Polaris Family Behavioral Health

Loving this simplified guide to signs of an under-recognized cycle of OCD. If this sounds like it could be you, we’d love to help!

You can also find more information or providers through the International OCD Foundation!

The experience that we often call 'overthinking' can be a part of disorders like OCD, but some amount of 'overthinking' or dwelling on certain things or second-guessing our decisions is a relatively normal experience nearly all of us experience sometimes.

Overthinking can be anxiety-inducing, but it doesn't (in itself) tend to be particularly all-consuming, and it tends to be situational and limited to specific scenarios. Obsessive-compulsive disorder, on the other hand, is characterized by excessive doubt and distress, often caused by a scary or uncomfortable intrusive thought, which leads to repetitive or ritualistic behaviors or thought patterns.

OCD worries tend to persist, and they tend to feel overwhelming and uncomfortable to a degree where you are engaging in compulsions and rituals to reduce this distress, and might feel like the rumination on your worries is completely taking over your life. OCD is treated by a specialist therapy approach called exposure and response prevention therapy, which helps you break the OCD cycle.

Join the IOCDF and OCD ACTION for a special World Premiere of the award-winning short film "Waving," produced by TankTop Films, Grouchy Dog Productions, and Taming Olivia .

Watch a screening of the film followed by a Q&A with its creators, Thursday, May 30, 2024 at 2 pm EST ( 7 pm BST, 11 am PST.)

This week, we're welcoming a new OCD therapist, Renee! In addition to working with OCD, she also specializes in treating body focused repetitive behaviors (BFRB's) and complex and developmental trauma. She has immediate openings for adult clients!

To get started, contact us at 206-316-2375 or [email protected]

Kids and teens spend most of their awake hours at school so OCD treatment often includes plans for navigating school-related stressors. Working as a supportive group across environments helps reduce distress, increasing engagement with school, peers, and treatment!

Here's a list of a few ways to make school less painful for kids and teens. We currently have openings for new clients and can help customize a plan and recruit school support!

Students with OCD may need supports in the school environment to help them keep up with their studies while they are tackling their OCD. These supports can be known as “school or classroom accommodations,” and are temporary aids to students as they progress through their treatment. Click here: https://bit.ly/3VQUt2n for a big list of potential supports!

Meet one of our clinicians! In addition to clinical work, Dani also teaches and supervises counselors in training, as well as providing consult and education for the Polaris team. For more info or to schedule an intake, contact [email protected] or send us a DM.

The next 8 week round of our teen OCD group starts in a few weeks! You can never predict 100% what kind of activities they will get up to each week, but it usually involves a lot of laughing+ peer bonding.

We are so excited to have updated our SPACE groups to include an individual coaching session for each family! This helps ensure that you walk away with a personalized plan.

Contact us at [email protected] for more info or to get enrolled.

Guess what? We are now hiring! Join our team part- or full-time and get great benefits, including training on OCD and ERP.

See the full posting on Indeed or email us at [email protected]

Polaris Family Behavioral Health, PLLC Jobs and Careers | Indeed.com 1 Polaris Family Behavioral Health, PLLC jobs. Apply to the latest jobs near you. Learn about salary, employee reviews, interviews, benefits, and work-life balance

Congrats to the ever-amazing Nayara!

Intrusive thoughts aren't just 'what if' thoughts (although they certainly can be)! But even when they’re scary, it can often be easier to label ‘what if’ thoughts as intrusive, whereas other forms of intrusive thoughts can seem much more real—and therefore, much more distressing in some ways.

Here's your reminder that the nature of intrusive thoughts isn't dependent on how they're worded in your brain; they come in many shapes and forms, and they can range from statements to intrusive images and more! Does this resonate with you?

The Online OCD Camp is back in 2024! Visit iocdf.org/camp to register for this special event for youth with OCD and their families.

Holidays can look different with OCD. Comment below with your tips for navigating OCD symptoms during the holiday season!

We are so excited for yet another new clinician to be joining our team! Sharlotte still has a few openings for new kid and teen clients. For more info or to schedule an intake, contact [email protected] or send us a DM.

Can you believe our Online OCD Con is coming up this weekend!?

There's still time to register, visit iocdf.org/onlineocdconference.

And don't forget! You can still access Online OCD Con content for 60 days after the conference ends. Simply register for continued access to our sessions.

This conference is hosted in partnership with OCD SoCal.

As we wrap up OCD Awareness Week here in office, we wanted to introduce one of our newest providers. Debora is currently accepting new clients for in person or virtual sessions. Contact in bio!

The work week is done for most of us, but OCD Awareness week is not! The IOCDF still has an afternoon of events, both fun and educational, open to anyone.

OCD Awareness Week | International OCD Foundation OCD Awareness Week is the 2nd full week of October. Each year during OCD awareness week, community groups, service organizations, and clinics across the US and around the world celebrate throughout the week with events such as educational lecture series, OCD-inspired art exhibits, grassroots fundrai...

Good mental health is an integral part of our overall health and wellbeing.
Good mental health allows us to cope with challenges, connect with others and thrive throughout our lives. It’s vital and deserves to be recognized and respected.
Learn more at https://bit.ly/3ESCkHA

We’re starting a day early! Our art therapist is in love with this gallery of work done by people fighting OCD. Check it out!

*loads best on desktop/tablet or in the Flicker App

The OCD Art Gallery is now open!

Visit to see some incredible artwork from the OCD Community: https://bit.ly/45r26xr

Next week is OCD Awareness Week! In a new blog, Marni L. Jacob, PhD, ABPP, helps us break the stigma by increasing awareness of lesser-known symptoms of OCD: https://bit.ly/3F5snXC.

A belated but well deserved congratulations to our new Clinical Director!

We are so excited to welcome our newest therapist, Christine, to the team!

Christine will soon be open for new clients. To learn more about her or to schedule an intake, call us at (206) 316-2375 or send an email to [email protected].

Our mindset is so important!

Anyone feel like they need a bit of a phone break? There’s so much noise right now online about buying things, getting your home perfect for the holidays, hosting, etc. If you feel like you just need to set your phone down for a bit and focus on what’s in front of you, you’re not alone! And sometimes, it’s 100% necessary.

While Thanksgiving may have passed, we still have the opportunity to think about what we’re thankful for daily. Sometimes this season tends to make us believe that we need more. Instead, let’s remind ourselves we have so much to be thankful for already.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving celebration. While we focused on what we were thankful for yesterday, let’s remember to continue doing so!

Day 3 talking all about boundaries! Today we’re talking about how setting boundaries can actually be a form of self care, along with some of these other items as well!