Dr. Tatyana Mestechkina

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.

09/11/2025

What is within your control is whether you continue to engage with them through rumination. Rumination keeps you stuck, but learning to notice thoughts without chasing them allows you freedom from them.You don’t choose to have these intrusive thoughts, but you can choose how you respond.

09/09/2025

09/07/2025

When we practice noticing our thoughts without judgment, we can then have the space to choose which ones warrant our attention or our action. The goal isn’t to silence your mind—it’s to learn that not every thought defines you, and not every thought requires your energy.

09/05/2025

Great article that sheds deep insights on the struggles of perfectionism:

"“They don’t realize the deep human toll.” Hewitt, a clinical psychologist, has seen with his therapy patients how perfectionism can be “personally terrorizing for people, a debilitating state.” It’s driven not by aspiration but by fear, and by the conviction that perfection is the only “way of being secure and safe in the world.”"

"Perfectionists experience higher than normal rates of ulcers, hypertension, fibromyalgia, arthritis, irritable-bowel syndrome, and Crohn’s disease, but they are also slow to seek care. Their fervent desire to “be O.K.” (or to seem that way) can hinder them from looking for the help they need."

It’s the fault people humblebrag about in job interviews, but psychologists are discovering more and more about the real harm it causes.

08/20/2025

We at CBT for Better Living are excited to share that registration is now open for our Virtual Mindfulness Workshop beginning this September.

This engaging, skills-based program is designed to help participants:

Build practical mindfulness techniques for everyday life

Reduce stress and improve emotional regulation

Enhance focus, clarity, and presence

Deepen the work they are already doing in therapy

Past participants have reported that the workshop helped enhance their understanding and practice of mindfulness and supported their therapeutic goals.

Please reach out to us at cbtforbetterliving@gmail.com for more information.

08/19/2025

Meet Dr. Gabrielle Ciminera, Psy.D.!

We’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Ciminera as a postdoctoral fellow at CBT for Better Living, offering both in-person and virtual therapy in New York.

She specializes in OCD, anxiety disorders, chronic pain, and mood-related concerns.
Dr. Ciminera integrates evidence-based therapies like CBT, ERP, and ACT with mindfulness to support mind-body awareness and emotional regulation. She is passionate about helping clients build self-compassion, insight, and healthier relational patterns through a collaborative, validating approach.

Whether you’re navigating anxiety, chronic pain, or emotional challenges, Dr. Ciminera empowers clients to take an active role in their treatment and cultivate lasting growth.

Accepting new clients for in-person and virtual sessions in New York. We have a few limited sliding scale spots open!

08/17/2025

Many people think OCD is just about visible rituals like handwashing or checking. But Pure Obsessional OCD (“Pure O”) looks different.

Instead of outward compulsions, people struggle with intrusive, unwanted thoughts (about harm, relationships, morality, etc.) yet do their compulsions mentally- e.g., analyzing, reassuring themselves, or mentally replaying scenarios.
The good news? Pure O is has evidence-based treatment! With ERP (Exposure & Response Prevention), you can break free from the cycle and live more freely in line with your values.

08/15/2025

We at CBT for Better Living are excited to share that registration is now open for our Virtual Mindfulness Workshop beginning this September.

This engaging, skills-based program is designed to help participants:

Build practical mindfulness techniques for everyday life

Reduce stress and improve emotional regulation

Enhance focus, clarity, and presence

Deepen the work they are already doing in therapy

Past participants have reported that the workshop helped enhance their understanding and practice of mindfulness and supported their therapeutic goals.

08/14/2025

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