"Just Right" OCD Therapy Near Me | Online & In-Person in California

"Just Right" OCD is more than a preference for perfection, cleanliness, and order. It’s a persistent need for things to feel exactly right. People with this subtype often engage in repetitive behaviors like arranging, tapping, or repeating actions until a sense of completeness or alignment is achieved. Even minor misalignments or imperfections can cause significant anxiety, frustration, or agitation, interfering with work, school, and relationships.

Just Right OCD is highly treatable. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), particularly Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), helps you confront discomfort, reduce compulsions, and regain control of your day-to-day life.

Hands folding Clothes represeting just right ocd

Shelf with laptop and notebook depicting just right ocd

What is "Just Right" OCD?

Just Right OCD can manifest in a variety of ways, often affecting both actions and thoughts. Common symptoms include:

Behavioral Symptoms:

Repeatedly arranging or ordering objects until they feel “just right”
Tapping, touching, or adjusting items in a specific sequence or pattern
Repeating actions, phrases, or movements until a sense of completeness is achieved
Mentally reviewing actions or routines to ensure they feel correct
Avoiding activities or situations that might disrupt the “just right” feeling

Emotional & Cognitive Symptoms:

Intense discomfort, unease, or tension when things feel “off”
Anxiety, frustration, or agitation if tasks are incomplete or imperfect
Feeling compelled to continue behaviors even when aware they are excessive
Intrusive thoughts or mental images that something is wrong, misaligned, or incomplete
High sensitivity to bodily sensations, sounds, or visual cues that feel “off”

Impact on Daily Functioning:

Difficulty focusing on work, school, or daily responsibilities due to compulsions
Feeling mentally exhausted after performing repetitive tasks
Frustration or irritability when unable to complete rituals
Strained social relationships due to time spent on behaviors or rigidity in routines

My Approach to Just Right OCD

As a therapist who specializes in OCD and anxiety, I know how overwhelming Just Right OCD can feel, and how misunderstood it often is. My approach is structured and evidence-based, but also compassionate and collaborative. I’ll help you build confidence in facing fears, reduce your need for rituals, and create meaningful changes at a pace that feels manageable.

Woman writing at desk depicting just right ocd

Treatment for Just Right OCD

Exposure with Response Prevention (ERP) is widely recognized as the gold standard in treating Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). In ERP, we will change the way you respond to your thoughts. You will learn not to take intrusive thoughts literally and stop feeling like you have to do what OCD wants you to do. We will test your fears by going towards situations that you have been avoiding and reducing the behaviors that reinforce the cycle.

Here’s why ERP is highly effective:

Face Your Fears: ERP directly challenges OCD symptoms by facing your feared situations or triggers and learning that anxiety decreases naturally over time without engaging in rituals. It may seem counterintuitive but avoiding your triggers is actually increasing your anxiety and making OCD worse!
Change What You Do: ERP focuses on changing behaviors rather than thoughts or beliefs. By breaking the cycle of compulsions, you will experience reduced anxiety and gain greater control over you OCD symptoms.
Build Your Confidence: ERP is conducted in a structured manner, starting with less distressing exposures and progressing to more challenging ones. ERP always goes at your pace! This gradual approach ensures you are learning to tolerate anxiety while resisting compulsions.

Learn more about ERP

Inference-based Cognitive Behavior Therapy (I-CBT) is a relatively newer approach that addresses OCD symptoms by targeting the cognitive processes underlying obsessions and doubts. I-CBT is considered evidence-based for treating OCD.

Cognitive Focus: IBT focuses on challenging and modifying the cognitive interpretations and inferences that drive OCD symptoms. It aims to change how you perceive and interpret your thoughts rather than directly targeting behaviors.
Normal Versus Obsessional Doubts: IBT helps you recognize how doubts in OCD are different from normal doubts. When you see the thoughts differently they are not as threatening and you won't need to do compulsions.
Collaborative: IBT involves collaborative exploration between the therapist and the client to understand the underlying cognitive processes driving OCD symptoms. This exploration will help us develop personalized strategies to challenge and change your cognitive patterns.

Ready to take the next steps?

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Schedule a 15 Minute Consulation

In-Person and Online Therapy Options in California

I offer in-person therapy in Campbell, CA, conveniently located near San Jose, Los Gatos, and Saratoga, as well as virtual therapy across the state of California. Whether you're local or elsewhere in the state, you don’t have to keep managing OCD alone. If you've been searching for OCD therapy, evidence-based support is available.

Start Just Right OCD Therapy Today

If you’re ready to stop letting fear control your life, I’m here to help. Therapy can help you feel more grounded, free, and like yourself again.

Contact Me

Use my client information form to tell me about yourself and how you are hoping I can help you.

Contact Form

free consultation with cognitive behavior therapist in san jose, california

Schedule a Consultation

Get a feel for my style and get your questions answered during our no-obligation phone screen.

Frequently asked questions

Complete the Potential Client Form and I will be in touch with you within 24 hours to set up a consultation call to discuss your symptoms and answer any questions about OCD, Exposure with Response Prevention (ERP), and other OCD treatment options . If we are fit will will book an intake session from there. After our initial meeting, most clients meet with me weekly for 45-minute sessions, ideally at the same day and a time each week. We will meet more or less depending on your needs.

My fees are $340 per 60 minute initial assessment session and $255 per 45-minute therapy session.

I am an out-of-network provider for all insurance panels. If you have a PPO you may be eligible for out of network benefits and I will submit electronic claims on your behalf so that you may be partially reimbursed for your CBT sessions. You can contact your insurance company directly to find out more information about your out of network coverage.

Exposure with Response Prevention (ERP) is more structured than other types of therapy. We will start our sessions by setting an agenda and intention for the session. The majority of our session time will be spent on understanding the cycle of OCD, building your coping skills and practicing challenging your fears. We will end with an action plan for you to take into your week. ERP, like cognitive behavior therapy, is at its core, flexible and collaborative so we will tailor our sessions to your needs and go at your pace.

It truth is that treatment length varies a lot. The severity of your symptoms, how long you have OCD, your motivation to work on OCD outside of session, and your life circumstances will all factor in to treatment length. With ERP, most clients start to feel some noticeable relief within three months and may achieve their goals by six months. For others it can take a year or more to achieve goals, or they find it helpful to continue to meet with a therapist to stay focused and accountable.

If you recongize yourself in the description above it is absolutely worth seeing your doctor or making an appointment wiht a therapist who specializes in OCD. They can assess your symptoms, provide a diagnosis, and recommend appropriate treatment options, such as therapy, like Exposure with Response Prevention and discuss if medication could be helpful to you. If you find yourself with worries that others don't understand or that traditional talk therapy and CBT are not giving you the results you hope for, a consolation with an OCD therapist may be useful.

About CAITLYN

I am a licensed marriage and family therapist with a master’s degree in clinical psychology. I have been working as a therapist since 2009, specializing in Cognitive Behavior Therapy for anxiety disorders and obsessive compulsive disorders. Before starting my own practice in 2021 I worked at a specialty anxiety/OCD group practice for many years, as well as community mental health, and school settings.

My practice is located in Campbell, CA in the South SF Bay Area, near San Jose, Los Gatos, Saratoga, Los Altos, Mountain View, Sunnyvale and Cupertino.

I have been working primarily with clients struggling with anxiety since 2012. Read more about my speciality training here.

My approach to anxiety and OCD treatment is compassionate and personalized. This work is challenging but we will go at your pace and focus on the symptoms that are getting in the way of your life.

Ready to get started or have more questions?

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caitlyn oscarson cognitive behavior therapist

Caitlyn OSCARSON

cognitive behavior therapy

"Just Right" OCD Therapy Near Me | Online & In-Person in California

What is "Just Right" OCD?

My Approach to Just Right OCD

Treatment for Just Right OCD

Exposure and Response Prevention

Inference-based Cognitive Behavior Therapy

Medication

In-Person and Online Therapy Options in California

Start Just Right OCD Therapy Today

Contact Me

Schedule a Consultation

Frequently asked questions

1 / How do I make an appointment?

2 / How much does therapy cost and do you take insurance?

3 / Do you offer in-person/face -to-face sessions?

4 / Do you work with children and teens?

5 / What will our sessions be like?

6 / How long does OCD treatment usually take?

7 / How can I tell if I have OCD?

About CAITLYN

Caitlyn OSCARSON, LMFT

cognitive behavior therapy

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