Justin’s Blog: “The Jog”

Featured in the BioLogos May blog for Mental Health Awareness month, I was asked to speak about how OCD has been handled inside and outside the church–and how pastors are the real front door of care.  It is a dream to write for BioLogos as it was founded by Francis Collins, a follower of Christ […]

Have you ever mixed up what you thought God was saying with your feelings? Me too. It’s pretty human to conflate what God is saying with various thoughts and feelings. Fear? God must be trying to warn you! Sadness? There is something that is grief-worthy. Anger? You must be out of control. Not always…. Anxiety […]

Fred: “So what do I do with my uncertainty?” Therapist: “Sit with it! You can’t be certain about anything.” Fred: “Ummmmm….okay, but what does that mean?” Therapist: “Just do nothing until your values indicate a step to take.” Fred: “Oh, okay. Thanks, I guess.” Here lies a vignette of a shared frustration people express to […]

Stuck Between Worlds “Why isn’t God healing this???!!!” Georgia* felt a little stuck between worlds. Her severe struggles seemed to need more help than she was getting. However, her church and community group commonly taught her that Christ is sufficient to heal–with the important role of prayer, Scripture, and community.**  They had long been excellent […]

Erika McCoy is a courageous advocate for OCD recovery and faith concerns. We began to run in similar advocacy circles, and I had the privilege of meeting her this year in San Francisco at the annual #OCDCon. This article showcases one of vulnerability, courage, and recovery. Along with personal growth comes evaluation of what we […]

Father, I am seeking: I am hesitant and uncertain, but will you, O God, watch over each step of mine and guide me. ~St. Augustine of Hippo “Is this true, or is this OCD?” The strain on Paul’s* face told me the pain under the surface. Clients often ask any variation of the following: “What […]

Have you heard about SPACE treatment (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions)? It helps children suffering from: Anxiety Disorders Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Separation anxiety Social anxiety (SAD) Generalized anxiety (GAD) Fears and phobias Panic disorder Agoraphobia Selective mutism It uniquely can be delivered only through parents and extends to adult children. Parents learn changes […]

Helping someone else who suffers can be powerful. Tom,* like most clients, reflected on the larger purpose he had besides reducing his own discomfort. There is nothing wrong with coming to therapy to feel better, yet Tom said, “I’m fine with just personal growth through therapy, but are there any ways you know that I […]

In computer terms, Evan* had “crashed.” His eyes have a certain look that loved ones know all too well in his dark moments. If you don’t have OCD, maybe you have experienced a sampling of this feeling when an urgent decision about something important comes up and you don’t know which option to choose. Add […]

If you want to recap or you missed the 3rd Annual OCD and Faith Conference (#FaithCon), here are the two presentations we recorded. They are only available through June 2023. The heart of the conference is to provide a diversity of voices with a unified focus on recovery from OCD. Whatever your beliefs are, if […]

The concept of acceptance is a tricky one for OCD and Anxiety Disorders. When introducing clients to it, the first response I hear every time is something like, “Am I supposed to accept these terrible thoughts?” or “Do I just pretend like they’re not happening?” It’s Not The Same as Condoning In other words, most […]

As we close to 2022, I am reflecting with gratitude on the community I have in my life—personally and professionally. Anything good links back to many unseen ways I am supported.  I hope you find yourself connected in community or growing towards that end. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year! Kevin Foss, MFT […]

Growing research and practice is acknowledging the vital role of faith, religion, and spirituality in counseling practice.  Lisa Rhodes, a senior writer at the American Counseling Association’s Counseling Today magazine, reached out to interview me and several others for feedback on how faith integration can happen in therapy sensitively and respectfully.  Check it out!   […]

By Ted Witzig, Jr., PhD,  Updated for Clinicians by Justin K. Hughes, MA, LPC This edited article is updated for mental health clinicians to consider implementing effective and sensitive exposures for any client of faith.  The original article (found here) was written for Christian individuals with OCD.  Hopefully this document can guide you in developing […]

An enduring reality of life: we all have to do things we don’t want or like. An enduring principle of life: discipline builds strength and character. A curious paradox of life: doing disciplined things we don’t like often leads to greater contentment. An enduring joy of life: experiencing discipline and seeing it pay dividends brings […]