Shala Nicely, LPC OCD Treatment with ERP Therapy
Shala Nicely, LPC OCD Treatment with ERP Therapy
Books about OCD
These books about OCD grew out of my own experience with the disorder and years of working alongside people who live with it every day. They’re not meant to rush you, fix you, or promise a version of recovery that doesn’t hold up in real life. They’re here for moments when you want to understand what’s happening more clearly and feel less alone as you figure out next steps.
Is Fred in the Refrigerator? Taming OCD and Reclaiming My Life
A personal, honest look at the experience of OCD and how recovery unfolds in real life.
I wrote Is Fred in the Refrigerator? because I remember how alone and misunderstood OCD made me feel, even when I was surrounded by well-meaning people. This book is part memoir, part self-help, and part companion for anyone who wants to understand OCD from the inside.
I share my own story of living with OCD and learning how to respond to it, not in a polished or perfect way, but in a way that reflects how recovery actually happens. I also wanted to give loved ones a clearer window into what OCD feels like, beyond stereotypes and surface-level explanations.
In this book, I walk alongside you through what it was like to live with OCD and to learn, over time, how to respond to it differently using ERP. Recovery does take work, and it often doesn’t look the way we expect. But it can open up more freedom, meaning, and joy than OCD allows us to imagine when we’re stuck inside it.
This book may be helpful if you:
- Want to feel less alone and more understood in your OCD experience
- Are a loved one trying to understand what OCD really feels like from the inside
- Are looking for a realistic, compassionate picture of recovery rather than quick fixes
Everyday Mindfulness for OCD: Tips, Tricks & Skills for Living Joyfully
A practical, everyday way to work with OCD moments as they show up in real life.
Jon Hershfield and I wrote Everyday Mindfulness for OCD for people want practical, workable tools they can use in everyday life when OCD decides to come along for the ride. This book focuses on simple, repeatable practices you can bring into those moments, not long meditations or abstract ideas.
It’s designed to help you notice what’s happening in your mind and body, respond more intentionally, and step out of automatic patterns that keep OCD going. The practices are meant to fit into real days, real stress, and real limitations.
This isn’t about clearing your mind or sitting in perfect peace, as that’s not the goal of mindfulness. It’s about having something steady to return to when OCD pulls you toward urgency, certainty, or control.
This book may be helpful if you:
- Want practical tools you can use day to day when OCD shows up
- Have struggled to apply mindfulness in a way that feels relevant to OCD
- Are looking for support that works alongside ERP