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I work with many clients who are diagnosed with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). According to the DSM-5, OCD is characterized by obsessions, compulsions, or both. These symptoms are often time-consuming and cause significant distress or impairment. Obsessions are recurrent, intrusive thoughts, urges, or images that feel unwanted and distressing. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts performed in response to obsessions, often to reduce anxiety or prevent a fe

Clients often ask me, “How do I know if this is a problem?” And more often than not, my response—much like many of my graduate school professors used to say—is, “It depends.” But what usually follows is a conversation in which I ask the client to reflect on whether their thoughts, feelings, or behaviors are interfering with their functioning or causing significant distress. These two factors—distress and impairment in functioning—are fundamental for clinical psychologists whe

Psychologists are not infallible. We are human beings with our own challenges. Like anyone else, we struggle with relationships, anxiety, depression, panic, and the stressors that come with life. Through years of training, we learn theory and clinical methods for helping others manage these issues. But while we may learn to help others quickly, it often takes longer to apply that same knowledge to ourselves. Some of the most talented psychologists I know face deeply person