Most parents think they know what their child’s OCD looks like. They see the washing. The checking. The obvious behaviors.

But what they’re usually seeing is just the tip of the iceberg.

OCD isn’t only handwashing or checking. It’s mental reviewing, silent debating, internal checking, trying to “neutralize” a thought, confessing, reassurance seeking, avoidance, symmetry rituals, and that constant need for things to feel just right. Many of the most powerful compulsions happen completely inside your child’s mind, which means you will never see all of them.

In my latest podcast episode, we’re talking about how OCD really works, why you can’t be the OCD police, and how to shift from trying to catch compulsions to teaching your child the skills to delay and resist them. Because empowerment, not surveillance, is what actually builds long term resilience.

Click here to listen to the episode

Empower Your Kids to Help Themselves

We will never fully know all the compulsions our child or teen is doing. We only see the tip of the iceberg when it comes to OCD. That is why it is so important to give our teens the OCD skills to help themselves directly.

Kids and teens can learn how to crush OCD directly in this self-paced, on-demand video course. Plus, there are twelve kids and teens that help teach the course to normalize the struggle even more!

My daughter and I started OCD treatment together. Here’s what we learned.

When Serenity began showing signs of OCD, she asked her mom, Cayla, "Why does my brain do this?" Cayla gently explained to Serenity that she had OCD too, and they could work through it together. Finding NOCD gave them both the specialized treatment and supportive community they needed. Now, Cayla says they’re both thriving in ways she never thought possible. Read their inspiring story to learn how evidence-based care can help your family, too.

If your child is experiencing signs of OCD, NOCD Therapists can help. Our therapists provide evidence-based OCD treatment for people of all ages—including children as young as 5 and teens. Book a free call to learn more.

Take care,
Natasha