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What’s New at The OCD Clinic
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Welcome to Beyond the Ritual, your guide to navigating life with OCD! We're delighted to have you as part of our community.
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From the Director
May was a busy month here at The OCD Clinic. We welcomed several new team members—fresh faces who already feel like part of the family. We also took a break from clinical work to host a trivia night. Let’s just say, some of us are better at OCD than at remembering trivia facts! On a more serious note, I was honoured to be featured in the media for my collaboration on a national gene study into OCD—exciting progress for the field. And most importantly, we provided care to 557 clients in May. A big thank you to our team for their dedication and to our clients for their trust.
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— Emily
Director, The OCD Clinic
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Existential OCD: When Life’s Big Questions Become a Source of Anxiety
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It’s natural to wonder about the meaning of life, our purpose, or what happens after death. These questions can inspire reflection and growth. But for some, these thoughts become intrusive, distressing, and impossible to shake. This experience is known as Existential OCD
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The Complete OCD Workbook: A Step-By-Step Guide to Free Yourself from Intrusive Thoughts and Compulsive Behaviors
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Quick Tip from our Senior Clinical Psychologist, Taylor Cox
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When anxiety or panic strikes, it’s natural to want to push the feelings away or quickly “fix” them. However, this only serves to fuel the OCD cycle and give it power over time. A powerful practice you can try instead is willingness - the art of making space for discomfort without resistance.
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Instead, when you next feel anxiety rising, you could gently say to yourself: “This is anxiety, and I choose to be willing to feel it just as it is.” Let the sensation come and go like a wave. While you wait for the wave to pass, focus your attention on grounding yourself: notice your breath, plant your feet on the floor, do something enjoyable or meaningful, or connect with your senses - what you can see, hear, or feel around you.
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This act of acceptance isn’t about giving up - it’s about choosing to step out of the struggle and giving your nervous system space to reset. Over time, and with consistency, this approach helps reduce the intensity of panic and restores a sense of agency and calm.
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