OCD Counseling in Plantation, Florida
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, commonly known as OCD, involves unwanted, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) paired with repetitive behaviors or mental rituals (compulsions) aimed at reducing the distress those thoughts cause. It can take up hours of your day and make even simple decisions feel exhausting.
I offer individualized, mental health counseling for adults in Plantation and Broward County in person, and throughout Florida by telehealth.
Why Choose Us
How I Use OCD Counseling
I’m a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with 10 years of experience helping adults manage OCD, anxiety, chronic stress, and the effects of overthinking. My background gives me a practical, structured lens on the same challenges many adults with OCD are navigating: repetitive rechecking, obsessive thinking, high performance challenges, and more. Read more about my background and why clients choose to work with me.
My approach to OCD counseling centers on Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), often combined with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). ERP works by gradually and deliberately facing the situations or thoughts that trigger obsessions, while resisting the urge to perform the compulsion that usually follows, so the anxiety has a chance to fade on its own instead of being reinforced by the ritual.
We move at a pace that’s realistic for you. Early exposures are small and collaborative, and we build from there. Alongside ERP, CBT helps address the underlying thought patterns, like overestimating danger or needing certainty, that keep the OCD cycle running.
What OCD Counseling Can Help With
- Intrusive, unwanted thoughts that feel difficult to control
- Compulsive behaviors or mental rituals performed to reduce anxiety
- Checking, counting, or repeating behaviors that take up significant time
- Fear of contamination, harm, or losing control
- Difficulty tolerating uncertainty or an intense need for things to feel “just right”
- Avoidance of situations, people, or places connected to obsessive fears
- Anxiety or depression connected to the exhaustion of managing OCD symptoms
What OCD Counseling Looks Like in Session
Early sessions focus on understanding your specific obsessions and compulsions, how they developed, and what they currently cost you, then building an exposure hierarchy: a ranked list of situations from least to most distressing to work through gradually.
In session, we work through exposures at a pace you help set, practicing sitting with the discomfort of not performing the compulsion. Over time, this reduces both the frequency of the intrusive thoughts and the power they hold over your behavior.
Between sessions, I may ask you to practice specific exposures on your own or track when compulsions show up, so progress carries into daily life instead of staying confined to the therapy room.
Benefits of OCD Counseling
- A clearer understanding of your specific obsession and compulsion patterns
- Practical tools for tolerating uncertainty and resisting compulsions
- Reduced time spent on rituals and checking behaviors
- Less shame around the content of intrusive thoughts
- Skills that continue to be useful long after counseling ends
Common Conditions
Is OCD Counseling Right for You?
OCD counseling tends to be a good fit if intrusive thoughts or compulsive behaviors are taking up meaningful time or energy in your life, and you’re willing to gradually face the situations that trigger them as part of treatment. It’s not the only approach I use; depending on your goals and history, ERP is often combined with CBT and person-centered support.
A free consultation is the best place to start if you’re not sure whether what you’re experiencing is OCD or general anxiety.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you diagnose OCD?
I can help you understand whether your symptoms fit an OCD pattern based on our work together, but a formal diagnosis typically comes through a clinical evaluation. Counseling can still help even without a formal diagnosis.
Is ERP uncomfortable?
Exposures are designed to create some discomfort, since that’s part of how the brain unlearns the anxiety response, but we build the process gradually and collaboratively so it stays manageable.
How long does OCD counseling take to work?
This varies by person and by the severity and type of symptoms. Many clients notice meaningful change within a few months of consistent exposure work, though the exact timeline depends on your goals and how consistently exposures are practiced between sessions.
Is OCD counseling available by telehealth?
Yes. Telehealth counseling is available throughout Florida, in addition to in-person sessions in Plantation and Broward County.
Book a Free Consultation
I provide in-person counseling in Plantation, Florida, and serve adults throughout Broward County, including Fort Lauderdale, Davie, Sunrise, Coral Springs, Tamarac, and nearby South Florida communities. Telehealth counseling is available throughout Florida.