- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Doesnt judge ! Finally feel comfortable!
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Yay!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Ridiculous sense of humor that helps OCD themes not feel so heavy.
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
A sense of humor when treating OCD is awesome!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
She’s always willing to adapt our meeting to what I need most in the moment, whether it’s exposure therapy, or just to talk with someone. :)
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Love it.
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Her kindness 🤍
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Thanks for sharing!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Very honest.
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Honestly is important!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Her ability to make me feel like I can get through tough challenges 🤍
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
YES!
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Rosa is a fantastic counselor - one of the best I’ve ever had. Every time I work with her I feel heard and helped. She meets me where I am at and validates how I’m feeling, giving me tools to move forward.
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Thank you for sharing these kind words!
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Determined!
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Love it!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
I feel really heard and understood. I don’t feel judged at all!
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Amazing to hear!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Tara is just amazing! She has a way of making me feel more human and have self-compassion.
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Love it! Self-compassion is extremely important!!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
I love Tammy Fagan’s sense of humor. Exposures can be stressful, but she manages to keep it light and even makes me laugh. I’m very thankful for her!
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Thank you for sharing!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Her ability to synthesize my over analytical verbosity into a condensed, streamlined summary of what is really happening at the core of my thoughts. Also her technique of having me “sit with a thought” for as long as it takes to go from an anxiety level of 10 down to 1
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
What is the technique used. If I may ask.
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
"Sitting with the thought" is a huge part of ERP therapy! This is awesome!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Doesn’t judge and keeps me motivated 🙂
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Incredible!
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Very patient and reels me back in calmly
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Patience is important!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Where do I begin??? Gary Vandalfsen has been the most incredible guide, cheerleader, accountability-holder, encourager, helper, supporter, listener, and I’ve probably forgotten a few!! I fully believe that the Lord hand-picked him to be my guide through this process that’s been easily the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I truly owe my life, regained sense of self, ability to not only function and survive but start to thrive again, be present in conversations and relationships again, and focus on what I’m passionate about again all thanks to him. Can’t express my thanks for him enough!!! 🥹🥹
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
What kind words!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Chris is great! We can joke around and also have very serious discussions. I think finding some humor in the things I struggle with the most can be helpful. I feel like he really cares about my progress and is very understanding!
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Awesome!!
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Her constant support and belief in me.
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Love this!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
She’s very wise and always prepared for any circumstance.
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Amazing.
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Kind, intelligent, warm, determined, so funny! realistic, and very very encouraging
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
"Warm" is a lovely word - thanks for sharing!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
My favorite thing is my therapist listens to me and provides me the courage I need
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Terrific!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
She’s kind, always listens, and I never feel judged. She also pushes me to do the hard things!
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
"pushes me to do the hard things" - thanks for sharing this piece of encouragement!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
How she holds me accountable. Always keeps it real!!
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Yes!!!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
She motivates you to keep on going.
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Love it!
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Her sense of humor!
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Sense of humor + ERP therapy is awesome!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Lauren Lake is a miracle worker! She has helped fix my brain. She is honest, direct, warm, kind, and has a genuine desire to see you improve. I’m grateful every day to her!
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Thanks for sharing these kind words!!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Amara is patient but pushes me. We spent a lot of sessions focusing on how to empower me as a young woman who felt disempowered by her struggles with mental illness.
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Feeling empowered is HUGE! Love this.
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Tal is great to work with! He is kind, determined, non-judgmental and is very helpful.
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Yay!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
I could tell him anything and his attitude was always oh that’s not weird. His sick ability to find more distressing erp exercises. Because of his help I am in remission.
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
YES!
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Thelma is my favorite cheerleader. She reminds me of what I have accomplished when I do an exposure or get through something hard. She has a great sense of humor, and we laugh and joke all the time, which makes sessions fun. I’ve laughed and cried and been mad and been happy in sessions with her, and every time it’s helpful. Even saying all of this, she would probably tell me that I am doing it all myself and she’s guiding me. Love her so much ❤️
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
All the emotions! :) thanks for sharing these kind words!
- Date posted
- 39w ago
I don’t feel judged and I feel able to open up more, which scares me because I’m not really used to that, but she provides a safe space for me to feel like I can talk about things I haven’t been able to before. I feel more seen and heard since being at NOCD than I have ever been before, and I feel like I’m actually developing self trust. It’s nice to have a therapist that trusts me with my emotions too, it makes the emotions feel more safe to experience.
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Absolutely love this!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
MS Tamara is wonderful, finally feel like I was being heard not just listened to and opened my eyes and mind to realization that there is hope on the other side of all the work we're putting in.
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
HOPE is vital - thanks for this encouragement!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Great Listener
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Love this!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
I full believe Jesus himself handpicked my therapist for me. She has changed my life. I’m forever grateful.
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Does not judge me at my worst and lovingly guides me through hard times while celebrating me at my best!!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
she messages me back so quickly!
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Great to hear!!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
He has a gentle spirit about him. He just put me at ease from the first session. He believed in my ability to get better when I didn't think I could.
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Love it!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Her sense of humor 😅 and her relatability.
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
A good sense of humor can be key!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Talking about Mason Allread btw
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
They always believed in me and nonjudgmental
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Incredible to hear.
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
She’s kind and funny!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
My nocd therapist was such a positive force and influence in my life that I went to school to become a therapist.
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Her vision-she knew I could conquer my OCD from day 1, and she motivated me until I believed in the work myself. I can’t imagine a better therapist.
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
I was never given reassurance…. I was taught to be fearless.
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
she’s a good listener!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Their patients
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Mind/Brain… the ability to use different schools of thought, beliefs, values, methods and make it relevant to my experiences and therapeutic process
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
He meets me where I am at for treatment and let's me be myself during sessions!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
She is direct!
- Date posted
- 39w ago
She is very knowledgeable and understanding. It is very easy to tell that she loves what she does. She is able to figure out the best way to explain the things that I need to know so I can understand them. Her approach is very relatable. She understands what I am trying to tell her, not everyone does
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
She is so sweet and understanding and genuine. A truly good person!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Paria is amazing! She challenges me and makes me feel comfortable. I don’t feel like she is judging my crazy intrusive thoughts. Love meeting with her every week 😊
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Her vast knowledge, continuous support, and words of encouragement ♥️
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Understanding and calm
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Angela Dickerson is so patient with me!
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Takes my concerns seriously.
- Date posted
- 39w ago
She stops me from over explaining my obsessions. It irritated tf out of me at first, but then I slowly realized she does this to keep me from ruminating which makes OCD worse. I had been doing this for years without realizing it and it took those subtle moments of her basically telling me to “stfu” to not figure out the obsession but allowing it to just sit there (my therapist has never told me to stfu btw lol) that’s just how I perceive it, and it’s helping
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
She’s good at listening and has a very calm presence
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Very committed to helping me!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
She is very experienced and has been doing this a long time. She actively messages me to follow up and make sure I’m doing okay.
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
The favorite thing about my therapist is that he has a very calm and grounding presence.
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
My favorite thing about my NOCD therapist is that she makes me feel seen & understood!
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Even when I fall short of my expectations, she’s there to encourage me and remind me how far I’ve come!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Sense of humor, confidence in me and positivity even on my hardest day! I’m so thankful for her
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
She is genuine and shares her relevant experiences. She was flexible to meet me where I was emotionally.
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
always reminds me to be compassionate to myself.
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Shout out to Caroyln Meiman!! She is a truly talented therapist. I’ve been in CBT therapy for 6/7 years and it has not come close to the progress I’ve made in the last 5 months. I asked her once when we were going to start exposures and she said, “we’re doing them right now” it didn’t hit me until a few weeks later what she meant. She is kind and hilarious. I thought treatment was going to go a certain way- but it was nothing like I expected. I am very fortunate to have been paired with a skilled therapist. Wouldn’t trade with anyone ever.
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Humor
- Date posted
- 39w ago
I don't have a NOCD therapist. My favorite thing about my therapist is that she's patient. She doesn't act like she wants me to "hurry up and get better" like so many professionals and other people have done and still do, and she doesn't blame me for not getting better, nor does she assume I'm being stubborn or willful.
- Date posted
- 39w ago
I love that she is funny, lighthearted and joyful even while being so respectful of the serious topics we touch on
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Lourdes is the best therapist I could think of because she helped me to gain my life back and she always motivates me to do hard things while giving me the feeling that she is with me and supports me… I owe her so much ❤️
- Date posted
- 39w ago
She’s incredibly friendly, and makes me feel comfortable working on allowing myself to be a more vulnerable in sessions knowing she supports me from a genuinely caring place. She isn’t pushy and doesn’t follow a 1-size-fits all template, and instead works to meet me where I’m at. And more things too! :)
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
How she is kind and compassionate and patient.
- Date posted
- 39w ago
laughs at my dark jokes
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Angela is incredibly nonjudgmental and supportive. She pushes me when I need pushes and I feel like she’s genuinely rooting for my success
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 39w ago
She doesn’t judge my wild obsessions ❤️
- Date posted
- 39w ago
Her sharing the excitement of those “little wins” of progression
- Date posted
- 38w ago
@ItsmeMarioB That is so important. My therapist does this for me too! Quite empowering
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 38w ago
My therapist is so kind and never judge me, always understands me, she helped me get through some hardest times in my life! And I’m so happy to have her as a part of my life.
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 38w ago
He is helping me to accept living with “never having an answer to that question!” Which I’m slowly getting the hang of. And realizing that when I can embrace uncertainty and not try to control things with compulsions or avoidance, sometimes life can be exciting. It unfolds in ways I didn’t expect or plan for. Hard to do for sure, but becoming more possible for me. Thank you!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 38w ago
@Clare ity And he’s kind, smart, accepting and helpful!
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 37w ago
She actually REALLY listens to me
Related posts
- Date posted
- 13w ago
Now that we’ve kicked off the new year, I find myself reflecting on where the OCD community is today—how things have changed for the better, as well as my hopes for the future. Ten years ago, it was almost impossible to access a licensed therapist with specialty training in OCD using health insurance. Most professionals simply didn’t understand what OCD actually looks like, so over 95% of OCD cases weren’t correctly diagnosed. As a result, insurance companies weren’t able to see how widespread OCD actually was—or how effective exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy was at treating it. Instead, people with OCD had to pay about $350 or more per session, all out of pocket, for their best chance at getting their life back. I know this from personal experience. OCD turned my life completely upside-down, and I reached out desperately for help, only to be misdiagnosed and mistreated by professionals who didn’t understand OCD. When I finally learned about ERP therapy, the evidence-based treatment specifically designed for OCD, I learned that I’d have to wait for months to see the one OCD specialist in my area, and I couldn’t afford the cost. But I was fortunate. My mom found a way to help us pay, and I finally got the help I needed. Otherwise, I don’t think I’d be here today. In a few months, I started seeing improvement. As I continued to get better using the skills I learned while working with my OCD specialist, I learned I wasn’t the only one with this experience—in fact, millions of people across the country were going through the exact same things I was. That’s why we started NOCD. Since 2015, we’ve always had one mission: to restore hope for people with OCD through better awareness and treatment. The OCD community needed an option for evidence-based treatment that they could afford and access, no matter where they live—an option that also provided necessary support between sessions. And the entire healthcare industry needed to understand how OCD actually works. As I write this post, I’m more enthusiastic than ever about our mission. Just recently, we’ve partnered with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, Texas, New Mexico, Montana, and Oklahoma. To put this into perspective, 155 million Americans can now use their insurance to access NOCD Therapy. This year, I have high hopes for the OCD community. More and more people will be able to use their insurance to pay for NOCD Therapy, and we’re working hard to give everyone who has OCD the ability to access the treatment they deserve. In addition to providing ERP Therapy, our OCD-specialty therapists also support our Members in prioritizing their overall well-being. With a focus on developing important lifestyle habits, including diet, exercise, mindfulness, and healthy sleep hygiene, they help our members build a strong foundation for lasting mental health so people are more prepared to manage OCD long-term. For every person who gains access to a therapist specialized in OCD for the first time, 2025 could be a year that changes their lives. If you or a loved one is suffering from OCD, please comment below or schedule a free 15-minute call with our team to learn more about how to access evidence-based OCD treatment and ongoing support using your insurance benefits.
- Date posted
- 11w ago
I get asked about the name NOCD a lot. People might want to know how it’s pronounced, and they’re curious about our story. Every time, I’m excited to share a bit about what the name means—in fact, it’s an opportunity for me to talk about something everyone should know about OCD. First things first: it’s pronounced “No-CD.” And it actually means a couple things, both central to our mission: To restore hope for people with OCD through better awareness and treatment. The first meaning of our name is about awareness: Know OCD. Though we’ve come a long way, not enough people truly know what OCD is or what it’s like. How many times have you heard someone say “Don’t be so OCD about that,” or “I wish I had a little OCD. My car is a mess!” Things like that may seem innocent, but they trivialize the condition and keep most people with OCD—around 8 million in the US alone—from getting the help they need. The second meaning of NOCD is about treatment: No-CD. To go a bit deeper: Say “No” to the compulsive disorder. On one level, this is also related to knowing OCD—noto means “to know” in Latin. This inspired the name NOTO, the operations and technology infrastructure that powers NOCD the way an engine powers a vehicle. But this meaning goes even further. It has to do with how you can manage OCD symptoms—learning to resist compulsions. This is the foundation of exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective, evidence-based form of treatment for OCD. Learning how to resist compulsions with ERP changed my life, and it taught me how important it is to get treatment from a specialty-trained therapist who truly understands how OCD works. I’ll give you an example. When I was 20, my life was going according to plan. I was thriving on the field as a college quarterback, doing well in school, even winning awards—until OCD struck out of nowhere. I started having taboo intrusive thoughts, things that horrified me and went against my core values and beliefs. Desperate for help, I saw several different therapists—but no one diagnosed me with OCD. At one point, I was instructed to snap a rubber band against my wrist whenever I had an intrusive thought. It was supposed to stop the thoughts, but it only made my symptoms worse. Driven into severe depression, I had to put my entire life on pause. Once I started ERP with a therapist who understood OCD, I learned why: you can’t stop intrusive thoughts from occurring. Everyone has them—and the more you try to get rid of them, the worse they get. Anything you do to suppress them is actually a compulsion, whether it’s counting in your head, snapping a rubber band against your wrist, or using substances to drown the thoughts out. To get better, you have to learn to resist compulsions and accept uncertainty. OCD doesn’t get to decide how you live your life. How do you educate the people in your life about OCD? Whether friends, family, or strangers, I’d love to hear how you share your understanding and raise awareness about OCD.
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 9w ago
December 14, 2024, marked two years since my first ERP therapy session with my NOCD therapist, Mixi. And October 2024 marked a year of being free from OCD. It was not an easy journey, confronting my fears face to face. Exposing myself to the images and thoughts my brain kept throwing at me, accepting that I might be the worst mother, that my daughter wouldn’t love me, and that I deserved to be considered a bad person. It was challenging having to say, “Yes, I am those things,” feeling the desire to run, but realizing the thoughts followed me. At the start of my therapy, I remember feeling like I couldn’t do this anymore. Life felt unbearable, and I felt so weak. I longed for a time before the OCD, before the flare-ups, before the anxiety, the daily panic attacks. I thought I’d never be myself again. But I now know that ERP saved my life. The first couple of sessions were tough. I wasn’t fully present. I lied to my therapist about what my actual thoughts were, fearing judgment. I pretended that the exposures were working, but when the sessions ended, I went back to not sleeping, constantly overwhelmed by fear and anxiety. But my therapist never judged me. She made me feel safe to be honest with her. She understood OCD and never faltered in supporting me, even when I admitted I had been lying and still continued my compulsions. My biggest milestone in therapy was being 100% transparent with my therapist. That was when real change began. At first, I started small—simply reading the words that terrified me: "bad mom," "hated," "unloved." Then, I worked on listening to those words while doing dishes—not completely stopping my rumination, but noticing it. Just 15 minutes, my therapist said. It wasn’t easy. At one point, I found myself thinking, “Will I ever feel like myself again?” But I kept pushing through. Slowly, I built tolerance and moved to face-to-face exposures—sitting alone with my daughter, leaning into the thought that my siblings might die, reading articles about my worst fears, and calling myself the things I feared. Each session was challenging, but with time, the thoughts started to lose their grip. By my eleventh session, I started to realize: OCD was here, and it wasn’t going away, but I could keep living my life despite it. I didn’t need to wait for it to be quiet or go away to move on. Slowly, it began to quiet down, and I started to feel like myself again. In fact, I am not my old self anymore—I’m a better version. OCD hasn’t completely disappeared, but it’s quieter now. Most of the time, it doesn’t speak, and when it does, I know how to handle it. The last session with my therapist was emotional. I cried because I was finishing therapy. I remember how, in the beginning, I cried because I thought it was just starting—because I was overwhelmed and terrified. But at the end, I cried because I was sad it was ending. It felt like I had come so far, and part of me wasn’t ready to say goodbye, even though I had already learned so much. It was a bittersweet moment, but I knew I was walking away stronger, equipped with the tools to handle OCD on my own. If I could change anything about my journey, it would be being open and honest from the beginning. It was the key to finding true healing. The transparency, the honesty—it opened the door to lasting change. I’m no longer that person who was stuck in constant panic. I’m someone who has fought and survived, and while OCD still appears from time to time, I know it doesn’t define me. I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments. Have you started therapy, is something holding you back? Is there something you want to know about ERP therapy? I'll be live in the app answering each and every one today from 6-7pm EST. Please drop them below!
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