OCD Therapy in Girona | Freedom from Intrusive Thoughts
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Free yourself from the obsessions and compulsions that limit your life. Specialized therapy to reduce the intrusiveness of thoughts and the urge to perform rituals. Regain your freedom at Centre de Psicologia Jaume Primer – Psicòlegs Girona, in a safe space near the Devesa.
What is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)?
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety-related condition characterized by the presence of intrusive, recurrent, and unwanted thoughts (obsessions), and repetitive behaviors (compulsions) that arise as a way to reduce the tension or fear associated with those thoughts.
These obsessions commonly involve themes such as contamination, doubt, the need for order or control, or intrusive thoughts of a moral, religious, or violent nature. Compulsions (such as excessive hand-washing, checking, counting, or repeating actions) provide temporary relief, but they reinforce the OCD cycle, perpetuating the distress.
How does OCD therapy work in Girona?
OCD treatment is based on scientifically validated approaches, primarily Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), often combined with emotional regulation techniques, mindfulness, and EMDR when there is underlying trauma.
During therapy:
- We identify the specific patterns of your obsessions and compulsions.
- You learn strategies to face intrusive thoughts without reacting to them through rituals.
- We gradually expose your brain to the fear or discomfort until the anxiety naturally decreases (habituation).
- We restructure irrational beliefs and build greater tolerance to uncertainty.
In this way, the brain relearns that the thoughts are not dangerous and do not need to be neutralized or “fixed” with compulsions.
This process breaks the vicious cycle of OCD and leads to a progressive reduction — and in many cases, a very significant remission — of symptoms.
At Centre de Psicologia Jaume Primer – Psicòlegs Girona, we apply these evidence-based techniques in a safe, personalized and structured way, right next to La Devesa.
When is therapy for OCD recommended?
Therapy for OCD is recommended if you notice that:
- You experience recurring, distressing thoughts that you can’t control.
- You feel the need to repeat rituals or check things repeatedly to reduce anxiety.
- You feel guilty or ashamed about your thoughts.
- You spend many hours a day trapped in mental or physical routines.
- Constant anxiety or doubt prevents you from enjoying the present moment or making decisions.
OCD can take many different forms —not just “cleaning” or “checking”— and it often affects very aware, sensitive, and responsible people. Seeking treatment early prevents the disorder from becoming entrenched and leads to a significant improvement in quality of life.
What does the scientific research say?
The current scientific consensus is clear: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), particularly the form that includes Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), is the first-line psychological treatment most strongly supported by evidence for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
However, recent research (from the last 10 years) continues to explore:
- The underlying mechanisms of ERP,
- Its comparative efficacy with third-generation therapies such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT),
- And biomarkers that could enable more personalized care.
Below is a selection of recent, high-quality studies on which we base our approach and that illustrate the current state of research on psychological therapies for OCD:
Study / Authors | Year | Key Findings Summary | Source | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reid, J. E., et al. | 2021 | A meta-analysis of 36 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) shows a large pooled effect (g = 0.74) of CBT with ERP in reducing OCD symptoms. However, it is not superior to other active psychological treatments (such as Cognitive Therapy) or adequate pharmacotherapy. | Comprehensive Psychiatry | DOI: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2021.152223 |
| Soondrum, T., et al. | 2022 | Systematic review and meta-analysis on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT, labeled under CBT) showing large effects on OCD symptoms (SMD = −1.19). ACT alone or combined with traditional CBT produces effects similar to ERP, the gold standard. | rain Sci | DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12050656 |
| Mao, L., et al. | 2022 | Combined ERP treatment with medication (SSRIs, Clomipramine or Risperidone) was significantly superior to medication alone in symptom reduction and showed better long-term persistence of effects. | Front. Psychiatry | DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.973838 |
| Reggente, N., et al. | 2018 | Neuroimaging study (fMRI) with machine learning that identified neural predictors of response to CBT. Pre-treatment functional connectivity in the Default Mode Network (DMN) and Visual Network predicted post-treatment improvement (67% of variance explained). | PNAS | DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1716686115 |
| Elsner, B., et al. | 2022 | Research on ERP mechanisms: within-session habituation predicted overall symptom reduction, while expectancy violation predicted full remission. | BMC Psychiatry | DOI: 10.1186/s12888-022-03701-z |
| Wolf, N., et al. | 2024 | Randomized controlled trial comparing CBT with ERP and Inference-Based Cognitive Therapy (I-CBT). I-CBT was more tolerable for patients, suggesting a useful alternative for those who refuse exposure. | Psychother Psychosom | DOI: 10.1159/000541508 |
| Ponniah, K., et al. | 2013 | Review on the efficacy of psychological therapies for OCD, including EMDR, which may be considered “possibly efficacious” although more studies are needed to confirm the results. | J Obsessive Compuls Relat Disord | DOI: 10.1016/j.jocrd.2013.02.005 |
Why choose Centre de Psicologia Jaume Primer – Psicòlegs Girona for OCD treatment?
At our centre we offer an integrative and up-to-date approach to OCD, grounded in scientific evidence and personalized treatment. In this blog post you can see how we apply the five most recent scientific advances in our therapy at the centre:
- Psychologists trained in CBT, ERP and EMDR, with real experience in anxiety disorders and intrusive thoughts.
- Humanistic and emotionally safe approach, prioritizing a sustainable and non-destabilizing process.
- We combine psychoeducation, emotional regulation techniques, mindfulness and trauma work, according to each person’s needs.
- Sessions in Catalan, Spanish, English, Italian or Arabic, with flexible in-person or online options.
Our goal is to help you reduce fear of thoughts, regain a sense of control, and return to living with freedom and peace of mind.
Benefits you can expect
✅ Progressive reduction of compulsions and the need for control.
✅ Decrease in anxiety, guilt and shame associated with OCD.
✅ Increased confidence and mental freedom.
✅ Improvement in sleep, concentration and the ability to enjoy the present moment.
✅ Sense of progress and reconnection with yourself.
✅ Maintenance of results in the medium and long term, with self-regulation strategies and relapse prevention.
How does an OCD therapy session unfold at Centre de Psicologia Jaume Primer – Psicòlegs Girona?
- Initial assessment and psychoeducation: understanding what OCD is, how it works and why it persists.
- Therapeutic plan design: setting specific goals and grading exposure situations.
- Active therapeutic work: guided exposures, emotional regulation, identification of automatic thoughts and cognitive restructuring.
- Consolidation and autonomy: integrating changes, learning to respond to discomfort without rituals, and maintaining progress.
Take the first step with confidence
- Free and confidential initial consultation to get to know you, listen to your case and explain the process with no commitment.
- We adapt to your pace, offering clear guidelines and safety in every session.
- We jointly review therapeutic goals and plan a personalized treatment.
Centre de Psicologia Jaume Primer – Psicòlegs Girona, specialist psychologists with evidence-based practice, empathy and real commitment to your recovery.
