About obsession
On this page you can browse therapists who list obsession among their specialties, including help with persistent intrusive thoughts and related distress. Review therapist profiles below to compare approaches, credentials, languages and experience.
What to compare in entries
| Credentials | A US state licence, or membership of a professional body such as BACP or NCPS. They are different kinds of thing; each profile shows what was supplied. |
|---|---|
| Focus | Whether obsession is listed as a main focus or among the wider list of areas. Entries show both. |
| Way of working | The approaches named on the entry. Two people working with the same concern can describe very different sessions. |
| Time in practice | Years in practice, as supplied. A fact to weigh, not a ranking. |
| Language | The languages sessions can be held in, where that matters to you. |
Common questions
How were these entries chosen?
Everyone listed on this page has obsession among the areas they told the platform they work with. They are not ranked, rated or endorsed by this directory, and the order is not a recommendation.
Do I need a referral to start?
No. You can contact a therapist through their entry directly. A GP referral is not required for independent online therapy.
What if the first therapist is not right?
Changing therapist is normal and expected, and can be done at any point. One session is a small sample of how someone works.
Entries for obsession
Savithri (Savi) Jayaweera, NCPS
Ref 151058
Compassionate counsellor for complex life challenges
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Trauma and abuse Languages: English, Hindi, Sinhala
View listingJoanne Maddison, BACP
Ref 276861
Compassionate counsellor blending insight and practical tools
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Grief, Parenting Languages: English
View listingJames French, BACP
Ref 203032
Practical support for anxiety and life transitions
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Trauma and abuse Languages: English
View listingTomasz Konieczny, BACP, NCPS
Ref 199992
Practical, compassionate online counselling
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Anger Languages: English, Polish
View listingMargaret Johnston, LMHC
Ref 62092
Calm listening that helps you move forward
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Grief Languages: English
View listingClement West, BACP
Ref 167549
Gentle, practical support for everyday challenges
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Self esteem Languages: English
View listingDavid Potts, LCSW
Ref 23255
Practical, compassionate therapy for life changes
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Grief Languages: English
View listingNicola Claydon, NCPS
Ref 183763
Calm, practical support for complex life issues
Works with: Relationship, Trauma and abuse, Intimacy-related issues Languages: English
View listingDanielle Horn, LMSW
Ref 272733
Focused therapy that digs to the root
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Self esteem Languages: English
View listingWellington Cesar Assis Bueno, BACP
Ref 226813
Healing emotions, building clearer choices
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, LGBT, Trauma and abuse Languages: English, Portuguese
View listingKizzie Wells-Daniels, LPC
Ref 67515
Therapist for stress, parenting, and life changes
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Parenting, Anger Languages: English
View listingRebecca "Becca" Mather, BACP
Ref 236007
Compassionate, practical support for life’s pressures
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Parenting Languages: English
View listingJennifer Lee Sylvester, LCSW
Ref 116075
Experienced LCSW offering respectful, practical care
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Self esteem Languages: English
View listingSara Lowe, LPC
Ref 104527
Practical, compassionate therapy for life changes
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Self esteem, Depression Languages: English
View listingFrank Centonze, LPC
Ref 297421
Direct, practical counseling for emotional recovery
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Trauma and abuse Languages: English
View listingJudith Ramsay, BACP
Ref 135275
Counselling that focuses on practical change
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Self esteem, Career Languages: English
View listingFaryal Choudry, LCSW
Ref 266995
Compassionate guidance for stress and relationships
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Relationship Languages: English
View listingSherry Ramsey Hansen, LPC
Ref 352558
Collaborative counselor focused on practical progress
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Self esteem Languages: English
View listingJade Round, BACP
Ref 180505
Practical, person-focused therapy for life challenges
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Self esteem Languages: English
View listingSarah Anderson, NCPS
Ref 133882
Practical support for stress and life changes
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, LGBT, Self esteem Languages: English
View listingCecile Terrelonge, BACP
Ref 134582
Person-centred counsellor offering practical support
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, LGBT, Family Languages: English
View listingMichael Witham, LPC
Ref 56161
Practical, person-focused counseling for daily struggles
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Anger Languages: English
View listingLisa Peter, LCSW, LIMHP
Ref 288708
Practical skills for anxiety and relationships
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Trauma and abuse Languages: English
View listingCallie Roberts, LPC
Ref 261180
Calm practical support for everyday challenges
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Anger Languages: English
View listingClaudia Santiago, LCSW
Ref 149793
Practical, collaborative therapy for everyday struggles
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Grief Languages: English, Spanish
View listingAndrea Antrobus, BACP
Ref 121857
Warm counsellor blending practical therapy and listening
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Self esteem Languages: English
View listingMaria Wilson, LCSW
Ref 138055
Understanding, practical support for everyday struggles
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Family Languages: English
View listingPaul Bryan, LPC
Ref 175985
Compassionate counselor guiding steady change
Works with: Family, Self esteem, Career Languages: English
View listingFaye Noyland, BACP
Ref 176481
Calm, practical counselling for everyday struggles
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Trauma and abuse Languages: English
View listingGerry Byrne, BACP
Ref 224563
Practical, collaborative therapy for daily struggles
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Relationship Languages: English
View listingDonna Watts, BACP
Ref 219020
Compassionate, practical support for real-life struggles
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Relationship Languages: English
View listingVictoria Harper, BACP
Ref 257028
Gentle person-centred counselling for everyday struggles
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Self esteem Languages: English
View listingKelley Sullivan, LCSW
Ref 526
Compassionate, practical therapy for real life struggles
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Trauma and abuse Languages: English, Spanish
View listingDr. Robert Hunt, LPC
Ref 187307
Experienced therapist for life changes and emotion work
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Relationship Languages: English
View listingSally Henderson, ACA, PACFA
Ref 224972
Compassionate trauma and addiction counsellor
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Relationship Languages: English
View listingLisa Spears, LPC
Ref 101050
Hopeful, practical counseling for life
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Family Languages: English
View listingChris Rottcher, NCPS
Ref 167547
Compassionate integrative counsellor for life challenges
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Trauma and abuse Languages: English, Afrikaans
View listingJamie Finkelstein, LPC
Ref 16744
Compassionate counselor for practical change
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, LGBT, Trauma and abuse Languages: English
View listingDanielle Turner, LCPC
Ref 43399
Practical, compassionate therapy for everyday challenges
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Parenting Languages: English
View listingRani Sagar, BACP
Ref 180509
Gentle humanistic counselling for life changes
Works with: Relationship, Trauma and abuse, Grief Languages: English
View listingChase Carter, LCSW
Ref 330670
Skilled LCSW focused on relationships and recovery
Works with: Addictions, Relationship, Trauma and abuse Languages: English
View listingAndrew Mclay, BACP
Ref 236002
Compassionate counsellor for grief and life change
Works with: Relationship, Trauma and abuse, Grief Languages: English
View listingLisa Fairclough, BACP
Ref 160254
Practical, values-focused support for change
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Trauma and abuse Languages: English
View listingFarah Southwell, LPC
Ref 203059
Practical, experienced therapist for life’s hard moments
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Family Languages: English, Haitian Creole
View listingNeha Kapoor, PACFA
Ref 212378
Compassionate counselling for stress and relationships
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Trauma and abuse Languages: English
View listingLaurel Deegan, BACP
Ref 231520
Compassionate, person-centred counselling for identity and stress
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, LGBT, Relationship Languages: English
View listingPeter Bramhill, BACP
Ref 236747
Practical, compassionate counselling for life’s challenges
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Family, Trauma and abuse Languages: English
View listingRosalind Oliver, BACP
Ref 232595
Gentle practical therapy for stress and relationships
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, LGBT, Trauma and abuse Languages: English, German
View listingMore about obsession
Understanding obsession and how it can affect your life
Obsession often refers to recurring, unwanted thoughts, images or urges that feel intrusive and difficult to dismiss. For many people these thoughts are distressing because they conflict with personal values or appear to emerge without warning. Obsessive experiences are varied - they can center on fears about harm, moral or religious concerns, contamination, relationship doubts, or repetitive mental rituals. You may notice that the thoughts occupy large amounts of mental energy, interrupt daily routines, cause you to avoid certain situations or lead you to perform actions intended to reduce anxiety. Over time, that pattern of avoidance or neutralizing behavior can maintain the cycle of distress, making it harder to move past intrusive content.
Living with obsession is not a sign of weakness. It can have real effects on your concentration, sleep, work performance and relationships. You may find yourself constantly monitoring your own thoughts or seeking reassurance from others, which can feel tiring or isolating. Understanding how obsession functions - as thoughts that trigger emotional responses and coping behaviors - is an important step. Therapy often focuses on reducing the power of those thoughts and helping you reclaim daily activities without being driven by them.
Signs that therapy for obsession might help you
You might consider seeking therapy if intrusive thoughts are frequent, cause significant distress, or interfere with your ability to function in work, school or relationships. Signs to look for include feeling compelled to perform mental or physical actions to quiet a thought, spending excessive time trying to rule out possibilities raised by a thought, avoiding people or places that trigger the thought, or experiencing escalating anxiety whenever an intrusive image appears. If these reactions make it difficult to complete tasks, maintain social connections or enjoy everyday activities, targeted support can provide new ways of responding.
Another indicator that therapy could be helpful is when coping strategies you have tried on your own are not producing lasting relief. You may have noticed that reassurance, distraction or checking behaviors reduce anxiety briefly but the distressing thoughts return or intensify. Therapy offers techniques that address the patterns that maintain obsession, rather than only attempting to suppress symptoms. It also gives you an opportunity to explore how stress, mood changes and life events interact with intrusive thoughts so you can develop a more sustainable approach to managing them.
What to expect in therapy sessions focused on obsession
When you begin working with a therapist about obsessive thoughts, initial sessions often focus on understanding your experience in detail. You and the therapist will talk about the content and frequency of thoughts, how you respond to them, and how those responses affect your daily life. The aim is to build a shared picture of the pattern you want to change and to set practical, measurable goals for therapy. Your therapist will usually invite you to track specific thoughts and behaviors between sessions so you both have concrete examples to work from.
Subsequent sessions typically introduce strategies tailored to those patterns. You can expect a mixture of learning, guided practice and reflection. The therapist may coach you through exercises in session, and then support you as you try them in real life. Progress is often incremental - you may notice reduced intensity of distress, greater willingness to tolerate uncertainty, or more time being free from ritualizing thoughts. Throughout the process your therapist should explain the rationale for techniques and invite you to give feedback so the work aligns with your values and daily responsibilities.
Common therapeutic approaches used for obsession
Several therapeutic approaches are commonly used to address obsessive thoughts, and therapists vary in which ones they list among their approaches. Cognitive behavioral strategies are frequently used to help you examine the relationship between thoughts, feelings and behaviors and to develop new response patterns. Exposure-based methods, including exposure and response prevention, are often described by therapists who focus on helping people face distressing thoughts without performing neutralizing behaviors, thereby reducing the hold those thoughts have over time. Some therapists who list acceptance and commitment therapy among their approaches emphasize changing your relationship to thoughts by clarifying values and increasing willingness to experience discomfort while acting in meaningful ways.
Other approaches you may encounter include mindfulness-informed work that helps you observe thoughts without immediate reaction, and psychodynamic or interpersonal methods that explore how past experiences or relationship patterns relate to current thought patterns. If you are curious about complementary tools such as relaxation training or stress management, many therapists incorporate those elements to address the emotional arousal that often accompanies obsession. It is common for therapists to combine elements from different modalities, and when reviewing profiles on this page you will see practitioners who list a range of approaches rather than single, fixed methods.
How online therapy works for obsession and what to consider
Online therapy has become a practical option if you prefer remote sessions or need greater scheduling flexibility. In remote work you and the therapist typically meet through video, phone or messaging, depending on the format they list as part of their practice. You can expect conversations similar to in-person therapy - a focus on assessment, goal-setting and guided practice - with adaptations for the virtual environment. Some people find that practicing exposures or coping strategies at home with the therapist watching online feels especially relevant because it happens in real-life contexts.
When you prepare for online sessions, consider where you will attend from so you have a quiet, comfortable environment that supports focused work. Think about how you will handle moments of strong emotion between sessions - your therapist can help create a plan that includes immediate grounding techniques and contacts for urgent support if needed. Communication about technology preferences and boundaries tends to be part of the intake conversation, and many therapists outline how they manage scheduling, messaging and session length in their profiles. Remote therapy can broaden your choices when looking for a match, but the core therapeutic tasks - learning, practicing and reflecting - remain the central elements of the work.
Choosing the right therapist for obsession
Finding a therapist who feels like a good fit for this work matters. Start by looking at profiles to see whether therapists list obsession, intrusive thoughts or related concerns among their specialties and note the approaches they describe. You may prefer a therapist who lists exposure-based work if you want a hands-on practice-oriented approach, or someone who lists mindfulness and acceptance strategies if you are drawn to changing your relationship with thoughts. Also take into account practical factors such as languages spoken and experience with populations similar to yours.
Initial contact with a therapist can be an opportunity to ask about how they typically structure sessions for obsession, what kinds of between-session work they recommend, and how they measure progress. It is reasonable to inquire about how they coordinate care with other providers if you are seeing a prescriber or medical professional, or to ask how they address overlapping issues such as anxiety or relationship stress. Trust your impressions after a few sessions - you should feel respected and heard, and the techniques should make sense to you. If the work is not helping you move toward your goals, it is appropriate to discuss adjustments or to look for someone whose approach better matches your needs.
Therapy for obsession is a process that often involves learning new ways of responding to thoughts, tolerating uncertainty and gradually reclaiming activities that matter to you. With thoughtful guidance and consistent practice you can reduce the control that intrusive thoughts exert over your life. Use the listings below to explore profiles, compare approaches and find a therapist whose style and experience align with the kind of work you want to do.