Reassurance Seeking: 5 Scripts to Break the Compulsion You won't believe this, but last Tuesday, I watched a client ask me the same question seventeen times in one session. Seventeen. I'm Federico Ferrarese, a cognitive behavioural therapist based in Edinburgh, and...
OCD or Intrusive Thoughts? 12 Key Signs to Differentiate Just last Tuesday, a client sat in my Edinburgh office, looking utterly exhausted. She'd been awake most of the night, tormented by a single thought that kept circling back. "Federico," she said, "do I have OCD,...
Intrusive Thoughts vs Repressed Emotions: 8 Revealing Truths Here's something that might surprise you. Last week, a client sat across from me in my Edinburgh practice, visibly frustrated. "Federico," she said, "I keep trying to stop these horrible thoughts, but they...
OCD Rumination vs. Problem-Solving: A 60-Second Self-Check Picture this. You're lying awake at 2 AM, your mind churning through the same conversation from earlier. "I should have said this instead of that." "What if they think I'm incompetent?" "Why do I always mess...
How to Manage OCD at Work: 7 Practical Tips for Employees Just last week, one of my clients sat across from me in my Edinburgh clinic, tears streaming down her face. "Federico," she whispered, "I'm terrified my colleagues will find out about my OCD. I spend hours...
Overcoming OCD: Effective Alternatives to Compulsions I still remember a client saying to me, years ago, "So you're telling me not to do compulsions… but then what am I meant to do when my brain is screaming at me?" And honestly, I get it. Imagine you've spent years...