Therapy for OCD and Intrusive Thoughts in British Columbia
The thoughts aren’t the problem. It’s what your brain does with them.
Do You Experience Any of These?
- Disturbing thoughts that appear out of nowhere — violent, sexual, blasphemous, or “what if” thoughts that horrify you
- A constant feeling that something is wrong, contaminated, or incomplete — even when you know logically it isn’t
- Rituals or habits you can’t stop — checking, counting, washing, repeating, arranging, or mentally reviewing
- The harder you try not to think something, the louder it gets
- You’ve never told anyone about these thoughts because you’re afraid of what they’d think of you
- You avoid certain places, people, or situations because they trigger the thoughts
- You spend hours in your own head — analyzing, reassuring yourself, trying to prove the thoughts aren’t true
- You feel exhausted by the constant mental battle
If this is your experience, you are not dangerous, immoral, or losing your mind. You are experiencing OCD — and the very fact that these thoughts distress you is evidence that they don’t reflect who you are.
What OCD Actually Is
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is widely misunderstood. It is not about being neat or organized. It is a neurobiological condition in which the brain’s error-detection system gets stuck in a loop:
- An intrusive thought arrives (the obsession) — unwanted, disturbing, and often completely out of character
- Your brain treats it as meaningful and dangerous — unlike most people who let the thought pass, your brain flags it as a real threat
- You feel compelled to neutralize the threat (the compulsion) — through rituals, reassurance-seeking, avoidance, or mental reviewing
- The relief is temporary — and the cycle starts again, often stronger
Everyone has intrusive thoughts. Research shows that over 90% of people experience unwanted, disturbing thoughts regularly. The difference in OCD is not the thought itself — it’s the brain’s inability to let it go.
How Therapy Treats OCD
OCD responds well to specific, evidence-based treatment. General talk therapy or reassurance alone won’t break the cycle — and can sometimes make it worse. Effective OCD treatment works directly with the mechanism that keeps the loop running.
In our work together, we use:
- Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) — the gold standard for OCD. We gradually and safely expose you to the situations that trigger your obsessions while you practice resisting the compulsion. Over time, your brain learns the thought is not dangerous and stops sounding the alarm
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) — identifying and restructuring the beliefs that give intrusive thoughts their power (e.g., “If I think it, it must mean something”)
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) — learning to observe thoughts without engaging with them, and refocusing your energy on living a meaningful life rather than fighting your mind
- EMDR — when OCD symptoms are connected to or worsened by traumatic experiences
The goal of treatment is not to stop the thoughts — that’s not possible for anyone. The goal is to change your relationship to the thoughts so they lose their grip on your life.
About Dr. Rose Record-Lemon, PhD, L.Psych.
I’m a Licensed Psychologist with a PhD in Counselling Psychology from UBC. I work with children, teens, and adults experiencing OCD, anxiety disorders, and related conditions. I use evidence-based approaches including ERP, CBT, ACT, and EMDR in a warm, client-centered therapeutic relationship.
I understand how isolating OCD can be — and how much courage it takes to tell someone about the thoughts you’ve been carrying alone.
I offer online therapy for clients across British Columbia.
Ready to Start?
You’ve been fighting your own mind for long enough. Treatment for OCD doesn’t ask you to fight harder — it teaches you a completely different way to respond. And it works.
Book a consultation | Call: 604-722-4534 | Email: info@emergence-counselling.com
Emergence Counselling & Wellness provides online therapy across British Columbia. This page is educational content and is not a substitute for professional therapeutic support.