oBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER

Understanding What’s Happening

OCD often begins when the brain misinterprets ordinary intrusive thoughts – something everyone experiences – as dangerous or significant. In response, anxiety rises, and compulsions develop as an attempt to neutralise that fear. Over time, this cycle strengthens, leaving you caught between distressing thoughts and the urge to make them go away.

You may notice:

• Repetitive checking, counting, or cleaning behaviours
• Intrusive thoughts that feel disturbing or shameful
• Mental rituals such as repeating phrases or seeking reassurance
• Intense fear of harm, contamination, or “getting it wrong”
• Feelings of guilt, anxiety, or frustration about not being able to stop

It’s important to remember that these thoughts are symptoms – not reflections of who you are. Your mind is trying to protect you, even though it’s doing so in a way that causes distress.

Working Together to Heal

Therapy can help you understand and gently loosen the grip of OCD. Together, we’ll explore how anxiety drives the obsessive-compulsive cycle and begin to build tools that help you tolerate uncertainty and reduce the need for rituals.

Our work will focus on creating a sense of safety and calm – helping you observe your thoughts without judgement and respond differently to them. Over time, you can learn to trust yourself again, reconnect with daily life, and regain a sense of freedom that OCD may have taken from you.

Healing doesn’t mean never having anxious thoughts again; it means learning that you don’t have to obey them.

There is Hope

OCD can feel overwhelming, but it’s treatable. With the right support, understanding, and therapeutic guidance, many people find their symptoms lessen and their confidence returns. The thoughts lose their power, the anxiety bgins to quieten, and space opens up for life beyond fear.

You do not have to face OCD alone. Together, we can work towards calm, balance, and a sense of control that comes from ritual, but from trust in yourself. One step, one reath, one moment at a time.

Related disorders

• Body Dysmorphia Disorder (BDD)
• Compulsive Skin Picking
• Trichotillomania (Hair pulling)
• Hoarding

Some symptoms may include

• Checking doors and windows are locked or closed over and over again
• Being obsessive about cleaning or germs
• Worrying about hurting others or self
• Tapping surface or going through doorways a set amount of times
• Aggressive/religious or sexual thoughts

How we can help
Our team of therapists will help you overcome your problems. We will tailor the treatment to your individual needs which may include understanding the root causes of your problems and what is keeping them going. We will help you with any other areas of your life that are affected by your issues and we will teach you tools and resources for the future so you can enjoy a full and lasting recovery and lead your life the way you want to.

OCD can indicate trauma in a person’s history which indicates deeper work is needed to address the underlying causes. Being trauma informed means that if this is the case we can get down to the root cause so that you can heal and finally move forward.