FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Even thought Dr. Vicki Rackner is a physician, she does not diagnose or treat OCD.

Our mission is to educate and  empower "OCD Champions"--people who help people they love get to the other side of OCD.

You will learn what you as a parent can say and what you can do to help your children evolve into the best versions of themselves.

The diagnosis of OCD is most commonly made by a healthcare professional on the basis of a history.

In some cases, the diagnosis is made from the findings of a brain scan; however, since scans are considered experimental at this point for the diagnosis of OCD, your insurance company will most likely not pay for them.

If you suspect that someone you love has OCD, your first step is checking in with your own doctor for the name of a healthcare professional in your area with a special interest in OCD.

Please be aware that most healthcare professionals do not get special training in the diagnosis and treatment of OCD. Many things about OCD are paradoxical and counter-intuitive.

Finding healthcare professionals with the specific training to diagnose and treat OCD can be a real challenge.

You can begin by asking your own doctor for a referral.

Before you set up an appointment with a therapist or a psychiatrist, you can ask, “What percent of your practice is devoted to the treatment of patients with OCD?”

If you can’t get a direct referral, I encourage you to begin with NOCD.

Please be aware that most healthcare professionals do not get special training in the diagnosis and treatment of OCD. Many things about OCD are paradoxical and counter-intuitive.

The certified coaches in the OCD PowerParenting community help the parents of kids with OCD develop the skills to confidently do everything in their power to help their kids get to the
other side of OCD.

We coach parents to develop the exact same skills our kids master as they get from the dark side of OCD to the other side of OCD:

• Witnessing and choosing thoughts
• Leaning into difficult feelings and 
• Resisting urges.

As you learn more about OCD, you will see it all around you.

One in forty adult Americans carries this brain wiring glitch. You might see their suffering and know there’s a different way.

However, each person—including your adult children—evolves into the best versions of themselves on their own schedules. You cannot rush it.

Here's the great news. You can impact the people you love by changing what YOU do, even when someone you love resists efforts to diagnose or treat OCD.

While we welcome all parents of kids with OCD, we focus on serving the parents of children in their late teens and early adult years. This is usually called "late-onset OCD."

Why this focus?

As a parent, you define the boundaries of acceptable behavior in your family. You maintain these boundaries with a clear understanding of the consequences of unacceptable behavior.

As your children approach their late teens, your options for consequences become more limited. At this point, your job as parent evolves from a boss to a consultant. Your parenting toolkit changes.

The mean age of onset of OCD is 19.

We are NOT a crisis intervention service.

If you or your child is at risk for suicide, please reach out to The National Suicide Prevention
Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255.

If you or your child are having suicidal thoughts or call 911.