OCD Therapy in Los Angeles
The thoughts won't stop. The rituals take hours. And nobody seems to understand what this actually is.
OCD is one of the most misunderstood conditions out there. What you're living with isn't a personality quirk or a preference for order. It's a cycle that hijacks your brain, floods you with doubt, and demands rituals that never quite provide the relief they promise. If you're exhausted from fighting your own mind, you're not alone. And there's a treatment that actually works.
You’re not aloneThis Isn't What People Think OCD Is
When most people hear "OCD," they picture color-coded closets and alphabetized shelves. But that's not what you're dealing with. Real OCD involves intrusive thoughts that feel unbearable and rituals you can't seem to stop, even when you know they don't make sense.
You might be here because:
You're plagued by disturbing thoughts you'd never act on, but you can't stop them from coming
You spend hours checking, counting, reviewing, or seeking reassurance, and it's taking over your life
You avoid certain places, people, or situations because they trigger overwhelming anxiety
You've wondered whether your intrusive thoughts mean something terrible about who you are
You're exhausted from hiding how much mental energy this takes
You're not sure if what you're experiencing is OCD or anxiety, and you need clarity
Common Signs & Symptoms
Everyone has weird or uncomfortable thoughts sometimes. That's normal. The difference with OCD is what happens next: the thought gets stuck, the anxiety spikes, and you feel compelled to do something to make it go away.
Mental and Emotional Symptoms:Recurring unwanted thoughts about harm, contamination, relationships, religion, or sexuality
Intense doubt that won't resolve no matter how much you check or review
Fear that you might act on a thought you find horrifying
Mental rituals like counting, praying, or reviewing conversations in your head
Physical Symptoms:Repetitive behaviors like checking locks, appliances, or your own body
Avoiding triggers (places, people, objects, topics)
Seeking reassurance from others repeatedly
Rituals that take significant time out of your day
the scienceUnderstanding Why OCD Takes Hold
OCD develops from a combination of factors: genetics, brain chemistry, and life experiences. Research shows that people with OCD have differences in certain brain circuits, particularly those involved in threat detection and habit formation.
Here's what's important: OCD is not a reflection of your character or your deepest desires. The content of intrusive thoughts is meaningless. Your brain has targeted these particular fears precisely because they contradict your values. That's what makes them so distressing.
Without treatment, OCD tends to wax and wane but rarely resolves on its own. Stress, major life changes, and avoidance can all make OCD worse over time. The good news: effective treatment exists, and it works.
Our MethodHow We Treat OCD
We use the gold-standard treatment for OCD: Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). ERP has decades of research behind it and is the most effective intervention available.
Exposure and Response PreventionERP gradually exposes you to a feared stimulus while preventing typical responses or rituals, such as avoidance or engaging in a compulsion. Avoidance and rituals keep you from learning your true tolerance of the stimulus and prevent you from habituating or becoming desensitized to it. Through collaborating together, we slowly help build your tolerance until the obsessions lose their power. ERP is the gold-standard treatment for OCD.
the differenceWhat Makes Our Approach Different
ERP is structured and skills-focused, but that doesn't mean it's cold or mechanical. We work from a relational, attachment-informed lens. We'll build a therapeutic relationship where you feel safe enough to face difficult material, and we'll go at a pace that challenges you without overwhelming you.
We understand that OCD carries shame. Many clients have never told anyone the content of their intrusive thoughts. Part of our work is creating a space where you can say the unspeakable out loud and discover that it doesn't make you a monster. It makes you someone with OCD.
Beyond Symptom ReductionReclaiming Your Life
The goal isn't just to reduce compulsions. It's to reclaim your life. Clients who complete ERP often describe feeling free for the first time in years. They spend less time in their heads and more time engaged in what actually matters to them. They learn to tolerate uncertainty, which is a skill that benefits every area of life.
the processWhat to Expect
Getting StartedWe begin with a free 15-minute consultation call to see if we're a good fit. You'll share a bit about what you're experiencing, and I'll answer questions about how ERP works. There's no pressure to commit.
The workSessions are 50 minutes, typically weekly. Your first full session involves a thorough assessment of your OCD: what obsessions you experience, what compulsions you use, what you avoid, and how it's impacting your life. We'll identify your triggers and compulsions, then collaboratively design exposures that gradually challenge your OCD. Between sessions, you'll practice what we work on together.
TimelineMost people notice symptom improvement within 10-20 sessions, though more severe or long-standing cases may take longer. Many clients notice meaningful shifts within the first few weeks as they start resisting compulsions. We'll track progress together and adjust as needed.
FAQCommon Questions about OCD
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There's significant overlap, and many people with OCD also have generalized anxiety. The key distinction is the presence of obsessions (intrusive, unwanted thoughts) and compulsions (behaviors or mental acts done to reduce the distress). If your anxiety follows a cycle of intrusive thought → anxiety spike → ritual or avoidance → temporary relief → thought returns, that's the OCD pattern. We can sort this out together in a consultation.
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Traditional talk therapy often doesn't work for OCD because it can inadvertently become another form of reassurance-seeking. ERP is specifically designed for OCD and works differently. It targets the behavioral cycle that maintains the disorder. If you've done therapy but not ERP with a trained provider, you haven't yet tried the treatment most likely to help.
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ERP is a type of CBT, and it's the most effective form for OCD. General CBT techniques like thought challenging have limited effectiveness for OCD on their own, because the problem isn't really the content of the thoughts. It's the compulsive response to them. We use cognitive techniques as part of treatment, but ERP is the core.
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Most people see significant improvement within 10-20 sessions. It depends on the severity and complexity of your OCD, how long you've had it, and how much you're able to practice between sessions. We'll set clear goals and track progress throughout.
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You never have to share anything before you're ready. That said, I've heard the full range of OCD content, and nothing you say will shock me or change how I see you. Part of recovery is learning that these thoughts can be spoken aloud without the world ending. When you're ready, that openness becomes part of the healing.