OCD Therapy in London & Online (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder)

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a common difficulty among the UK population. If you are struggling with OCD, chances are your life is being disrupted by difficult thoughts and rituals (compulsions) taking away precious time for your everyday activities. Counselling, Therapy and CBT can be the answer to your issues. OCD therapy can provide you with the tools to take back control and live the life that you want. Read on to find out more about Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and get in touch with one our our expert OCD Therapists to get professional OCD therapy in London & Online today.

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Ocd Therapy in London

Discover OCD Therapy

What is OCD?

OCD is an anxiety-based issue characterised by distressing thoughts or obsessions, which lead a person to feel compelled to act to dispel the distressing thoughts and associated anxiety. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder can range from mild to severe in terms of the distress it causes and the impact it has on an individual’s life. Being absorbed by obsessional thoughts and engaging in lengthy compulsive behaviours can take up a lot of time and energy, which interferes and takes time away from engaging in other, more valuable activities.

This can lead to OCD having a detrimental impact upon various aspects of a person’s life, including school, work, hobbies and relationships. Many people who experience OCD also suffer from depression, making it an even more challenging problem to overcome. Our OCD therapists are highly knowledgeable and experienced. They can work with you to develop a tailored OCD therapy plan. We can help you tackle your OCD, reduce the distress it causes and the impact it has upon your life, so it no longer has a hold over you.

OCD consists of, as the term implies, obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are unwanted and persistent thoughts and images that enter your mind that cause you to feel uneasy, anxious and/or disgusted.

Examples of common obsessions are:

  •   Fear of contamination/germs
  •   Fear that something awful might happen (e.g. house will burn down, someone will break in) if you don’t take sufficient precaution
  •   Thoughts or images that you will cause harm or have caused harm (such as physical or sexual harm) to others
  •   Thoughts or images of your loved ones dead or coming to harm
  •   Things in your life not being correct or symmetrical or in the right order
  •   Blasphemous thoughts

A compulsion is a repetitive behaviour (either an action that you/others can see or an action you may do in your mind) that you feel compelled to do to relieve the unpleasantness brought on by the obsession. You may feel you need to carry out the compulsion to prevent a bad thing from happening.

Examples of common compulsions are:

  •   Checking doors and windows are locked
  •   Checking plug sockets and appliances are switched off
  •   Tapping things
  •   Having a particular routine that, if not done in what you deem to be the correct way, you feel you have to repeat from the beginning
  •   Doing things a certain number of times or until it feels right
  •   Washing and cleaning excessively
  •   Thinking something to yourself to put right frightening thoughts
  •   Avoiding situations where you feel you could cause harm to others, e.g. avoid being around knives

What Causes OCD?

Despite a wealth of research into OCD, there continues to be some uncertainty around the cause. No one definitive cause has been found that fully explains OCD for everyone that experiences it. Your OCD therapist will be able to look specifically at what might have fostered the development of OCD for you, including your personal and family history. At a general level, research and clinical experience suggest that various factors can make it more likely that someone will develop OCD. These include:

  •   Genetic Factors: Research shows that having a family member with OCD can increase the chances of you developing OCD. However, some sufferers of OCD do not have any family members who suffer from it, and to date, no gene candidate has been identified in causing OCD   
  •   Environment: Experiencing high levels of stress and having a parent or parents who are highly anxious can increase the risk of developing OCD
  •   Personality: Certain traits may play a role in the developing of OCD, such as being meticulous, having high standards, striving for control and certainty

When Should I Get Help with OCD?

It is essential to seek help from an OCD therapist if your issues are causing a high degree of distress and having a detrimental impact on your life. Some people experience OCD where it is not severe, and it doesn’t have a significant impact on their lives – such people may not seriously consider seeking psychological help and therapy for OCD. However, it is often the case that when individuals with OCD experience heightened stress levels, this can lead to an increase in the severity of OCD. It is important to seek help in its early stages to give yourself the best chance of tackling OCD. Signs that you should seek help from an OCD therapist are:

  • Experiencing distressing thoughts or images multiple times in a day
  • Finding it difficult to leave home for work, school or social events due to having to carry our compulsions
  • Feeling often anxious or worries about potential terrible events happening to you or your loved ones
  • You have stopped going to work, school or social events
  • You spend a substantial amount of time with rituals before leaving home or going to sleep.

The above are only some of the signs of OCD, but they are enough to say that your obsessions-compulsions might be getting the better of you and your life. If you recognise yourself in them, ask for help and get OCD therapy in London today.

What are the Best Therapy Approaches for OCD?

Psychotherapy and counselling do work for OCD. Systematic reviews [1] provided a large amount of evidence that CBT Therapy is the therapy of choice for OCD. CBT is effective for many people suffering from OCD. In CBT for OCD, the first step is to make sense of your OCD and what is maintaining it. This involves exploring the links between your obsessions, feelings and compulsions.

For example:

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder OCD therapy, CBT example

The key is how we interpret our thoughts (often intrusive thoughts)

Research shows that most people experience somewhat odd and often intrusive thoughts. However, they do not all go on to develop OCD. The difference is that those who develop OCD give meaning and significance to the odd thoughts. This gives more power to the odd thoughts, leading to anxiety and the urge to relieve this anxiety by carrying out a compulsion.

Not only that, seeing the initial odd thought(s) as threatening leads to more of these thoughts in the future. Whereas those who do not develop OCD see the odd thought for what it is, just a thought. It is not interpreted as threatening; therefore, it passes more quickly and will pop up less frequently (if at all!) in a person’s mind. In CBT for OCD, you will learn to challenge obsessional thoughts and see them for what they are, just thoughts that do not need to be acted upon.

Compulsions keep the OCD going

Carrying out a compulsion relieves anxiety in the short term; however, it keeps it going in the long term. This is because it is not learnt that the fears would not have come true by not carrying out the compulsion. In CBT for OCD, you will begin to address this by gradually reducing your compulsions. This will likely be scary, however in CBT for OCD, you can learn various tools to help you manage the discomfort this brings.

In therapy, it may also help address underlying factors that are feeding into your OCD, such as low self-esteem, perfectionism, and striving for control and certainty.

How Long Does OCD Therapy Last?

This can depend upon the severity of OCD. It is recommended that a minimum of ten sessions are required to see good improvements for people with mild OCD. For those with moderate to severe OCD, around twelve to twenty-four sessions are usually a sufficient number of sessions required to see significant improvement. When meeting with your OCD therapist, following a thorough psychological assessment, you will be able to get a clearer idea of how many sessions will be needed for treatment.

What are the Benefits of OCD Therapy?

Our OCD therapists can help you to tackle your OCD to enable you to see the following improvements:

-Better understanding of OCD

-Reduction in obsessional thoughts

-Less distress caused by obsessional thoughts

-Better quality of life

-Reduction in compulsive behaviours

-Reduction in associated emotional difficulties, e.g. depression

What are the Benefits of OCD Online Therapy?

Online OCD therapy is a light in a tunnel for those struggling with OCD. It follows the same principles as in-person therapy, allowing you to reduce anxiety by learning to manage intrusive thoughts and performing fewer compulsions. Apart from general benefits such as improved quality of life, online therapy is also more accessible and convenient than other forms of treatment. All you have to do is find the right therapist and make sure you have everything you need for your sessions: good Internet connection, uninterrupted time and reliable camera and microphone.

Read more about how does Online OCD Therapy work

Our therapists specialised in OCD

All of our therapists are qualified psychologists, psychotherapists or counsellors registered with several professional bodies. These include the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), the British Psychological Society (BPS), as well as, BACP, UKCP and BABCP.

Our therapists use CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), psychodynamic, humanistic and integrative approaches tailored around your needs to help you deal with your unique challenges and reach your goals.

Dr. Raffaello Antonino

Clinical Director, Counselling Psychologist

Dr. Sheetal Dandgey

Clinical Director, Counselling Psychologist

Dr. Amy Smith

Clinical Director, Counselling Psychologist

Dr. Anna Hovris

Counselling Psychologist

Dr. Samantha Harris

Clinical Psychologist

Dr. Alana Whitlock

Clinical Psychologist

Dr. Yasmeen Jaina

Counselling Psychologist

Dr Gail Freedman

Counselling Psychologist

Ben Dustin

Psychotherapist

Dr Sidra Chaudhry

Counselling Psychologist

Maryam Keshavarz

Psychotherapist

Stacie Hill

CBT Psychotherapist

Dr Joanne Warren

Clinical Psychologist

Dr Nicholas Sarantakis

Counselling Psychologist

Anita Sommers

Psychotherapist

Dr Didem Altay

Counselling Psychologist

Imogen Hg-Johnson

Psychotherapist

Anna Orlowska

Counselling Psychologist

Joanne Videtzky

Clinical Psychologist

The british psychological society
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Testimonials

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The Therapist l had was absolutely brilliant with me. He had patience with me and bit by bit l gained a little of confidence to try and get out and go on the buses.

He deserves an award and if l could l would in the beginning l thought how is this person going to get me back on public transport but he did he gave me the confidence l lost and now have back.

I will never forget him and what he has done for me. I wish him nothing but the best in his life.

(Patricia)

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My therapist was excellent. I highly recommend her and I am truly thankful for my sessions, I left feeling confident and positive.

The mental tools, systems and approaches I have been able to develop with her and use in my life have been hugely beneficial.

Thank you to all at Therapy Central.

(John)

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The Therapist really gave me the space to talk and express my feelings and fears in a very comforting environment.

She was there not only to listen, but challenge my thinking, guide me during the uncertainty I was experiencing and give me useful and practical tips to improve my mental health and wellbeing. Highly recommended!

(George)

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Working with the therapist has been a life-changing experience. Each session has been invaluable, helping me gain a good understanding of CBT methodology enabling me to incorporate ways to combat stress and anxiety in my daily life.

The Therapist shows that she really cares and has the ability to make you feel calm whilst discussing any personal issue. 

(Richard)

Fees & Insurances

Therapy, Counselling and CBT sessions are 50 minutes long and are usually held at regular weekly time slots.

Free
15 Minute Initial
Phone Consultation

£80 - £125
Psychological Therapy/
Counselling (Self-funded)

£115 - £150
Couples Therapy/
Family Therapy

Covered by
Your Private Healthcare Insurance Provider

Our therapists are registered with several insurance providers, such as AXAPPP, Simplyhealth, Bupa, Aviva, Cigna (UK/US), and WPA. If you wish to use your personal or employee private healthcare insurance to cover your sessions, please highlight this in your contact form below.

OCD Therapy in London & Online

If you are looking for OCD therapy in Central London, at Therapy Central, we can help you learn the strategies you need to start dealing with your obsessions and compulsions while understanding the causes of your OCD. As a result, you’ll be able to make the crucial changes to bring balance and fulfilment back into your life.

It’s not easy to recognise that you might have an OCD issue. Some of us feel afraid or embarrassed by the thoughts our minds produce, but remember that you are not choosing to experience this. If you’re experiencing OCD, it is not your fault, and you should not deal with it alone.

Get professional help and OCD Therapy in London & Online today. Contact us for a free 15 min consultation with an OCD Therapist to see if our help would fit your needs. You can also get in touch via email at info@therapy-central.com or call us at (+44) 020 348 82797.

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    FAQ

    What happens after I make an enquiry?

    After receiving your enquiry we’ll contact you to organise a FREE phone consultation. You will be able to tell us more about your specific circumstances and needs and ask any questions you have. Then, if you want to proceed with therapy or counselling, we’ll match you with the therapist(s) with the best expertise to help you with your challenges and send you a list of their available appointment slots. If you’re satisfied with one of these, we can then go ahead and book your first appointment. You can also request to work with a specific practitioner and, depending on availability we’ll try accomodate this.

    What happens at my first appointment with the therapist?

    Your first session will likely be different than future appointments. You and your therapist will get to know each other and will begin to build a working alliance. It will be a chance to have the confidential space to express your circumstances, feelings and thoughts and being listened to with depth, attention, empathy and without judgement . Your therapist will likely ask you more about your reasons for seeking therapy, and any symptoms you’re experiencing. You may also be asked questions about your past and the history of your issues, as well as how they currently impact your life in the present. Finally, your first session may be a powerful place to discuss what you would like to achieve with therapy and agree on the length, methods and approaches of treatment.

    Is online therapy effective?

    If you choose online over in-person therapy rest assured that this has been proven to be just as effective as regular face to face therapy, and in some cases even more effective. In addition, choosing online therapy brings additional benefits, for example avoiding longer waiting times, greater flexibility with appointments and you won’t need to travel to our practice. You can enjoy online therapy from the comfort of your home.

    How long the Therapy/counselling sessions last?

    Therapy/counselling sessions last 50 minutes and are held at regular weekly time slots. On occasions we are able to allow some flexibility. This can be discussed with your therapist.

    Do you offer reduced rates/concessions?

    We offer low-cost rates to people with a low income, unemployed or students. Please let us know in your enquiry if you would like a concession rate and how you qualify for this. Depending on the availability of our therapists, we’ll do our best to accommodate your request.

    Do you have a cancellation policy?

    We have a 48 hours no-fee cancellation policy. However you will be charged for sessions missed without giving the full notice.

    Our Practice in Central London

    Our comfortable and confidential therapy rooms are conveniently located 3 min walk from Oxford Circus station, in Central London (see map below). Change starts with Talking!

    Learn more :

    Dealing with OCD during COVID-19

     

    Further Helpful Resources For Managing Anger:

    NHS OCD Treatment page

    OCD Self-Help

     

    References:

    [1]Ponniah, K., Magiati, I., & Hollon, S. D. (2013). An update on the efficacy of psychological therapies in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder in adults. Journal of obsessive-compulsive and related disorders2(2), 207–218. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocrd.2013.02.005

     

    Authors:

    Dr Raffaello Antonino, Counselling Psychologist

    Dr Amy Smith, Counselling Psychologist

     

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