SESSIONS + INFO

Unfortunately this is a bit like asking “how long is a piece of string?”. There is no set number of sessions, nor a limit to how many sessions you can have. It is worth bearing in mind that the point of therapy is to help you become our own therapist so that you can learn to deal with OCD differently and get yourself to a point where it is no longer a big issue in your life. This means you do not need to have sessions until your OCD has gone away but just until you have all the tools you need and can put them into practice effectively. If you understand how OCD and CBT for OCD treatment work (for example by reading recommended books or watching Katie’s videos) then this may make the process quicker. However, the main thing that will impact on how quickly you start to feel better will be your willingness to engage in doing the tasks, even when they feel difficult or uncomfortable.

Initially it is recommended that you have weekly sessions if possible. This allows you to build momentum and put the foundations in place in order for you to start dealing with your OCD effectively for longer stretches of time in between sessions. Once the ball is rolling and you are working well at engaging in productive work outside of the sessions we would discuss having more time in between sessions, for example every other week. Over time this may change to monthly or even much less frequent check in sessions. Once you feel you can continue your good work without Katie’s input you may choose to stop having any regular sessions. If you need to have a booster session at any point you can just get in touch.

Katie often sees people who have had previous therapy, including CBT and have found they did not benefit from it. This is usually because the therapy was not specifically tailored to target OCD and the person has not been taught how to respond to their thoughts and feelings differently and do effective (ERP). We recommend that you do not lose heart if you have had therapy that didn’t prove helpful. OCD can be tricky but Katie is not deterred by that!

Unfortunately Katie is unable to offer discounts as her private practice supports her outreach work. However, Katie does understand that therapy is expensive and will try and help by using a session to get you set up so that you are better able to help yourself with occasional sessions for troubleshooting and support if desired. If therapy is not affordable for you at present then you might like to visit the self help pages to get some further ideas of how to help yourself.

Yes, Katie works with many insurance companies, but please check with us before starting therapy. There are some insurance companies who limit what they will pay per session and we are unable to work with these companies as we do not deem it ethical for some people to have different fees to others.