt, and distress. These thoughts are often experienced as unpleasant, and clients use a lot of energy trying to rid of them. Obsessions are often experienced as “what if” thoughts — e.g., “what if I jump in front of the subway platform?” or “what if I lose control and attack someone?”
Compulsions are often repetitive. They are acted on to prevent an unwanted occurrence and decrease anxiety. These prevention efforts are usually extreme. In fact, they may seem irrational to the objective eye. Common compulsions include hand washing, cleaning, checking, and counting. Compulsions can also be mental. An example of this kind of compulsion is the repeated mental retracing of a conversation. You mull over it, again and again, to make sure you didn’t say anything insulting.
TYPES OF OCD and common OCD symptoms:
OCD thoughts and behaviors fall into many different categories. Some examples include aggression, contamination, sexual, hoarding, religion, symmetry, and illness.
COMMON OCD CONCERNS:
Contamination Fears / Washing Compulsions
Hyper-Responsibility OCD / Checking (fear of making a mistake or causing a tragedy)
Symmetry / ‘Just Right’ Obsessions
Hypochondria / Health Anxiety (fear of having/getting illnesses)
Harm OCD (violent obsessions, hit-and-run OCD, fear of causing harm)
Sexual Orientation OCD (fear of being in denial about sexual orientation)
Pedophile Obsessions (fear of inappropriate sexual thoughts about children)
Relationship OCD (obsessions about love and fidelity)
Religious or Moral Obsessions (Scrupulosity)
Phobias (fear of animals, flying, vomiting, leaving home, freeways, etc.)
My Approach to OCD Treatment in Westchester, NY:
I use evidence-based practices in OCD treatment. This includes Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and Mindfulness-Based Therapy. ERP is a type of behavioral therapy used to gradually confront and conquer your fears. It is an evidence-based technique proven in research studies to be the most effective therapy in OCD treatment. Therapy sessions usually involve creating a hierarchy of feared situations. These are often based on a person's OCD thoughts, practicing exposure to feared triggers and consequences, and learning techniques to avoid compulsive behaviors. Over time, the frequency and intensity of thoughts usually decrease. Thus, people no longer feel the need to engage in time-consuming compulsive behaviors.
It works because exposure leads to habituation. This is a process by which your fear response is reduced over time. Pairing exposure with response prevention is vital in teaching your brain to respond in a different way when your obsessions show up.
Using mindfulness in OCD Treatment
Along with ERP, I use mindfulness-based therapy. I use this to help you adjust your perspective to thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations. Mindfulness is a skill that is developed over time. It will encourage you to lower resistance to your OCD through non-judgmental acceptance. Resistance intensifies OCD. But, acceptance helps to create room for your thoughts and feelings. Mindfulness helps you to change your relationship with your thoughts, feelings, and more. Many clients report a sense of relief that they no longer have to stop their thoughts from happening. They are ecstatic to overcome something they have been failing at for years. People with OCD often find that when they embrace their internal private experiences, the frequency and intensity of their thoughts and feelings can be reduced.
I am dedicated to working with you to help you overcome your OCD behaviors so that you can take part in your life again.
Begin OCD Treatment in Westchester, NY
Facing your compulsive behaviors can feel impossible at times. But, changing your perspective is possible, and I would be honored to support you from my Westchester, County theapy practice where I see clients from Pleasantville, Chappaqua, Bedford, and Mt. Kisco. You deserve to live a full life free from debilitating symptoms. To start your therapy journey, please follow these simple steps:
Learn more about me
Start conquering your compulsions
Other Services Offered By Joanna N. Rosenblatt
OCD treatment isn’t the only service I provide from my Westchester, NY-based therapy practice. Other services include anxiety treatment, therapy for women, EMDR therapy, trauma therapy, infertility counseling, and postpartum depression and anxiety treatment. Contact me today to learn more about online therapy in New York and support for sexuality and intimacy issues.