OCD therapy - going from stuck, to moving with purpose
OCD counselling offers a compassionate, structured way to understand this cycle you are stuck in and begin responding differently, at a pace that feels manageable.
Sessions are available in person in New Westminster, with online options available across Greater Vancouver.
Before focusing on strategies or change, we begin by understanding what life has been like for you. OCD can look very different from person to person, and many people carry shame about the thoughts they’re having, the fears they’re trying to manage, or the ways they’ve learned to cope.
In OCD therapy, we take a compassionate, structured approach to help you make sense of the cycle in your own life — what tends to trigger it, what keeps it going, and what support helps you feel more steady. We move at a pace that respects your nervous system and your history, and we work collaboratively so nothing feels forced or rushed.
You don’t need to have the “right words” to begin. We’ll start with what’s happening right now, and build from there—together.
OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) is often misunderstood. Many people assume it’s simply about being “overly careful” or wanting things done a certain way — but for many, OCD is an exhausting inner experience shaped by fear, uncertainty, and the need to feel safe.
OCD typically involves two parts:
Even when a fear doesn’t feel logical, OCD can still feel urgent and convincing. This is because the relief that follows a compulsion teaches the brain: “That worked — do it again next time.” Over time, the cycle becomes more automatic and more demanding.
OCD therapy helps you understand how this loop works in your own life and gently build new ways of responding to intrusive thoughts and uncertainty — without relying on rituals or reassurance as the only way to cope.
OCD counselling can be helpful if you’re navigating:
These patterns aren’t a personal failing — they’re understandable ways your system has tried to manage distress. Obsessions may attack the very things that you care about most. In therapy, we can help create space between who you are, and your anxious thoughts which helps shift these patterns.
Many people assume compulsions are only visible behaviours like washing, checking, or repeating actions. But for many, compulsions can also be internal and harder to name. You may look “fine” on the outside while feeling consumed by doubt, mental checking, or the need to make something feel certain.
Compulsions can include things you do, and also things you do in your mind often in an effort to reduce anxiety, prevent a feared outcome, or get a sense of relief.
Some examples can include:
Compulsions often bring relief in the short term. The hard part is that relief teaches the brain that the ritual worked, so the urge returns more quickly the next time. Over time, OCD can start to demand more time, more checking, and more certainty.
A central part of OCD therapy is helping you understand what your compulsions have been trying to do for you and supporting you in building new ways to respond, so you can feel more steady without having to rely on rituals to get there.
In OCD therapy, we focus on helping you understand the patterns that have been keeping you stuck—and supporting you in building new responses that feel realistic and sustainable. The work is often structured, but never rigid. We move collaboratively, at a pace that feels emotionally tolerable, and we take care to reduce shame along the way.
Many people come to counselling feeling worn down by the effort of managing intrusive thoughts—especially when they’ve been stuck on how to deal with intrusive thoughts and nothing seems to bring lasting relief. We offer therapy that supports you in relating differently to thoughts without needing to analyze, neutralize, or “solve” them.
Depending on your needs, and your readiness, your therapist may draw from approaches such as:
We’ll work with you to find an approach that fits—whether that means starting gently, moving more structured, or integrating both as you feel more comfortable.
We believe that humans are not ever just one dimensional and that therapy is a space that can hold all of you. Whatever the struggle we welcome that as a starting point and if there is an OCD aspect we will address that with you. OCD can be seen as a strategy to cope with life ‘s uncertainty as well as connected to unresolved trauma.
Some people reach out specifically looking for a therapist for OCD or an ERP therapist. If you’re not sure what approach is right for you, our therapists are trained and experienced with many of life’s struggles and we’ll work with you to clarify what’s happening, what your goals are, and what kind of support feels most aligned—so the work stays grounded, collaborative, and paced to your life.
We’ll work with you to find an approach that fits—whether that means starting gently, moving more structured, or integrating both as you feel more steady.
In-person and online
Sunday, Thursday, Friday.
Location: 552 Columbia St, New Westminster
ERP therapy (Exposure and Response Prevention therapy) is one of the most well-known approaches for OCD. It helps you gradually practice meeting intrusive thoughts, sensations, or triggers differently — while reducing the compulsions or reassurance seeking that OCD relies on for short-term relief. The goal isn’t to push you into distress. It’s to help your system build confidence that anxiety and uncertainty can be tolerated, and that you can feel steadier without needing rituals to get there.
Yes. Our therapists are trained in relationship counselling and experienced with the many forms of obsessive thinking that can occur around relationships. These obsessive thoughts and behaviour differ in intensity depending on relationship stress, past experiences, and ideas of perfection in regards to relationships. Relationship OCD typically lies at the extreme end of this continuum.
Intrusive thoughts are more common than most people realize. In OCD, the distress often comes from how much the mind tries to figure the thought out, neutralize it, or get certainty that it “doesn’t mean anything.” In therapy, we help you relate to intrusive thoughts differently, so they have less power — with less analyzing, less reassurance, and more grounded responses that reduce the cycle over time.
If you are here there is a reason. We meet you with an open mind and start with whatever you’re struggling with. You don’t need a formal diagnosis to start therapy. Our therapists have experience in many challenges that people face. If it is important to you to know whether you have OCD we would suggest getting a formal assessment from your doctor.
Most people can’t “just stop” compulsions through willpower alone — and it makes sense that you’ve used them to cope. Compulsions often show up when anxiety feels unbearable or when you’re trying to feel certain. OCD therapy uses various methods to understand what triggers the urge, and what the compulsion is trying to overcome. ERP therapy and IFS therapy are ways we work with these compulsive parts without forcing you to move faster than you’re ready for.
This is such a good question because it speaks to how complex our situation can be. There are often overlaps between OCD and trauma. Trauma leaves a person feeling unsafe and OCD can become a way to try and maintain safety. We start with what is the most important challenge first and if this uncovers trauma you can rest assured our therapists are trained to work with many forms of trauma.
No. The decision to start therapy is not dependent on whether you are on medication or not. Medication decisions are personal, and we support whatever decision feels right to you. Counselling is effective either way.
Yes, we provide counselling for postpartum OCD. Having a child can bring in a great deal of uncertainty and fear especially if it is your first child. We take a holistic approach to understand the roots of these fears.
Living with OCD can take a lot of energy especially when intrusive thoughts, compulsions, or reassurance seeking start to shape your day-to-day life. You don’t have to figure this out on your own.
If you’re interested in OCD therapy, or if you’re not sure where to begin, we’re here to support you in taking the next step. OCD counselling can be a meaningful stand-alone approach, or it can be integrated alongside other therapy supports depending on what feels right for you.
After reading our therapist’s bios, perhaps you are drawn to one or two, but you want to double-check. No problem!
You’re ready to get going and know who you want to work with.