OCD & Severe Anxiety Specific Treatment Modalities
OCD & Severe Anxiety Specific Treatment
According to research and the International OCD Foundation (IOCDf.org), it is important for those struggling with OCD to get specialized treatments that have been researched and deemed evidence-based as safe and non-harmful. Typical traditional psychotherapy (sometimes called talk therapy) can be very helpful for issues such as trauma and some forms of anxiety, but many of the interventions commonly used in talk-therapy can actually be harmful to those struggling with OCD or other severe forms of anxiety. Read more about this common experience here!
With other severe anxiety disorders, such as panic disorder and agoraphobia, it is important for appropriate treatment to be administered for many of the same reasons listed above for people struggling with OCD. The most common advice we hear when we’re experiencing a panic attack is to “take a deep breath, think positively, and try to calm down”. While well-meaning, trying to control panic in these ways can backfire. Furthermore, struggling to prevent a panic attack can have a paradoxical effect and actually cause a panic attack (or make one worse or longer)!
Whether this is your first time seeking treatment for anxiety, or you’ve been through multiple therapists, we will work together to find a blend of evidence-based treatments that works for you!
What types of OCD & severe anxiety specific treatment do I offer?
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Inference-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (I-CBT)
Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP)
Nervous system regulation skills via Somatic-Experiential Therapies
How long do these treatments last?
Therapy for OCD or other severe anxiety disorders have no set length and varies from person to person. This is because a major portion of this type of therapy work is done in-between sessions as you practice the skills or exposures taught in session. It is common to take several sessions of review and practice before understanding a single skill or concept - changing how we react to our panic and anxiety is hard work and often goes against everything we’ve been doing for years! Typically, you can expect around 12-16 sessions on a weekly basis.
You and your therapist will discuss treatment goals and collaborate when a reduction of sessions, or full termination, is right for you.