Frequently asked questions

What is OCD?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition defined by a continuous cycle of unwanted, distressing thoughts and repetitive behaviors.

What is ERP?

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy is the gold-standard, evidence-based behavioral treatment for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) that helps people break the cycle of fear by safely facing triggers without performing rituals.

ERP is a specialized form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). It teaches your brain that you can handle anxiety and uncertainty without relying on compulsions.

 

 

 

What is CBT?

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a short-term, goal-oriented form of psychotherapy that helps people identify and change unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviors.

What is Radical Acceptance?

Radical acceptance is a distress tolerance skill from Dialectical Behavior Therapy that teaches you to fully accept reality as it is without judgment or resistance.

Need help now?

Beyond the Loop is not a crisis service. If you're in crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) at any time. In an emergency, call 911.

What is an OCD Recovery Coach?

An OCD Recovery Coach is a non-clinical accountability partner who helps people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) apply practical tools and routines in their daily lives.

What an OCD Recovery Coach Does

 

  • Bridges the gap: Helps put skills learned in clinical therapy into practice in real-world settings like home or work.
  • Provides accountability: Offers regular check-ins, encouragement, and support to resist compulsions between clinical sessions.
  • Shares lived experience: Many coaches have personally recovered from OCD and use their own journey to guide others with empathy.

 

 

Coaching vs. Therapy
  • Coaching: Focuses on present-focused skill-building, habit changes, and structured support. It does not replace medical treatment or psychotherapy.
  • Therapy: Performed by licensed mental health professionals who diagnose, treat, and explore the root causes of mental health conditions.
  • Therapists and other licensed clinicians assess, diagnose and treat OCD, including delivering ERP. As a peer coach, I don't do any of these things. I offer lived-experience support, encouragement and accountability that works alongside your treatment.

How can peer coaching help?

Evidence-based treatment for OCD, including exposure and response prevention (ERP), is delivered by licensed mental health professionals. Peer coaching doesn't replace that. It can make it easier to start, stay with and keep going.

Is peer coaching right for me?

Peer coaching may be a good fit if you: are 18 or older are seeing, or ready to see, a licensed clinician for OCD and would like support from someone with lived experience alongside that care. If peer coaching isn't the right fit, I'll help you find more suitable support. If you: are having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, are in crisis, haven't had OCD assessed and aren't sure what you're experiencing, are experiencing other significant mental health concerns that need clinical care first we can find the right resources. During your free introductory call, we'll talk through whether coaching suits your needs. If it doesn't, I'll point you towards options that do.