Justin’s Blog: “The Jog”

Why is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) such a new phenomenon? Well, it’s not. We have clues about many in history who have suffered, from St. Ignatius to Loyola to Martin Luther. It is a fascinating history, which is church history. ⛪ Click Here to Watch the Short Video now, which is a free sample from […]

Did you miss the webinar? No problem! Here’s the recording on YouTube and the summary from Mental Health Grace Alliance:   Justin Hughes, LPC, explains how anxiety and OCD get filtered through the Christian perspective and general strategies for overcoming. Resources and links in the video: Understanding the Overactive Conscience Is it God or my […]

[Updated 2025, formerly the original article can be found here: “The 3 D’s in OCD Recovery“]   Did you know there are four ways to break OCD’s hold on you? In ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention), we target one thing: facing distress without compulsion. That simple concept is hard to live out. Because OCD is […]

This Friday! Join us for a webinar by The Mental Health Grace Alliance.   The Peace of Christ: Effective Ways to Overcome Anxiety and OCD Apr 25, 2025 10:00 AM CST Click HERE to sign up now! “In this powerful webinar, licensed professional counselor (LPC, MA) Justin Hughes will explore how anxiety and OCD affect […]

Popular recording artist Danny Gokey recently shared his battle with OCD (scrupulosity), AD/HD, trauma, and depression. This comes as Braden Smith (Offensive Tackle for the Indianapolis Colts) recently detailed his severe struggle with OCD. I hope you are encouraged to hear stories that make tangible the 3% of those who have (or will have) OCD […]

I heard a phrase recently that goes something like this: If you knew you had to fail 20 times before you succeeded, how fast would you want to fail?  Oof.  That is hard to accept when something is essential. The sentiment is to take action, and the realization is that success is rarely on a […]

There’s no doubt about it: trauma and maltreatment of children impact OCD in both children and adults. Surely, trauma must be causal to OCD? Not so fast. Trauma not Causal to OCD (So Far As We Know) Trauma is not a definitive cause of OCD (Dykshoorn, 2014). However, it has some strong associations. If you […]

Find me presenting at OCD Con 2024!!   TITLE: Keeping the Faith: How to Ethically and Competently Treat Religious Scrupulosity TRACK: Clinician–Advanced DATE/TIME: Saturday, July 27, 2024 at 9:45 AM – 11:15 AM   Description: Providing effective and respectful care to individuals with religious scrupulosity challenges even the most experienced OCD therapists. Our individual biases and lack […]

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 […]

Around here, I’m all about helping people get unstuck. It is a joy to elevate voices of hope. Today’s guest article is by my colleague Dr. Johann D’Souza who is out “crushing it” in the area of clinical treatment of OCD and Anxiety, especially with teens. Join my free newsletter to be the first to […]

Around here, I’m all about helping people get unstuck. It is a joy to elevate voices of hope. Meghan’s story is bringing just that to many people. I hope you enjoy her guest article. Join my free newsletter to be the first to receive articles, stories, announcements, and free ebooks: www.justinkhughes.com/getunstuck   Is There Enough […]

There is one key mistake I come across from clinicians who try to work with OCD but lack training or experience treating it. Simply put, they “play with” obsessions rather than treating the nature of the problem. This can turn into well-meaning psychotherapy being a “rumination-fest” filled with reassurance from the clinician. Clients don’t usually […]

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 […]

And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord. (Luke 1:45) God’s Ways Are Often Shocking Mary, the mother of Jesus, received with grace shocking news. The Son of God will be born through you. Name him Jesus. Uh, come again? She didn’t […]