Disappointed with therapy

Have you shared your concerns with her? Perhaps she would be willing to change her approach, especially informed by what's helped you in the past. It's also totally ok to try a different therapist if things just aren't clicking with this one. It can take some trial and error to find the right person.

I had a few OCD therapists that weren’t a good fit for me, I finally found one that is and I’ve had a lot of progress. It does seem odd that they’re focusing on your childhood. In my experience with ERP it doesn’t really matter how you got here, you have to start working your way out of it

You’re brain is seeking reassurance and the more you feed it the worse it will become. It might feel like it’s getting no where but also remember that we have to go through this temporary discomfort to get to the other end. It is difficult but you can handle it! When my brain starts spiraling sometimes I just respond with “NOPE”. You can also say things like “okay and” leaving it open ended, thoughts are just thoughts, thoughts don’t have to have meaning we give them meaning. You’re therapist wants you to sit with the discomfort she doesn’t want to give you any type of reassurance because if she doesn’t she feeds the bully in your mind. My therapist described OCD as a bully attacking our core values. I hope this helps!

I had a terrible first therapist on here, as in I was already not doing well and then after our meeting, it spiraled me into a weeklong depression that got so loud I really did consider hospitalization. Not every therapist will be a fit for you and not every therapist honestly is good with dealing with OCD. I will say I do like that. She is trying to get to the bottom of where the thoughts might be coming from, but I also agree with previous comments saying that OCD Therapy doesn’t really matter on how the OCD was triggered. My therapist is wonderful and she is doing a great job now ever since I got a new one, and we touched on my trauma a little bit but overall she tells me it really doesn’t matter. ERP isn’t focusing on where it came from. It’s focusing on how to get over what scaring you right now I would agree to try to get a new therapist, it really is hard so I definitely know how it is. I also don’t love that she’s ending the sessions after 45 minutes, that was what the first therapist did to me only she made my appointment end after 30 minutes and left Me feeling awful. There is hope I would try to find someone different.

The thing that disappoints me most is that I'm going to visit my boyfriend in a couple of days. My ocd has to do with relationship stuff. Before starting, I looked up to therapy thinking that it could help how I deal with ocd when my boyfriend is present when I visit. Now I feel like I have nothing to look up to since nothing has changed since starting. Not even a thought.

I was in the same boat. I have done therapy for several years for my mental health in general and eventually about 2 years go started therapy at nocd. I stopped about a year ago because of insurance problems. But never came back because I didnt feel much progress mainly because I was not being honest at some point. I will say that I was too very frustrated because I felt no progress with my first therapist mainly because she did not understand me. I would explain things and she would tell me something completely different. Then I switched therapist and it went faster but I platued when I stop being honest. In regular therapy I have felt like that's as well but it does take time. And if after a while you dont feel progress than switch therapist. But dont be discouraged. Progress doesnt happen over night it takes time and effort.

Two things really helped me progress... 1. I named the negative voice in my head "Karl." Instead of the voice being some unknown thing, I can call him out when he drops in on my thoughts. I thank him for dropping in and caring for our well-being, and then tell him that I got this, even in times when I'm not sure I do. "Okay, Karl. Thanks for chiming in, but I got this." Or "Karl, I appreciate you wanting to protect us but I got this." I don't always "got this" but Karl doesn't have to know that. 2. I realized that Karl has been the president of my "fan club" — me — for most of my life while I've been stuck behind him as VP. Once I realized that, I told him that I wanted the job back. So now, I feel like I'm in charge of my decisions and I decisions. He, as VP, can offer his thoughts but it's my decision in the end. You got this! (And it's okay to have days and weeks where you don't have to 'got this.')

I also think it could be trial and error with the therapist

Hi! I'm the NOCD Community AI assistant (currently in Beta). Would you like me to share some resources that might help? Just reply and let me know.