Mindset | Blog

Living with OCD can be mentally and emotionally exhausting. The intrusive thoughts and distressing feelings may make you feel like you should be able to “control” or eliminate them, leading to frustration and self-blame. Do you find yourself spending all day trying to manage OCD, only to feel completely drained by the evening? You might even think, “Who has time for self-compassion?” Quite often, it’s difficult to recognize that you are not at fault for the distress OCD brings. Whether you’re personally struggling with OCD or supporting a loved one who is, self-compassion can easily be the last thing on your mind. For parents, seeing a child suffer from OCD can be heartbreaking. Balancing their

While Sally had developed psychological flexibility to respond to unpleasant thoughts and emotions, as discussed in June’s blog post, a few years later, she faced a resurgence of doubts about her religious beliefs. Some of her friends had experienced similar doubts and decided to leave their shared faith. Despite her lifelong attachment to her faith, she found herself questioning: “Are my friends’ concerns valid? Am I being too gullible as they suggest? Do I truly believe or am I simply staying because it’s familiar?” These questions seemed endless. Despite her efforts to find answers found online, she only became more confused. Uncertainty Nobody enjoys uncertainty, and life would be much simpler witho

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

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!

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

Sometimes treatment for OCD can feel like you are taking a life detour where fear of the unknown may feel overwhelming. Indeed, moving from avoidant and compulsive behaviors (private and public) to living a values-centered life can feel unfamiliar. You may be cautious and sometimes doubtful about your progress. The Following steps will help you navigate the unsure terrain as you trust the process: Maintain a curious mindset. During treatment for OCD (any theme), you’ll learn skills that will allow you to create new neural pathways. It takes time to change behavioral and mental habits.Your mind will want you to focus on the outcome each and every day. Notice and acknowledge that and then choose to maintain a curious mindset. Try

The OCD awareness week came and went. Hopefully today there are more people who are aware of this debilitating mental health challenge. There are many truths about OCD, and there are also many myths and misconceptions. For example, when someone tells you that they have OCD, know that if they are making fun of themselves, or making light of the situation, they most likely do not have this serious condition. OCD can get in the way of someone’s life, and what they care about the most (values). For example, when someone cares about their faith and connection with God, the OCD mind will target that very value and struggle with scrupulosity OCD. When someone who cares deeply about being a loving and caring person, they might have OC

Whenever fear and uncertainty strike, your “problem-solving” mind is ready to offer solutions, though they might not be effective in the long run. The uncertainty (whether God loves you, whether you are a good enough parent, whether you are perfectly honest) that prevails in the areas you care about may lead you to feel overwhelmed. Looking for certainty can feel like facing a bunch of closed doors inviting you to open them so you can find certainty and move on with your life. The OCD mind seems to say, “If you give in to the urge and engage in the private or public compulsion this one time (open that next door), you’ll find certainty once and for all.” You know the feeling. You also know what happens when you open that door. The

When you struggle with OCD, doubts and uncertainty can lead you to give in to private and public reassurance-seeking compulsions. We will be sharing tips and skills to help you decrease and eliminate this pervasive compulsion and start trusting yourself! Our presentation will take place on October 22nd at 9 am MST: “I need reassurance. Or do I?: Letting go of the quest for certainty and learning to trust yourself.” The urge is strong. You feel the desperate need to know, to figure it out. And so you seek reassurance from family, friends, google or even yourself. Before you know it, and without even realizing it, you’re spending hours in your day on this search for reassurance; hoping to find the answer that will fi

Whether you are considering or have begun treatment for OCD, you might doubt that your unwanted thoughts are related to this mental health challenge. You may believe the unwanted thoughts and doubts are your fault. They are not. It has been said that OCD is the “doubting disease.” So, naturally, you will also doubt whether you have OCD. You may also question the treatment and whether you need to practice psychological flexibility skills to clear your mind. You might not be willing to engage in values-based exposures. You are not alone. Most OCD sufferers experience these doubts and feelings. We can compare treatment for OCD with roadway detours. For example, if you were on your way to work and you encountered a detour, how would