OCD Therapy in Chicago
Living with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) can mean getting stuck in cycles of intrusive thoughts, anxiety, uncertainty, and behaviors or mental rituals that provide temporary relief... only for the doubt to return a few minutes, hours or days later. You may recognize that your fears or compulsions aren't helping, while still finding it incredibly difficult to resist them.
At HumanKind Psychological Services, we provide evidence-based OCD therapy for adults in Chicago experiencing obsessions, compulsions, intrusive thoughts, and related anxiety. Our therapists help clients understand the patterns that keep OCD going and gradually build greater freedom from them.
We offer in-person OCD therapy at our Lakeview Chicago office and virtual therapy throughout Illinois.
What can OCD look like?
Obsessions
Obsessions are unwanted thoughts, images, urges, or doubts that get stuck in your mind and feel difficult to let go of. You might find yourself worrying that you made a terrible mistake, hurt someone without realizing it, became contaminated, acted against your values, or overlooked something important (for example, forgot to pay your taxes, didn't lock the door, left the stove on). Or, you might have thoughts about disturbing or uncomfortable topics.
Even in situations where a part of you knows that the intrusive thought does not make sense or is not likely to happen, another, louder part of you becomes fixated on it and convinces you that even the unlikely could come true. The uncertainty can feel absolutely unbearable.
Intrusive thoughts can be especially distressing when they involve things that feel scary, shameful, or completely out of character. Having an intrusive thought doesn't mean you want it to happen or that it says something meaningful about who you are. But OCD can make it very difficult to trust that.
Compulsions
Compulsions are things you do, physically or mentally, to try to reduce the anxiety or uncertainty created by an obsession. Some compulsions are easier to recognize, like repeatedly checking, washing, avoiding certain situations, or asking other people for reassurance.
Other compulsions (called "mental compulsions") happen entirely in your mind, like reviewing a conversation over and over, trying to prove to yourself that something didn't happen, counting to a certain number in your head, mentally checking how you feel, needing to repeat certain thoughts, or analyzing a situation until you feel “sure.
Compulsions often bring some relief in the moment, which is exactly what makes them so hard to stop. But the relief usually doesn't last. Eventually, the doubt returns, the urge to do the compulsion comes back, and over time the cycle of obsessive thoughts/ images and compulsive responses can take up more and more of your attention, energy, and life.
Our Approach to OCD Treatment
OCD can make it feel like the ONLY way to get relief is to do whatever your brain is telling you will make you feel safe or certain again (check the thing it says to check, avoid the situation it says to avoid, and so forth). Effective OCD treatment works differently. Rather than trying to eliminate every intrusive thought or convince you that your fears are not going to happen, OCD therapy helps you change how you respond to uncertainty, anxiety, and the urge to engage in compulsions.
At HumanKind, our therapists use evidence-based approaches to OCD treatment, including Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). ERP involves gradually and intentionally facing situations, thoughts, or feelings that trigger anxiety while practicing resisting the compulsions you would typically use to get relief. This isn't about throwing you into your biggest fear or forcing you to do something before you're ready. You and your therapist work collaboratively to build these skills at a manageable pace.
Part of our philosophy is to recognize you as a whole person. You're not just an OCD diagnosis or a collection of symptoms. OCD Therapy may include not just focusing on the OCD symptoms but also understanding other aspects of yourself, such as how perfectionism, self-criticism, or difficulty tolerating uncertainty impact various areas of your life and relationships. You might gain a better understanding of how significant life experiences, your relationships with family and friends, and your identity development have shaped you or led to certain patterns and tendencies.
Our goal is not to make sure you never have another intrusive thought; it's to help you reclaim your life by making sure those thoughts take up less space in your day. You deserve to make choices based on what matters to you, rather than feeling like you have no choice but to do whatever OCD demands.
What is Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)?
ERP is considered a first-line treatment for OCD. “Exposure” means gradually practicing facing the thoughts, situations, sensations, or uncertainty that OCD tells you to avoid. “Response prevention” means practicing a different response instead of performing the compulsion that would normally follow. Over time, this helps break the cycle in which obsessions trigger anxiety and compulsions provide temporary relief.
At HumanKind Psych, we take an individualized approach to treatment, including how we practice ERP. You can expect that your therapist will work with you to ensure your treatment is progressing at a pace that feels manageable and that you are not thrown into the deep end of exposure work before you have the tools to handle it. We take our work very seriously and believe it is an honor to be trusted to support you in your recovery process. Please know that if you are hesitant about ERP or any other OCD treatment, we will never push you into something. We want to work together as a team.
Insurance & Fees for OCD Therapy
HumanKind Psych is paneled as an in-network provider for the following insurance plans:
-
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Illinois (PPO Plans and Blue Choice Plans)
-
Cigna PPO
If we are not in-network with your insurance plan, you may see us as an out-of-network provider and submit a bill to your insurance company. They may reimburse you.
Our out-of-pocket fees are as follows:
Initial Intake Session (60-75 minutes) - $225
Therapy Session (50 minutes) - $185
We also reserve select spots on our caseloads for sliding-scale arrangements based on financial need.
Ready to get started with OCD Therapy?
If you're looking for OCD therapy in Chicago or virtually throughout Illinois, schedule a free consultation to learn more about our therapists, current availability, and whether HumanKind might be a good fit. You can also learn more about our therapy services and approach.
Book A Consultation Call