Are you feeling overwhelmed, depressed, anxious or overly stressed? Counseling can be a great first step to getting more peace of mind. I have experience in working with Anxiety, Anger, Depression, Self Esteem, Stress, Grief, Chemical Dependency, Mood Disorders, ADHD, OCD, Trauma, Career Counseling, Relationship, and Couple’s issues. Together we can help you learn about your Diagnosis, create a Treatment plan specialized for you, find coping skills, and reduce the symptoms you are struggling with.
I graduated from the University of Akron with a Masters in Clinical and Mental Health Counseling where I worked as a Research Assistant in the Psychology Department and helped with research in the Emotions and Aging Lab. I also have experience in working in residential and community mental health settings. When working with clients, I use a person-centered approach and utilize a mixture of techniques including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused Therapy, Existential Therapy, Solution Focused Brief Therapy and mindfulness.
I believe everyone deserves to live happy fulfilling lives and mental health can significantly decrease someone’s ability to do that. I am willing to meet you where ever you are in your journey and together we can help you find self-clarity, get over barriers to your happiness and manage your individual struggles.
Get in Touch with Hamilton
Hamilton Robinson, LPC, MS
My understanding of OCD
Defining OCD
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition characterized by the presence of persistent, unwanted thoughts or images (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions) that are performed in response to these obsessions. In short OCD could be described as the manifestation of obsessions, rituals, repetitive behaviors, fixated thoughts or compulsions believed then used to relieve or suppress internal fears or anxiety. OCD affects the functioning of various areas of the brain, including the frontal cortex, basal ganglia, and amygdala.
Do you have these experiences?
Contamination and cleaning obsessions: Fear of contamination from germs, dirt, viruses, etc. Compulsions: Excessive cleaning, hand-washing, avoiding public places or objects, using gloves or masks, etc. Example: Repeatedly washing one's hands for hours after touching a doorknob.
Checking obsessions: Fear of harm, danger, or losing control of oneself or one's environment. Compulsions: Checking and rechecking doors, windows, locks, appliances, switches, etc. Example: Checking the front door several times to ensure it's locked before leaving the house.
Symmetry and ordering obsessions: Preoccupation with symmetry, orderliness, and perfectionism. Compulsions: Arranging and rearranging objects, counting or organizing items in a particular way, ensuring everything is in a specific place or pattern. Example: Spending hours arranging books on a shelf so that they're all perfectly aligned.
Hoarding obsessions: Fear of losing something valuable or important. Compulsions: Collecting and keeping unnecessary items, difficulty discarding things, excessive buying and saving of objects. Example: Accumulating piles of newspapers and magazines that are no longer useful.
Intrusive thoughts obsessions: Inappropriate or taboo thoughts, images, or impulses that are unwanted and cause extreme distress. Compulsions: Mental rituals, repetitive behaviors or actions, seeking reassurance, avoidance of triggers, etc. Example: Constantly worrying about accidentally harming someone, such as pushing someone in front of a train.
Just-right OCD: Obsessions: A sense of discomfort or incompleteness unless things are done "just right" or in a specific way. Compulsions: Repetitive behaviors to achieve the feeling of "just right," such as tapping, counting, or touching objects in a particular sequence. Example: Feeling compelled to redo a task multiple times until it feels "just right."
Mental contamination obsessions: Feeling contaminated or "dirty" from a thought or memory. Compulsions: Mental rituals, such as praying or reciting a phrase, or avoidance behaviors. Example: Avoiding a certain word or thought because it feels "unclean."
Sensory OCD: Obsessions: Sensory discomfort, such as a fear of unpleasant tastes, smells, or textures. Compulsions: Avoiding sensory triggers or seeking reassurance that sensory experiences are safe. Example: Refusing to touch certain objects because they feel "gross."
Harm OCD: Obsessions: Intrusive thoughts or fears of causing harm to oneself or others. Compulsions: Checking and rechecking behaviors, avoidance of potential triggers, and mental rituals. Example: Avoiding driving because of intrusive thoughts of causing an accident.
Relationship OCD: Obsessions: Fear of losing a relationship or not being good enough in a relationship. Compulsions: Seeking reassurance from the partner, excessive monitoring or checking behaviors, and mental rituals. Example: Constantly checking if the partner is happy with the relationship.
How OCD Affects the Brain
Research has shown that individuals with OCD have an overactive and hyperconnected cortico-striatal-thalamo-cortical (CSTC) circuit, which is a loop of brain regions involved in motor planning, emotion regulation, and habit formation. The hyperactivity and hyperconnectivity of this circuit are thought to contribute to the repetitive and compulsive behaviors seen in OCD.
In addition, there is evidence that individuals with OCD may have lower levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which is involved in mood regulation and the control of impulses. Low levels of serotonin have been linked to increased anxiety and obsessive thoughts.
Prevalence
OCD was originally thought to be rare, but a number of studies have reported a lifetime prevalence that ranges between approximately 1% to 3% worldwide. Thus, it is one of the more common and serious mental conditions --National Library of Medicine
Treatment
My most common practice is Exposure and response prevention (ERP). ERP is a specific type of CBT that involves gradually exposing individuals with OCD to the situations or objects that trigger their obsessions while preventing them from engaging in their compulsive behaviors. This process can help individuals learn to tolerate the discomfort associated with their obsessions and reduce the urge to perform compulsive behaviors. Please contact me to know my about my approach and how I can help you specifically!