Decades of research show that Exposure and Response Prevention, or ERP, produces large and lasting improvements for people with OCD. Clinical trials consistently find that most clients who complete ERP experience meaningful symptom reduction, often in the range of 40 to 60 percent. Brain imaging studies reveal why. After ERP, the fear and habit circuits involved in OCD show measurable changes, including reductions in hyperactivity in the orbitofrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and caudate nucleus. ERP does more than teach coping skills. It helps the brain relearn safety, weaken compulsions, and build resilience to intrusive thoughts. As an ERP trained therapist in Worthington and throughout Ohio, I help clients apply this evidence based method to create real, lasting change.

Many people with OCD seek therapy hoping for relief, only to find their symptoms intensify. This is not because they did anything wrong or because therapy cannot help. The problem is that traditional talk therapy often fuels the obsessive compulsive cycle by reassuring, analyzing, and debating intrusive thoughts. OCD does not improve through insight. It improves through retraining the brain. Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is the gold standard treatment that teaches the brain to tolerate uncertainty, reduce fear responses, and break compulsive loops for lasting change. As a therapist providing ERP in Worthington and across Ohio, I help clients move from fear management to real freedom.

Do you ever panic that something you ate might be poisoned—or find yourself double-checking food, drinks, or packaging “just in case”? These thoughts can feel intense and alarming, but you’re not alone. Contamination OCD often fixates on fears about danger, illness, and safety. In this article, we’ll explore why your brain jumps to worst-case scenarios, how intrusive poisoning fears develop, and what helps you break free from the anxiety loop.

Emetophobia can quietly shape your life, from what you eat to where you go. Learn what causes this fear and how therapy can help you reclaim peace and confidence.

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is more than just being self-conscious about appearance. Learn how CBT-BDD helps you break free from obsessive thoughts and behaviors, understand the connection between BDD and OCD, and find the right therapist in Columbus, Ohio.

If you struggle with hair pulling, skin picking, or other BFRBs, you’re not alone. These behaviors are not about willpower — they’re complex, often linked to anxiety, and require specialized treatment. As a therapist who helps clients across Ohio heal from BFRBs using evidence-based care, I’ll share how to find the right kind of support.

Do you ever feel trapped in your own thoughts, replaying the same worries and searching for certainty that never comes? Many people wonder if what they’re experiencing is anxiety or something deeper like OCD. While both can create intense fear and overthinking, OCD works differently in the brain. This article breaks down the key differences, how to spot the signs, and when to seek help from an OCD therapist in Ohio who specializes in exposure and response prevention (ERP).

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is so much more than handwashing or needing things “just right.” It affects millions of people, often in deeply personal and invisible ways. This post explores the hidden signs of OCD, its lesser-known subtypes like ROCD, HOCD, and Pure O, and related conditions such as BDD and trichotillomania. With the right specialist treatment, freedom from the cycle of obsessions and compulsions is possible.

Living with Just Right OCD often feels like an endless cycle of fixing, repeating, or adjusting until things finally “feel right.” But the relief is short-lived, and the discomfort soon returns. Unlike perfectionism, this isn’t about wanting things neat or flawless it’s about battling an overwhelming sense of incompleteness that can make daily life exhausting. The good news? With the right treatment, you can break free from the cycle and find peace.

“Do I really have OCD, or is this just anxiety?” If you’ve asked yourself this question, you’re not alone. While OCD and anxiety share similarities racing thoughts, worry, and a restless body they show up differently in the brain. OCD creates intrusive, sticky doubts that trigger compulsions, while anxiety tends to focus on real-life stressors and physical symptoms. In this post, we’ll break down the neuroscience, the signs of each, and how therapy can help you find clarity and relief.

Intrusive thoughts are not a reflection of who you are. Brain scans in OCD show that overactive fear and error-detection circuits make these thoughts feel “sticky” and hard to dismiss. With evidence-based treatment like Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), the brain can relearn how to handle uncertainty and quiet the alarm system. At Ember & Oak Counseling in Columbus, Ohio, I help women break free from intrusive thoughts and find peace.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder doesn’t always look like handwashing or checking locks—sometimes it shows up as painful doubts about your identity or relationships. HOCD (Sexual Orientation OCD) and ROCD (Relationship OCD) cause intrusive, unwanted thoughts that leave people questioning who they are and whether they’re with the “right” partner. These fears aren’t signs of truth—they’re symptoms of OCD. In this post, we’ll explore what HOCD and ROCD are, how they overlap, and why evidence-based treatment like Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) can help you find relief.

Relationship OCD (ROCD) can make you feel stuck in endless doubt about your partner or your choices. Exposure and response prevention (ERP) helps you list your fears, identify compulsions, build a fear hierarchy, and practice stepping closer to uncertainty without reassurance. At Ember & Oak Counseling in Columbus, Ohio, I guide women through this process so they can break free from ROCD and live with more peace and confidence.

Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs) like trichotillomania (hair pulling) and skin picking often feel impossible to stop and can overlap with OCD. The cycle of urges, relief, and shame is overwhelming, but there are evidence-based treatments that work. At Ember & Oak Counseling in Columbus, Ohio, I help women break free from BFRBs with compassion and proven strategies so they can feel confident and in control again.

Are you terrified of throwing up or seeing others get sick? You may be experiencing emetophobia, the intense fear of vomiting. This phobia can cause anxiety, food avoidance, and even panic in social situations. Learn what emetophobia is, why it happens, and how therapy can help you manage the fear of vomiting and reclaim your life -written by a Columbus Ohio OCD and anxiety therapist.

When you live with OCD, it’s easy to get stuck believing the worst-case scenario thoughts your brain throws at you. But here’s the truth: not every thought is real. The amygdala—sometimes called the “dumb vagus”—is wired for fear and protection, not truth or nuance. That’s why intrusive thoughts feel so alarming. In this post, you’ll learn why you don’t need to argue with your amygdala, and how simple tools like breathing and mindful awareness can help you calm intrusive thoughts and move forward with less fear.

Looking for an OCD specialist in Columbus, Ohio? At Ember & Oak Counseling, I provide in-person ERP therapy—the gold-standard treatment for OCD—helping you break free from intrusive thoughts and compulsions with compassionate, evidence-based care.

Struggling with intrusive thoughts or compulsive behaviors? At Ember & Oak Counseling in Columbus, Ohio, I specialize in OCD treatment using Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), the gold-standard therapy for lasting relief. Offering in-person sessions in Worthington and virtual therapy across Ohio, I help women break free from the cycle of OCD and reclaim peace of mind.

Everyone has random, odd thoughts now and then — but for people with OCD, intrusive thoughts feel terrifying, sticky, and impossible to dismiss. Unlike normal anxiety, OCD intrusive thoughts are often taboo, against your values, and fueled by brain differences that over-detect danger and demand certainty. In this post, we’ll explore what intrusive thoughts really are, how OCD brains process them differently, and how to tell the difference between OCD and everyday anxiety.

Looking for an OCD therapist in Columbus, Ohio? At Ember & Oak Counseling, I specialize in evidence-based treatment for OCD and anxiety using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). Whether you’re seeking in-person sessions in Worthington or virtual therapy anywhere in Ohio, I provide compassionate, judgment-free support to help you break free from intrusive thoughts and find peace.