Perinatal OCD & Anxiety Intensive Outpatient Program

The term “perinatal” refers to pregnancy and up to 1 year after delivery. Although you may have heard of postpartum depression, this is not the only mental health challenge that occurs during this time period.

Many people struggle with Perinatal Anxiety, which includes excessive worry, fear, or panic that occurs during pregnancy or up to 12 months postpartum. Some types of anxiety disorders can include:

• Generalized anxiety (excessive worry about everyday situations that feels out of control)

• Social anxiety (fear of judgment and embarrassment that leads to avoiding social situations)

• Health anxiety (constant worry about your health)

• Specific phobias (intense, irrational fears of certain objects or situations)
• Panic disorder (regularly having sudden attacks of panic or fear)

Perinatal OCD is a different but related type of disorder that consists of two parts: obsessions and compulsions.

Obsessions are unwanted, intrusive thoughts, images, or urges that are upsetting/ distressing. They often focus on a few, specific fears and play on a loop in your head.

Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or rituals that attempt to decrease anxiety/ distress from the obsessive thoughts, although relief is usually short-lived. Many perinatal parents will have only obsessions and not compulsions while others have compulsions without obsessions. You do not need to have both obsessions and compulsions to have perinatal OCD.

Examples of Common Obsessions:

• Something bad happening to your baby/children, yourself, and/or people you care about

• Hurting your baby and/or other people

• Fear of germs/contamination

• SIDS
• Sexual thoughts about babies/children that you experience as disturbing
• Mentally reviewing (replaying behaviors in my mind to see if I made a mistake or did something embarrassing)
• Excessive preoccupation with fetal movements

Examples of Common Compulsions:

• Checking baby constantly
• Avoiding the baby or avoiding certain activities like bathing or changing the baby
• Trouble separating from your baby or letting others help with the baby
• Cleaning
• Googling
• Repeatedly asking for reassurance from loved ones and/or medical providers
• Excessive requests for fetal monitoring when not advised by the obstetrical provider
• Constant disinfecting
• Excessive handwashing

OCD and anxiety are even more common during pregnancy and postpartum than other times in a person’s life. In fact, many parents experience OCD or anxiety for the first time during pregnancy or after delivery, even if they never have in the past.

This can happen for a variety of reasons, including feeling increased responsibility over your baby, hormonal changes, your mental health history, your family history, and disrupted sleep.

OCD and anxiety do NOT mean you are a bad parent. Scary or unwanted thoughts are your brain’s (ineffective) way of trying to help you manage the anxiety of pregnancy and caring for a new baby. We do not have control over the thoughts that come into our heads; we can only control how we respond to those thoughts. You are not alone, and we are here to help.

The perinatal OCD & anxiety IOP is a specialized treatment program and the first of its kind in the country. It uses an active, skills-based treatment approach and works best for people who are ready to make changes and practice skills during and in between sessions.

Group Treatment:

Our program uses Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). ERP is the most effective treatment for OCD and anxiety. It helps people gradually face their fears so they can build confidence and reduce unhelpful behaviors.

You will also learn skills to help you notice signs of OCD and anxiety, manage your intrusive thoughts, and get support from those around you.

Treatment is provided in a group setting and involves 3 group therapy sessions per day.

Example group schedule:
9:30 – 10:30 am    Exposure Homework Review
10:45 – 11:45 am    Group Exposure
12:00 – 1:00 pm     Skills Review and Homework Planning

Individual and Family Support:
In addition to group therapy, you will also receive:

• Individual therapy with providers who specialize in perinatal OCD and anxiety.

• Medication management (if desired).

With your permission, a partner, family member, or close friend may join family sessions during treatment.

• Programming occurs Mon/Wed/Thurs from 9:30 am – 1:00 pm.

• Most people attend for 6 to 8 weeks.

• Each day includes three group therapy sessions, along with individual therapy

• Babies under 1 year old are welcome. Bringing your baby can help support bonding and address fears directly.

• We will help you create a personalized outpatient care plan following discharge from the program.

• Parking is free and validated.

• All major insurances are accepted.

If getting here feels like a barrier, please let us know. If you have transportation challenges or live farther away, we may be able to help.

“Thank you for everything you did to help me. This program is amazing, and I am forever thankful. Thank you all for helping me be able to live my life based on my values, not my fears.”

“I’m very grateful to this program. It has helped me so much. The understanding and support was very much needed for me, and now I don’t feel so alone.”

“The group therapy was extremely valuable — there is a huge lift in seeing yourself as part of a community.”