Effective OCD Therapy: Regain Control and Break Free from Obsessive Thoughts
Our OCD counselling offers practical tools and strategies to help you manage obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours. With personalised support from experienced therapists and psychologists, you can regain control and improve your quality of life.
Who our OCD therapy can help
If you answer yes to one or more of the following, you may benefit from our OCD therapy at Harley Psychology & Therapy Group.
- Do you struggle to relax?
- Do you repeatedly check and recheck things (e.g., switches, locks)?
- Do you experience unwanted thoughts or images about accidents or doing harm to others?
- Do you excessively hoard items and feel unable to throw anything away?
- Do you feel compelled to be absolutely perfect?
- Do you struggle to make even trivial decisions?
- Do you often feel compelled to memorise trivial things (e.g., licence plate numbers, instructions on labels)?
- Do you feel compelled to follow a very strict routine when doing ordinary things?
- Do you feel upset if your furniture or other possessions are not always in exactly the same position?
- Are you often very late because you can’t get through ordinary tasks on time?
- Do you almost always count when doing a routine task?
We offer a free, quick, confidential and scientifically validated test that can evaluate your depression and point you in the right direction.
Jennifer, Islington
Supporting You
How our obsessive-compulsive disorder therapy can help you
Our therapy for OCD offers:
- Understand the root causes of your OCD and triggers.
- Recognise and break the cycle of obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours.
- Understand and gain control over your thinking and choices.
- Develop personalised coping strategies to replace compulsions.
- Practice relaxation techniques, reduce anxiety and neutralise the need for compulsive behaviours.
- Improve self-esteem and feel more hopeful about the future.
- Enhance relationships and other life areas impacted by OCD
Find Your Best Course of Action
Coping strategies for managing OCD at home
While professional support is essential, there are practical strategies that can help manage OCD symptoms day-to-day. These include setting small, achievable goals, using mindfulness techniques to reduce anxiety, and resisting the urge to perform compulsions. Creating a structured daily routine and keeping a thought journal can also provide clarity and control.
Self-compassion is key, as progress takes time. These approaches aren’t a substitute for therapy but can support it by reinforcing positive habits at home.
Common misconceptions about OCD
OCD is often misunderstood as simply being neat or liking things a certain way. In reality, it’s a serious anxiety disorder involving unwanted, intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviours performed to reduce distress. Many also wrongly believe that OCD is rare or easy to control through willpower alone.
Dispelling these myths is crucial to reducing stigma and encouraging more people to conduct an “OCD therapist near me” search online and seek appropriate support. Understanding the true nature of OCD is the first step towards compassion and proper care.
The role of family in supporting OCD recovery
Family members can play a crucial role in supporting a loved one with OCD. Rather than accommodating rituals, which can unintentionally reinforce them, families can learn to provide reassurance, set healthy boundaries, encourage treatment, and help patients take the next step, such as searching for “OCD therapy near me” online. Open communication, patience, and education about OCD help create a more supportive environment.
For children and adolescents, parental involvement in therapy can be especially effective. This encourages long-term recovery and helps the entire family feel more equipped to cope together.
You will explore the accuracy and helpfulness of your thoughts that precede your compulsive behaviours, building confidence for the next step.
What is the treatment for obsessive compulsive disorder?
After reviewing all treatments for obsessive compulsive disorder, The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommends the following:
For children and adolescents
A course of cognitive behavioural therapy adapted to meet the child’s developmental stage should be offered as a first-line treatment and if appropriate, this should also include family members. Medication should only be considered if CBT is not effective.
For adults
Mild obsessive compulsive disorder – a minimum of 10 sessions of cognitive behavioural therapy should be offered.
Moderate obsessive compulsive disorder – depending on the preference of the sufferer, either a minimum of 10 sessions of cognitive behavioural therapy or SSRI medication should be offered.
What does our counselling for OCD involve?
Step 1
Meet with your OCD therapist to discuss your OCD including your obsessional thoughts and compulsive behaviours, and how they impact your life, relationships and self-esteem. Gaining general information about your life and your therapy goals, your therapist will tailor a treatment plan.
Step 2
Your therapist will help you understand why your OCD exists and why resisting compulsions feels difficult, which helps in overcoming your OCD problem.
Step 3
You will explore the accuracy and helpfulness of your thoughts that precede your compulsive behaviours, building confidence for the next step.
Step 4
Your therapist will help you to resist your compulsions in order to gather evidence to challenge your fears about the consequences of not engaging in the behaviours and to build your confidence in your ability to tolerate the anxiety that this leads to.
Step 5
Finally, your therapist will help you to understand the factors contributing to OCD and teach you ways to boost your self-esteem to prevent future relapse.
FAQs
What Is OCD?
Early childhood experiences which have led an individual to develop beliefs that they are vulnerable and that the world is not a safe place (e.g. having overprotective and/or very anxious parents) can place people at risk of developing OCD.
How common is obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)?
Obsessive compulsive disorder is a common mental health disorder. It is thought to occur in 3% of adults and 5% of children and adolescents. Symptoms usually appear in early adulthood.
What causes OCD?
There is no clear answer to this question. A number of theories exist regarding factors that may make a person vulnerable to the development of OCD:
Early experiences
Early childhood experiences which have led an individual to develop beliefs that they are vulnerable and that the world is not a safe place (e.g. having overprotective and/or very anxious parents) can place people at risk of developing OCD.
Genetic factors
An individual suffering with obsessive compulsive disorder is four times more likely than someone who is not to have another family member with OCD. However, to date, no specific gene has been identified, so this may be due to the fact that individuals from the same family share experiences (e.g. overprotective/anxious parents).
Brain structure
Brain scanning has revealed that those with OCD experience have increased activity in the part of the brain that is responsible for creating and managing emotions. The reason for this is unclear, but following a course of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), activity in this area returns to normal.
Serotonin
It is not clear the role that serotonin plays in OCD, but medication (e.g. antidepressants) which increases its availability can be helpful.
Prices
Explore our therapy prices and registered private health insurance providers.
Information and self-help for OCD
Get valuable insights, tips, and guidance in our award-winning blogs to support your OCD.