OCD Therapy for High-Achieving Adults and Teens:

Break Free From the Mental Prison

When Success Comes With a Hidden Cost

You've built an impressive career. You're the person others turn to for solutions, the one who delivers flawless presentations, meets impossible deadlines, and makes it all look effortless.

But there's something you're not talking about.

The intrusive thoughts that hijack your focus during important meetings.

The compulsive checking - did you send that email correctly?
Lock the office door?
Say the wrong thing in that presentation?
The mental replaying of conversations, analyzing every word, searching for mistakes that might expose you as incompetent or dangerous.

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Maybe it's the contamination fears that make you scrub your hands raw before client meetings, or the need to organize your desk in a specific way before you can start working. Perhaps it's the disturbing, unwanted images that flash through your mind - thoughts so disturbing you're convinced they mean something terrible about who you are.

You might perform these rituals - the checking, the mental review, the reassurance-seeking - because your brain insists something catastrophic will happen if you don't. Just one more time. Just to be absolutely certain. Just to make the anxiety go away.

From the outside, you look like you have it together. Inside, you're exhausted from the constant mental gymnastics.

The Real Cost of Living With Untreated OCD

A young woman with long red hair and closed eyes, sitting with her hands clasped in front of her face in prayer or reflection, in a softly lit indoor setting with blurred background.

Here's what's actually happening: OCD isn't about being particular or organized. It's not a personality quirk or attention to detail that serves you well professionally. It's a cycle that's stealing your life.

You're spending hours each day trapped in mental rituals that nobody sees. Checking your sent emails repeatedly. Reviewing meetings in your mind, searching for evidence you said something offensive. Seeking reassurance from colleagues about work you already know is excellent. Avoiding situations that trigger the obsessive thoughts - which means you're turning down opportunities, limiting your career, and missing out on experiences that matter.

The thoughts feel so real, so urgent, so dangerous that you believe you must respond to them. Your brain screams that if you don't perform the compulsion - if you don't check one more time, seek reassurance once more, or review that conversation again - something terrible will happen. Someone will get hurt. You'll lose your job. You'll be exposed as incompetent or, worse, dangerous.

So you comply. You give OCD what it demands. And for a moment, you feel relief.

But that relief never lasts. Because OCD always comes back with another demand. Another "what if." Another doubt that feels absolutely critical to resolve right now.

A navy blue slide with white text titled "The Professional Impact Is Real" listing five negative consequences of professional stress, including spending more time checking work than actually working, indecision, declining leadership, exhaustion from hiding struggles, and social isolation due to contamination fears.

Text speaking about emotional and mental stress, highlighting issues like strained relationships, avoidance of activities, intrusive thoughts, shame, spending more time on rituals, and struggling with compulsions and anxiety.

Maybe you've already tried therapy that didn't understand OCD. A well-meaning therapist who suggested you "just don't think about it" or "challenge the thoughts." Maybe they tried traditional talk therapy, having you explore where these thoughts came from, as if understanding their origin would make them go away.

It didn't work. Because that's not how OCD operates.

Staircase leading up outdoors with handrails on each side, visible signs and trees in the background.

There's a Way Out - And It Doesn't Involve Fighting Your Thoughts

What if I told you that the goal isn't to eliminate intrusive thoughts or make obsessions disappear? What if the path to freedom isn't about winning arguments with your brain or proving the thoughts wrong?

At Choice Point Counseling, OCD treatment is about something more powerful: changing your relationship with the thoughts entirely. Learning to let obsessions exist without responding to them. Building the skills to tolerate uncertainty without needing to check, review, or seek reassurance.

This is possible. And it works.

OCD Treatment for Teens and Young Adults

If you're a parent watching your teen struggle with OCD, you know how heartbreaking it is to see them trapped in rituals, consumed by intrusive thoughts, or avoiding school and social situations because of their fears.

Maybe your teen is spending hours on homework because they have to rewrite assignments until they're "perfect." Or they're asking you the same reassurance questions repeatedly. Perhaps they're avoiding friends because of contamination fears or refusing to participate in activities they once loved.

Teen OCD often shows up differently than adult OCD—and it requires specialized treatment that accounts for developmental stage, family dynamics, and the unique social pressures teens face.

I work with teens (ages 13-17) using the same evidence-based approaches:

ERP adapted for adolescent development and motivation
I-CBT tailored to teen thinking patterns
Family involvement when appropriate to support treatment success
Coordination with schools when needed

For high-achieving or gifted teens: OCD often targets areas of strength and identity. The straight-A student becomes paralyzed by perfectionism. The talented athlete develops checking rituals. The socially confident teen withdraws due to intrusive thoughts about harming others.

I understand how OCD exploits intelligence and sensitivity, turning your teen's greatest assets into sources of suffering. Treatment helps them reclaim their potential without OCD's interference.

Five young adults walk together on a city sidewalk, smiling and talking, with a brick building on the right and trees and shops in the background.

You Don't Have to Live Like This Anymore

OCD wants you to believe you're trapped. That you'll always need to check, seek reassurance, or perform rituals to stay safe. That the intrusive thoughts reveal something dark about who you are.

None of that is true.

You're not defined by your intrusive thoughts. You're not weak for struggling with OCD. And you don't have to keep fighting this battle alone.

With specialized treatment - ERP and I-CBT delivered by someone who truly understands OCD - you can break free from the cycle that's been stealing your life.

If you're exhausted from the mental rituals, tired of letting OCD make your decisions, or ready to reclaim the time and energy it's been taking from you, let's talk.

Contact Choice Point Counseling today to schedule your free 15-minute consultation.

Your path to freedom from OCD starts with a single choice.

Dr. Lorraine Wong, PhD, ABPP is a board-certified clinical psychologist with over 16 years of experience specializing in OCD, anxiety and related disorders. She is certified by the International OCD Foundation (BTTI Graduate) and holds advanced training in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and Inference-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (I-CBT). Former Clinical Director of The Feeling Good Institute and Certified Level 5 TEAM-CBT Master Trainer and Therapist.

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Frequently Asked Questions About OCD Treatment

While anxiety and OCD can overlap, OCD has a specific pattern: intrusive, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) that cause distress, followed by repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions) performed to reduce that distress. If you find yourself caught in cycles of "If I don't do X, then Y terrible thing will happen," that's a sign OCD might be involved. During your free consultation, we can discuss your specific symptoms and determine whether OCD treatment is right for you.
Many therapists aren't specifically trained in OCD treatment. Traditional talk therapy, or even general CBT, doesn't address the unique mechanisms that keep OCD alive. ERP and I-CBT are specialized approaches backed by extensive research specifically for OCD. If your previous therapy focused on analyzing where thoughts come from or trying to challenge them logically, you didn't receive OCD-specific treatment. This approach is different - and it works.
No. ERP is gradual and collaborative. We create a hierarchy together, starting with situations that cause moderate anxiety and building up slowly. You're in control of the pace. The goal is to challenge yourself enough to make progress, but not so much that you feel overwhelmed. This isn't about flooding you with anxiety - it's about building confidence through manageable steps.
Many clients notice significant improvement within 12-20 sessions, though this varies based on OCD severity and your engagement with treatment. Some people benefit from intensive therapy (longer, more frequent sessions) for faster results. The skills you learn in treatment provide lasting benefits - this isn't just symptom management, it's learning how to respond to OCD differently for the rest of your life.
Absolutely not. I've worked with every type of OCD, including the kinds of intrusive thoughts people feel most ashamed about - harm obsessions, sexual intrusive thoughts, religious obsessions, and more. These thoughts don't define who you are, and they're far more common than you think. This is a judgment-free space where you can be completely honest about your experience.
Yes. For clients who want accelerated results or who are traveling from out of the area, I offer intensive therapy sessions ranging from 2-8 hours. These extended sessions allow for deeper work and faster progress. Contact me to discuss whether intensive therapy might be right for you.
Individual therapy sessions are $400 for 50 minutes. I'm considered out-of-network for insurance, but I provide receipts you can submit for reimbursement. Many clients find that specialized OCD treatment from an experienced provider is worth the investment, given the significant impact OCD has on quality of life. Use the Mentaya tool on my contact page to check your out-of-network benefits.
Complete the contact form to schedule your free 15-minute consultation. We'll discuss your symptoms, your goals for treatment, and whether we're a good fit to work together. From there, we'll schedule your first full session and begin your journey toward freedom from OCD.