Book Review: OCD, A Guide for the Newly Diagnosed

Although OCD is commonly used to describe someone who is overly tidy, this stereotype doesn’t capture the common struggles of someone with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Perhaps as a consequence of stereotypes such as this, many people with OCD suffer for years — knowing that something is wrong but being uncertain how to even describe what they’re … Read more

Problems with Pulling Your Hair or Picking at Your Skin?—Try a Little TLC

Have you ever heard of trichotillomania or the wonderful organization called the Trichotillomania Learning Center (TLC)? See below to learn more. What’s Trichotillomania? Trichotillomania—or “trich” for short—is a problem that’s a little obscure even for professionals, but it impacts a lot of people. People with trich pull at their hair so often that it causes … Read more

Exposure Therapy on TV – “My Extreme Animal Phobia”

Not long ago my girlfriend stumbled across a YouTube video from Animal Planet’s show “My Extreme Animal Phobia.” It features a segment from the show involving a tough-looking, heavily tattooed man who is terrified of pit bulls. The fear is so intense the man breaks down in tears when a psychologist takes him to a … Read more

Should I Be Taking “Alternative” Supplements for Anxiety?

More and more, I have clients coming into see me who are taking over-the-counter “natural” or “alternative” products. Sometimes these are recommended by a specialist, sometimes by a friend. I was curious about these alternative products and did a little research about what they are—and whether there’s any evidence of their effectiveness. I came across … Read more

What Makes Us Unique

Portland Psychotherapy is a clinic, research & training center with a unique business model that funds scientific research. This results in a team of therapists who are exceptionally well-trained and knowledgeable about their areas of specialty.