Obsessive-compulsive disorder specialist
OCD therapy in Valencia and online
I’m a licensed clinical psychologist with a PhD in Psychology specialising in OCD. I treat obsessive-compulsive disorder with Inference-Based CBT (I-CBT), at my practice in Valencia or by video call, in English, Spanish or French.
What is OCD?
Obsessive-compulsive disorder appears when an intrusive thought (a doubt, an image, a “what if…?”) is experienced as a real threat. To calm the distress, the person does something: checks, washes, goes over things in their head, avoids or seeks reassurance.
The relief doesn’t last. Each compulsion confirms that the doubt mattered, and the next one comes back stronger. That’s why people with OCD often describe it as a spiral they can’t get out of.
How I work: Inference-Based CBT
I-CBT comes from a cognitive model designed specifically to treat OCD, and its effectiveness has been shown empirically. It focuses on three ideas:
We perceive reality through our senses
In their obsessional area, the person distrusts what their senses perceive and, therefore, the facts and the reality they are living.
The remote possibility takes over
That distrust leads to reasoning that puts what could be ahead of what is.
Compulsions try to fix something imaginary
You try to solve, in the real world, a problem that was born in your imagination. Hence the feeling of a spiral.
The goal is for you to trust your senses again and to put reality ahead of imagination, just as you already do in the rest of your life.
I specialised in I-CBT years ago, and I still fully trust how effective it is at treating OCD and bringing about real change.
What treatment looks like
First session
We talk about what’s happening to you, when it started and how it affects your daily life, and I explain how we would work.
One-hour sessions
In person in Valencia or by video call, at the frequency that best suits your situation.
In your language
You can do therapy in English, Spanish or French.
Families
If you live with someone who has OCD, I can also guide you on how to help without feeding the compulsions.
OCD research
My doctoral thesis at the University of Valencia studied the role of context, the feared self and narratives in obsessions. That work, published in scientific journals, shapes how I understand and treat OCD in my practice.
Scientific publicationsOCD group
Alongside individual therapy, there is a small OCD group, in person and online. Very limited places.
Articles about OCD
OCD and obsessions"I bet goats don't get OCD!"
A patient's remark opens the door to metacognition and the mental self: why we give OCD obsessions their power, and why we are not our thoughts.
OCD and obsessionsÁlex
Álex had lived with mental contamination OCD since childhood. Now in his fifties, he explains how Inference-Based CBT (I-CBT) changed his life.
OCD and obsessionsEating disorders and the feared self
The feared self, a key idea in OCD, may also explain eating disorders: rather than chasing thinness, people may be running from an overweight self.
OCD and obsessionsHow Are My Obsessions Related to My Identity? Findings from My Doctoral Thesis
Why do some intrusive thoughts become obsessions and others don't? Findings from my thesis on the feared self and identity in OCD.
OCD and obsessionsInterview on Inference-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (I-CBT) for OCD (video)
A video interview (in Spanish) on the inference-based model of OCD and I-CBT: its core principles and concepts, explained as simply as possible.
OCD and obsessionsLidia
Lidia went through two episodes of OCD with intrusive sexual thoughts about children. Her first-person story shows that you can get your life back.
Shall we take the first step?
Get in touch
Call me, message me on WhatsApp or send me an email and I’ll explain how to get started.
- Phone and WhatsApp+34 691 12 10 16
- Emailsllorens@cop.es
- PracticeGran Vía de Ramón y Cajal, 37, pta. 40 · 46007 Valencia · View on Google Maps
- HoursMonday to Friday, 9:00 to 20:00 (CET)
@sarallorenspsicologaFollow me on InstagramSee my Instagram