OCD Therapy for Children, Teens, and Young Adults
Support for Children, Teens and Young Adults Struggling With OCD, Anxiety and “Stuck Behaviors”
When your child is struggling with anxiety or obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), it can be hard to know how to help.
Maybe your child is asking the same questions repeatedly. Maybe they are seeking constant reassurance, or maybe they are feeling overwhelmed by worries that don’t quite make “sense”, such as getting sick, making mistakes, or hurting someone.
OCD wears many disguises and can present in many different ways, depending on the individual and their “themes”. Intuitive parental responses, such as offering reassurance or using logic only provide short-term relief, at best, and this leaves parents unsure of next steps.
If you’re wondering whether your child might have OCD, you are not alone. OCD affects approximately 2-3% of the population, and the average time between the onset of symptoms and appropriate treatment can be up to 17 years. Yikes!
Children with OCD become trapped in cycles of obsessive doubts and compulsive behaviors that can disrupt daily life, school, friendships, and family routines. Because OCD often looks different in children than many parents expect, getting support from a specialist who understands pediatric OCD is a critical first step toward helping your child break free from OCD and find lasting relief.
Julie’s Approach to OCD Therapy
Julie works with children, teens, young adults, and parents to help untangle anxiety and OCD with compassion, practical tools, and a collaborative approach that helps families move forward together.
As both a therapist and mother of three, Julie understands that parenting through anxiety and OCD can feel exhausting, emotional, and isolating. She brings both professional expertise and lived parenting experience into the room, creating a space where children feel safe, parents feel understood, and families feel less alone.
Therapy is not about “fixing” your child. It is about helping your child build confidence, acquire knowledge about their symptoms, and feel empowered, while giving parents the tools they need to respond effectively to anxiety and OCD.
As an OCD therapist who specializes in working with children, teens, and young adults, Julie uses the gold-standard, evidence-based treatment for OCD—Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)—along with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). She tailors treatment to each child’s developmental level, emotional needs, and personality.
Could My Child Have OCD?
OCD can look very different from child to child, and often very different from the stereotypes people imagine or have seen portrayed in the media.
Sometimes it’s obvious, and sometimes it’s not. OCD can hide behind mental compulsions such as mentally reviewing events, silently seeking reassurance, trying to “cancel out” distressing thoughts, or repeatedly checking whether a thought means something about who they are. Other common disguises include perfectionism, constant reassurance-seeking, emotional outbursts, or rigid routines and ‘rules’ that slowly begin taking over family life. OCD hides behind many different masks, which can make early recognition challenging to even the most observant of parents.
You may notice your child:
Asking the same questions repeatedly, even they’ve been answered
Becoming extremely upset when things feel “wrong,” unfair, unsafe, uneven, or out of order
Getting stuck on intrusive thoughts or fears they can’t seem to let go of
Seeking constant reassurance from parents, teachers, or friends
Avoiding certain places, foods, objects, activities, or situations
Taking unusually long periods of time with homework, bedtime, routines, or transitions
Repeating behaviors like checking, counting, washing, touching, confessing, or rewriting
Struggling with perfectionism that feels emotionally exhausting rather than motivating
Experiencing anxiety that is starting to interfere with school, friendships, sleep, or family life
Parents often have a gut feeling that something isn't quite right—even if they can't yet put it into words.
Your Questions Answered
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Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety-related condition involving intrusive thoughts, fears, images, or “what if” worries (obsessions) and behaviors or mental rituals used to reduce anxiety (compulsions). Pediatric OCD can affect children of all ages and often look very different from the stereotypes people imagine.
OCD is about much more than being neat or organized. For kids and teens, OCD can feel loud, overwhelming, confusing, and relentless. Many children know their fears don’t fully make sense, but the anxiety still feels very real in their bodies and brains.
OCD can show up around:
Contamination and illness fears
Perfectionism
Schoolwork
Morality or “being bad”
Intrusive thoughts
Health anxiety
Relationships
Religion
Routines
Safety fears
Fear of vomiting
Emotional certainty
Fear of making mistakes
Although the content of OCD may change over time, the cycle stays the same: intrusive thoughts create anxiety, and compulsions provide temporary relief while strengthening OCD in the long run.
Because OCD is sneaky, it often changes shape and content over time and development. That is why understanding the “why” underneath the behavior matters so much.
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This is one of the most common questions parents ask.
The truth is, childhood fears and worries are often a normal part of development. Children go through different stages, experience emotional ups and downs, and sometimes develop temporary fears or routines that fade with time.
Rather than focusing on the specific fear itself, we look more closely at:
Intensity – How strong is the anxiety?
Frequency – How often is it happening?
Distress – How much emotional suffering is it causing?
Interference – Is it getting in the way of your child's daily life?
If anxiety, intrusive thoughts, rituals, reassurance-seeking, or avoidance are beginning to affect your child's sleep, school, friendships, independence, or overall well-being, it may be time to seek additional support.
You don't have to wait until things feel overwhelming or unmanageable. Early intervention can help children develop healthy coping skills, build confidence, and prevent anxiety or OCD from becoming more disruptive over time.
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The good news is that OCD is highly treatable.
The gold-standard treatment for OCD is Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), a specialized form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) that helps children gradually face their fears without using compulsions and reassurance-seeking behaviors that keep OCD going.
ERP is not about forcing children into overwhelming situations or taking away support. Instead, treatment is collaborative, gradual, and tailored to each child's developmental level and readiness. Children learn how OCD creates false alarms, why anxiety grows when we avoid it, and how to build confidence by facing uncertainty one step at a time.
As an OCD specialist, Julie partners closely with both children and parents throughout the treatment process. Because parents play such an important role in a child's daily life, they learn practical strategies to respond in ways that reduce OCD's influence while encouraging confidence, flexibility, and brave behavior.
With the right support, children and teens can learn to manage OCD effectively. They can spend less time trapped by fear and rituals, and more time focusing on the things that matter most—school, friendships, family, and simply being a kid.
OCD Can Look Different at Every Age
One of the reasons OCD can be so difficult to recognize is because it rarely looks the same from one child to another, and its themes change, morph and shift as children grow and develop. Although the themes may change over time, the underlying OCD cycle remains the same: intrusive doubt, anxiety, and compulsive attempts to find certainty or relief.
Some kids are very open about their fears. Others work incredibly hard to hide them. Some become emotional and reactive, while others become quiet, withdrawn, or perfectionistic. Many children with OCD often die not realize that what they are experiencing has a name. They just know their brain feels “stuck,” certain thoughts feel scary, and no matter what they do, uncomfortable feelings persist.
OCD evolves with developmental stages, academic pressure, social awareness, and life transitions. What may begin as bedtime fears in elementary school can later become perfectionism, counting, reassurance-seeking, or avoidance in adolescence and young adulthood.
That’ is why it’ is so important to look beyond stereotypes and understand how OCD can actually show up in real life.
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Description text goes hereIn younger children, OCD is often harder to spot because kids may not yet have the language to explain what they’re feeling. Instead of saying, “I’m having intrusive thoughts,” a child may simply appear anxious, rigid, emotional, clingy, or overwhelmed.
Parents often notice:
repetitive questions and reassurance-seeking
bedtime struggles and difficulty separating
fears around getting sick, safety, or something bad happening
needing routines done in very specific ways
meltdowns when plans change unexpectedly
excessive confessing or fear of getting in trouble
repeating behaviors, touching, counting, or checking
avoidance of certain places, people, or activities
perfectionism around schoolwork or mistakes
At this age, OCD can sometimes look like “big emotions,” defiance, or extreme sensitivity when underneath it is actually fear and anxiety driving the behavior. Pediatric OCD often first becomes noticeable during the elementary school years, although symptoms can emerge earlier or later depending on the child.
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Middle school is often when OCD becomes more layered and emotionally complex.
Kids this age are becoming increasingly socially aware while also trying desperately to fit in. Many begin masking symptoms at school and releasing their anxiety at home, which can leave parents feeling confused or emotionally drained.
Parents may notice:
irritability or emotional outbursts after school
growing perfectionism and fear of failure
trouble completing assignments because things never feel “good enough”
increased reassurance-seeking
social anxiety or avoidance
intrusive thoughts that feel scary or shameful
excessive Googling or researching fears
difficulty tolerating uncertainty
rituals that become more time-consuming or hidden
This is also an age where many kids begin feeling embarrassed by their thoughts and behaviors. Some become highly secretive because they fear being judged, misunderstood, or seen as “crazy”.
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In high school, OCD often becomes more internalized.
Teens may appear high-functioning on the outside while privately struggling with exhausting thought loops, compulsions, panic, or shame. Because many teens are academically driven and socially aware, OCD can become deeply tied to identity, performance, relationships, and self-worth.
Common themes may include:
perfectionism and fear of failure
obsessive academic pressure
intrusive thoughts related to morality, religion, identity, sexuality, or relationships
fear of making mistakes
relationship anxiety and overthinking
compulsive checking or reassurance-seeking
health anxiety and body-focused fears
avoidance of situations that trigger uncertainty
mental compulsions like reviewing conversations or replaying events
Many teens with OCD become incredibly good at hiding symptoms. Parents sometimes sense something is wrong but cannot fully understand why their child seems constantly overwhelmed, emotionally exhausted, or trapped in anxiety.
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Major transitions can intensify OCD symptoms, especially when young adults are navigating independence, college, relationships, careers, or major life decisions.
Without the structure and reassurance of home, OCD can become more disruptive and emotionally exhausting.
Young adults may struggle with:
decision paralysis and fear of making the “wrong” choice
intrusive thoughts that feel frightening or consuming
relationship anxiety
difficulty tolerating uncertainty
excessive reassurance-seeking from partners, friends, or family
perfectionism around academics or career paths
compulsive research or checking
avoidance and isolation
burnout from chronic anxiety and mental exhaustion
At this stage, many clients feel frustrated, discouraged, or ashamed that anxiety continues to impact their lives so heavily. Therapy can help young adults better understand OCD patterns while building confidence, flexibility, emotional resilience, and healthier coping strategies.
When Should You Reach Out For Help?
Many parents worry about overreacting or wonder whether they should wait and see if things improve on their own. Without appropriate treatment, the OCD cycle often becomes more deeply ingrained. The more a child relies on compulsions, avoidance, or reassurance to reduce anxiety, the stronger the cycle becomes over time. The good news is that with the right treatment, children can learn to break this cycle and regain confidence in their ability to handle uncertainty.
If anxiety, intrusive thoughts, compulsive behaviors, avoidance, perfectionism, or reassurance-seeking are beginning to affect your child’s daily life, relationships, school experience, confidence, or overall well-being, it may be time to speak with a therapist who specializes in treating children and adolescents with OCD and anxiety.
Early support can often prevent symptoms from becoming more disruptive, and can help families develop healthier ways of responding, before anxiety and OCD begin to take up more space in everyday life.
You don't have to figure it out on your own. With the right support, children and families can learn the skills they need to move beyond anxiety and OCD and get back to enjoying life together.
Julie’s Approach
Julie brings warmth, humor, honesty, and deep compassion into her work providing OCD therapy and anxiety treatment for children, teens, and families.
Her approach is collaborative, supportive, and grounded in helping kids feel emotionally safe while also building practical tools for managing anxiety and OCD symptoms.
Therapy with Julie is engaging, compassionate, and educational. Sessions are thoughtfully tailored to each child's developmental level, personality, and unique strengths.
Julie believes strong therapeutic relationships matter. Children need to feel safe and understood before meaningful work can happen, and parents deserve to feel heard, supported, and included throughout the process. Sometimes progress comes through small wins before larger breakthroughs occur and every step forward matters.
Julie works with clients to:
understand how OCD and anxiety affect the brain and body
reduce parental accommodation
reduce fear and shame
build confidence and resilience
develop healthier coping tools
strengthen emotional awareness
improve family communication
create more flexibility around fear and uncertainty
Most importantly, therapy is a partnership. Julie works alongside you and your child to build the skills, confidence, and resilience needed to break free from anxiety and OCD together.
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The first step is usually an initial phone consultation where Julie learns more about your concerns, your child’s symptoms, and what support may look like moving forward.
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Yes. Virtual therapy sessions may be available depending on the child’s age, needs, and location.
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Absolutely. Parent collaboration is often an important part of helping children and teens navigate OCD and anxiety successfully.
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Julie is a licensed therapist and does not prescribe medication. She collaborates with pediatricians, psychiatrists, and other providers as needed.
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That’s incredibly common. Many kids and teens feel hesitant at first. Building trust, comfort, and emotional safety is an important part of the process.
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Should your child refuse to attend therapy, hope is not lost, and intervention is still possible. Julie is a SPACE-trained therapist and meets with parents to learn ways to break the cycles of anxiety at home.
Your Questions Answered
Support for Parents Too
Parents are often carrying so much behind the scenes.
You’re trying to help without making things worse. You’re managing your own emotions while also calming everyone else’s. You’re answering endless questions, researching symptoms, navigating school concerns, and wondering if you’re responding “the right way”.
There is no perfect way to parent a child with anxiety or OCD.
And, you do not have to figure this out alone.
Julie works closely with parents to help families:
better understand OCD patterns
identify accommodations
reduce shame and blame
respond supportively without feeding the anxiety cycle
improve communication
navigate school and social concerns
feel more confident moving forward
Because when parents feel supported and confident, kids do too.
You Don’t Have to Do This Alone
OCD and anxiety can make families feel isolated very quickly. But there is hope. Effective, evidence-based treatment is available, and things really can get better.
Whether your child is struggling with intrusive thoughts, emotional overwhelm, reassurance-seeking, compulsive behaviors, perfectionism, or fears that are beginning to take over daily life, support is available—and recovery is possible.
You don't have to carry this alone anymore.
