My personal connection to OCD and mental health

My OCD and mental health journey started when I was a kid. I had a lot of social anxiety and as I grew older, it kind of morphed into OCD. I was very specific and ordered, and there were good numbers and bad numbers, and it changed all the time. I didn't understand why, but I wanted things to be even all the time. I didn't realize until I was much older what those things were.

How I create a safe, supportive environment in therapy

I consider myself fairly personable, so rapport building is really key, and then people tend to trust me. I also think it can be helpful to bring in humor about some things. Some of my Members have told me that my humor helps them feel calm and trust me, and trust the process a little bit more.

What I want to help you see in yourself

Your tenacity. You're scrappier and more powerful than you realize. OCD might be telling you that you can't do this, and here you are doing it. There's more to you than you know. There's more to you than you understand.

My message to you if you're struggling right now

I think struggling is a good sign. You're not going to push up against a wall unless there's a wall there, right? If you're struggling, that means you're trying to do something, and motivation is key. I think a lot of people, when they struggle, have that sense of hopelessness or helplessness, and the focus is narrowed to thinking, "I can't." But the fact that you're struggling means that there's something inside of you that's against this. That disproves that notion that you "can't." Getting into therapy brings that out, and you can really surprise yourself.