You feel trapped in a cycle of distressing, intrusive thoughts and ritual-like behaviors that promise relief, but never do. No matter how hard you try to quiet your mind, the anxiety keeps coming back—like an itch you can’t scratch. It feels never-ending, but OCD treatment can help you break free!
Obsessive-compulsive disorder can feel like an endless loop you can’t get away from—distressing thoughts, relief-seeking actions, brief moments of ease, and then it starts all over again. You may feel alone in this struggle, but OCD affects about 1.2% of U.S. adults, with symptoms often beginning as early as childhood or adolescence in about half the cases.
At our Deerfield counseling practice, we specialize in OCD treatment, offering a safe space to identify the roots of your intrusive thoughts, deal with unhealthy emotions, and shape behaviors into beneficial coping techniques. In time, you’ll feel these thoughts yield less power over you, feeling more at peace in your day-to-day life.
Common OCD Symptoms Treatment Can Help With
Many of us experience some level of obsessive thoughts or compulsive behaviors, but OCD goes much deeper. Though the term often shows up in everyday conversation, OCD is actually a severe and debilitating condition that profoundly affects various areas of one’s life. It can take over hours of your day with a relentless cycle of obsessions and compulsions.
Every individual is unique. While there are common OCD symptoms, it’s important to remember that you don’t need to check every box. If you recognize any of these signs in yourself or a loved one, don’t hesitate to reach out for support.
Obsessions
Intrusive and unwanted thoughts, images, or urges that cause significant distress. Despite often being perceived as irrational, they still feel uncontrollable and overwhelming.
Fear of contamination (e.g., germs, dirt).
Fear of harming or having harmed someone or yourself.
Unwanted or unpleasant sexual thoughts or images.
Need for perfection, order, or symmetry.
Worry about having done something correctly (e.g., locking a door).
Feelings of disgust or doubt.
Compulsions
Repetitive behaviors or mental rituals performed to relieve the distress caused by obsessions or to neutralize them. People don’t want to act on them, but feel unable to stop.
Constantly washing your hands, cleaning, or bathing.
Repeatedly checking things (e.g., locks, switches, stove).
Avoiding situations that trigger obsessions (e.g., refusing to shake hands).
Mental checking.
Number-related rituals (e.g., counting, specific repetitions of a task).
Hoarding items with no value, financial or personal.
Start OCD Treatment in Deerfield, IL
Tired of the OCD cycle controlling your every move? You can take back your power and build the life you want. We’re here to guide and support you every step of the way.
How OCD Treatment Can Help You
Maybe it feels like life has been weighing you down, or you can’t seem to figure out where all these emotions are coming from, and you feel helpless. It’s common to postpone seeking help, whether out of shame, guilt, or simply because the symptoms build up slowly. But you’re not alone, and it’s okay to reach out for support.
As OCD specialists, we believe you master your own life.
Our goal is to build a trusting, collaborative relationship based on mutual respect, creating a supportive space where you feel truly heard. We’ll guide you on your own path to healing and growth.
Our Approach to OCD Treatment in Deerfield, IL
Our specialized therapists combine various evidence-based techniques to support you on your healing journey.
Some of the approaches we incorporate include:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Helps identify unhelpful thought and behavior patterns while building practical strategies to respond more effectively and reduce their impact over time.
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
By gradually confronting anxiety-provoking situations without engaging in compulsions, it helps reduce fear, build confidence, and break the cycle of avoidance.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Encourages you to accept difficult thoughts and feelings, while guiding you to take actions that align with your values and bring meaning to your life.
Mindfulness Techniques
Staying present and grounded in the moment helps reduce reactivity to intrusive thoughts and build greater emotional awareness and self-compassion.
At Ammirati Counseling Group, our OCD treatment approach is centered on empowering you to regain control of your life. We will work together to develop the tools you need to manage intrusive thoughts and move through life with greater ease and confidence.
Get Started with OCD Treatment in Deerfield, IL
Looking for an OCD therapist in Deerfield, Bannockburn, or the North Chicagoland area? Taking the first step can feel overwhelming, but we’re here to guide you through it with care and understanding.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I expect in OCD therapy sessions?
We’ll start by identifying your most distressing obsessions to offer immediate relief, then gradually work toward replacing compulsions with healthier coping strategies. Together, we’ll also explore your life experiences to better understand the roots of your intrusive thoughts and anxiety.
As therapy progresses, we’ll move toward deeper interventions focused on lasting change, helping you reshape intrusive thoughts and compulsive patterns into healthier, more manageable responses.
How long does OCD treatment usually take?
Therapy isn’t about instant solutions—it’s about healing at your own pace. Our focus is on building a long-term, trusting relationship that supports you on your path toward your best self.
Many people start noticing positive changes within the first few sessions, but the timeline depends on your unique goals and needs. Together with your therapist, you’ll decide what feels right for you.
What is the best treatment for OCD?
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy is one of the most effective treatments for OCD, benefitting around 70% of those living with OCD. ERP works by gradually facing feared situations (exposure) and resisting the urge to perform compulsions (response prevention), helping the brain learn that these triggers aren’t truly dangerous.
It’s completely normal to feel nervous about starting therapy—after all, it involves facing your fears. But you won’t be doing it alone. A trained therapist will work with you to develop a carefully planned approach.
Over time, you’ll learn to challenge your thoughts and align your internal “alarm system” with what’s truly taking place, rather than what anxiety suggests is happening.
How does the OCD cycle work and why is it so hard to break?
OCD follows a repetitive cycle: an obsession triggers intense distress—reinforcing the belief something is wrong and must be fixed—, which leads to compulsions that bring temporary relief.
Compulsions are attempts to ease this distress, but because there’s no real danger, they don’t solve the problem, increasing the urge to perform compulsions, and leading to a never-ending cycle. It’s possible to detect this cycle on your own, but breaking it can be difficult without professional support.
A trained specialist can help you identify these patterns and gradually resist compulsions. Over time, you’ll begin to tolerate distress and see intrusive thoughts for what they are: thoughts, not threats. With support, you’ll feel more prepared to respond in healthier ways.
Do I need to have both obsessions and compulsions to be diagnosed with OCD?
OCD is defined by the presence of both obsessions and compulsions, but they don’t always occur at the same time or in obvious ways. Compulsions may not be visible—this doesn’t mean they’re absent, just harder to detect. These “hidden compulsions” often happen internally, like rumination, mentally reviewing events, seeking reassurance, or overanalyzing thoughts to feel certain or safe.
Through treatment, we’ll work together to manage OCD so it no longer controls your life, and equip you with tools to face future anxiety-triggering situations with greater confidence and ease.
