Welcome to My Blog!
Below, you can browse all the posts included on my blog. When you reach the end of the page, click “Older Entries” to view more. These posts cover a variety of topics, including descriptions of different mental health conditions, as well as different theoretical approaches to treatment. If you would rather browse by topic, use the button below to access a list of blog posts sorted by topic. Thanks for visiting!
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) – Cognitive Deficits
What cognitive deficits are associated with OCD? Research has been successful in characterizing the underlying neurobiology of OCD, and cognitive abnormalities associated with the disorder have been documented within the domains of basic learning processes, attention,...
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) – Neurobiology
What causes OCD? Researchers have had much recent success in elucidating the neural circuitry involved in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Advances in functional neuroimaging have identified robust alterations in neural activity within particular functional...
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) – Overview
What is OCD? Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a debilitating mental illness that affects nearly 2.5% of the population (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). The primary features of the disorder include obsessions, which are recurrent and persistent...
Social media (Twitter, Facebook, Google+) in a psychological practice
Lately, I've been experimenting with new and better ways of incorporating social media tools into my practice. Just yesterday, I developed a list of CBT-based exposure ideas for reducing symptoms of OCD, perfectionism, and social anxiety. What was unique about these...
OCD perfectionism & social anxiety treatment: Tweet your way to greater health
Looking for ways to overcome social anxiety or OCD-related perfectionism? At the end of this post, you'll find some strategies I use to help individuals in South Florida (Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, & Miami) overcome their anxiety....
Perfectionism: When the pursuit of success turns toxic
There is more than one type of perfectionist. First, there is the adaptive perfectionist. This perfectionist is the prototypical workaholic student/employee who goes above and beyond expectations. This person is intelligent, hard-working, dependable, and passionate...
Although it might feel like you’re dying, you’re not. That’s just what the panic wants you to think.
Disclaimer: Because panic attacks can mimic the symptoms of several serious medical conditions, it's important that you talk with your doctor before beginning any panic treatment program. Never begin panic treatment without first obtaining medical clearance from your...
Parenting Kids & Teens with OCD: Don’t Feed the Reassurance Monster…and Other Quick Tips
Many excellent parents struggle with how to appropriately parent their child/teen with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Unfortunately, this process is rarely straightforward and is often counter-intuitive, which leaves many parents feeling anxious and confused. As...
Trichotillomania: Goodbye “Trich Police”, Hello HRT
Imagine that you have a rather large blemish right in the middle of your forehead. It's not one of those pseudo-invisible blemishes that can only be perceived by you. Rather, it's an angry, red mark that is readily apparent to nearly all the people with whom you...
To tweet or not to tweet (aka, keeping private things private in the Facebook/Twitter era)
Social media tools like Facebook and Twitter are poised to revolutionize healthcare. Social media sites can be useful for quickly disseminating health-related information and giving users a place to connect around shared interests. In some cases, online support...
Hoarding: Treatment, symptoms, and personal impact/costs
The topic of hoarding is rarely met with disinterest. Maybe that's because nearly all of us can relate to hoarding on one level or another. Perhaps you yourself have been touched personally by hoarding. You may have a strong emotional attachment to objects, or you...
Hoarding treatment: Choosing the right therapist
If you are an individual who struggles with hoarding, you might have been frustrated by negative treatment experiences in the past. For most individuals who hoard, treatment can be challenging. However, it is an essential ingredient for regaining control and...
Specific phobias: symptoms & CBT treatment (reader question)
Question: Basically, I wanted to know from an expert, what can a phobia do to a person? How does it affect them mentally? Also I see that you've got a new treatment philosophy -- is there any way you can talk me through it? One of the goals of cognitive behavioral...
Website updates: Research, treatment philosophy, & information sections
I am working on some substantial content changes to this website, which will be rolling out gradually. Just to orient you: 1. My OCD research section has been updated. 2. I have added a section about my treatment philosophy. 3. I am in the process of developing a...
ERP therapy for OCD: Shifting from destructive to constructive to gestalt notions
Here's a question for you: Is exposure and response prevention (ERP) fundamentally a destructive or constructive process? I think that many people naturally conceptualize it as more of the former than the latter. They conceive of ERP as being the process by which we...
Advanced ERP for OCD: how subtle rituals can limit your progress
What is exposure and response prevention (ERP) for OCD? As any good psychologist experienced in treating OCD can tell you, the most effective treatment for OCD is exposure and ritual prevention (ERP). You may also see this type of therapy referred to as exposure and...
OCD and DSM-V: Taking the “anxiety” out of OCD
Psychiatrists and psychologists continue to debate the fundamental nature of OCD, trying to decide whether or not OCD should continue to be classified as an "anxiety disorder." In some ways, OCD overlaps with other anxiety-related conditions, such as panic disorder,...
OCD & ECT (electro-convulsive therapy): Not a first-line treatment
If your only diagnosis is OCD and you don't have any other complicating factors, be cautious when considering electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) for treating your OCD. ECT can be a very helpful intervention for many types of conditions (e.g., severe depression, bipolar...
OCD guilt, shame, disgust, anxiety & depression: Why treatment sometimes fails (and what to do about it)
OCD isn't just about anxiety. Although anxiety is certainly a prominent feature of the disorder, clinicians who only attend to anxious symptoms can easily overlook some of its other core features. As a psychologist in Palm Beach, Florida, I work closely with kids,...
OCD, ERP, & doubt sensitivity: Shattering the illusion of certainty
Many individuals with OCD hunger for certainty. It's a craving that often can't be easily sated. Early conceptions of OCD from the 19th century acknowledged this issue directly, in that OCD was often termed the "doubting disease." It is this need for certainty, the...
Palm Beach trichotillomania (trich) support group
Okay, so in addition to the possible Palm Beach OCD support group, I am also thinking about forming a trichotillomania (trich) support group. For those of you who aren't familiar with trichotillomania, it's an impulse control disorder that is associated with...
Miami/Fort Lauderdale OCD support groups for adults and kids
Several support groups for individuals with OCD are conveniently located near Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Boca Raton. Some groups are facilitated by licensed clinical psychologists, whereas others are led by individuals with OCD. To view current support groups in...
OCD symptoms: the obvious (and the not so obvious)
Symptoms of OCD are everywhere. Turn on your television, and you're likely to catch at least a fleeting glimpse of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Many popular TV shows feature characters with OCD (e.g., Emma on Glee, Monk), and it is through this lens that many...
Palm Beach OCD support group
UPDATE (10/19/11): These free OCD support groups are now running in Palm Beach County, Florida (i.e., Palm Beach Gardens, FL). If you would like to receive email reminders about upcoming support groups, you can access our sign-up form here. See our events calendar for...
The beginning of something new
Welcome to my blog. My name is Steven J. Seay, Ph.d., and I am a licensed psychologist in Florida and Missouri. I am currently the Director of the Center for Psychological & Behavioral Science. Over the coming weeks and months, I plan to use this blog to offer a...