Categorised as a talking therapy, CBT is an evidence-based approach, founded on the understanding that our thoughts, feelings and behaviours are all connected. CBT helps you shed light on how each element contributes to the maintenance of emotional difficulties and helps you to gain greater awareness of unhelpful patterns of thinking and responding, finding alternative ways of coping.
CBT for OCD focuses on understanding that it is your response to unwanted thoughts/images/feelings that is the problem and targets this to achieve change using techniques such as Exposure & Response Prevention Therapy and Metacognitive Therapy techniques to target unhelpful behavioural responses and unhelpful thinking patterns
ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) teaches you:
- How to tolerate feeling anxious without needing to “fix” it
- To practice becoming more uncomfotable with uncertainty (the thing OCD hates most)
- That you can have intrusive thoughts/images/feelings AND carry on with your day
- To learn new responses to unwanted thoughts/images/feeelings
I hear this a lot and is exactly why I specialise in treating Obsessive Compulsive Disorder using a combination of CBT, ERP and MCT.
'Standard' CBT often teaches you techniques to challenge or evaluate thoughts/images/feelings which in the case of OCD might bring temporary relief but ultimately makes the problem worse and keeps you stuck in the cycle.
Specialised CBT for OCD targets the process which is maintaining the OCD. Integrating Metacognitive therapy techniques such as attention training and targeting beliefs around the 'usefulness' of your thinking can be particularly helpful in treating OCD.
ERP also requires us to target Response Prevention - an element that is often missed in ERP delivery.
If you have had therapy previously for OCD and felt it was not helpful please get in touch to discuss further how I can help.
I am experiencing in treating all 'sub types' of OCD including harm OCD, ROCD, POCD, Moral Scrupilosity.
Other areas treated include:
- Generalised Anxiety disorder
- Health anxiety
- Social anxiety
- Specific phobia
- Trichotillomania/Body-focused repetitive behaviours (BFRB's)
- Management of long term health conditions
Currently all sessions are offered via video calls. I have extensive experience of providing remote therapy and it has been proven to be as effective as face to face therapy. Other advantages include convenience, accessibility, time and privacy.
I offer a free, no obligation, 20 minute consultation via telephone or video to briefly explore the difficulties you are seeing support with and for you to help decide if you’d like to work with me. If I believe an alternative approach or service may be more suitable for you then I will make recommendations of alternative support.
