OCD Support
When intrusive thoughts start running the show
OCD is often misunderstood as simple tidiness. In truth it tends to be a distressing loop of unwanted thoughts and the urgent things you feel you must do to quiet the anxiety they bring. It is exhausting to live with, and there are practical, well-understood ways to work with it.
Tampa office + Telehealth across Florida
At a glance
Who it helps
Adults and teens caught in the OCD loop
Format
In person in Tampa and secure telehealth across Florida
Location
Tampa, 100 S Ashley Dr, Ste 600
Approach
Solution focused, drawing on CBT and ACT
The loop of obsessions and compulsions
OCD runs on two moving parts. Obsessions are intrusive thoughts, images, or urges that arrive uninvited and feel deeply uncomfortable. Compulsions are what you do to relieve that discomfort, whether checking, washing, counting, seeking reassurance, or replaying a moment in your head. The relief is real but brief, and the loop tightens the more you feed it.
Many people feel ashamed of their obsessions, which are often the opposite of what they value. These thoughts are a symptom of OCD, not a reflection of who you are.
How OCD can show up
OCD wears many faces, and it is not always about cleanliness. Common forms:
- Checking: Returning again and again to locks, appliances, or messages to be sure.
- Contamination fears: Washing or avoiding in order to keep a feared substance or illness at bay.
- Intrusive thoughts: Distressing mental images that clash with your values and refuse to leave.
- Reassurance seeking: Asking, researching, or mentally reviewing to chase a feeling of certainty.
The aim is not a mind rid of every strange thought. It is a life that is no longer run by them.
How we work with OCD
Rather than arguing with intrusive thoughts, we work on changing your relationship to them. Drawing on CBT and ACT, we look at how compulsions keep the cycle going and practice, at a pace you set, letting anxiety rise and fall without rushing to neutralize it. This steady, repeated practice is where much of the work happens, one manageable step at a time.
This is outpatient counseling, so formal diagnosis or medication belongs with your physician or prescriber, while our sessions stay focused on loosening the grip of OCD.
How the work goes
A steady path from first contact.
- 01
Consultation
We start with a free 15 minute consultation to talk through what brings you in and see whether we are a good fit.
- 02
A plan that fits you
We map the obsessions and compulsions you want to target and choose a realistic first step together.
- 03
Steady progress
From there we meet at a regular pace, notice what is helping, and adjust as things shift.
Begin when you're ready.
Reach out and we will find a time that works. Sessions are available at the Tampa office or by telehealth.