Dr. Cristina A Scatigno, Psyd, Boulder Anxiety Psychologist

03/05/2026

Looks like a great resource I’d love to check out:

Free Parent Conference

02/27/2026

When ERP feels hard… it’s not a sign you’re doing it wrong.

It’s usually a sign you’re doing it right. ❤️⁠

These thoughts will show up:
“What if this means something?”
“Can I handle this?”
“What’s the point?”
“I don’t want to feel this.”
“It’s not fair.”

ERP isn’t about silencing those thoughts.

It’s about changing how you respond to them.

Not arguing.
Not proving.
Not neutralizing.
Not escaping.

Just allowing… and continuing anyway.

Willingness + compassion is what breaks the cycle.

When you stop trying to eliminate anxiety and instead practice not giving it meaning, everything begins to shift. You build confidence. You build flexibility. You build your life back.

If you want a step-by-step breakdown of how to build your own exposure plan (even if you don’t have access to a therapist), I walk you through it in this week’s podcast episode.

You can listen here: https://kimberleyquinlan-lmft.com/category/podcast/

Which thought tends to hook you the most when you’re doing ERP?

02/19/2026

When we’re caught in shame, we often forget we’re not alone in our struggles. But self-compassion gently reminds us: we all stumble, we all hurt, and we all belong. 💗

If you’re feeling isolated today, take one small step—place a hand on your heart, and remind yourself of your humanity.

02/07/2026

Health anxiety can be exhausting, and it often grows louder when your brain is desperately trying to keep you safe.

Googling symptoms.
Scanning your body for signs.
Assuming discomfort means danger.
Judging yourself for feeling anxious in the first place.

None of this means you’re broken.
It means your nervous system is stuck in protection mode 🧠❤️

The goal isn’t to eliminate fear or force certainty.
It’s to gently interrupt the habits that keep anxiety in the driver’s seat, and practice responding with more trust, compassion, and flexibility over time.

I am sending you so much love!

02/06/2026

For people living with OCD, courage is not the absence of fear.

It's showing up anyway, even when thoughts feel loud and uncertain. Every small step forward counts, even the ones taken while afraid. 💙

02/06/2026

Mindfulness doesn’t have to be one thing.
It can be many small practices you gently rotate through, especially on days when anxiety is loud. 🧠✨

Sometimes it looks like:
• slowing down enough to notice your breath
• bringing awareness into your body instead of away from it
• eating, walking, or sitting with intention
• noticing moments of gratitude without forcing positivity

There is no “best” mindfulness practice, only the one that feels most doable right now.

❤️ If anxiety is present, you’re not doing it wrong.
You’re practicing meeting the moment as it is.

Which of these feels easiest to try today?

02/05/2026

01/30/2026

When anxiety shows up, it loves to pull you into more thinking, more analyzing, more “what ifs.”

But here’s the truth I want you to remember today:

✨ Anxiety doesn’t need more thinking.
✨ It needs a more skillful response.

These five questions are ones I’ve taught to so many of my clients, and ones I still come back to myself. They’re designed to help you pause, get unstuck from rumination, and choose responses that don’t make anxiety louder over time.

You don’t have to calm down first.
You don’t have to feel certain.
You just need a better way to respond when anxiety tries to take the wheel.

Want me to walk you through these questions step by step and explain why they work? You can listen to the whole podcast episode here: https://kimberleyquinlan-lmft.com/category/podcast/

Which of these questions do you think would help you most the next time anxiety shows up?

01/23/2026

💎 Coping Thoughts. 💎

💎 Here is a list of some coping thoughts that people have found helpful (McKay, Davis, & Fanning, 1997).
💎 Check the ones that are helpful to you and also create your own.
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💎 “This situation won’t last forever.”

💎 “I’ve already been through many other painful experiences, and I’ve survived.”

💎 “This too shall pass.”

💎 “My feelings make me uncomfortable right now, but I can accept them.”

💎 “I can be anxious and still deal with the situation.”

💎 “I’m strong enough to handle what’s happening to me right now.”

💎 “This is an opportunity for me to learn how to cope with my fears.”

💎 “I can ride this out and not let it get to me.”

💎 “I can take all the time I need right now to let go and relax.”

💎 “I’ve survived other situations like this before, and I’ll survive this one too.”

💎 “My anxiety/fear/sadness won’t kill me; it just doesn’t feel good right now.”

💎 “These are just my feelings, and eventually they’ll go away.”

💎 “It’s okay to feel sad/anxious/afraid sometimes.”

💎 “My thoughts don’t control my life, I do.”

💎 “I can think different thoughts if I want to.”

💎 “I’m not in danger right now.”

💎 “So what?”

💎 “This situation sucks, but it’s only temporary.”

💎 “I’m strong and I can deal with this.”

-------------------------------------------

These help tolerate distressing situations by giving strength + motivation to endure hard experiences.

You can begin using them immediately.

Write your 5 favourite coping thoughts on an index card or a sticky note and keep it with you in your wallet or purse.

Or put your coping thoughts in conspicuous places where you can see them every day, like on your refrigerator or mirror.

The more you see your coping thoughts, the more quickly they will become part of your automatic thought process.

From :
The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook.
Practical DBT Exercises for Learning Mindfulness, Interpersonal
Effectiveness, Emotion Regulation & Distress Tolerance by

Matthew McKay, PH.D. • Jeffrey C.Wood , PSY.D. Jeffrey Brantley, MD . New Harbinger Publications. 2007.

01/13/2026

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is the gold standard, evidence based treatment for OCD.

ERP works by helping people gradually face feared thoughts, images, urges, or situations while learning to resist compulsions. Over time, this process helps retrain the brain, reduce anxiety, and weaken OCD’s grip.

ERP is not about forcing fear or “just facing it.” It is structured, collaborative, and done at a pace that is thoughtful and intentional. With the right support, ERP helps people build tolerance for uncertainty and reclaim their lives from OCD.

Learn more about ERP and evidence based OCD treatment at www.iocdf.org/treatment 💙