Maximizing Your OCD Treatment in Chicago, Illinois

The good news is that you can develop habits outside of your therapy sessions to maximize the effectiveness of what you work on with your OCD specialist. Here, at Limitless Counseling Center, we structure sessions so that you leave for the day with goals to work toward between sessions.

With a new year starting, it is important to acknowledge the fact that starting something is the hardest part. If you have started treatment for your obsessive-compulsive disorder, you have already achieved so much. That is truly something to be very proud of despite the typical level of discomfort it takes to get there.
With most outpatient treatment, sessions only take up 50-55 minutes of your entire week. That can feel difficult when you really want to see a shift in your symptoms fast!

What Goals look like in OCD Treatment in Chicago, IL

1. Track anxiety triggers and rate the intensity of that anxiety on a scale of 0-10 and track the
resulting in compulsive urges and the intensity of those on a scale of 0-10

a. Will be discussed during the next session.

2. Exposure goal: touch the doorknob in a public restroom and resist washing hands for more than 20 seconds (limits: maximum two pumps of soap and semi-warm water)

3. Do one values-based activity each day for at least 10 minutes (i.e. mindfulness activity, yoga, walking with the dog, cooking dinner with your partner, calling a friend, getting a massage, etc.)

Here are 5 things to maximize your OCD treatment in Chicago outside of sessions:

Use a catchphrase or mantra

This helps you remember to resist compulsions. The one I use most is:

“Discomfort does not Equal Danger” or “Can I Put Off Acting on this Urge a Little Longer?”

Keep your Catchphrase in Mind.

Use calendar reminders and notifications to keep your catchphrase top of mind. You can use reminders and notifications for all treatment goals, and we recommend that. This helps build momentum outside of sessions to mindfully acknowledge obsessions to decide how to combat compulsive urges best.

Tell yourself “Anything’s Possible” or “Maybe, Maybe not”.

This can be used in response to your worries. This is an exposure and response prevention. If you are in treatment for OCD, you are most likely resisting reassuring yourself and seeking reassurance from others. These statements are helpful to reach that goal.

Whenever possible, approach.

Move toward what triggers you and resist compulsions along the way. This is the name of the game with succeeding in and outside of sessions.

Let Your Values Motivate You.

When you run into roadblocks or unexpected intense triggering moments, remind yourself that you are doing this to live a life that is fulfilling and satisfying. The goal is to help yourself and not to help your OCD. So even when it feels like you want to give in to your urges, just this once, remind yourself that you are helping your OCD at that moment, and you would rather help yourself!

It is important to note that each person will come to their OCD treatment with a different set of experiences. So, everyone has different goals from the outset of starting sessions.
You may notice that weekly goals are specific and relate to individuals but aren’t broadly applicable to every person with OCD. So, we decided it would be helpful to generate a list of ten things that can maximize your treatment outside of sessions regardless of what the main themes of your OCD are and regardless of where you are at in your treatment timeline.

We approach all individuals as, well, individuals! However, the above tips are generally helpful when considering increasing your chances of reaching your treatment goals in and out-of-session times each week. Other things can facilitate treatment gains that you can read more about in our blog and in within the resources we recommend on our resources page.

Start OCD Treatment in Chicago, IL

For a final bonus tip, don’t get discouraged. OCD Treatment in Chicago, Illinois, can feel intense and difficult at times, and it is all a part of the process of getting better. Acknowledging the struggles you are having, reaching out to a trained professional, and working together with that person, as well as in your day-to-day life, will help you understand how to better work through those triggering moments. Taking the first step is the hardest part.

We are currently taking clients that are 18 years old or older, have extreme difficulty managing their anxiety, have general dysfunction because of the compulsions in reaction to worry and/or have worries that often take up anywhere from 1 hour of their day to their entire day regardless of efforts to reduce their discomfort.  

1. Read more about us to discover if we are the best fit for you.
2. Schedule an appointment.
3. Start living your best life!

Other Services:

Limitless Counseling Center has a variety of specialty services catered to your needs. In addition to our online OCD therapy in Chicago, IL, we also provide online therapy for panic disorder, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, or phobias, as well as perinatal and postpartum OCD and anxiety.