Decide without checking or analysing again
Notice the doubt that follows a decision and carry on with your day without another round of checking, comparing or asking for reassurance.
In person in Plymouth Online across the UK
Therapy for OCD, intrusive thoughts and anxiety
I help people who are exhausted by unwanted intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviours to enjoy life again — putting their energy back into what really matters: the people and things they love.
If you’re ready to do the work, I’d love to hear from you.
- BACP Accredited
- NCH Accredited
- Specialist support since 2008
When knowing isn’t enough
You may understand the pattern — and still feel pulled into it
You may know that reassurance only helps temporarily, that another search probably won’t settle the doubt, or that checking how you feel often makes you less certain. But when anxiety or dread takes over—or the urge to do something about it becomes intense—the need to respond can still feel urgent and completely convincing.
You might appear capable and composed to everyone else while privately losing hours to intrusive thoughts, analysis, checking, avoidance or the need to get something perfectly certain.
The problem isn’t that you aren’t intelligent enough to understand it. It’s that understanding, on its own, isn’t enough to help you respond differently when the anxiety takes over.
A wider measure of progress
More of your attention available for life
The aim is not to guarantee that difficult thoughts or feelings never return. It is to help them take up less of your attention, time and energy when they do.
Lose less time inside the loop
Recognise when analysis has stopped being useful and return your attention to what the present moment actually needs.
Be there for the life around you
Re-enter relationships, work, rest and ordinary activities without waiting for perfect certainty or emotional comfort.
The LIBERATE Approach™
Understanding helps. Change comes from learning to respond differently.
The LIBERATE Approach brings together counselling, ERP, hypnosis and other evidence-informed methods within one flexible framework.
We’ll develop a shared understanding of what keeps your particular pattern going, then create practical experiences that help you respond differently when thoughts, feelings or bodily sensations feel difficult to ignore. It is collaborative and responsive — not a rigid protocol that every client must follow in the same order.
Flexibilityover certainty
New learningover symptom control
Re-engagementover internal monitoring
Specialist, individual support
Ways I can help
You don’t need a diagnosis to enquire. We can begin with what is happening in your life and work together to understand the pattern in context.
OCD & intrusive thoughts
Support with unwanted thoughts, mental rituals, checking, reassurance, avoidance and persistent “What if?” doubt.
Anxiety, panic & uncertainty
For anxiety that keeps pulling attention towards threat, bodily sensations, future problems or the need to feel sure.
In person in Plymouth
Face-to-face appointments in a calm, private therapy room in Plymouth, Devon.
Online across the UK
Specialist therapy from your own space, without geography limiting the therapist or approach you choose.
About Carolyn
Warm, thoughtful therapy with a clear sense of purpose
I’m Carolyn Gillan, an accredited counsellor and hypnotherapist. I have been supporting people with OCD, intrusive thoughts and anxiety since 2008.
My work is relational, practical and evidence-informed. I’ll take your experience seriously without treating every distressing thought, feeling or urge as proof that something is wrong, and I’ll explain the purpose behind what we do so therapy feels collaborative rather than something being done to you.
More about CarolynClient experiences
What my clients say
“Without Carolyn I would still be living a half life.”
“Carolyn has a very calm, reassuring and compassionate approach. The sessions have been invaluable.”
“There are no magic solutions — it takes commitment and effort — but positive changes can be achieved.”
These are individual experiences. Results vary and therapy is not a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment.
The next step
Ready when a space becomes available?
I’m not currently accepting new clients. Join my priority list and I’ll contact you when I can offer a new-client appointment, either in Plymouth or online. Joining the list doesn’t commit you to booking.
Join My Priority ListStart where you are
Free resources while you wait
A small collection of thoughtful resources for understanding the pattern, practising a different response and finding a little more room for life.
Free welcome gift
Rest & Reset hypnosis audio
Join my email list to receive the audio as a welcome gift, together with occasional emails about OCD, anxiety and emotional wellbeing.
Learn more & receive the audio → Popular OCD guideCounselling and hypnotherapy for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
An in-depth introduction to OCD patterns, treatment and the LIBERATE Approach.
Read the OCD guide → LibraryExplore all free resources
Videos, downloads and other resources as they develop.
Browse resources →