Support Resources

OCD Support Directory and Resources

Comprehensive directory of OCD support organizations, hotlines, and resources for finding help and connecting with support.

OCD Support Directory and Resources

Finding Help: Where to Start

Emergency Support

If you're in crisis:

  • Call 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) - Call or text 988
  • Text HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line)
  • Call 911 (Emergency - imminent danger)
  • Go to ER (If unsafe)

These services are:

  • Free
  • Confidential
  • Available 24/7
  • Staffed by trained counselors

Non-Emergency Support

If you need help but not in immediate crisis:

  • Contact your therapist
  • Call your psychiatrist
  • Contact crisis line (988) for guidance
  • Reach out to trusted person
  • Schedule urgent appointment

National OCD Organizations

International OCD Foundation (IOCDF)

What They Do:

  • Premier organization for OCD support
  • Maintain therapist directory
  • Provide educational resources
  • Run support groups
  • Facilitate research

Contact:

  • Website: https://iocdf.org/
  • Phone: (617) 973-5801
  • Email: info@iocdf.org

Key Resources:

  • Find therapist directory
  • Educational materials
  • Support group locator
  • Conference and events
  • Research information

Best For: Finding OCD specialist therapist, learning about OCD, connecting with community

Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA)

What They Do:

  • Support for anxiety disorders including OCD
  • Therapist directory with filters
  • Educational content
  • Online communities
  • Webinars and events

Contact:

  • Website: https://adaa.org/
  • Find therapist: https://adaa.org/find-help/find-a-therapist
  • Email: support@adaa.org

Key Resources:

  • Therapist finder (filter by OCD, CBT)
  • Anxiety disorders information
  • Online support groups
  • Webinars on various anxiety topics

Best For: Finding therapist, learning about anxiety treatment, accessing support groups

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

What They Do:

  • Support for all mental health conditions
  • Peer support programs
  • Education and advocacy
  • Family support programs
  • Local chapters nationwide

Contact:

  • Website: https://www.nami.org/
  • Helpline: 1-800-950-NAMI (6264)
  • Text "HELLO" to 741741

Key Resources:

  • Find local chapters
  • Peer support groups
  • Family programs
  • Mental health education
  • Advocacy information

Best For: Peer support, family support, local community resources

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

What They Do:

  • Government research institute
  • Provide evidence-based information
  • Support research studies
  • Educational resources

Contact:

  • Website: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/
  • Phone: 1-866-615-NIMH (6464)

Key Resources:

  • OCD information pages
  • Research updates
  • Treatment information
  • Scientific articles

Best For: Evidence-based information, research participation

OCD Treatment-Specific Resources

BehavioralTech

What They Do:

  • DBT skills training (some OCD applications)
  • Therapist directory
  • Training for mental health professionals

Contact:

  • Website: https://www.behavioraltech.org/
  • Phone for therapist referral available on website

Best For: Finding trained behavioral therapists, especially for complex cases

The Body Dysmorphic Disorder and OCD Clinic

What They Do:

  • Specializes in BDD and OCD
  • Provides resources
  • Therapist referrals

Contact:

  • Website: https://www.ocdandanxiety.org/

Best For: BDD/OCD overlap; severe body-focused OCD

Support Groups

In-Person Support Groups

Finding Local Groups:

  1. IOCDF Support Group Locator: https://iocdf.org/ocd-support/support-groups/
  2. NAMI Local Chapters: https://www.nami.org/get-involved/advocate/local-nam is
  3. Community mental health centers: Often host groups
  4. Hospitals/medical centers: Ask about groups
  5. Psychology offices: Many therapists co-lead groups

What to Expect:

  • 1.5-2 hour meetings
  • Peer-led or facilitator-led
  • Confidential environment
  • Sharing experiences
  • Mutual support
  • Usually free or small fee

Benefits of In-Person Groups:

  • Real human connection
  • Reduce isolation
  • Learn from others' experiences
  • Accountability and motivation
  • Social support

Online Support Groups

Finding Online Groups:

  • IOCDF: Hosts virtual support groups
  • Reddit: r/OCD (not official; check moderation)
  • ADAA: Online communities
  • Supportiv: Free crisis support chat
  • Discord servers: OCD community Discord servers

Format:

  • Weekly video meetings
  • Text-based chats
  • Forum discussions
  • Moderated by trained facilitator or peers

Benefits of Online Groups:

  • Accessible from home
  • Schedule flexibility
  • Anonymous options
  • Global reach
  • Immediate availability

Therapist Finding Resources

IOCDF Therapist Directory

URL: https://iocdf.org/find-help/find-a-therapist/

How It Works:

  • Filter by location
  • See therapist credentials
  • Read specializations
  • Direct contact information
  • International coverage

Best For: Finding OCD-specialized therapist

Psychology Today Therapist Finder

URL: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/therapy/therapist-finder

How It Works:

  • Search by location
  • Filter by specialty (OCD), approach (CBT)
  • Read therapist profiles
  • See insurance accepted
  • Direct messaging available

Benefits:

  • Large directory
  • Detailed profiles
  • Patient reviews
  • Insurance filter

ADAA Therapist Finder

URL: https://adaa.org/find-help/find-a-therapist

How It Works:

  • Search by location
  • Filter by anxiety disorder
  • See ADAA membership status
  • Direct contact

Best For: Anxiety-specialized therapists

Open Path Collective

URL: https://openpathcollective.org/

What They Do:

  • Network of affordable mental health providers
  • Sliding scale fees ($10-50 sessions)
  • No insurance needed
  • Therapy for all conditions

Best For: Affordable therapy options

Therapy for You (Teletherapy)

URL: Multiple platforms available

Options:

  • Betterhelp: https://www.betterhelp.com/
  • Talkspace: https://www.talkspace.com/
  • Teladoc: https://teladoc.com/
  • Ginger: https://www.ginger.com/

Benefits:

  • Convenient scheduling
  • From home
  • Often more affordable
  • Expanded therapist selection

Important: Verify OCD specialization before booking

Educational Resources

Websites

OCD-Specific:

  • IOCDF: https://iocdf.org/ (comprehensive)
  • The OCD and Anxiety Disorders Clinic: https://www.ocdandanxiety.org/
  • OCD Action: https://www.ocdaction.org.uk/ (UK-based)

Anxiety-Related:

  • ADAA: https://adaa.org/ (anxiety disorders)
  • Anxiety Canada: https://www.anxietycanada.com/
  • Mayo Clinic OCD Page: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/obsessive-compulsive-disorder/

Books

For Understanding OCD:

  • "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind" → Not relevant, skip
  • "Brain Lock" by Jeffrey Schwartz - Breaking OCD patterns
  • "Freeing Your Child from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder" by Tamar Chansky - For parents/families
  • "The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook" by Edmund Bourne - Practical exercises

For Recovery:

  • "Talking Back to OCD" by John March - ERP guidance
  • "The Happiness Trap" by Russ Harris - ACT for anxiety

For Parents:

  • "Helping Your Child with OCD" by Bonnie Zucker
  • "Overcoming Childhood OCD" by Ara Lee

Podcasts

OCD-Specific:

  • OCD Unreserved: Hosted by Katie Friedman (therapist)
  • Pure O Podcast: Focus on Pure-O (intrusive thoughts)
  • The OCD Stories: Real recovery stories

Anxiety/Mental Health:

  • Anxiety Coaches Podcast: Practical anxiety management
  • The Mental Health Podcast: Various mental health topics

YouTube Channels

  • OCD and Anxiety Canada: Educational videos
  • The Anxiety Guys: Explanation and support
  • OCD Videos: Treatment explanation

Medication Information

Psychiatrist Finding

Directories:

  • Psychiatry Online Therapist Finder
  • NAMI Provider Locator
  • Your insurance provider list
  • Ask your PCP for referral

Medication Resources

  • NIMH Medications Page: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/medications
  • FDA Drug Information: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/
  • RxList: https://www.rxlist.com/ (drug information)

Family and Caregiver Resources

Family Support Programs

  • NAMI Family Support Programs: Peer-led support for families
  • Families First: Family education and support
  • IOCDF Resources for Families: https://iocdf.org/ocd-in-families/

Parent Resources

  • Parenting with OCD: Guide for parents managing own OCD and parenting
  • When Your Child Has OCD: Parent education resources
  • Family Accommodation Handouts: Understanding and reducing accommodation

Couples/Relationship Support

  • Gottman Institute: Relationship research (some applies to OCD)
  • IOCDF: Relationship resources
  • Therapist specializing in couples work

Self-Help and Coping Resources

Apps

Symptom Tracking:

  • Moodpath: Mood and anxiety tracking
  • Youper: AI-assisted mood tracking
  • eMoods: Emotion tracking

Meditation/Mindfulness:

  • Insight Timer: Free meditations (OCD-friendly options)
  • Calm: Guided meditation and sleep
  • Headspace: Mindfulness introduction
  • UCLA Mindful: Research-based meditations

General Mental Health:

  • Sanvello: Mood tracking and coping tools
  • Reflectly: Journaling app
  • 7Cups: Free emotional support chat

Workbooks and Self-Help

  • The OCD Workbook: Self-guided ERP
  • Brain Lock Workbook: Exercises for freeing yourself from OCD
  • Anxiety and Phobia Workbook: Practical exercises

Crisis Resources by Country

United States

  • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call/text 988
  • Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
  • SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357 (substance abuse and mental health)

Canada

  • Talk Suicide Canada: 1-833-456-4566
  • Crisis Text Line: Text HELLO to 741741
  • Wellness Together Portal: https://www.wellnesstogether.ca/

UK

  • SANE: 0300-304-7000
  • Mind: https://www.mind.org.uk/
  • Samaritans: 116 123
  • OCD Action: https://www.ocdaction.org.uk/

Australia

  • Lifeline: 13 11 14
  • Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636
  • Australian OCD: https://www.ocdaustralia.org.au/

Religious and Spiritual Resources

Faith-Based Support

  • Pastoral counselors: Available through most religious institutions
  • Spiritual directors: For contemplative/spiritual guidance
  • Faith-based therapy: Therapists integrating faith and psychology
  • Religious communities: Many offer support and acceptance

Important Note: Scrupulosity (religious OCD) requires OCD-specialized therapist who understands religious concerns.

Accessibility Resources

For Those with Disabilities

  • ADAA Accessibility: Resources for individuals with disabilities
  • ADA Accommodations: Know your rights
  • Accessible Therapy Options: Virtual and in-home available
  • Accommodated Support Groups: Some groups offer accessibility services

Language Accessibility

  • IOCDF: Resources in multiple languages
  • NAMI: Translated materials
  • Local community mental health: Often have interpreter services

LGBTQ+ Affirming Resources

  • The Trevor Project: LGBTQ+ crisis support (1-866-488-7386)
  • LGBTQ+-affirming therapist directories: Psychology Today filter
  • NAMI LGBTQ+ Programs: Specific support
  • Gay and Lesbian Association of Physicians: Provider referrals

Workplace Support

  • EAP (Employee Assistance Programs): Often included with employment
  • EEOC: Know your workplace rights
  • Disability Services: Workplace accommodations
  • Occupational Health Services: Through your employer

Insurance and Financial Assistance

Insurance Help

  • Your insurance provider: Call your member services number
  • Patient Advocate Foundation: Help navigating insurance
  • SAMHSA: https://www.samhsa.gov/find-treatment

Financial Assistance

  • Open Path Collective: Affordable mental health ($10-50 sessions)
  • NAMI: May have financial assistance information
  • Community mental health centers: Often sliding scale
  • Nonprofit organizations: Sometimes offer treatment funding

Research and Clinical Trials

Finding Clinical Trials

  • ClinicalTrials.gov: https://clinicaltrials.gov/
  • NIMH: Research opportunities
  • University research studies: Check local universities
  • IOCDF: Links to research programs

Benefits:

  • Free or reduced-cost treatment
  • Cutting-edge approaches
  • Contributing to science
  • Researcher oversight

Key Takeaways

✓ Multiple resources available for OCD support
✓ IOCDF is premiere organization for OCD help
✓ Emergency support available 24/7
✓ Combination of resources often most helpful
✓ Online and in-person options available
✓ Professional help + peer support + self-help most effective

Next Steps

  1. Assess Your Immediate Needs:

    • In crisis? Call 988
    • Need therapist? Start with IOCDF directory
    • Want peer support? Look for local/online groups
    • Need information? Start with ADAA or IOCDF websites

  2. Build Your Support System:

    • Find professional therapist
    • Join support group (online or in-person)
    • Connect with trusted people
    • Use educational resources

  3. Maintain Connection:

    • Regular therapy
    • Support group participation
    • Continued learning
    • Ongoing self-care

  4. Help Others:

    • Share resources with others struggling
    • Consider peer support roles
    • Advocate for OCD awareness

Disclaimer: This directory is informational. Always verify current information with organizations directly. Crisis resources valid as of publication; verify current numbers if needed.

Last Updated: 2024-01-20 | Reviewed By: OCD Anchor Clinical Team