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Child OCD Therapy: How We Use Play and Expressive Arts to Make ERP Work for Kid
What Parents Should Know Before Starting Treatment Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is the gold standard treatment for OCD in children, and child OCD therapists can make facing fears a whole lot more fun. If you’ve been up late Googling “child OCD...
How to Imagine a Life Where OCD Doesn’t Win
If you’re reading this for yourself or your child, I want you to feel held, understood, and seen. Not in the chaotic fog of OCD, but in the grounded, rooted voice of someone who knows: you are capable of living a life where OCD doesn’t steer the ship. This isn’t a New...
How to Help Your Child With OCD or Anxiety Without Feeding the Cycle
Maybe you remember the day it first hit you that what your child was struggling with might be more than a phase. Or maybe it crept up slowly, the worries stacking one on top of another until you realized your days had quietly started revolving around them. You may...
Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP Therapy) 101
What It Is, How It Works, and Why It’s the Gold Standard for OCD & Anxiety Disorders Understanding OCD and Anxiety Disorders Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is made up of two parts: obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are intrusive thoughts, urges, or...
When your child changes overnight: What parents need to know about PANS and PANDAS
When you watch your child come down with something like strep throat or the flu, you probably expect a rough few days- maybe a fever, a sore throat, or extra cuddles on the couch. But what if, after the illness clears, your child suddenly feels like a completely...
Is This OCD? Common Signs and Themes of OCD in Children and Teens
Are you wondering whether your child’s worrisome or repetitive behaviors might be more than just anxiety, habit, or personality? Maybe your once-easygoing child is suddenly afraid of germs, repeating the same questions, or...
Why Do I Keep Having These Thoughts? 11 Common Intrusive Thoughts in OCD (That You’re Not Alone In)
“Why am I thinking this?” “What does it mean that I had that thought?” “What kind of person thinks something like this?” If you’ve ever Googled a question like that in the middle of a spiral — you’re not alone. In fact, you’re exactly the person this blog was written...
5 Things You Can Start Doing Now to Help Your Child with Separation Anxiety Next School Year
If school drop-offs this year were filled with tears, tummy aches, or panic—you’re not alone. And while it might feel too early to think about next school year, now is actually the very best time to start preparing your child if separation anxiety was a struggle this...
The Link Between OCD and Trauma: Symptoms, Overlap, and Treatment
At Outsmarting Anxiety & OCD (OAO), we understand that OCD is rarely unaccompanied by other mental health struggles such as anxiety, body focused repetitive behaviors, and even trauma. Many of our clients seek therapy for OCD but also have a history of trauma....
Dear One in the Thick of It: A Letter to those with OCD
Dear One in the Thick of It, We see you. We see the exhaustion in your mind and body from battling thoughts that won’t let go. We see the frustration of feeling like you should be able to stop the compulsions, yet they pull you in anyway. We see the moments when you...
Breaking the Stigma: Sexual Intrusive Thoughts Do Not Make You a Dangerous or Untrustworthy Person, and They Do Not Get to Define Your Identity
Let’s break an unfair myth. If you are struggling with something deeply isolating, sexual intrusive thoughts, you are not alone. More importantly, you need to know that your thoughts are just thoughts and they do not define you in any way. Maybe you’ve been living...
Do You Have Social Anxiety? Here’s What Older Teens Need to Know
It’s completely normal to feel nervous before a big event, like giving a presentation in class or meeting new people at a party. But if you’re a high schooler or in your freshman year of college and find yourself avoiding social situations altogether because the...
Understanding Emetophobia: The Fear of Vomiting In Children and Adults
Imagine living in a constant and intense fear of something that, for many people, is simply seen as an inconvenience or gross. For children and adults, this fear is not just about a fear of getting sick; it is also about the anxiety and avoidance behaviors that...
The Hidden Side of OCD: Themes People Don’t Talk About
When most people think of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), stereotypes of repeated washing hands or meticulously arranging of objects may come to mind. While these are common manifestations, OCD is a complex and multifaceted condition that can involve a wide...
The Science Behind Panic Attack Sensations: What’s Really Happening?
If you've ever experienced a panic attack, you know how terrifying it can be. The sensations are intense, sudden, and overwhelming. You might feel like you're losing control, having a heart attack, or even dying. Panic attacks can occur when there are imminent,...
The Secret Sauce You Need Parenting a Child with Anxiety and OCD
Parenting a child with anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) presents unique challenges that can be daunting for any parent. These conditions can manifest in various ways, from excessive worry and fear to repetitive behaviors and intrusive thoughts....
Understanding Gold Standard Treatments for OCD: ERP vs. I-CBT
Living with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) can be incredibly challenging, so much so that OCD has been recognized by the World Health Organization as one of the top ten most debilitating health conditions. Obsessions and compulsions can consume a person's daily...