Topic: behavioral-change

Question: How can I get over my OCD and anxiety?
I suffer from checking and cleaning OCD. Can counseling help me to get over it?

Answer (from Kaileen McMickle, MS, LPCLicensed Professional Counselor):
Absolutely!  Exposure techniques in counseling have shown to be extremely effective for working through compulsions.  First thing I would say is to make sure you feel a good connection with your counselor and you feel it's a good fit.  It's hard to get through that anxiety already, but having a counselor that feels right for you will help to buffer that a bit and help guide you through the exposures.Not sure what kind of access you have in your area, but some counselors that specialize in exposure therapy will actually come to you to support you through an exposure.  It's very treatable so just take it a step at a time and hang in there!

Answer (from Jennifer GerlachYour Story Matters):
Counseling can be very effective for OCD. In particularly, a kind of therapy called Exposure Response (Ritual) Prevention Therapy is considered the 'gold standard' for the treatment of OCD. What this is, is a specific protocol that helps you build relaxation strategies and to increase the amount of time between your checking/cleaning rituals while also helping you to face any of the fears that OCD given you until those rituals and fears are no longer interfering with your life. Research has shown that this kind of therapy may even be more effective for OCD than medication, https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.ajp.162.1.151

Answer (from Sherry Katz, LCSWCouples and Family Therapist, LCSW):
Possibly yes, and definitely worth a try.First read about different types of therapy for OCD so that you find a therapist who does the type of therapy which feels best when you read about it.