Cataraqui Counselling Clinic, a Kingston-based mental health practice, has announced the launch of a dedicated specialty branch: the Cataraqui OCD Clinic. The new branch focuses specifically on providing evidence-based treatment for individuals living with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) across the Kingston community, expanding the clinic’s ability to serve a client group that has historically been underserved in the region.
OCD is a complex and often misunderstood mental health condition that affects an estimated 1 to 2 percent of Canadians. It can take many forms — from well-known contamination fears to less-recognized presentations such as intrusive thoughts and harm-related obsessions — and effective treatment requires specialized training, structured approaches, and clinicians experienced in working with the specific patterns of the disorder.
“OCD is one of the most treatable mental health conditions when the right approaches are used — but it’s also one where generalist therapy often falls short,” said Victoria Davies, Practice Owner at Cataraqui Counselling Clinic. “Launching the Cataraqui OCD Clinic as a dedicated branch means our clients can access the specialized, evidence-based care that this condition really requires. Kingston has needed this kind of focused support for a long time.”
The Cataraqui OCD Clinic is designed to support clients living with a wide range of OCD presentations, including:
- Harm OCD — intrusive, unwanted thoughts about causing harm to oneself or others, often accompanied by significant distress and avoidance
- Contamination OCD — fears related to germs, illness, dirt, or contamination, often leading to compulsive washing, cleaning, or avoidance behaviours
- Intrusive Thoughts OCD — distressing, unwanted thoughts around taboo topics, morality, identity, or relationships that feel at odds with the person’s values
- Checking, symmetry, and other OCD subtypes — including the many less-recognized forms the condition can take
Treatment at the Cataraqui OCD Clinic draws on the approaches that have the strongest evidence base for OCD, including:
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) — a structured, evidence-based approach that helps clients understand the relationship between thoughts, feelings, and behaviours, and build strategies for change
- Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) — widely considered the gold standard treatment for OCD, ERP helps clients gradually face feared situations while resisting compulsive responses, reducing the hold the disorder has over time
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) — a modern evidence-based approach that helps clients create space from distressing thoughts while committing to actions aligned with their values
“OCD often convinces people that their thoughts define them, or that they’re alone in what they’re experiencing,” added Victoria Davies. “Neither is true. With the right treatment — particularly ERP and ACT — people can and do get their lives back. That’s what the Cataraqui OCD Clinic exists to help with.”
The launch of the Cataraqui OCD Clinic reflects a broader strategic focus for Cataraqui Counselling Clinic on building specialized care alongside its general counselling services. By creating a dedicated branch for OCD, the clinic ensures that clients working through this specific condition are matched with clinicians who have focused training and experience — rather than being treated through a general-purpose approach.
Clients across Kingston and the surrounding area can now access the Cataraqui OCD Clinic’s services directly through Cataraqui Counselling Clinic, with both in-person and virtual appointment options available.
More information about the Cataraqui OCD Clinic and the full range of services offered at Cataraqui Counselling Clinic is available at cataraquiclinic.com.
