Obsessions and Compulsions
Why won't these thoughts leave me alone?
A thought arrives that you don't want. You push it away, and it comes back harder. So you check, or repeat, or ask for reassurance, or go over it again in your head until it feels "right." Relief comes, but only for a while.
If that's familiar, you're not going mad, and you're not weak or broken.
What is OCD?
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety-related condition that can affect anyone. It works as a cycle of obsessions and compulsions:
• Obsessions: intrusive thoughts, images, feelings or fears that get stuck and feel impossible to switch off
• Compulsions: actions or mental rituals you do to reduce anxiety or stop something bad from happening, even when part of you knows the fear may not be rational
What does it look like?
• Thoughts: disturbing, unwanted thoughts or images, doubts about relationships or loved ones, fears of contamination, illness or harm
• Rituals: repeated checking, counting, repeating, reviewing things in your head
• Reassurance: asking others, or yourself, again and again to be sure
• Avoidance: staying away from places, people or situations that set it off
• Feelings: shame, guilt, embarrassment about your own thoughts
"What if I didn't lock the door?"
"Why would I think that?"
"I need to be sure."
Most people have the odd intrusive thought. It becomes OCD when thoughts and rituals eat up your time, ramp up your anxiety and interfere with daily life. It often gets stronger during stress, uncertainty or emotional pressure, and many people hide it for years.
Does it have to stay this way?
OCD is treatable. The most widely recommended treatments are a type of CBT called exposure and response prevention (ERP), and in some cases medication, and your doctor or a psychologist can offer both. If you've been diagnosed, keep working with them. My work can sit alongside that.
How do I work with OCD?
I help you understand the anxiety, emotional triggers and thought patterns that keep the cycle going, and gently change the automatic reactions behind them. The aim is for the thoughts to carry less emotional weight, so you feel calmer and more in control. I tailor the approach to each person, and I can't promise a particular result.
People often come to me for:
• Intrusive thoughts and mental compulsions
• Health anxiety and contamination fears
• Relationship OCD, or obsessive thoughts about loved ones
• Checking and reassurance-seeking
• Repetitive thinking and obsessive worry
What about habits and self-harm?
Compulsive habits, such as nail biting, skin picking, hair pulling, drinking or comfort eating, and sometimes self-harm, can develop as ways of coping with overwhelming feelings. They're usually attempts to manage distress rather than to get attention, and they aren't signs of weakness. If you're hurting yourself or thinking about it, please reach out to a doctor or one of the support lines below, as well as to me. Therapy can give you a safe space to understand what's driving these behaviours and find other ways forward.
Can I get help from home?
Yes. Sessions run online via FaceTime, Zoom, WhatsApp or Messenger, wherever you are. All you need is a phone, tablet or computer, a reliable internet connection and somewhere private.
What's the first step?
A free, no-obligation consultation to talk through what's been happening and see whether working together feels right. Call 0409 254 500 or email me.
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call your local emergency number:
United States: 911
Australia: 000
New Zealand: 111
Need to talk to someone now? Free, confidential support is available 24/7:
United States: call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline). You can also text HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line).
Australia: Lifeline 13 11 14 (call) or text 0477 13 11 14. Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
New Zealand: call or text 1737 (Need to Talk?). Lifeline Aotearoa 0800 543 354.
Elsewhere: find a helpline in your country at findahelpline.com.
We’re not a crisis service and can’t respond to urgent messages.
