Laura Osorio, Registered Psychotherapist

Laura Osorio, Registered Psychotherapist Hi! I'm Laura, a psychotherapist specializing in OCD. I also write and speak at the intersection of Christianity and evidence-based mental health care.

You are welcome here!

One of the most freeing realizations for Christians with OCD is that God knows everything. He would never ask you to per...
09/03/2026

One of the most freeing realizations for Christians with OCD is that God knows everything. He would never ask you to perform a compulsion, even when the compulsion involves Him.

The all-knowing God knows the difference between an act of faith and an act that is meant to neutralize anxiety from OCD.

Hi! I’m a psychotherapist specializing in OCD. Here are some ERP exercises for scrupulosity. Say a prayer once without a...
08/23/2026

Hi! I’m a psychotherapist specializing in OCD. Here are some ERP exercises for scrupulosity.

Say a prayer once without any backtracking or corrections.

Sit with the anxiety and trust that God knows your heart (1 Samuel 16:7).

Write down an upsetting intrusive thought and sit with it without apologizing/repenting.

Again, sit with the discomfort and know that God knows your heart. He is not looking for you to perform compulsions.

For my Catholic friends: if you go to confession, confess only sins that did not begin with intrusive thoughts. If this feels like too much, try removing one OCD-originated confession from your list. The next time, aim for two.

OCD may claim that you’re withholding confessions — that’s what it does. Know going into this exposure that sin requires a heart posture turned away from God. OCD’s intrusive thoughts are involuntary symptoms of an illness, not sins.

If you experience intrusive thoughts about salvation, try interrupting OCD following the intrusive thought.

Example: OCD says, “What if you’re not really saved?” This typically leads to compulsions like searching for answers and reassurance seeking.

Instead, identify the thought as OCD and treat it as any other symptom: “This is OCD.” Recognize that reassurance-seeking is a compulsion that strengthens the OCD cycle, and resist engaging. If it’s intolerable, space the compulsion out from the intrusive thought. Wait 5 minutes before looking for reassurance, and aim to extend that period each time.

When reading Scripture, read a passage once. If you feel the compulsive urge to make sure you’ve read it just right, either continue reading or close the Bible. Engaging with compulsions strengthens OCD, not your relationship with God. Sit with the anxiety, and come back to the Word later.

It’s important for believers to develop an understanding of the difference between genuine acts of faith and OCD. Remember that God is all-knowing, and that He sees the difference between an act that originates from OCD and one that originates from the heart.

He is for you as you fight these symptoms.

A liturgy for when OCD is loud 🤍When a Christian is in the midst of an OCD spiral, it can be hard to find the words to p...
08/20/2026

A liturgy for when OCD is loud 🤍

When a Christian is in the midst of an OCD spiral, it can be hard to find the words to pray. Here are a few prayers for those moments.

Lord,

I feel afraid and alone.
I pray that you’d fill me with Your peace that surpasses all understanding.
Please work through these treatments and strategies to calm my mind.
If it’s Your will, heal me miraculously.
If it’s not, I put my trust in You alone.
Please be my strength in the midst of it all.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

—

Lord,

Here I walk through the darkest valley, and I know that You promise to be with me.
Please make Your presence known to me as I resist OCD’s brutal compulsions.
I don’t have the strength to do this on my own. Please be my strength.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

—

Lord,

I know from Your Word that You draw near to the brokenhearted.
When I feel crushed under the weight of OCD, thank You for drawing close to me.
When I want nothing more than to run away from these thoughts, You run toward me.
Please bring me the peace that comes from Your presence.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

ERP exposures I like as a Christian OCD therapist 🫶- Read a Bible passage once and don’t reread it (trust that God is on...
08/16/2026

ERP exposures I like as a Christian OCD therapist 🫶

- Read a Bible passage once and don’t reread it (trust that God is on your side as you resist compulsions!!)

- Go to the pool with your kids

- Pack your laundry detergent and groceries in the same bag at the grocery store

- Walk to the bus stop and take the bus somewhere without checking whether the door is locked

- Eat lunch with kitchen knives on the counter

- Go for a walk without double-checking that appliances are turned off

- Write down a taboo intrusive thought and sit with it without repenting/apologizing to God (see point 1)

Hi, I’m a psychotherapist who specializes in OCD. Here are a few thoughts on the Lindsay Clancy case.First of all, what ...
08/15/2026

Hi, I’m a psychotherapist who specializes in OCD. Here are a few thoughts on the Lindsay Clancy case.

First of all, what happened is beyond tragic. My heart aches for the babies, as well as for everyone affected by this horrific event.

The public trial has created a lot of discourse, and a lot of terminology has been thrown around. The use of the words intrusive thoughts has been particularly alarming for individuals living with OCD.

I’ll state this as plainly as I can: intrusive thoughts from OCD don’t lead to actions. They just don’t. No matter how violent or graphic an OCD theme is, it carries no moral weight and won’t be acted on. We refer to OCD as ego-dystonic, meaning intrusive thoughts go against the morals of the person experiencing it. They are disgusted and terrified by their graphic intrusive thoughts.

What Lindsay Clancy what experiencing — postpartum psychosis — is very different than OCD. It’s a rare and severe disconnect from reality.

I know that there are a lot of opinions and theories about what happened that day. If Lindsay Clancy is guilty and was in a state of psychosis — disconnected from reality — then I believe we can feel compassion for her and grief for the lives of her children. Both can be true at once. We often refer to this duality in therapy: more than one feeling can be real at the same time.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the news or coverage of the trial, it’s healthy to withdraw. If you feel like you can’t rid yourself of thoughts or images, it’s best to not try to push them away. Using grounding exercises and coping strategies can help the anxiety reduce on its own. If it’s impacting your daily life, a therapist can help.

We’re only human, and humans can only handle so much heaviness.

The pain and shame associated with OCD — especially the more taboo themes — can have tragic outcomes. Lives should never...
08/12/2026

The pain and shame associated with OCD — especially the more taboo themes — can have tragic outcomes. Lives should never be lost to a treatable illness. Here are some important reminders:

Intrusive thoughts are not intentions. There is no connection between someone having an intrusive thought and acting on it. In fact, OCD attacks the morality of the people who have it — it goes directly against what they desire.

No theme holds more of a moral weight than another. Just like a cough is different than leg pain, symptoms are symptoms. P-OCD does not hold moral value, and neither does checking OCD. An illness is an illness is an illness.

OCD is treatable. There are therapists who genuinely understand. Many of us (including myself) have lived experience with OCD, as well as specialized training. You don’t have to walk this alone. Healing is genuinely possible.

08/11/2026

For Christians with OCD, it can be difficult to distinguish between compulsions and acts of faith. OCD’s tendency to hijack the things that are most important to us means that it’s prone to attach itself to our relationships with God.

Here are a few things to consider when discerning between compulsions and acts of faith:

What was the origin of the thought? Was it intrusive, or was it my own?

Am I doing this in the freedom Christ in gives me, or to find the feeling of safety that OCD demands?

Is this action strengthening my relationship with God, or OCD’s patterns in my life?

🏔️ A few lil hills I’d die on as a Christian OCD therapist:Demonizing mental health struggles isn’t only irresponsible -...
08/11/2026

🏔️ A few lil hills I’d die on as a Christian OCD therapist:

Demonizing mental health struggles isn’t only irresponsible - it’s also un-Christlike. The Church can’t love and serve the struggling while being ignorant to the struggle.

Faith-themed OCD is not a faith issue - it’s an OCD issue.
This means that compulsions must be separated from genuine acts of faith and treated like any other OCD symptom.

God would never ask His children to perform compulsions in order to feel safe - even when the compulsion is to repent. Scripture says He looks at the heart, which means that He knows when it’s OCD and when it’s not.

Genuine prayer and repentance lead to freedom, and they don’t feel the same as OCD.

We can (and should) pray for healing while also treating symptoms.

Evidence-based mental health care and medicine are merciful gifts from God that He works through. We are so blessed to have them.

The idea that we won’t struggle mentally if we have faith is the prosperity gospel heresy. God isn’t a vending machine - He heals according to His will. He does, however, promise us His presence in the pain.

Emotions can be really difficult. They were also created intentionally for us to feel. Refusing to feel them isn’t an act of faith. Scripture teaches about lament for a reason - it’s human to cry out in sadness.

Many people of faith could benefit from therapy. God works through people for His purposes, including to bring progress and comfort.

Kinda chic to know that OCD is an illness and that God is compassionate. Kinda chic to understand and love people well.
08/10/2026

Kinda chic to know that OCD is an illness and that God is compassionate. Kinda chic to understand and love people well.

We spent the past ten days on the east coast. I had ambitions to wake up early to write by the ocean every day — I don’t...
08/10/2026

We spent the past ten days on the east coast. I had ambitions to wake up early to write by the ocean every day — I don’t know why I thought I’d be up at 5 am on vacation with an 18-month and 3.5-year-old?! The sleep won. It’s okay, we pivot.

I still got plenty of time to write by the ocean. I felt so moved by the Atlantic — it’s no wonder Scripture refers to the rage and vastness of the sea so often. Creating something while looking over such a beautiful creation was just what I needed.

I’ve learned so much throughout the process of writing this The Daily Grace Co. book on Christian faith and OCD. The way that God’s compassion and mercy are woven into the gift of evidence-based mental health care is no small thing. I don’t take the privilege it is to dive into this lightly — I’m excited to keep on learning as I enter the homestretch. More to come. 🤎

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