Stacy Smith Counseling LLC

06/05/2025

02/02/2025

Are you receiving the right treatment for OCD?

by Dean McKay, PhD, Jonathan Abramowitz, PhD, and Eric Storch, PhD This article was initially published in the Spring 2019 edition of the OCD Newsletter. James[1] sought treatment with one of... Read more »

03/26/2024

A few Myths vs. Facts about OCD

Explore the truth behind OCD with our in-depth look at the common misconceptions. Learn about the complexities of OCD beyond stereotypes, and discover evidence-based insights from our Philadelphia-based Center for a clearer perspective.

10/26/2023

A new treatment option for individuals with OCD.

The normal reasoning process is what we use throughout our day. It guides us to make inferences about possibility based on trust in our senses and selves. We don’t reason that the microwave is failing and causing a fire unless we smell smoke or see sparks or flames.

05/17/2023

A modified ERP approach to treating disgust-based OCD.

By Richard Gallagher, LMFT DISCLAIMER: I am a licensed psychotherapist with both clinical and lived experience with this issue – and a trained OCD specialist – but this article is based... Read more »

03/20/2023

Come join this year's virtual OCD conference!
Feeling alone in your OCD struggles? The "Living with OCD" panel at the end of the conference is a great way to hear others' OCD stories, and feel that bit of hope and encouragement you may be searching for at this time.

It's coming - The OCD New Jersey annual conference and it will be virtual for accessibility. Join OCDNJ in welcoming Dr. Amy Mariaskin as our invited speaker. Dr. Mariaskin will be speaking about OCD and relationships. Plus, join us for the Living with OCD panel discussion in which panelists with share their lived experiences and discuss questions from attendees. (APA and NASW-NJ CE eligible). Learn more and register at: https://www.ocdnj.org/meetings/annual-conference/

01/10/2023

Do you ever wonder if you're doing your exposures correctly?⁠
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A lot of it lies in your intention.⁠
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You must be willing to feel discomfort today knowing it will help you have a better tomorrow.⁠
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You must be willing to experience anxiety so that your brain can learn it is no longer needed (for your particular trigger).⁠
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You must remember that feeling anxious during an exposure means you're doing it right! ⁠
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Save this post as a reminder...⁠
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Effective ERP means choosing to expose yourself to your trigger and purposefully induce anxiety so you can show yourself that you are capable of managing it without safety behaviors.⁠
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You can do this!⁠
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01/04/2023

I'm excited to announce I'll soon be offering group treatment for individuals with OCD!

01/04/2023

NEW Blog Post!
When beginning ERP, have you ever had the thought, "I’m afraid my anxiety will get so high that I’ll have a panic attack?" Here I address the importance of assessing for Panic Disorder when conducting proper OCD treatment.

While OCD and Panic Disorder are two separate conditions, they can certainly co-occur, and often do! If you’re familiar with ERP treatment, you know that the discomfort that comes from confronting a fear can be intense. As a result, the initial hesitation to engage in this form of therapy can be h...

12/12/2022

Just came across this resource and wanted to share for any family members or friends who could use support helping their loved ones.

10/02/2022

Misdiagnosis is unfortunately too common for individuals with OCD.

Although there may often be similarities between Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), there are also some key

08/19/2022

Some good reminders to read to help you feel encouraged to refrain from a compulsive behavior.