SOCIAL MEDIA
We at the Center for the Obsessive Mind pride ourselves on being both mental health professionals and advocates. In their advocacy work, our staff therapists spread awareness and fight mental health stigma on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Our social media platforms are dedicated to open, honest discussion of OCD, Anxiety, Eating Disorders as well as other mental health struggles.
The Center for the Obsessive Mind offers educational content for those with OCD, Anxiety and Eating Disorder advocacy work on Instagram. You can check out our Instagram page, where we provide memes, education, and more. Instagram also hosts a lot of our video content. In fact, if you’re on Instagram you can participate in the recording of Purely OCD, the Instagram Live and Podcast series our Director, Lauren Rosen, LMFT, co-hosts with Kelley Franke, LMFT. You can learn more about Purely OCD here.
Your thoughts are data, not directives. 🧠✨
We often treat our anxious thoughts like a drill sergeant shouting orders. If our brain says, "Everyone is judging you," we immediately tuck our heads and hide.
But what if you treated that thought like a strange bird you just spotted through binoculars?
Instead of reacting, try observing:
"Oh, look at that. My brain is doing the `social anxiety` thing again."
"Interesting, I’m feeling a tight sensation in my chest."
"That’s a loud thought, but it doesn`t mean it`s true."
When you shift from being the thought to observing the thought, you take away its power to control your actions. You are the observer; the thoughts are just the scenery.
Drop a "🔭" in the comments if you’re practicing being the observer today! 👇
😌Follow @theobsessivemind to learn more about how mindfulness and CBT and ACT can support your mental health
🛋️Interested in therapy? Contact The Center for the Obsessive Mind on our website (link in bio).
▪️Content on this page is for educational purposes only. It is not personal advice or therapy. Speak with your licensed therapist before implementing content read online.
#mindfulness #cognitivedefusion #mentalhealthawareness #obsessivethoughts #psychologytips #thrivingwithanxiety #livingwithocd #livingwithanxiety #mentalhealthcheckin #OCD #anxietytips #ocdtips #mentalhealthishealth #anxietytools #mindsetshift
Your thoughts are data, not directives. 🧠✨
We often treat our anxious thoughts like a drill sergeant shouting orders. If our brain says, "Everyone is judging you," we immediately tuck our heads and hide.
But what if you treated that thought like a strange bird you just spotted through binoculars?
Instead of reacting, try observing:
"Oh, look at that. My brain is doing the `social anxiety` thing again."
"Interesting, I’m feeling a tight sensation in my chest."
"That’s a loud thought, but it doesn`t mean it`s true."
When you shift from being the thought to observing the thought, you take away its power to control your actions. You are the observer; the thoughts are just the scenery.
Drop a "🔭" in the comments if you’re practicing being the observer today! 👇
😌Follow @theobsessivemind to learn more about how mindfulness and CBT and ACT can support your mental health
🛋️Interested in therapy? Contact The Center for the Obsessive Mind on our website (link in bio).
▪️Content on this page is for educational purposes only. It is not personal advice or therapy. Speak with your licensed therapist before implementing content read online.
#mindfulness #cognitivedefusion #mentalhealthawareness #obsessivethoughts #psychologytips #thrivingwithanxiety #livingwithocd #livingwithanxiety #mentalhealthcheckin #OCD #anxietytips #ocdtips #mentalhealthishealth #anxietytools #mindsetshift
You can feel anxious and prioritize who you want to be at the same time! THIS IS FREEDOM!
What emotions are you willing to feel today so that you can show up to your life in a meaningful way?
Thank you @treatmyocd and @patrick_b_mcgrath_ph.d for having me on to talk about Mental Compulsions!
😌Follow @theobsessivemind to learn more about how mindfulness and CBT and ACT can support your mental health
🛋️Interested in therapy? Contact The Center for the Obsessive Mind on our website (link in bio).
▪️Content on this page is for educational purposes only. It is not personal advice or therapy. Speak with your licensed therapist before implementing content read online.
#mentalhealthpodcast #mentalhealthpodcasts #mentalhealthpodcaster #mentalhealthawareness #ocd #obsessivecompulsivedisorder #feelyourfeels #feelyourfeelings #acceptanceandcommitmenttherapy #feelyouremotions #therapistsofinstagram #ocdwarrior #ocdrecovery
You can feel anxious and prioritize who you want to be at the same time! THIS IS FREEDOM!
What emotions are you willing to feel today so that you can show up to your life in a meaningful way?
Thank you @treatmyocd and @patrick_b_mcgrath_ph.d for having me on to talk about Mental Compulsions!
😌Follow @theobsessivemind to learn more about how mindfulness and CBT and ACT can support your mental health
🛋️Interested in therapy? Contact The Center for the Obsessive Mind on our website (link in bio).
▪️Content on this page is for educational purposes only. It is not personal advice or therapy. Speak with your licensed therapist before implementing content read online.
#mentalhealthpodcast #mentalhealthpodcasts #mentalhealthpodcaster #mentalhealthawareness #ocd #obsessivecompulsivedisorder #feelyourfeels #feelyourfeelings #acceptanceandcommitmenttherapy #feelyouremotions #therapistsofinstagram #ocdwarrior #ocdrecovery
Ever find yourself playing the scene out, again and again and again. Maybe it`s a scene from the past that you`re reviewing. You`re trying to extract some nugget of truth out of your memory by watching the experience play out. Maybe you`re playing out the way you think an interaction will go in the future, rehearsing the experience to try to get it right.
Either way, it`s a trap.
Memories are unreliable and the future is unknowable. Reflecting could be helpful but the endless loop of replaying scenes over and over in your head only keeps you stuck in your mind.
Learn more about how to handle this and other mental compulsions in The Mental Compulsions Workbook for OCD - available in bookstores now.
😌Follow @theobsessivemind to learn more about how mindfulness and CBT and ACT can support your mental health
🛋️Interested in therapy? Contact The Center for the Obsessive Mind on our website (link in bio).
▪️Content on this page is for educational purposes only. It is not personal advice or therapy. Speak with your licensed therapist before implementing content read online.
#mentalcompulsions #ocd #pureo #pureocd #obsessivecompulsivedisorder #ocdtips #ocdsupport #ocdhelp #ocdawareness #mentalhealthbooks #ocdbooks #selfhelpbooks
Ever find yourself playing the scene out, again and again and again. Maybe it`s a scene from the past that you`re reviewing. You`re trying to extract some nugget of truth out of your memory by watching the experience play out. Maybe you`re playing out the way you think an interaction will go in the future, rehearsing the experience to try to get it right.
Either way, it`s a trap.
Memories are unreliable and the future is unknowable. Reflecting could be helpful but the endless loop of replaying scenes over and over in your head only keeps you stuck in your mind.
Learn more about how to handle this and other mental compulsions in The Mental Compulsions Workbook for OCD - available in bookstores now.
😌Follow @theobsessivemind to learn more about how mindfulness and CBT and ACT can support your mental health
🛋️Interested in therapy? Contact The Center for the Obsessive Mind on our website (link in bio).
▪️Content on this page is for educational purposes only. It is not personal advice or therapy. Speak with your licensed therapist before implementing content read online.
#mentalcompulsions #ocd #pureo #pureocd #obsessivecompulsivedisorder #ocdtips #ocdsupport #ocdhelp #ocdawareness #mentalhealthbooks #ocdbooks #selfhelpbooks
Is your thinking actually solving anything? 🧐
We often mistake rumination for problem-solving. We think if we just replay the event one more time or analyze a "what if" long enough, we’ll find a resolution.
But as Dr. Edward Watkins notes, if your thinking is focused on unanswerable issues - like explaining someone else`s behavior or solving existential mysteries - it is unlikely to lead to a resolution. If the thinking just leads to more thinking instead of a concrete plan, it’s not helpful.
How to break the loop today:
Ask the "Useful" Question: Is this leading to a decision or plan? If not, it`s an unanswerable question.
Reconnect with the now: Engage fully with the present moment to drop the rumination and reconnect with your actual life.
Interested to learn more? Check out The Mental Compulsions Workbook for OCD by Lauren Rosen.
Which unanswerable question has been on your mind lately? Let’s practice labeling them and letting them go in the comments! 👇
😌Follow @theobsessivemind to learn more about how mindfulness and CBT and ACT can support your mental health
🛋️Interested in therapy? Contact The Center for the Obsessive Mind on our website (link in bio).
▪️Content on this page is for educational purposes only. It is not personal advice or therapy. Speak with your licensed therapist before implementing content read online.
#ruminating #rumination #overthinking #mentalcompulsions #mentalhealthawareness #thrivingwithanxiety #livingwithocd #ocdrecovery #anxietytips #cognitivebehavioraltherapy #mentalhealthishealth
Is your thinking actually solving anything? 🧐
We often mistake rumination for problem-solving. We think if we just replay the event one more time or analyze a "what if" long enough, we’ll find a resolution.
But as Dr. Edward Watkins notes, if your thinking is focused on unanswerable issues - like explaining someone else`s behavior or solving existential mysteries - it is unlikely to lead to a resolution. If the thinking just leads to more thinking instead of a concrete plan, it’s not helpful.
How to break the loop today:
Ask the "Useful" Question: Is this leading to a decision or plan? If not, it`s an unanswerable question.
Reconnect with the now: Engage fully with the present moment to drop the rumination and reconnect with your actual life.
Interested to learn more? Check out The Mental Compulsions Workbook for OCD by Lauren Rosen.
Which unanswerable question has been on your mind lately? Let’s practice labeling them and letting them go in the comments! 👇
😌Follow @theobsessivemind to learn more about how mindfulness and CBT and ACT can support your mental health
🛋️Interested in therapy? Contact The Center for the Obsessive Mind on our website (link in bio).
▪️Content on this page is for educational purposes only. It is not personal advice or therapy. Speak with your licensed therapist before implementing content read online.
#ruminating #rumination #overthinking #mentalcompulsions #mentalhealthawareness #thrivingwithanxiety #livingwithocd #ocdrecovery #anxietytips #cognitivebehavioraltherapy #mentalhealthishealth
Thought suppression doesn`t work. Don`t believe me?
Don`t think about a white bear.
The trouble is that in order to not think about something you have to be aware of what you`re not supposed to be thinking about. Translation, you think about it.
Good news: you don`t have to stop thinking about something, you just have to learn to live with all sorts of thoughts - both the ones you like and the ones you don`t.
Learn more about how to handle this and other mental compulsions in The Mental Compulsions Workbook for OCD - available in bookstores now.
😌Follow @theobsessivemind to learn more about how mindfulness and CBT and ACT can support your mental health
🛋️Interested in therapy? Contact The Center for the Obsessive Mind on our website (link in bio).
▪️Content on this page is for educational purposes only. It is not personal advice or therapy. Speak with your licensed therapist before implementing content read online.
#mentalcompulsions #ocd #pureo #pureocd #obsessivecompulsivedisorder #ocdtips #ocdsupport #ocdhelp #ocdawareness #mentalhealthbooks #ocdbooks #selfhelpbooks
Thought suppression doesn`t work. Don`t believe me?
Don`t think about a white bear.
The trouble is that in order to not think about something you have to be aware of what you`re not supposed to be thinking about. Translation, you think about it.
Good news: you don`t have to stop thinking about something, you just have to learn to live with all sorts of thoughts - both the ones you like and the ones you don`t.
Learn more about how to handle this and other mental compulsions in The Mental Compulsions Workbook for OCD - available in bookstores now.
😌Follow @theobsessivemind to learn more about how mindfulness and CBT and ACT can support your mental health
🛋️Interested in therapy? Contact The Center for the Obsessive Mind on our website (link in bio).
▪️Content on this page is for educational purposes only. It is not personal advice or therapy. Speak with your licensed therapist before implementing content read online.
#mentalcompulsions #ocd #pureo #pureocd #obsessivecompulsivedisorder #ocdtips #ocdsupport #ocdhelp #ocdawareness #mentalhealthbooks #ocdbooks #selfhelpbooks
"Why did they say that?" "What if this happens?" "But what does it mean?" 🧠🌀
When you’re caught in the loop of rumination, it always seems like you`re just one moment of analysis away from "figuring it out." But rumination isn`t problem-solving—it’s a compulsion that keeps you stuck.
The next time you find yourself repeatedly going over a situation, try this simple phrase to drop the mental rope: "I’m not figuring that out right now."
Setting this internal boundary is a powerful way to say "no" to the compulsion. You might still feel the urge to keep digging for certainty, but you can choose to stop the activity of ruminating and return to what you were actually doing.
You don`t need to resolve the thought to move on with your day. You just have to decide that you`re done trying to "fix" it for now. 🛑✨
What’s one activity you’re going to focus on today instead of ruminating? Let us know in the comments! 👇
📘 And to learn more about navigating mental compulsions, check out The Mental Compulsions Workbook for OCD - link in bio!
😌Follow @theobsessivemind to learn more about how mindfulness and CBT and ACT can support your mental health
🛋️Interested in therapy? Contact The Center for the Obsessive Mind on our website (link in bio).
▪️Content on this page is for educational purposes only. It is not personal advice or therapy. Speak with your licensed therapist before implementing content read online.
#OCDRecovery #Rumination #MentalCompulsions #ERP #Overthinking #Mindfulness #OCDAwareness #AnxietySupport #MentalHealthTips #SelfRegulation #BreakTheCycle #Boundaries #PureO #OCD #PureOCD #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #OCDtips #OCDsupport #OCDhelp #OCDawareness #MentalHealthBooks #OCDBooks #SelfHelpBooks
"Why did they say that?" "What if this happens?" "But what does it mean?" 🧠🌀
When you’re caught in the loop of rumination, it always seems like you`re just one moment of analysis away from "figuring it out." But rumination isn`t problem-solving—it’s a compulsion that keeps you stuck.
The next time you find yourself repeatedly going over a situation, try this simple phrase to drop the mental rope: "I’m not figuring that out right now."
Setting this internal boundary is a powerful way to say "no" to the compulsion. You might still feel the urge to keep digging for certainty, but you can choose to stop the activity of ruminating and return to what you were actually doing.
You don`t need to resolve the thought to move on with your day. You just have to decide that you`re done trying to "fix" it for now. 🛑✨
What’s one activity you’re going to focus on today instead of ruminating? Let us know in the comments! 👇
📘 And to learn more about navigating mental compulsions, check out The Mental Compulsions Workbook for OCD - link in bio!
😌Follow @theobsessivemind to learn more about how mindfulness and CBT and ACT can support your mental health
🛋️Interested in therapy? Contact The Center for the Obsessive Mind on our website (link in bio).
▪️Content on this page is for educational purposes only. It is not personal advice or therapy. Speak with your licensed therapist before implementing content read online.
#OCDRecovery #Rumination #MentalCompulsions #ERP #Overthinking #Mindfulness #OCDAwareness #AnxietySupport #MentalHealthTips #SelfRegulation #BreakTheCycle #Boundaries #PureO #OCD #PureOCD #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #OCDtips #OCDsupport #OCDhelp #OCDawareness #MentalHealthBooks #OCDBooks #SelfHelpBooks
3, 7, 10, 12... okay, now I can breathe. 😮💨🔢
In the world of OCD, numbers aren`t just for math—they’re a "safety net." Counting is a mental compulsion used to neutralize a "bad" thought, set things "right," or prevent a perceived catastrophe.
It often looks like:
✨ Counting to a "safe" number before you can walk through a door.
✨ Repeating an action (like blinking or tapping) a specific number of times to "undo" an intrusive thought.
✨ Feeling like if you don`t hit the "right" number, something terrible will happen.
The OCD Lie: "If I reach the right number, the danger goes away."
The Reality: The counting doesn`t stop the catastrophe—it just feeds the cycle of anxiety. It keeps you trapped in a loop where your safety depends on a digit.
Recovery (ERP) means learning to live in the "in-between." It’s stopping at 3 when your brain screams for 4. It’s letting an "unlucky" number sit there without "fixing" it. It’s realizing that you are safe even when the math doesn`t "add up." 🚫🧮
Is there a "number" your OCD is obsessed with lately? Let’s talk about the mental load of the "count" in the comments. 👇
Learn more about how to handle this and other mental compulsions in The Mental Compulsions Workbook for OCD - available in bookstores now.
😌Follow @theobsessivemind to learn more about how mindfulness and CBT and ACT can support your mental health
🛋️Interested in therapy? Contact The Center for the Obsessive Mind on our website (link in bio).
▪️Content on this page is for educational purposes only. It is not personal advice or therapy. Speak with your licensed therapist before implementing content read online.
#OCDRecovery #MagicalThinking #CountingCompulsion #MentalCompulsions #ERP #OCDAwareness #IntrusiveThoughts #AnxietySupport #MentalHealthMatters #BreakingTheCycle #PureO #OCD #PureOCD #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #OCDtips #OCDsupport #OCDhelp #OCDawareness #MentalHealthBooks #OCDBooks #SelfHelpBooks
3, 7, 10, 12... okay, now I can breathe. 😮💨🔢
In the world of OCD, numbers aren`t just for math—they’re a "safety net." Counting is a mental compulsion used to neutralize a "bad" thought, set things "right," or prevent a perceived catastrophe.
It often looks like:
✨ Counting to a "safe" number before you can walk through a door.
✨ Repeating an action (like blinking or tapping) a specific number of times to "undo" an intrusive thought.
✨ Feeling like if you don`t hit the "right" number, something terrible will happen.
The OCD Lie: "If I reach the right number, the danger goes away."
The Reality: The counting doesn`t stop the catastrophe—it just feeds the cycle of anxiety. It keeps you trapped in a loop where your safety depends on a digit.
Recovery (ERP) means learning to live in the "in-between." It’s stopping at 3 when your brain screams for 4. It’s letting an "unlucky" number sit there without "fixing" it. It’s realizing that you are safe even when the math doesn`t "add up." 🚫🧮
Is there a "number" your OCD is obsessed with lately? Let’s talk about the mental load of the "count" in the comments. 👇
Learn more about how to handle this and other mental compulsions in The Mental Compulsions Workbook for OCD - available in bookstores now.
😌Follow @theobsessivemind to learn more about how mindfulness and CBT and ACT can support your mental health
🛋️Interested in therapy? Contact The Center for the Obsessive Mind on our website (link in bio).
▪️Content on this page is for educational purposes only. It is not personal advice or therapy. Speak with your licensed therapist before implementing content read online.
#OCDRecovery #MagicalThinking #CountingCompulsion #MentalCompulsions #ERP #OCDAwareness #IntrusiveThoughts #AnxietySupport #MentalHealthMatters #BreakingTheCycle #PureO #OCD #PureOCD #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #OCDtips #OCDsupport #OCDhelp #OCDawareness #MentalHealthBooks #OCDBooks #SelfHelpBooks
When you’re caught in a cycle of mental compulsions, your brain is 10 steps ahead, 5 steps behind, or everywhere but here. 🧠🌀
We spend so much time "checking" for anxiety, "tracking" contaminants, or "neutralizing" thoughts that we completely miss the physical reality of the moment we’re actually in.
Try this right now:
Notice one moment, no matter how small, that is pleasant.
💧 The cool temperature of a sip of water.
☁️ The weight of a blanket.
🌬️ A breeze brushing your cheek.
Take stock of what you feel in your body during these moments.
Do you feel a subtle warmth in your chest? A softening in your stomach?
We tend to miss these moments during challenging times, which only serves to make the times more challenging. These moments will pass, just as the "spikes" do—but we can still appreciate them when they arrive for as long as they choose to stay.
You don`t have to "fix" your thoughts to notice the world around you. 🌿
What is one physical sensation you`re noticing right now? Let`s ground ourselves in the comments. 👇
😌Follow @theobsessivemind to learn more about how mindfulness and CBT and ACT can support your mental health
🛋️Interested in therapy? Contact The Center for the Obsessive Mind on our website (link in bio).
▪️Content on this page is for educational purposes only. It is not personal advice or therapy. Speak with your licensed therapist before implementing content read online.
#OCDRecovery #ERP #SomaticAwareness #MentalCompulsions #Grounding #OCDAwareness #AnxietySupport #PresentMoment #MentalHealthMatters #IntrusiveThoughts #RecoveryJourney #PureO #OCD #PureOCD #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #OCDtips #OCDsupport #OCDhelp #OCDawareness #MentalHealthBooks #OCDBooks #SelfHelpBooks
When you’re caught in a cycle of mental compulsions, your brain is 10 steps ahead, 5 steps behind, or everywhere but here. 🧠🌀
We spend so much time "checking" for anxiety, "tracking" contaminants, or "neutralizing" thoughts that we completely miss the physical reality of the moment we’re actually in.
Try this right now:
Notice one moment, no matter how small, that is pleasant.
💧 The cool temperature of a sip of water.
☁️ The weight of a blanket.
🌬️ A breeze brushing your cheek.
Take stock of what you feel in your body during these moments.
Do you feel a subtle warmth in your chest? A softening in your stomach?
We tend to miss these moments during challenging times, which only serves to make the times more challenging. These moments will pass, just as the "spikes" do—but we can still appreciate them when they arrive for as long as they choose to stay.
You don`t have to "fix" your thoughts to notice the world around you. 🌿
What is one physical sensation you`re noticing right now? Let`s ground ourselves in the comments. 👇
😌Follow @theobsessivemind to learn more about how mindfulness and CBT and ACT can support your mental health
🛋️Interested in therapy? Contact The Center for the Obsessive Mind on our website (link in bio).
▪️Content on this page is for educational purposes only. It is not personal advice or therapy. Speak with your licensed therapist before implementing content read online.
#OCDRecovery #ERP #SomaticAwareness #MentalCompulsions #Grounding #OCDAwareness #AnxietySupport #PresentMoment #MentalHealthMatters #IntrusiveThoughts #RecoveryJourney #PureO #OCD #PureOCD #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #OCDtips #OCDsupport #OCDhelp #OCDawareness #MentalHealthBooks #OCDBooks #SelfHelpBooks
Are you more of a Facebook person? We’ve also got a Facebook page. We post regularly on this social media platform, sharing memes, tips and tidbits, as well as information on OCD, Anxiety, Eating Disorders and more. Click below to check out our business profile.
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If you prefer shorter form content, we’re also on X. You can follow us on there where we post about OCD, Anxiety and Eating Disorders.
DO YOU ENJOY TALKING RECOVERY ON SOCIAL MEDIA?
Are you interested in being a part of the OCD, Anxiety and Eating Disorder Recovery community on Social Media? You can interact with us on social media where We regularly answer general questions. You can also check out other posts on the OCD related hashtags in our captions. There you can connect with other advocates and find more helpful content.
LOCATIONS
The Center for the Obsessive Mind offers
therapy in several states and internationally.
Learn more about where the staff practices, below.
CALIFORNIA
The Center for the Obsessive Mind’s staff therapists offer online treatment throughout California. Our Clients span from San Francisco down to Southern Orange County and San Diego. Whether you’re in Silicon Valley, Santa Barbara, Beverly Hills or Dana Point, the Center’s staff can support you in your recovery.
UTAH
Staff members at the Center for the Obsessive Mind offer therapy in the state of Utah. Since we offer online treatment, we work with people who live all across the Beehive State – from Salt Lake City and its suburbs, like West Jordan, Syracuse, Highland and Riverton, to Park City and St. George.
FLORIDA
Therapists at the Center for the Obsessive Mind also offer treatment online in Florida. We see people from all corners of the Sunshine state. Whether you’re from Naples, Orlando, Miami, or Boca Raton, we can provide specialized remote counseling in your area.
NEVADA
Therapists at the Center for the Obsessive Mind also practice teletherapy in Nevada. So if you’re seeking help in Glenbrook, Incline Village, Reno or Las Vegas, we offer specialized treatment online across the Silver State.
INTERNATIONAL
In addition to all of the locations previously listed, the staff at the Center for the Obsessive Mind offer therapy in a number of countries internationally.
ONLINE
Online therapy isn’t right for everyone. An assessment must be done to determine if online therapy will meet for your needs. You can reach out here to learn more.
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Disclaimer: The information contained on this website is intended for informational and education purposes only and is not meant to be a replacement for therapy. If you are interested in treatment, you can email us and we will happily provide you with more information.