Kelley Franke

Therapy isn't the answer for everything! . There I said it. Therapy is a lot of it, because it allows space to build insight and awareness into your own patterns and stories you tell yourself. It allows space to reflect and can help you created a plan of action. . Taking action in other parts of your life can help the recovery process. I am going to share with you a few TIPS I have my clients consider in treatment:... . 1. Physical activity- get those cortisol hormones out of you people! Release the stress monster! 30-minutes is ideal but I would take 5 as a win! . 2. Stay hydrated- Make sure you are drinking your water or your organs won't operate as well. Hint: your brain is a major organ. . 3. Stay connected (with healthy people please)- make sure you talk to other people, even if it feels painful at times. Humans are social creatures and to deprive yourself of this only furthers depression and isolation. . 4. Keep a schedule (not a RIGID one!)- a regular routine is so helpful for those who live with anxiety. . 5. Sleep- this goes back to a schedule. Try to go to bed and wake up around the same time everyday. Your brain and body needs sleep. For those who have trouble sleeping- I get it. Insomnia is a topic I have covered in a past post and will post again on soon. . Look, humans have so many moving parts- take care of all of them if you want to see real change and prolonged change. It is a lifestyle change. Keep in mind, these tips are not to be made rigid- keep a loose grip on all things. Be kind to yourself above all. . What are some things that have helped you in your recovery? . #pureo #pureocd #ocd #anxietytips #ocdtips #depressionandanxiety #intrusivethoughts #livingwithanxiety #ocdrecovery #bekind #selfcompassion #stresshormone #socialanxiety #trichotillomania #panicattacks #panicattack #livingwithocd #ocdtherapy #ocdtherapist #anxietytherapist #itsokaytonotbeokay #selfcare #acceptance #loosenthegrip #mentalhealthadvocate #mentalhealthmatters #mentalhygiene #DBT #ERP #therapyishard See more

What if I lose my mind? . So many people suffer with this fear. It can be accompanied with dissociation, panic and over-attending to sounds or visual distortions. . Sadly, if you are looking and checking for something long enough- it will be all consuming, ie., if you are over-attending to sounds- you will confirm you are hearing things. Usually, by the time clients come to see me, they have already self-diagnosed on webMD with schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders.... This makes it much harder to defuse from the fear because the person is constantly looking for symptoms they read online. . Just like other sub-types of OCD, it can be treated and managed with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with an emphasis on Exposure and Response Prevention and Mindfulness. I do have more information on this sub-type in an older post titled, "How do you know this is real?" . Comment below on your experiences. Anything might be helpful to someone else going through this fear right now. See more

"Ride the wave," a common metaphor used to describe surfing powerful emotions with acceptance and acknowledgment that they will rise and fall, just as the waves of the ocean. . If you try to fight an emotion by delaying it or suppressing it...spoiler alert, it's coming whether you like it or not. The wave has arrived my friend- be with it! When we learn to surf, or move with it, we find acceptance- this doesn't mean we like it! All emotions are impermanent. The wave will r...ecede once more, just as your emotions do. . There is a caveat, some waves are stronger than others. The phrase, "ride the wave," sounds peaceful and calm. Living near the California coast my entire like, I assure you, no two waves are created equal. Just as no two emotions are created equal in their intensity or frequency. It is not serenity and harmony as the phrase can often imply. Even when you are "riding the wave." . There is nothing more powerful than staring at a wave bigger than you, knowing all you can do is try to meet it where it is and swim with its direction. In fact, sometimes you have to swim towards it to make sure it doesn't take you out. Some people find thrill and excitement in surfing- Riding a roller coaster is the same emotion as anxiety- it is just associated with excitement (but that is for another post). . Riding the wave can be outright frightful, surf it anyways. Then surf it again and again, until you find the confidence you need to believing you can in fact, handle the emotion without trying to change it. Be kind to yourself, surfing is exhausting. . What is your experience with allowing a feeling be there without trying to alter it? What have you found helpful? . #ridethewave #pureo #pureocd #anxietyandocd #mindfulness #harmocd #livingwithocd #ocdrecovery #ocdtreatment #acceptance #faceyourfear #intrusivethoughts #emotionregulation #therapyishard #ocdishard #anxietyishard #benicetoyourself #cognitivebehavioraltherapy #youarenotyourthoughts #thoughtsarejustthoughts #POCD #PPOCD #SOOCD #HOCD #contaminationOCD #RealEventOCD #youarenotyouremotions #ocdtips #BFRB #ScrupOCD See more

No one wants to feel distressing emotions. . Why not just push them away then? Well, if we try to push them away, they will persist and cause immense suffering. If you are looking to expand your understanding on the concept of acceptance, check out #TheHappinessTrap by Russ Harris- one of my favorite books! . The human mind has developed many unhelpful ways to modify negative emotions: drinking, avoidance, restricting food, compulsions, drugs, etc. The cost of avoidance ...is high and leads to prolonged pain and suffering and compounds the feeling you were trying to avoid in the first place. . I am fully aware of the fact that this is much easier said than done. However, you can practice acceptance in something very small and slowly build to more distressing experiences. . Consider this the next time you are sitting in traffic: You cannot change the traffic, it is truly out of your control. Nonetheless, traffic is very upsetting and for many people it can cause rage. Let's think about this rationally, lashing out on others by yelling or honking your horn is not actually going to get you to your destination any faster. I'm not saying, "don't be angry," I'm actually saying, allow yourself to experience anger without acting on it, because acting on it is not helping you! In fact, it is causing more distress! Let me know how it goes. . What are some small ways you can start practice acceptance? See more

Self-compassion you say? . While #CognitiveBehavioralTherapy #ExposureandResponsePrevention and #mindfulness are the gold standard in the treatment of OCD, self-compassion plays an integral role as well. . Yes, #ERP is hands down wins the award: it has all the bells and whistles but it has always been missing one piece: #selfcompassion ! It can be downright devastating doing some exposures and if you do not meet yourself with oodles of kindness, you will have one heck of ...a long road ahead. . Keep in mind, if you deal with #perfectionism this is exceptionally important, as these folks tend to have the "all or nothing" mindset. This is a faulty thought pattern which includes thoughts like: "This homework is too hard so what's the point of even doing any of it!" or "I have to do all of these exposures and do them perfect or else I won't get better." In reality, the person who comes to my office saying, "I had a hard time with these exposures and I didn't get through all of them but I am proud of myself for doing all the other ones," is the person who will not only have a faster recovery but will likely experience less suffering. . While I cannot measure suffering in my office, I can merely offer my experience as a professional. Self-compassion brings mental resiliency. For sake of time, I won't get into it but later next week I will post on this. . OCD bullies you, don't gang up on yourself- stand up for yourself and highlight the things you did do! Celebrate your hard work! #pocd #intrusivethoughts #thoughtsarejustthoughts #exposures #obsessivethinking #pureoc #pureocd #livingwithocd #ocdisreal #ocdtherapist #ocdtherapy #realocd #PPOCD #harmocd #realeventocd #existentialocd #benicetoyourself #ocdtreatment #ocdquote #helpforocd #contaminationocd #youarenotyourthoughts #ocdwarrior #postpartumocd See more

Boy it sure feels like you can though! . So many of us fall into the trap or mentally reviewing the past. Rumination is so automatic it seems impossible to catch. Let me share a little tip I use with my clients and myself. When you notice your anxiety starting to rise, try to gently check in with yourself, "I notice I am experiencing sensations of anxiety. I wonder what just happened." Remember: do it with light curiosity because sometimes we just experience anxiety with no... thoughts at all and the "trying to figure it out," thought ends up being a totally different tale spin. . If you notice your mind was drifting into the past or even the future, try to come back to the present moment. It takes time and practice. It will eventually become second nature. When presented with the choice between dropping rumination and continuing to ruminate, you will likely experience distress. It can be accompanied with feelings of irresponsibility or doom- do it anyways! You are stronger than you think. . What are some other tools you have used to drop rumination? . P.S. if you find a time travel machine please be sure to send it my way. . #mentalrumination #mentalcompulsions #compulsions #pureocd #pureo #socialanxiety #generalizedanxietydisorder #anxietytips #ocdtips #obsessivethinking #intrusivethoughts #mentalreview #obsessivecompulsivetreatment #ocdtherapy #anaxietyawareness #anxietytips #anxietytherapist #thoughtsarejustthoughts #POCD #healthanxiety #ocdquotes #cognitivebehavioraltherapy #anxietyrecovery #helpforanxiety #ocdrecovery #acceptanceandcommitmenttherapy #ACT #ERP #CBT #embraceuncertainty See more

Removing compulsions is essential and typically the first place to start in treating OCD. . If you can delay your compulsions by a few minutes or even a few seconds you have won! Breaking up the OC-cycle can be done bu delaying or limiting your compulsions, not just by stopping them completely. In fact, stopping compulsions all together can often be too much at the beginning. . What other ways have you tried to break up the OC-cycle?... . #pureo #pureocd #intrusivethoughts #thoughtsarejusththoughts #thoughtsarenotfacts #feelingsarenotfacts #obsessivecompulsivedisorder #ocdhelp #helpforocd #ocdlife #exposureandresponseprevention #mentalcompulsions #mentalrumination #compulsions #obsessivethinking #POCD #PPOCD #BDD #BFRB #anxietyandocd #eatingdisorder #healthanxiety #sexualorientationocd #HOCD #anxietytherapy #anxietytherapist See more

Mollie was the winner of my 5k giveaway! While I was checking out her page, I realized: This person is AMAZING! She lives with OCD (so she gets it) and she is a mental health advocate. It was in that moment I knew other people needed to know more about this badass anxiety warrior! Mollie was kind enough to give me a little information about her journey and I wanted to share it with all of you. . If you want to know more about Mollie's story, check out her page @its....always.mollie and you will find multiple podcast interviews where she talks in more depth about her journey. . "I have been living with OCD since childhood, yet I was just formally diagnosed in early 2019. I credit ERP to giving me my life back, as it had taken too many things away from me. As far as recovery, I personally think that is a lifelong journey! I don’t think my OCD thoughts will ever disappear completely, but with the help of ERP, journaling, and an incredible support system, I am better able to manage my symptoms." -Mollie Albanese . #mentalhealthadvocate #ocdadvocate #ocdwarrior #anxietywarrior #ocdsupport #ocdrecovery #erp #exposureandresponseprevention #cognitivebehavioraltherapy #ocdtherapy #ocdandanxiety #pureo #harmocd #soocd #hocd #existentialocd #intrusivethoughts #obsessionalthinking #ocd #obsessivecompulsivedisorder #obsessivecompulsivetreatment #therapist #ocdisnotanadjective #breakstigma #youarenotalone #ocdtreatment #ocdawareness #ocdpeersupport #ocdcommunity #ocdsupport See more

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, with an emphasis on the "B" in "behavioral," being Exposure and Ritual Prevention are the gold standard treatment for OCD. There have been very helpful supplemental treatments over the recent years, such as Mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). . In the treatment of body-focused behavioral disorders, ComB or habit reversal training, would be included with the treatment interventions listed above. . Follow for more inf...ormation on OCD and other related disorders. You can also find a great deal of resources @iocdf @tlcbfrb @pandasnetworkofficial @bddfoundation . . . #ocdweek #ocdweek2020 #ocdawarenessweek #OCD #PANDAS #BFRB #Trich #skinpicking #hoarding #BDD #obsessivecompulsive #intrusivethoughts #pureo #pureocd #ocdadvocate #obsessivecompulsivedisorder #generalizedanxiety #anxiety #socialanxiety #panic #panicattack #anxietyattack #phobias #anxietydisorders #anxietydisorderawareness See more

OCD is not an adjective. Please swipe left to read more. . OCD affects 2.2 millions adults, or 1% of the U.S. population. 25% of the cases occur at the age of 14. 1 in 100 children have this condition. . #pureo #pureocd #harmocd #ppocd #rocd #sexualorientationocd #contaminationocd #religiousocd #postpartumocd #ppocd #pocd #SOOCD #realocd #ocdawarenessweek #ocdawarenessweek2020 #ocdvirtualwalk #ocdwalk #mentalhealthadvocate #ocdtherapist #ocdawareness #scrup #bdd #bfrb #phobias #socialanxiety #realeventocd #ocdisnotanadjective

Once you realize you have to love yourself first, your entire world changes. Be good to yourself. You deserve love and kindness. You deserve all the things! . . . . Repost from @mirrorsreflectyou... Stop being so hard on yourself for still hurting. Healing is a process filled with many ups and downs. Give yourself the same empathy you give others #mentalhealthrecovery ##trichotillomania #skinpicking #bfrb #bfrbawareness #loveyourself #bdd #time #rightiming #selfcompassion #anxietyawareness #treatyourself #selfcare #depressionhelp #depressionawareness #selfcaretips #love #mirrorsreflectyou #positivity #nature #youdoyou #growth #selfcareisnotselfish #mentalhealthawareness #mirrorselfie #quotes #onlinetherapy #mentalhealth See more

You always have the power to decide- despite how strong OCD feels. . #ocdtreatment #ocdtherapist #ocd #obsessivecompulsivedisorder #pureo #pureocd #ocdrecovery #ocdmemes #responseprevention #thoughtsarejustthoughts #feelingsarenotfacts

I this and it is soooo true! Please read caption: . Repost from @dr.christina_ You are not inadequate. You are more than enough.... You are not damaged. You are strong beyond measure. You are not a burden. The things you carry are heavy and deserve to be put down. I believe that the people I have the honor to work with are literally the most amazing humans on the planet (I’m unapologetically biased). They are courageous. They are kind. They are determined. They are resilient. Here is your weekend reminder that even when we can’t see our own gifts, there is a person in our life that knows how amazing we truly are. We are rooting for you to win. #therapyiscool A Mental Health Action Campaign www.hashtagtherapyiscool.com @hashtagtherapyiscool #mentalhealth #health #wellness #mentalillness #depression #anxiety #trauma #addiction #suicideprevention #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters #mentalhealthadvocate #mentalhealthstigma #endthestigma #breakthestigma #stopthestigma #normalizetherapy #therapy #counseling #breakthestigma #healing #recovery #askforhelp #psychology #psychologist #therapist #counselor #mentalhealthactioncampain

One of @windsor.flynn latest posts on how to respond effectively to your thoughts. To read more, check out her page . Repost from @windsor.flynn It’s so comforting to know that our thoughts do not define us, or represent our values or predict the future.After all, thoughts are just thoughts.... But when we depend on this statement to take us away from our discomfort around intrusive thoughts, we lose our power. Yes, thoughts are just thoughts.However, the point of OCD recovery is not to reassure you to the point of no longer being afraid.I have OCD.I can tell you this feeling doesn’t last very long. The point of OCD recovery is to get to a place where it is possible to tolerate uncomfortable feelings, thoughts, and urges.We want to get to a place where our unwanted thoughts, feelings and urges do not dictate the way we live.The point is not to RUN from them, but to ACCEPT them. Remember that acceptance in this area does not mean that we agree or believe.Rather, that we allow for their existence. So what do we do instead of remind ourselves that thoughts are just thoughts?? BUCKLE UP, BABIES.We agree with the thoughts.!!! But not really agreeing.We agree in our mental response that we give to the OCD voice that yells at us. It sounds counter-intuitive.Why would we ever want to do THAT?Well, because the only way to shut up that OCD voice or that nagging intrusive thought is to say, OK OK you’re right.And then the argument is done.It has nowhere else to go. Of course, you’re left with your feelings of discomfort and uncertainty and fear.But when you separate those feelings from the story of the thought, it is much easier to let yourself feel them. #healthanxiety #realocd #seekhelp #ocdrecovery #maternalocd #harmocd #postpartumocd #anxietyproblems #ocdawareness #intrusivethoughts #endthestigmaofmentalillness #feelyourfeelings #mentalhealthadvocacy #normalizeit

Exposures you can do in your imagination . Another reason why an imaginal story might be done, is if the behavior is illegal or dangerous. For example, many clients have violent or sexual obsessions and I am not going to have someone commit a crime as an exposure, this would also be counterintuitive to treatment. However, I will certainly ask them to bring up the feared consequence through a story, as an exposure, when it is appropriate for the client. . Lastly, so...metimes the behavioral exposure is too challenging and the person is just not willing to touch the door knob yet. When this happens, I might assign my client to write a story about touching the door knob before they actually touch it. It can be utilized as a way to titrate the exposure and increase a clients willingness and courage for the next level of exposures. . For more information on evidence-based practice in the treatment of OCD please follow. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) are the gold standard treatment in OCD spectrum disorders. . . . #evidencebasedpractices #obsessivecompulsive #exposures #ocdawareness #ocdtherapist #therapist #realocd #onlinetherapist #ERP #harmocd #exposureandresponseprevention #pureobsessional #rumination #socialanxiety #perinatalocd #PPOCD #POCD #intrusivethoughts #pureO #exposures #moralscrup #purelyocd #existentialocd #maternalOCD #scrup #panic #BDD #contaminationocd #ocdtips See more

Love letters from OCD. . The ol' existential thought. Existential OCD comes in many flavors. One of them happens to be obsessions around the sufferers own reality. Over-attending to your own surroundings, your own behavior and others, over-attending to physical sensations like panic, which can include things like dissociation. Over-attending to ones physical movements or . Sufferers can experience thoughts like, "Am I in a dream?" "Am I in a coma and this is all a cons...truct?" "Was that really me who moved my hand?" . What are some helpful exposures you have tried? . . . #ocd #anxietyisreal #mentalhealthtips #erp #ocdproblems #anxietywarrior #onlinetherapy #anxietysucks #anxietydisorders #ocdawareness #ocdrecovery #intrusivethoughts #ocdrecovery #mentalhealthadvocate #mentalhealthhelp #pureo #ocdhelp #obsessivecompulsive #anxiousminds #existentialocd #exposuretherapy #onlinetherapist #exposureresponseprevention #pureocd #pureo #ocdtips #ocdhelp See more

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy cycle was developed by Dr. Aaron Beck. . Dr. Beck worked with severely depressed clients and noticed a common thread between all of his patience: they all experienced distorted, reoccurring, negative thought patterns about the way they viewed themselves and the world around them. These clients believed these thoughts to be true and Beck believed, so long as they believe them to be true, they will continue to stay depressed. . Dr. Beck beg...an worked primarily on bringing awareness to these thoughts and challenging them in a more rationale and helpful way. . Over time, clients who challenged their unhelpful thought patterns, had a significant change in their mood. They didn't buy into these thoughts as much as they had previously. Hence, their behaviors started to change. The cycle continued to reinforce a more balanced way of thinking. . In the treatment of OCD and other OCD spectrum disorders, we often times start the first phase of treatment by having clients record thoughts, in order to build awareness into them and begin challenging them in a more rationale way. The behaviors we challenge are the rituals through Exposures. . The OCD-cycle would look the same. You experience and unwanted intrusive thought and experience the feeling of distress because you believe it to be true or valid and you do anything to neutralize it (ie., compulsions). . . . What have you found to be most difficult in challenging your thoughts? . . . . #exposureresponseprevention #mentalhealthmatters #orangecountycalifornia #pureo #ocdhelp #obsessivecompulsive #healthanxiety #mentalhealthproblems #mentalhealthmatters #obsessivecompulsivedisorder #ocdrecovery #depressionsupport #anxietytips #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthtips #erp #ocdproblems #cbt #anxietyattack #anxietyrelief #anxietyanddepression #cognitivebehavioraltherapy See more

OCD treatment, or #exposureandresponseprevention at its core, is allowing thoughts to be present without resisting them, by pushing them away. . A basic, early intervention exposure, may include brining up a scary thought over and over, multiple times throughout the day. If this seems like to much, you can choose a triggering word and allow the feeling to be present, allow it to pass on its own. Engaging in compulsions only extends the discomfort you feel. It is counterin...tuitive AND it works. . Remember, everyone's exposures look different. If your therapist didn't do this exposure, it means nothing- don't overthink this If your therapist assigned you this later in your treatment, it means nothing- don't overthink this I only say this because I already hear the wheels turning on this post. . Have you done this exposure in the past? Was it helpful to you? . . . #ocd #pureocd #pureo #harmocd #pocd #sexualorientationocd #ocdtips #ocdhelp #exposures #livingwithocd #healthanxiety #presentmoment #ocdmemes #ocdawareness #ocdrecovery #intrusivethoughts #mentalhealthadvocate #obsessivecompulsivedisorder #ocdrecovery #exposuretherapy #thoughtsarejustthoughts #ocdtherapy #ocdtherapist See more

It can be difficult to figure out if something is compulsive or not. Swipe left for a guide. . I recognize social media can be a huge blindspot for people because there is often times an overlap in the value of connecting with others/ educating/ advocating AND reassurance seeking. Whenever values get wrapped around compulsive behavior it becomes much harder to spot OCD's sneaky ways. . Try asking yourself what would happen if you didn't engage in the behavior? How do ...you think you might react? Would you feel intense anxiety? Does it feel like you are looking for other people whom share similar experiences as you, so you can justify this is OCD and not your fear? . These questions can be helpful to identify compulsions, social media, or not. . What helps you pull spot compulsive behavior? . . . ocd #anxietyrelief #anxietydisorders #anxietyhelp #anxietysupport #mentalhealthsupport #anxietyrecovery #anxietyfighter #anxietytips #anxietysucks #anxietywarrior #cognitivebehavioraltherapy #thoughtsarejustthoughts #anxietytips #uncertainty #depressionsupport #ocdawareness #livingwithocd #ocdrecovery #obsessivecompulsive #relationshipocd #pureo #ocdhelp #religiousocd #scrupulosityocd #realeventocd #ocdisnotanadjective #existenialocd #harmocd #ocdtips See more

"How are you?" is one of the most difficult questions a person can respond to when they are struggling. . I recently had a conversation with a dear friend of mine about this very dicey question. We concluded how hard it is to answer this question, especially when you are feeling in the dumps. Here are a few reasons why: . It is hard to respond with, "not so good" for worry you are a burden... . You might not feel up to disclosing painful things in this moment, but still want to connect . You would rather think or talk about something other than the negatives in your life . You don't want to be forced into vulnerability at the start of the conversation . To be clear, I am NOT saying I want others to keep their feelings to themselves. Rather, I am encouraging others to share how they really feel and ask for what they need in a more organic manner. The difference is that I recognize most people will simply respond by saying. "I'm good." More importantly, people really need to feel connected in a meaningful way, rather than feeling like they are someone who needs special care. . Try using these with others in your life who might be struggling. If you are the one who would rather bypass being asked this question, ask others to use these alternatives to connect with you- it is okay to tell people what you need! . Suicide misconception of the week: Asking someone who is struggling how they are doing, might not be as helpful as you think. It is a great start, but it can also shut people down, especially those who worry they might be a burden to others. There are more meaningful ways to connect without asking how they are doing. . What works and doesn't work for you? . #suicidepreventionmonth2020 #suicidepreventionmonth #suicideprevention #helpfordepression #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthisimportant #mentalhealthrecovery #mentalhealthstigma #mentalhealthmatters #mentalhealthmatters #ocd #ptsd #pureocd #bipolar #bpd #depression #depressionawareness #postpartum #postpartumdepression #postpartumanxiety #onlinetherapy #therapy #depressionandanxiety #anxietyanddepression #dontsufferinsilence See more