CBT FOR OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER
When your mind won’t let it go
Living with obsessive-compulsive disorder can mean getting caught in an exhausting cycle of unwanted thoughts, anxiety and rituals that promise relief- but never quite deliver it.
We offer assessment-led CBT for adults experiencing OCD, including treatment using Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
OCD does not always look like cleanliness or order.
WHO THIS IS FOR
This is for adults living with OCD.
Whether you have a formal diagnosis or have quietly recognised the pattern in yourself.
You do not need your OCD to look a certain way, or feel ‘severe’ enough, to deserve support.
Contamination fears, excessive handwashing or cleaning rituals
Repeated checking behaviours
Intrusive thoughts about harm, sex, religion or other taboo themes
Symmetry, order or a need for things to feel ‘just right’
Fear of being responsible for something terrible happening
Doubts or urges that never feel fully resolved
Mental rituals, such as counting, thought suppression, praying or reassurance seeking
WHAT OCD CAN ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE
A recognised cycle - not a personality quirk.
OCD can take up hours of the day. You may know rationally that the fear is out of proportion, whilst still feeling an urge to make the anxiety settle.
That might mean avoiding certain situations, checking, reassurance seeking or carrying out rituals that no-one else can see.
The relief from a compulsion is real but temporary. That is part of what keeps the cycle going
Over time, the effort involved can become draining and isolating, particularly when intrusive thoughts feel difficult or shameful to talk about.
INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS
You are not your thoughts.
Experiencing intrusive thoughts is normal. Everyone has them.
OCD often latches on to what matters most. An intrusive thought, image or urge can be frightening and distressing. Often because they come out of the blue, and run against your values or sense of who you are.
At Verus Minds, you can talk about these experiences openly. Our role is to understand the pattern without judgement. We pay attention to the mental compulsions and safety seeking strategies that can be easy to miss.
HOW WE APPROACH OCD
Assessment first.
Treatment with a clear rationale.
We can’t promise quick fixes.
We can promise to understand your OCD properly before you start to change anything.
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is a specialised form of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, considered the most effective psychological treatment for OCD, recommended by NICE.
Our work is also guided by Salkovskis’ cognitive model of OCD, which focuses on the meaning we attach to intrusive thoughts, and the sense of responsibility that can make them distressing.
In practice, we help you face your fears, and use behavioural experiments to test out beliefs underneath the OCD.
We do not rush the process. Everything begins with a careful assessment, so we understand how OCD affects you - the themes, triggers and compulsions. From there, we build a plan together and work at a pace you can manage. The work takes effort and your participation. We aim to be collaborative, structured and never push you further than you’ve agreed.
Why Verus Minds
We take time to Understand the problem before trying to solve it
You'll be seen by one of our founding clinicians — both senior, BABCP-accredited CBT therapists with over a decade each of experience in NHS Talking Therapies, where treating OCD and other anxiety disorders is core work.
The assessment appointment is used to develop a shared formulation and make clinical recommendations before treatment begins.
This means therapy can be focused and tailored, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
GETTING STARTED
Your OCD Assessment
Step 1
Referral
Complete our short referral form so we can understand your difficulties and make sure our service is the right fit.
Step 2
Assessment & Formulation
Meet with one of our founding CBT clinicians and build a clear map of your OCD cycle and treatment needs
Step 3
Recommendations
Receive a written summary and tailored treatment plan. If CBT is recommended and you wish to continue, we can arrange to start treatment sessions.
READY TO TAKE THE FIRST STEP?
You do not need to have everything worked out before you get in touch with us
If OCD is taking up more of your life than you want it to, a careful assessment can help you understand the pattern and what treatment could look like.