The OCD & Anxiety Center

12/13/2025

12/12/2025

Holiday party highlights:
🎁 An exceptional handmade “ugly” sweater contest winner
🍽️ A menu we’re still thinking about
😂 Lots of laughter and time together

As we head into the holidays, this is your reminder that rest isn’t lazy, joy isn’t frivolous, and connection is part of taking care of your mental health. We hope you find moments to slow down and enjoy the people who matter most to you 💛 ✨

12/12/2025

OCD and mental health treatment can sometimes feel lonely and isolating. After putting in some hard work this week, Posie is spending time with her Frozen friends and playing a fun matching game!

12/12/2025

OCD can play all kinds of tricks on what is gross and what is safe. You can feel disgusted or experience doubt on what is “clean”. Posie is engaging in exposure to different types of “poop” to challenge herself!

12/10/2025

It’s important to make time for mindfulness, not only during the busy holiday season, but all year long! Take a page out of Posie’s book (literally!) by setting time aside to color today. Coloring has the ability to relax the fear center of your brain, the amygdala. It induces the same state as meditating by reducing thoughts of a restless mind.

Posie left some pages for her OAC friends to take; if you’re visiting the Oak Brook Office today, stop by the conference room to grab yours!

12/09/2025

Perfectionism is something that can sneak up on us in many settings: relationships, school, hobbies, or the pursuit of future goals. And while setting high standards for achievement can be helpful, it’s important to ask yourself “what are these patterns costing me?”. Posie is challenging her by decorating the tree as fast as she can, not as perfectly as she can. Check out how the rest of the OAC team is getting in the holiday spirit!

12/09/2025

This month, our Elf, Posie, is completing an exposure series on social media to show what ERP can look like in real life. It’s sparked an important question from many families: “How do I support someone I love who is going through ERP without accidentally reinforcing their anxiety?”

Whether the person you care about is a child, teen, or adult, here’s what actually helps during ERP - and why your role is so important ✨

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is the gold-standard treatment for OCD and anxiety disorders. It helps people face the fears that have been running their lives, reduce compulsions, and build confidence in their ability to tolerate uncertainty. ERP can be life-changing, but it’s also challen...

12/08/2025

Claustrophobia (AKA an extreme fear of enclosed or confined spaces) is a common specific phobia. For humans, this can look like fear of elevators, crowded rooms, airplanes, or trains. Posie is challenging her thoughts by spending the day in an elf-sized exposure, a small gift box!

12/08/2025

Little moments of practice really do strengthen your coping skills! Keep showing up for yourself.

12/06/2025

We caught Posie using her mindfulness tools by practicing some yoga as a healthy outlet for emotional release! Research shows that exercise has countless benefits for our health and has been directly tied to decreasing symptoms of anxiety and depression.

12/05/2025

If your mind loves to leap straight into disaster mode, you are not alone! We see you, we get it, and there is zero shame in how your brain tries to protect you. With the right tools, you can learn to land in a calmer place. We can help 💜

12/04/2025

Stuck in your head all day? 🤯 It’s not “overthinking” - it’s RUMINATION, the mental loop that tries to convince you you’ve done awful, terrible, no-good things. Our little elf faced those fears today with an imaginal exposure (go, Posie!!), reminding us that thoughts aren’t facts… and they don’t get to be the boss. 💛✨

Our newest blog breaks down why rumination keeps OCD alive and how treatment helps you break the cycle for good. Dive in and start reclaiming your peace.

Understanding Rumination in OCD When you live with OCD, the problem often isn’t just the intrusive thoughts themselves. It’s the way your mind grabs onto them, analyzes them from every angle, and tries to make sense of what they mean. This mental replay loop is called rumination. While ruminatio...