I am a British Columbia Registered Clinical Counsellor with a doctorate in Social Science and lived experience of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. My priority is to share compassionate, shame-free, non-judgmental psychoeducational content that may help people feel less alone and better understand their experiences.
I know firsthand how isolating OCD can be, particularly when it involves intrusive thoughts and taboo themes. I suffered immensely for many years without understanding what was happening in my mind. Despite completing extensive university education in counselling, mental health, and social science, I did not learn about the many ways OCD can present, particularly mental compulsions, hidden rituals, and taboo intrusive thoughts.
I participated in therapy for years, but because my symptoms were not recognized as OCD, some approaches were unhelpful and, at times, unintentionally caused more harm. I was 39 years old when I first learned through social media about mental compulsions and the less commonly discussed presentations of OCD, especially taboo OCD. For the first time, my experiences began to make sense.
I then sought support from a therapist and psychologist who specialized in OCD and received a formal diagnosis. During my assessment, the psychologist told me in a lighthearted fashion,
“You meet the diagnostic criteria for screaming OCD.”
After so many years of confusion and self-doubt, receiving that clarity was deeply validating.
Accurate Information
Finding accurate information changed my life. Social media became the starting place that helped me move from believing something was terribly wrong with me to realizing that I was experiencing OCD—and that other people were having the exact same, or remarkably similar, experiences.
This is why I understand the importance of accessible psychoeducation, responsible self-disclosure, and honest conversations about misunderstood mental health experiences. Social media is not therapy and is not a replacement for individualized assessment, diagnosis, or treatment. However, it can reduce stigma, interrupt shame, and help someone find language for what they may be experiencing.
The content shared through Honestly OCD reflects my personal experience, professional knowledge, education, and ongoing learning. It may resonate deeply with some people and not with others. OCD and mental health experiences are diverse, and no single story, perspective, or resource will reflect everyone’s experience. That is okay. This content is not prescriptive, and people are encouraged to take what feels helpful and leave what does not.
I also bring lived experience to my work of suffering healing, and recovery. I have lived with, and have been formally diagnosed with, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. This has deeply shaped my understanding of suffering, fear, shame, resilience, recovery, and the importance of compassionate, informed care. Because of this, I have a particular passion for supporting greater awareness of OCD, including intrusive thoughts, taboo themes, mental compulsions, and the painful isolation that can accompany misunderstood mental health experiences.
The online OCD community helped change my life for the better. Through Honestly OCD, I hope to contribute meaningfully and responsibly to the space that helped me understand myself, seek specialized care, and begin recovering.