“My brain is ruining my life.”
Hi, I’m Cali, I’m an OCD and ADHD specialist. If the following resonates with you, we should work together.
Your brain is freaking out. You’re questioning your sexuality and your relationship, and you fear deeply one day you’re going to have to break apart your life so you can finally be fulfilled. You’ve had weeks where you lost sleep wondering if you have cancer, a brain amoeba, or worse. You’re comparing your romantic relationship to other relationships, googling “what do these thoughts mean,”" taking online tests, and avoiding situations that could trigger horrifying thoughts. Your thoughts are embarrassing to shameful to shocking. You pick your skin, you structure your life to avoid triggers, you wish you could just fall in love with a friend because dating triggers your overthinking. All of this is OCD.
Harm OCD, POCD, sexuality OCD, relationship OCD, health OCD, and more like this are called “pure O,” because they don’t feature physical compulsions like handwashing and counting. “Pure O” OCD isn’t the best name, because it does feature mental compulsions. Instead of checking to make sure the door is locked, you’re checking your body’s response to images that flash in your mind.
Maybe you’ve always had issues with “overthinking,” or maybe you’re being overwhelmed with horrifying thoughts for the first time. Maybe you’re not sure it’s OCD and there’s a big part of you that feels no one can help you.
Let’s experiment! I am licensed and qualified to diagnose OCD, I’m an OCD specialist, and I help clients recover from OCD. Even if you aren’t sure it’s OCD, we can try some OCD techniques and see if you feel better.
How does this work?
I’m here to help you go from avoiding discomfort to feeling sturdy and tough when you approach challenges. I use evidence based practices to teach you strategies that will work for your brain.
OCD Therapy Methods:
Exposure response prevention (ERP) will help you trust yourself to survive challenges without your “safety behaviors.” We will be doing normal activities until you can do them without OCD taking over.
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) will help you move from an OCD centered life to a values driven life.
Skills from inference based CBT can help you understand the concept of the “feared self” and why your brain is constantly checking to see if that’s you.
OCD recovery is highly personalized and I make adjustments for autism, ADHD, trauma, and cultural values.
For ongoing support: we’ll use a blend of discussion and tangibles to figure out your boundaries, self-care, and increase your self-esteem. Evidence-based practices like internal family systems (IFS) and self-compassion may be able to change your life.
If you want to:
figure out “why am I like this”
watch intrusive thoughts flutter away
just take a flight/get an annual physical/be ok with some uncertainty
Then we should talk.
Background + Experience
I have my Bachelor’s in Social Work and Master’s in Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin. Prior to working for myself, I worked in the non-profit sector serving youth and adults in the immigration system, education, child welfare, hospice, and community mental health. I’m certified in somatic parts work and a certified clinical service provider for ADHD. I’m autism and PDA informed (pathological demand avoidance/pervasive driver autonomy) and exposure response prevention (ERP) trained. I work with trauma, loss, and grief in addition to diagnosis specific care.
My lived experience includes my ADHD, my OCD, and my neurodiverse family. I’m also LGBTQIA+ affirming, neuroaffirming, and striving to be an anti-racist therapist. I am delighted to be a therapist for therapists and healthcare workers.
Therapy meetings are 100% virtual.
Schedule a free consultation call to set up services.