CBT for OCD in Cheadle Hulme & Online
Unwanted thoughts and the pressure to check, repeat or seek certainty can take up a great deal of time and energy. You may feel embarrassed about what you are experiencing or worry that someone will misunderstand it.
I offer space to talk about OCD-related distress without needing to present a neat explanation. We can explore what is happening and whether my support would be appropriate for you.
When OCD Starts to Get in the Way
You may recognise some of these experiences. Not every example will fit, and we will take time to understand what is happening for you:
- Unwanted thoughts, images or urges pop into your mind and feel distressing, often because they go against what you value.
- You feel a strong pull to do something to put things right, such as washing, checking, counting, repeating or arranging, until it feels "just right".
- You go over things in your head, such as replaying a conversation or mentally checking whether you did something wrong.
- You avoid certain places, objects or situations because they set off the thoughts or the urge to act.
- You find yourself asking loved ones for reassurance, or needing them to do things in a particular way.
- At home or work, rituals may take up a lot of time, make you late or leave you exhausted.
- For children, it might look like needing a parent to answer the same question over and over, long bedtime routines that can't be interrupted, or distress if things aren't done in a certain order.
- If you're Autistic, routines, repetition and order can be important and comforting in their own right. OCD-related difficulties are different: they tend to feel unwanted and driven by fear or discomfort, rather than chosen or enjoyable. Telling the two apart is something to explore carefully together.
Making Sense of OCD Together
Most people have odd or unwelcome thoughts from time to time. OCD-related difficulties can develop when those thoughts start to feel very important, dangerous or meaningful, as if having the thought means something bad might happen or says something about who you are.
That sense of threat brings intense anxiety, doubt or discomfort. Rituals, checking, avoidance and reassurance can bring relief, so they make sense in the moment. Over time, though, they can teach your mind that the thought really was dangerous and that the ritual was needed. The doubt returns, often stronger, and the cycle tightens.
Families often get drawn in with care and good intentions, by offering reassurance, joining in with rituals or changing routines. This is very understandable, and it can also become part of the pattern.
For example, a teenager might feel they must check the front door five times before bed. Each check brings a brief feeling of relief, but the doubt is back by morning.
Together, we can map out what happens for you: the thoughts, the feelings, the urges and what you do in response. We can then look at gentle, planned ways of loosening the cycle, at a pace that feels manageable, and involve family where that helps.
Sessions Shaped Around You
Therapy is shaped around you. In our first session, we explore how you think, communicate and learn, what feels comfortable, and what you would like support with. Adjustments are available to everyone, whether or not you have a diagnosis.
We can vary the pace, take breaks, use visual tools or written summaries, and consider sensory needs. Between-session tasks can be broken into realistic steps. If you are Autistic or have ADHD, we also consider how your experiences, attention, energy and environment affect the work, without expecting you to fit one way of doing therapy.
For children and young people, I consider developmental needs from the beginning so that materials and the approach are suitable, and review this as we work together. Parents are an essential part of therapy for younger children, helping reinforce new ways of thinking and regulating; their involvement varies with need.
Location, Fees & Common Questions
Sessions are weekly, last 50 minutes and cost £85. We can meet in person in Cheadle Hulme or online where suitable. Payment is by bank transfer within 24 hours after your session.
Fees are reviewed annually. I hold a small number of reduced-fee places for young people or those experiencing financial hardship; please mention this when you get in touch if it applies to you.
In-person sessions are at 11 Station Road, Cheadle Hulme, SK8 5AF. The room is quiet, has low-level lighting and is wheelchair accessible using a lift. Parking is free for up to three hours at the ASDA next door. You are welcome to bring sensory supports.
How long will therapy take?
The length of therapy depends on your needs and goals. We agree an initial plan and review the work together, rather than giving everyone the same number of sessions.
Must I explain every thought in the consultation?
No. The consultation is a short introduction. You can share a little of what is happening and ask about support; a fuller understanding develops in therapy.
A free 20-minute telephone or video consultation gives you space to share a little of what you are experiencing, ask questions about the process and explore your next steps.
Arrange a Free 20-Minute Consultation