It is recommended that you get started by looking for a therapist who is familiar with, and practiced in, CBT. How do you find a cognitive behavioral therapist? There are several good possibilities. The following sections present a few.

Speak with Your Insurance Company or Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

If you have health insurance and it covers mental health services, you can call the help number and explain that you are looking for a cognitive behavioral therapist who can treat OCD. Don't take “no” for an answer, by the way. Depending on your state of residence, your health maintenance organization (HMO) or insurance company may be obligated to provide you with appropriate care for your condition. Explain calmly, clearly, and patiently that you are looking for a therapist who treats OCD or anxiety disorders. If you work for a company that has an employee assistance program (EAP), you can also call their help line with the same request. Or, your company EAP may send you to a counselor, who can then recommend a cognitive therapist.

Search the OC Foundation

By logging on to the OC Foundation's Web site (OCFoundation. org) and doing some minimal searching, you can find and browse a list of providers in your area. You'll be prompted for the city or county and state in which you're searching. You will be asked to register, but it is free, safe, and confidential to do so. If you're not comfortable providing your name, a nickname should be fine. You will have to give an e-mail address, however. Doing so did not cause a problem for us when we tried it. (The site does offer opt in/out for e-newsletters, but the organization is a non-profit and pledges not to share your information with anyone else.)

Armed with a list of providers, you'll have to start making calls. You will likely need to use some patience. Some of the therapists you call will probably not be seeing new patients, or they won't accept your particular health insurance. Do not despair. One therapist may be able to recommend another. After a few calls, you should enjoy more luck.

School Services

If you're in school, confidential mental health services should be offered. If you're not sure how to avail yourself of them, check your student handbook or ask your adviser. In most, if not all, cases, full-time students are required to have health insurance, whether through their parents or purchased through the college or university, so you should be able to go off campus, as well, should you choose to. (That said, if your school offers a more convenient program, you might want to check it out, assuming it meets your needs in terms of providers, hours, and location.) Even if you're not yet in college, you may be able to obtain confidential help for OCD, although we do hope you're able to discuss your situation with your parents or guardian.