Dr. Tatyana Mestechkina

01/19/2026

Some compulsions can be hard to spot and not all are clearly observable. If a behavior brings short-term relief but keeps anxiety coming back, it might be a “sneaky” compulsion.

Common examples:
• Mental checking
• Reassurance seeking
• “Just in case” researching
• Avoiding triggers

Ask yourself:
-Am I doing this to feel certain or safe?
-Is it repetitive?
-Does it bring relief now—but more urges later?

Awareness is the first step toward breaking the cycle. You don’t need certainty to move forward.

12/10/2025

Crafting our way into the season with warmth, creativity, and all the best team energy!

10/30/2025

Your values are your inner compass — they guide your choices. Here are some quick tips for how to help start clarifying yours. Remember, values clarification is an ongoing process. What do you want your life to stand for?

10/26/2025

Values are about what you want to stand for, what you want to guide your life— goals are about what you want to achieve.
When your goals align with your values, your actions feel more meaningful, and your progress feels more authentic.

10/13/2025

Check out this great new article written by our newest team member, Dr. Gabby Ciminera!

The OCD Monster Myth Your brain isn’t the enemy: Rethinking the OCD Monster Myth Let’s review the concept of the OCD Monster, how our brain acts as a protector, and explore five ways that we can replace the myth. Author: Dr. Gabrielle Ciminera, PsyD, BCB Gabby A dark, shadowy, and large presence...

10/02/2025

In OCD, safety behaviors are the rituals and ‘just in case’ actions we use to lower anxiety—like checking, asking for reassurance, avoiding triggers, or mentally reviewing. They feel protective in the moment, but they actually keep OCD strong. The path forward is showing your brain you no longer need to do them.

09/30/2025

ROCD can be a trick OCD theme to spot as so many people without OCD question their relationships. Being able to identify it, is the first step to treating it!

09/28/2025

Being kind isn’t just for others—it rewires your brain for connection, meaning, and joy.

09/26/2025

Just because your mind says it… doesn’t make it real. Your brain will tell you many stories and you get to decide which you put the spotlight on or give any relevance to.

09/24/2025

OCD can feel threatening but its intent isn’t harm—it’s misguided protection. When we understand this, we can meet it with compassion and boundaries.

09/18/2025

It may feel like OCD is attacking you, but seeing it as evil or a ‘monster’ only feeds the fear. When we view OCD as an enemy, our natural response is to fight or run away—and that cycle actually strengthens and fuels it.

A more helpful way to think about OCD? Like an overzealous but misinformed friend. It thinks it’s protecting you by warning you of danger or pushing you to do something about it (i.e., rituals), but it’s just misguided.

By changing how you relate to it, you take away OCD’s power and give yourself space to live more fully and freely.

09/14/2025

The harder we try to fight intrusive thoughts and feelings, the stronger and more relevant they feel. What we resist, persists. Not every thought or feeling needs a response. If we pause, notice them, and let them pass, we create space to focus on what really matters—living a life that feels full and true to our values.