Anxiety and OCD Therapy in American Fork, Utah.
Stop the cycle and quiet the noise
Services offered virtually throughout Utah
If you are living with high-functioning anxiety or OCD chances are your mind rarely gives you a moment of quiet. Your brain wont stop spinning, your body wont stop fidgeting, and you are exhausted from trying to hide it all under a calm exterior.
Living with obsessive thoughts, compulsive behaviors, or high-functioning anxiety isn't a failure to "just relax." It is an over-protective survival system trying to keep you safe. Whether you are dealing with intrusive thoughts that shock you, perfectionism that paralyzes you, or a constant scanning for danger, you don't have to keep managing the noise all by yourself.
Specialized therapy for high-functioning anxiety, OCD, and intrusive thoughts. Break the compulsion loop, make peace with uncertainty, and reclaim control of your daily life.
Does this sound familiar?
~You get stuck in a constant worry loop. You cannot stop running through the “what-ifs” and worst-case scenarios in your mind.
~You have intrusive thoughts that horrify you and feel out-of-character. They lead you to question why you would think that and what it says about you.
~You have a constant urge for reassurance. You seek validation from others, chatGPT, or mentally rehearse the situation to make sure everything is okay.
~You can hold down a job, show up for others, and look put together. But on the inside you are exhausted and burnt out from masking the constant noise.
~You are stuck in a cycle of doing an action or ritual to alleviate feelings of discomfort, only to have them return a moment later.
You’re done feeling….
The need to constantly scan for danger and rehearse the “what if’s”
Trapped in a cycle of panic with momentary relief, that always returns to panic
Tired of disturbing intrusive thoughts that lead to shame and self-doubt
Your heart racing, tight chest, shallow breathing, stomach knots, and restlessness
A brain that is always on and never quiets
Exhausted from trying to appear calm while internally in crisis
Sick of shrinking your life to avoid your fears
Like you just need to “relax” or “stop overthinking”
Tired of doubting yourself
Imagine instead knowing…
You can feel genuine peace, quiet, and contentment even in the face of the unknown
You have the skills to stop or escape the cycle
How to tune out intrusive/unwanted thoughts
How to feel calm in your body and truly rest
How to quiet the noise, even in times of uncertainty
You are a calm, safe place internally even when crisis and chaos surround you
You no longer avoid discomfort and your life feels full
Your overthinking was a survival technique that you no longer need
You trust your intuition and that you are capable of handling what comes.
Meet Lindsey Spencer, LMHC
Therapist for Anxiety and OCD in American Fork, Utah.
Hi, my name is Lindsey, and I am a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor in American Fork, Utah. I help people struggling with obsessive thoughts, compulsive behaviors, and high-functioning anxiety. I know how exhausting it can be to always be scanning for the next threat; Unable to truly relax and still feel safe. To think that you could maintain control if you planned a little better, researched a little more, or made it perfect.
I want to help you calm your over active nervous system and retrain it to feel safe when at rest. I do that through a combination of evidence-based trauma interventions and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) Therapy. ERP Therapy will help you break the cycle of fears and compulsions, by incrementally exposing you to fears. You will learn to tolerate the discomfort instead of run from it.
Together we will increase your window of tolerance, which is the amount of distress your nervous systems is able to tolerate while staying calm, thinking clearly and remaining emotionally present. I want to help you live a life where anxiety and OCD are not in control. Where you trust that you are capable of whatever issues come your way. Where you can feel peace, stability, and security internally, no matter what is happening around you.
and virtually throughout Utah
Want to learn more about treatment for OCD?
Watch this video
What to expect when working with me…
Step One:
My first priority is for you to feel safe. I do that through creating a space that is judgement free, filled with understanding, and unconditional positive regard. I also will give you the tools to feel safe and stable in your daily life.
Step Two:
We will identify triggers for anxiety/fear, obsessive thoughts and compulsive rituals. We will create a ranking of most to least distressing triggers. It is also important to build awareness around your panic cycle during this step.
Step Three:
Using ERP we will work together to slowly expose you to anxiety and fear triggers, starting with the least distressing, and working up to most. We will also focus on increasing your ability to resist the urge to perform compulsions.
Step Four:
Once you notice a significant decrease in distress from least to most triggering, you will continue to practice the skills you have learned. You will be able to implement ERP techniques on your own between session.
Looking for something different?
Other Therapy Services
EMDR and Somatic Therapy
Trauma isn’t just remembered, it is held in the body’s nervous-system. Using EMDR and Somatic Therapy we work together to untangle those stuck stress responses so your brain and body can finally realize you're safe.
Therapy for Dissociation
Feeling detached, numb, or floating through life is a survival skill your mind uses to protect you. Together, we gently build felt safety so you can step out of the fog, feel anchored in your body, and safely re-engage with your life and relationships.
Attachment-Based Trauma Therapy
The way we were loved early on sets the stage for how we show up in our relationships today. We'll look at those old survival habits and figure out where they came from so you can stop repeating them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have questions? Take a look at the FAQ or reach out anytime. If you’re feeling ready, go ahead and book a free consultation call below!
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On the surface OCD and high-functioning Anxiety can look nearly identical. The are both powered by a drive for perfection, overthinking, and intense internal pressure. But the underlying patterns are different.
High-functioning Anxiety is driven by generalized fears, stress, pressure to perform, and need for control. This shows up as over preparing, perfectionism, people-pleasing, and constant worries.
OCD has a specific cycle used to respond to fears and anxieties. It starts with an obsessive intrusive thought that leads to increased fear and discomfort. To alleviate the discomfort, a compulsion is used. Compulsions provide temporary relief, but the brain circles back to the obsession even stronger.
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A compulsion is an action or ritual used to decrease anxiety momentarily. Compulsions can be both physical and mental. Here are some examples:
Physical- washing hands, arranging items, picking skin/hair, touching or tapping a specific amount of times, avoiding fears, or reassurance-seeking from others.
Mental- reviewing or rehearsing past memories, checking thoughts or feelings, self-reassurance, neutralizing a bad thought with a good one, repeated mantras or special phrases, or self-punishment.
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Disturbing intrusive thoughts are a normal human experience. Our brains create random, scary thoughts at times.
When we struggle with anxiety or OCD it is easy to over-analyze and worry too much about these thoughts. To think that they are saying something about who we are. When they are just background noise that you can learn to ignore.
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It is okay if you do not feel ready. Part of the process is giving you the tools you need to feel safe, grounded, and in control.
This is a collaborative process where you get to say what level of exposure you are ready for. We work together to start out small and progress to bigger fears, without rushing you.
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You can absolutely retrain your brain! Our brains are capable of adapting, changing, and rewiring.
Chronic anxiety and OCD are survival techniques that your brain learned to keep you safe. Not permanent character traits.
So…Ready to get started?
Reach out today for
Therapy for Anxiety and OCD in American Fork, Utah
If you are ready to stop the endless spirals and overthinking burnout, lets connect!