Specialized Care for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) | Ages 7 to 24

OCD Treatment for Kids, Teens, and Young Adults

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In-network with major insurers.

*We do not currently accept Medicaid.

What is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)?

OCD has two parts that feed each other: obsessions, the unwanted thoughts or urges that keep coming back, and compulsions, the responses that bring short-term relief but make OCD stronger over time.

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Obsessions

Thoughts, images, or urges the brain gets stuck on, arriving without invitation and often focusing on something deeply distressing or completely out of character. The content varies: contamination, fear of accidentally harming someone, something feeling not quite right, or a thought that feels nothing like who the person actually is.

Compulsions

The responses that follow: washing, checking, repeating, arranging, seeking reassurance, or running through mental rituals. They bring relief in the moment, but each time, the brain learns that the compulsion is what makes you feel better or safer, so the urge to respond grows stronger. That is the cycle, and it is exactly what treatment is designed to interrupt.

How Common is OCD?

OCD affects about 1 to 3% of children and adolescents and often first appears between ages 8 and 12. It is a real, recognized condition with effective, well-researched treatments that can help.

How OCD Can Show Up

OCD can attach to almost any content. What defines it is the cycle: intrusive, unwanted thoughts that cause distress, and behaviors or mental rituals done to get relief. These patterns tend to show up across common OCD themes and can affect people at any age.

Contamination - fear of germs, illness, or contact with something harmful

Harm - fear of hurting someone, even against their own wishes

"Just right" - discomfort when things feel asymmetrical, incomplete, or off

Identity - persistent doubt about who they are, including sexual orientation or gender identity

Scrupulosity - fear of moral or religious wrongdoing

Relationship - persistent doubt about feelings toward a partner or the “rightness” of a relationship

Pedophilia (POCD) - unwanted intrusive thoughts about children that feel completely out of character and cause significant distress

Existential - obsessive preoccupation with unanswerable questions about life, reality, or existence

Not sure if it's OCD?

Many young people come to InStride with OCD alongside other conditions like anxiety, depression, or ADHD. When OCD is a primary concern, our program can help even when other things are going on. Not sure if OCD fits what you're seeing? Apply and let our team assess.

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The Cycle Behind OCD and How to Break It

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Where it comes from

OCD develops from a combination of genetics, brain chemistry, and patterns of responding to distressing thoughts that build up over time.

What keeps it going

Obsessions and compulsions create a cycle that keeps OCD going. When distressing thoughts show up, it can feel like certain things have to be done to make them go away or feel safe. Those compulsions bring relief in the moment, but the relief is temporary, and the urge to do them again grows stronger every time.

What treatment changes

Young people learn to sit with uncomfortable thoughts without doing compulsions, building evidence that what they fear is not as likely as it feels and that they can handle the discomfort.

of InStride enrollees have an OCD diagnosis*

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How is OCD Treated?

Exposure and response prevention (ERP) is the most effective treatment for OCD. InStride delivers it with a dedicated care team and guided exposure in the places where OCD actually shows up.

Young man with headphones and backpack looking at phone, with text bubbles showing self-talk: 'I'll fail this test' and 'I've prepared, I can handle it' emphasizing positive mindset.

Young woman sitting in a chair looking at her phone with text messages discussing resisting the urge to check due to OCD.

InStride delivers results through a dedicated therapist, exposure coach, and psychiatrist working from the same plan.

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How Families and Schools Can Support Progress

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Parents and caregivers

Families often adapt around OCD without realizing it: offering frequent reassurance, participating in compulsions and adjusting plans and expectations. This is because a young person with OCD typically feels like they need these things to feel safe. Treatment includes working with parents on how to support progress at home without reinforcing the cycle;

82%

report reduction in their own strain*

92%

report a reduction in missed work or neglecting other duties*

98%

of caregivers would recommend InStride

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School coordination

For many young people, OCD symptoms can impact them at school. When families choose to involve the school, InStride’s care team works with identified school staff to understand how OCD shows up in the school building and build a plan that supports the student. We also coordinate with outside providers and pediatricians to keep everyone aligned.

97%

of graduates experience overall clinical improvement*

9 in 10

report reduced anxiety symptoms as early as 2 months*

96%

of patients would recommend InStride to a friend

Lasting Change for Young People Living with OCD

Hear from young people and families who came to InStride when OCD was running daily life, and built the skills to manage it.

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“I was so lost before InStride.”

"It helped so much that I wanted to share my experience. You saved me. You helped me get a little bit of my life back that I didn't think was possible."

InStride Health graduate

“Our daughter was really struggling.”

“She had withdrawn, was scared of everything, and it was beginning to affect the whole family. But then we found InStride. After my daughter learned to control her OCD our family life became MUCH more manageable. Your kid doesn’t just sit and talk to a counselor, they have an entire team to help! The exposure therapy helped her face her fears head-on, like walking past crowds on the sidewalk or even going to school every day."

Denna

Parent of InStride Health graduate

“Our family life became MUCH more manageable.”

“When your child is spiralling and getting worse by the day, it’s heartbreaking to think that you’ll have to wait 6 months for help. Fortunately, I found InStride who started working with her right away. She didn’t need to take time away from her other activities to focus on therapy - instead treatment was flexible enough to fit into her lifestyle. She found comfort knowing that her coach was just a text away. I loved the chance to build my own skills during the caregiver group sessions program.”

Julie

Parent of InStride Health graduate

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if it’s OCD and not just anxiety or perfectionism?

The difference is often in the cycle. While many young people experience worry or want things to be done a certain way, OCD involves a specific pattern: an intrusive thought (obsession) that creates distress, followed by a behavior or mental ritual (compulsion) that brings temporary relief. Over time, this cycle repeats and the urge to do the compulsion becomes stronger. In anxiety, worries usually focus on real-life concerns and do not include compulsions. You don't need a diagnosis to apply. Our team completes the evaluation and determines whether and how we can help.

Therapy has been tried before and it didn't work. Why would this be different?

The type of treatment matters significantly for OCD. ERP, the evidence-based approach designed specifically for OCD, is different from general talk therapy or anxiety management. Many therapists are not trained in ERP, and standard approaches can unintentionally reinforce the cycle. InStride provides ERP delivered by a team trained specifically in OCD, with guided exposure practice in the places where OCD actually shows up rather than just office-based sessions. Many families come to InStride after earlier therapy didn't produce results. That experience doesn't predict what's possible with the right approach.

Does someone need a formal OCD diagnosis to apply?

No. Our team completes a full evaluation and determines whether InStride is the right fit. If OCD is a primary driver of what you're seeing, even without a formal diagnosis, the evaluation will clarify what's happening and what makes sense next.

Can my child have OCD alongside another condition?

Yes. OCD often appears alongside anxiety disorders, depression, ADHD, or other conditions. When OCD is the primary concern, our program can help even when other things are going on. The evaluation takes the full picture into account.

Can InStride help with OCD themes that feel disturbing or too difficult to talk about?

Yes. OCD can attach to thoughts that feel shameful, disturbing, or completely out of character, including intrusive thoughts about harm, identity, or other themes that feel hard to share. These themes are treatable with ERP, and our team has experience with every OCD theme. Nothing a young person brings to an evaluation will be surprising or disqualifying.

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