Anxiety, Trauma, and OCD Center of San Diego

07/16/2022

04/11/2021

“Exposure practice won’t transform you into a life-of-the-party type. But it will help you manage the demands of post-pandemic life with more confidence and less worry. And given all we’ve endured in the past year, that will feel like a big win.”

Exposure therapy’s step-by-step approach can help uneasy adults and kids overcome their anxiety about certain activities.

03/11/2021

"Many of us have made a casual comment about obsessive-compulsive disorder, as in “I’m so OCD about washing vegetables.” But for those who suffer from the disorder, obsessions (like a fear of germs) and compulsions (like disinfecting) can be debilitating."

MANY OF US HAVE made a casual comment about obsessive-compulsive disorder, as in “I’m so OCD about washing vegetables.” But for those who suffer from the disorder, obsessions (like a fear of germs) and compulsions (like disinfecting) can be debilitating. OCD may be especially challenging at a ...

02/26/2021

A nice post describing intrusive thoughts and what to do about them:

“If you’re bothered by a reoccurring intrusive thought, it helps to understand that resisting it can backfire. Your inner world doesn’t work the same way as the outer world, Winston explains. ‘If you want a table moved, you pick it up and move it or you push it. You put in effort, you get what you want. In the inner world, that kind of effort works backward. The harder you try to not feel something or not think something, it comes back double. Putting in effort is not the solution. What works is being willing to have [the thought] there, and then letting time pass,’ Winston says.”

https://www.shondaland.com/live/body/a35554352/coping-with-intrusive-thoughts/?fbclid=IwAR1boTIirbutsYoKhcyDpsvAyimqymAoCzGrmnSz4c8OS5-rBQbZ-AKZIyQ

Haunted by a reoccurring thought that freaks you out? Intrusive thoughts are more common than you think.

02/26/2021

Great article debunking some common myths about OCD treatment.

“Success in treatment entails demonstrating a willingness to experience uncomfortable thoughts and feelings as they present. Additionally, it entails consistently making choices that are independent from the actions associated with OCD’s false alarms signals and instead, based on an individual’s values.”

https://www.madeofmillions.com/articles/ocd-treatment-myths-debunked?fbclid=IwAR3GqImg_D0W4u8JWA-G9oS-mueKLZ4R0xIhGoTIruedYKvxeRjRqPxH0AE

Dr. Tatyana Mestechkina identifies some common misconceptions about OCD treatment and clarifies some important concepts.

01/19/2021

Check out this great infographic by a colleague on 5 things you should know before starting OCD treatment.

01/18/2021

A helpful blog post explaining why Googling the things we're anxious about typically makes us more anxious in the long term.

"Our intention is to find information to ultimately have an answer, reduce our doubt, and feel better. We feel overwhelmed and believe we must get answers, as soon as possible, in order to feel okay. So we search. Sometimes we find some relief, but most of the time it is very short-lived or we get nothing at all. The act of searching feels productive in the moment, but really only ends in more confusion and frustration."

Andrea Umbach, Psy.D., ABPP The internet has become the place we go to for answers when we are in doubt. The act of searching feels productive in the moment, but really only ends in more confusion and frustration.

12/18/2020

Great article about the 5 most useful ways to respond to anxiety.

"Instead of avoiding important but difficult experiences because of anxiety, consider whether it would be useful to prioritize value-driven activities — social, vocational, academic, creative, health-promoting, or spiritual — even if anxiety is likely to make an appearance. When you prioritize action over avoidance, you have the opportunity to learn that you can live with meaning and purpose and also tolerate difficult emotions that get in your way."

We can't always control anxiety, but we have many options for responding to it.

12/18/2020

Do you feel like your anxiety often dictates your decisions? What you say or don’t say, whether you open up to someone or shut down, or where you go or don’t go? Do you struggle with intrusive thoughts, repetitive worries, or reminders of a traumatic event? If you feel ready to live the life you want, rather than the one your anxiety tells you to live, you have come to the right place. I teach evidence-based skills and strategies to help my clients reach their goals, including reducing anxiety, recovering from trauma, improving relationships, and gaining a greater sense of empowerment over their symptoms.

Check out my website at atocsandiego.com or call me at 619-330-4010 if you want to talk about how I might be able to help. Feel free to like my page to hear about articles and resources for effectively managing anxiety.