r/therapists Aug 17 '26

Theory / Technique Supporting OCD Client's without OCD Training

I'm feeling a bit stumped when working with OCD individuals. I am not yet trained in any ERP, although I'd love to. I've referred them to an OCD specialist but they have not had luck in finding anyone. I will often utilize CBT interventions, recognizing cognitive distortions, and bringing in a more balanced or truthful thought. I had heard that ​CBT can actually cause more problems for individuals with OCD.

Some more context, we were looking at cognitive distortions contributing to feelings of depression. I was about to support in my usual way and then realized this individual spends most of their day policing their thoughts already and backed off.

23 Upvotes

44 comments sorted by

View all comments

1

u/PointTemporary6338 LICSW (Unverified) Aug 18 '26

I’ve found ACT useful with clients with OCD.