Colorful alphabet letters scattered on a white surface with the letters OCD in the center.

OCD Therapy

If your mind feels like it never stops, if thoughts loop endlessly, and mental rituals—like repeating phrases in your head, counting, or mentally reviewing every decision—control your life, you’re not weak, and you’re not alone.

OCD isn’t about being “too careful” or “too organized.” It’s a way your brain tries to protect you from uncertainty, fear, or uncomfortable emotions. But when intrusive thoughts and mental compulsions start taking over your life, it can feel exhausting, isolating, and even shameful.

OCD therapy is a place where you can step off that endless loop. Here, there’s no judgment for your thoughts—visible or invisible—only understanding and tools to help you reclaim your mind and your life.

Together, we work to:

  • Reduce the power of intrusive thoughts and mental compulsions

  • Break free from mental rituals that drain your energy and focus

  • Build tolerance for uncertainty, doubt, and discomfort

  • Address the anxiety, guilt, or shame that fuels OCD

  • Help you live a life guided by your values, not your fears

OCD doesn’t define you—your courage, curiosity, and persistence do. Relief is possible, and a life beyond the loops in your mind is waiting.

Get relief from intrusive thoughts.

OCD Therapy includes…

Our approach is compassionate, structured, and collaborative—helping you regain a sense of freedom, confidence, and control over your life.

  • Comprehensive Evaluation
    We begin with a thorough evaluation to understand your specific OCD themes, symptom patterns, triggers, and how OCD is impacting your daily life and relationships. This assessment helps differentiate OCD from anxiety, perfectionism, or other concerns and ensures treatment is tailored to your needs.

  • Personalized Treatment Plan
    Your therapist will develop a customized treatment plan based on your evaluation, goals, and readiness for change. Treatment often incorporates Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), along with cognitive and acceptance-based strategies, delivered in a supportive and flexible way that respects your pace.

  • Individual Therapy Sessions
    In one-on-one sessions, you’ll work closely with your therapist to understand how OCD operates and learn how to respond differently to intrusive thoughts and urges. Sessions focus on building skills, practicing exposures, and reducing reliance on compulsions—both physical and mental.

  • Coping Skills & Practical Tools
    You’ll learn concrete coping skills to manage anxiety, uncertainty, and distress without engaging in compulsions. These tools help you build tolerance for discomfort, reduce reassurance-seeking, and strengthen your ability to live in alignment with your values rather than OCD’s demands.

  • Between-Session Homework
    Between sessions, you may be given structured homework such as exposure exercises, response prevention practice, or thought-related exercises. These assignments are a vital part of treatment and are designed to help you make meaningful progress in everyday life.

  • Collaborative Care
    When appropriate, we collaborate with psychiatrists, primary care providers, and other professionals to support medication management and ensure comprehensive, coordinated care.

OCD can be exhausting and isolating—but effective treatment is available. With the right support, it’s possible to reduce OCD’s grip and build a life guided by choice, not fear.

Our Team

Close-up black-and-white portrait of a man with short, combed-back hair, smiling, wearing a patterned dress shirt and tie, with a blurred modern indoor background.
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Jeffery Castro, CSW

Samantha Carter, LCSW

Therapist

Not currently accepting new clients

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Mindy Morgan, MSWi

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is a mental health condition where people experience repeated intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and feel driven to perform certain behaviors or mental rituals (compulsions) to reduce anxiety. These cycles can become time-consuming and distressing, interfering with daily life.

  • OCD therapy at Carter Counseling and Consulting includes a comprehensive evaluation, a personalized treatment plan, and structured therapy sessions that use evidence-based approaches such as cognitive strategies and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). Therapy also includes coping skills and between-session practice to help you manage symptoms in real life.

  • The gold-standard treatment for OCD is Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) — a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). ERP involves gradually facing feared thoughts or situations while learning not to engage in compulsive behaviors. Other supportive techniques like acceptance strategies and cognitive reframing may also be integrated.

  • Medication isn’t always required, but some people with moderate to severe OCD find medication combined with therapy more effective. This is usually determined on a case-by-case basis through collaboration with your therapist and, if needed, a psychiatrist.

  • The length of treatment varies depending on symptom severity, individual goals, and how often sessions occur. Many people begin to see meaningful improvements after several weeks or months, and booster sessions may be recommended for ongoing support.

  • In therapy, you’ll work one-on-one with your clinician to:

    • Understand how OCD operates in your life

    • Learn how to respond differently to intrusive thoughts

    • Practice exposures and response prevention

    Build coping strategies for daily challenges
    Therapy is collaborative and tailored to your pace and goals.

  • Yes, all sessions are confidential. If you’re a minor, your therapist will explain how confidentiality works with parents or guardians before beginning treatment.

  • If symptoms significantly impair daily functioning, your therapist may recommend additional support options such as intensive outpatient programs, residential treatment, or coordination with specialized OCD care services.

  • Family involvement can be very helpful. Therapists often provide education and strategies so loved ones can support progress at home without unintentionally reinforcing compulsive behavior.

  • Relapse or increased symptoms can happen, but early contact with your therapist helps address changes quickly. Some clients return for periodic booster sessions to reinforce skills and maintain gains.

  • If intrusive thoughts or compulsions are interfering with your quality of life, therapy can help. A thorough assessment during your first sessions will clarify whether OCD therapy is appropriate and what goals you’ll work toward together.

  • Before your first session, think about your symptoms — their frequency, triggers, and how they affect daily life. Writing down examples and questions can help you get the most from your evaluation.