Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

What Is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition involving unwanted, recurring thoughts, images, or urges (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions).

People with OCD may feel driven to perform certain behaviors or mental rituals to reduce anxiety or prevent something they fear from happening. These patterns can become time-consuming and interfere with daily life, relationships, school, or work.

OCD can take many forms, and symptoms can look different from person to person.

How Can Therapy Help?

Therapy can help you understand the patterns that maintain OCD symptoms and develop healthier ways to respond to unwanted thoughts and anxiety.

Depending on your needs, therapy may help you:

Understand obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors
Reduce avoidance and reassurance-seeking
Learn to respond differently to unwanted thoughts
Build tolerance for uncertainty and discomfort
Reduce the amount of time OCD takes from daily life
Develop healthier coping strategies
Improve functioning at home, work, school, or in relationships
Address anxiety, depression, or other concerns that may occur alongside OCD

Treatment is individualized based on your symptoms, experiences, and goals.

Who Can Benefit From OCD Therapy?

Therapy may be helpful for individuals experiencing recurring unwanted thoughts, urges, or images and/or repetitive behaviors or mental rituals that are difficult to control.

You may benefit from support if you:

Spend significant time checking, cleaning, counting, or repeating behaviors
Experience intrusive or unwanted thoughts
Frequently seek reassurance from others
Avoid situations because of fears or intrusive thoughts
Feel distressed by uncertainty
Find that OCD symptoms interfere with relationships, work, school, or daily activities

OCD can occur in many different forms. Experiencing an unwanted thought does not mean you want it to happen or that it reflects who you are.

What Can We Help With?

Our clinicians can provide support for concerns related to:

Obsessive thoughts and intrusive thoughts
Compulsive behaviors and mental rituals
Checking and reassurance-seeking
Contamination fears and cleaning rituals
Fear of making mistakes or causing harm
Perfectionism and excessive doubt
Difficulty tolerating uncertainty
Avoidance related to OCD symptoms
Anxiety associated with obsessive-compulsive patterns

OCD Support at Modern Me Psychology

At Modern Me Psychology, we understand that OCD symptoms can be distressing and may significantly interfere with everyday life.

Our clinicians provide individualized therapy focused on helping you understand your symptoms, develop effective coping strategies, and make meaningful changes. Treatment may incorporate evidence-based approaches such as Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), depending on your needs and treatment goals.

Specialized OCD Treatment: ERP and I-CBT

OCD responds best to treatments designed specifically for it. General talk therapy and reassurance can unintentionally keep OCD going, so our OCD care centers on two evidence-based approaches:

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), a structured form of CBT. With your clinician, you gradually face the thoughts, situations and feelings OCD tells you to avoid, while practicing not doing the compulsions. Over time, the anxiety loses its grip and the urges weaken. You set the pace together, step by step.
Inference-Based CBT (I-CBT), which focuses on the obsessional doubt itself: how OCD reasoning pulls you away from what your senses and common sense are telling you. It can be used alongside ERP or on its own.

Dr. Nahrain Tavolacci (Dr. T) completed the International OCD Foundation’s Behavior Therapy Training Institute (BTTI), specialized training in treating OCD with ERP.

Common Forms of OCD

OCD is not just about cleanliness or being organized. We help with many forms of OCD, including:

Contamination fears and washing or cleaning rituals
Checking (locks, stoves, messages, whether something bad happened)
Harm-related intrusive thoughts and fear of losing control
Relationship doubts and the need to feel “certain” about a partner
Religious or moral scrupulosity
Health-related fears and repeated reassurance-seeking
“Just right” feelings, symmetry, ordering and counting
Mostly mental compulsions, such as reviewing, analyzing or praying to cancel out thoughts

Intrusive thoughts can be frightening, but having one does not mean you want it or that it reflects who you are. These are common OCD experiences, and you can talk about them openly here.

OCD in Children and Teens

OCD often begins in childhood or adolescence. Children may hide rituals, ask the same questions over and over, or become upset when routines are not “just right.” Treatment for kids and teens uses the same proven approaches, adapted for their age. Parents are an important part of care: we help families learn how to support their child without accidentally feeding OCD through reassurance or accommodation. Learn more about therapy for children and teens.

Frequently Asked Questions About OCD Treatment

Will ERP make my anxiety worse?
ERP involves some discomfort, but you never start with your hardest fear. Your clinician helps you build a step-by-step plan, and you agree on each step together. Most people find the discomfort becomes more manageable as they practice.

How long does OCD treatment take?
It depends on your symptoms, goals and how often you meet. Your clinician will talk with you about what to expect and review your progress along the way.

Can I do OCD treatment by telehealth?
Yes. ERP and I-CBT work well by secure video. Clients located in Illinois can meet with any of our clinicians online, and Dr. T can also see clients in most other U.S. states through PSYPACT. Learn about online therapy across the U.S.

Do you take insurance?
We are in network with several insurance plans. See our insurance page, or contact us and we will verify your benefits.

Our Clinicians Who Work With OCD

Related Approaches

Depending on your needs and treatment goals, approaches that may be incorporated into treatment include:

Explore our ERP and Anxiety pages for additional information.

Ready to Get Started?

If OCD symptoms are interfering with your daily life, relationships, work, or peace of mind, therapy can help you develop new ways of responding to them.

Services are available in person at our Roselle, Illinois office and through telehealth for clients located in Illinois. Dr. T also offers telehealth in most other U.S. states through PSYPACT.

We accept several insurance plans, and coverage varies by plan and clinician. Contact us to confirm your benefits and whether your preferred provider and service are covered.