Polaris Family Behavioral Health

10/12/2026

It's not the destination, it's the journey. This OCD awareness week, how do you find ways to enjoy the journey?

10/11/2026

OCD Awareness Week 2026 begins in TWO DAYS! 🎉

OCD can look like intrusive thoughts about harming someone you love, fearing you might secretly be a bad person, questioning your relationship or identity, replaying conversations, silently repeating words until they feel “right,” seeking reassurance, checking your body for signs of illness, or avoiding triggers. These experiences can look very different, but they can all be OCD.

👉 Share a photo, video, reel, or story featuring a personal “That’s OCD” example, then tag us and use and to join the conversation throughout OCD Awareness Week.

Read more at iocdf.org/programs/ocdweek

10/01/2026

Our newest ERP tool is sticky, colorful, and embraces one of Seattle’s best exposure tools!

09/29/2026

Do you have plans for this weekend? We do! Want to join?

The IOCDF’s annual Seattle One Million Steps for OCD Walk is happening this Sunday October 4, 2026 from 10am to 1:30pm.

We’ll be walking a beautiful (flat, wide, and well paved) path along Lake Washington in Seward Park. Follow the signs from the main entrance (which has public bathrooms) to the sign in table. Then come say hi! If you want to, of course. Maybe, maybe not.

For more info and to register for free:

The OCD Walk is the largest grassroots fundraising event benefiting the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) that allows individuals impacted by...

09/23/2026

How "Pure O" different from straight worry or anxiety?

Regular worry tends to be about real, everyday concerns (finances, homework, relationships). It comes and goes, and most people can set it aside once they've thought it through.

Pure O is a nickname for OCD that shows up mostly as mental compulsions, without visible rituals like hand-washing or checking looks different:

The thoughts are often disturbing, taboo, or feel completely "unlike you", but often target something you value
violent, sexual, blasphemous, or about harming someone you love

They trigger intense guilt, shame, or fear, not just discomfort

The "compulsions" happen inside your head: mental reviewing, silently praying, seeking reassurance, analyzing "did I really mean that?"

The thoughts feel sticky the harder you try to push them away or figure them out, the more they return, spiraling through your mind and sucking you in.

The name "Pure O" is a bit misleading, though, there's no such thing as "pure obsessions" with zero compulsions. The compulsions are just invisible, happening entirely in the mind.

The good news: Pure O responds to the same evidence-based treatment as other forms of OCD, especially ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention), even though it can feel harder to explain or even notice at first.

If this sounds familiar, you're not alone, and you're not "crazy" for having these thoughts. Reach out, we're here to help. www.polarisfbh.com

09/22/2026

Polaris FBH is so excited to welcome Emelia Carmel as this years intern! Emelia is working towards her master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Seattle University. She works with children, adolescents, and adults experiencing OCD, anxiety, and related concerns. Her approach is grounded in evidence-based treatment, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Exposure and Response Prevention, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy.

Emelia has spent the last seven years working in the mental health field, including community-based mental health, partial hospitalization programs, and intensive outpatient programs. These experiences have shaped her compassionate and flexible approach to therapy.

Emelia will be treating individuals with OCD on a sliding scale, and will be working with some Medicaid panels.

09/20/2026

Welcome Ann!!!
We're so excited to welcome Ann Pak to Polaris FBH!

Ann specializes in treating OCD using ERP, helping clients face their fears and building lasting freedom from compulsions, all in a structured, compassionate space. Ann also brings strong experience supporting children with ASD and behavioral challenges in school settings.

Ann loves working with youth and families from diverse backgrounds, and is passionate about helping clients build resilience and reclaim a sense of control.

Ann provides therapy in English and Korean.

09/17/2026

If you have OCD, you know the thoughts that show up uninvited, strange, disturbing, sometimes downright terrifying. And one of the most unkind parts of OCD is convincing you those thoughts mean something about who you are.

They don't.

A thought is not an plan. It's not a wish. It's not a reflection of who you are. Having an intrusive thought about something violent, taboo, or "wrong" doesn't make you a bad person. It makes you a person with a brain. Everyone has intrusive thoughts. The difference with OCD is how much fear and meaning gets attached to those thoughts.

Recovery isn't about never having the thought again. It's about learning that you don't have to believe it, or do anything about it for it to pass.

You are not your thoughts. You're the person who's here, still showing up, even when your mind is loud.

If this resonates, we're here to help.

09/14/2026

We are so excited to welcome Emily Chen to Polaris FBH!
Emily believes in focusing on the whole person. She is dedicated to creating an inviting, encouraging, and reassuring space where kids and teens can feel comfortable being themselves, explore their experiences, and work together toward meaningful growth. Emily strives to support families from diverse cultural backgrounds, and as a multilingual therapist, she offers sessions in English, Mandarin, and Taiwanese.
Emily specializes in treating individuals with OCD and related disorders