Mindset | Blog

After Sally’s clinician conducted a comprehensive assessment of her clinical condition, she said, “Your symptoms suggest that your challenges are linked to religious scrupulosity OCD.” Sally’s immediate response was, “I’d rather have a faith crisis than OCD!” Sally’s reaction was completely understandable amidst the enduring stigma and misconceptions surrounding OCD. It was natural for her to feel upset and overwhelmed, and the next step was for her to decide whether to pursue therapy or take a different path. Can you relate to Sally’s predicament? When doubts arise, has your mind ever hinted that they might be linked to a faith crisis? When individuals are deeply devoted to thei

From a young age, Sally cultivated her faith and valued her connection with the Divine. Nonetheless, in her early twenties, after reading an article that sparked doubts about her faith, she felt troubled. Unaware of OCD or scrupulosity, she blamed herself for the doubts. As she attempted to brush off the doubts and push down her distress, they only seemed to intensify. Faith “The trouble with you is you want to see the end from the beginning. You must learn to walk to the edge of the light, and then a few steps into the darkness; then the light will appear and show the way before you.”1 How would you take this advice? Are you willing to step into the darkness, unsure if the light will eventually appear? If you are like Sall

When James was a teenager, he enjoyed a “worldly” path before finding his faith. One day, after he’d found his faith, however, a friend made a comment that brought up certain memories from his youth. Sexual pictures popped into his mind. He tried to replace them with wholesome images, but he couldn’t get rid of them and consequently felt immoral and unworthy of God’s love. His amazing human mind along with the OCD, would provide any possible solution so he could find coherence. The thoughts didn’t match the person he was and wanted to become. He constantly questioned his intentions wondering, “If I repented why do I keep having those images? Did God really forgive me? Maybe He didn’t because I forgot a detail about my sins?” Do J

By Kathleen Ririe What if I told you that there was something you could do almost any place, any time, and at any or no cost that could help with your OCD? You would likely be excited to try it right away! Well, the great news is that there IS something that researchers are finding could possibly be just this beneficial. What is it- you ask? EXERCISE. Now wait just a moment- I know you may be thinking “I hate being sweaty”, or “My body doesn’t like to run”- but did you know that some of the positive effects of exercise can be seen in even just a few minutes of physical activity? Of course, as with all treatments, results will vary from person to person and researchers are not claiming a cure-all, but here is the scoop on why exercis

Children are the best at being curious. Do you remember when you were a kid playing outside with your friends and found something that caught your attention? Did you dismiss it, or push it away, or were you curious because you wanted to know what it was or how it worked? Some of us may lose the desire to learn about how things work as we get busy with our everyday life tasks and worries. We can all benefit by practicing and learning to be curious. And when you struggle with OCD, the search for certainty is king! Thus, as your rule-making mind “helps” you find certainty, it starts giving you reminders about what you should or should not do because after all, by following its rules, you may find certainty! Take a look at these e

By Kathleen Ririe What is scrupulosity? Picture this- you’re out walking on a beautiful path through the woods. The air smells of fresh rain, the trees are extra lush and green, and as the morning light shines through the trees you are filled with a sense of aliveness. UNTIL. You notice a tiny, sharp rock has found its way into your shoe. You try to ignore it, but the more vigilantly you ignore it, the more obnoxious it becomes. No matter how carefully you step, you can’t avoid the rock in your shoe. Soon you become completely engrossed in noticing the pebble and can no longer enjoy anything else the forest has to offer you. The word scrupulous comes from the Latin word Scrupulum which means a small sharp stone (1), and like t

We are pleased to announce this parenting group which offers information and support to help navigate parenting children with OCD and anxiety. Come prepared to learn and share experiences with other parents and to gain support on your parenting journey. Information about the group: March 4th-April 29th Mondays at 12pm Virtual Meetings Cost is $40/person per session, or $50/couple per session Call us at 801-427-1054 to register!

Going Upstream— Is It Worth It? The o’opu, a freshwater fish native to Hawaii, hatches in fresh water and literally goes with the flow, swimming downstream to reproduce. Its eggs are swept into the ocean, where they develop into young fish. Like salmon, these young fish instinctively return home. They measure less than three inches in size, but their determination to reach their birthplace and start another generation is huge. These fish don’t just swim upstream to get back home. They literally climb waterfalls by using suction disks.1 “How is this possible?” you might ask. Well, before they reenter fresh water to begin their journey home, their bodies are transformed. They develop mouth and pelvic suckers that help them climb.

Annabella Hagen, Clinical Director and founder of Mindset Family Therapy contributed to “What’s the Scoop on Scrup?!” podcast recently. She addressed her background and passion for her work, scrupulosity, OCD in the LDS community, values and self-compassion. Feel free to listen to all or some parts of this podcast. Share it with your loved ones as well as your faith leaders so they can also understand OCD and its effect on someone’s faith and spirituality. In episode #10, she shares the following: Describes her background & passion for this work (3:20) Defines OCD/Scrupulosity (5:02) Talks about OCD in the LDS Community (6:51) Discusses the OCD treatment journey (14:02) Offe

By Kathleen Ririe Ever since I was little, pie has been my most anticipated part of the Thanksgiving feast. Pie and Thanksgiving go hand-in-hand. In fact, it is documented that pumpkin pie became a holiday staple beginning at the Pilgrim’s second Thanksgiving in 1623. In 2022 alone, 50 million pumpkin pies were purchased for Thanksgiving. Clearly, we have nailed it on the pie production scale, but how are we doing on the gratitude production scale? A recent Gallup poll reported that since 2020 the percentage of Americans who report being “very satisfied” with their personal life has dropped from 65% in 2020 to only 50% in 2023 (Gallup, January 2-22, 2023). Why has satisfaction declined so much and how can we reverse that in our own