Can OCD involve thoughts that are scary, weird, or taboo?

Yes. Many children experience intrusive thoughts that feel frightening or confusing (e.g., harm or moral themes). These are symptoms of OCD, not a child’s character. Therapy helps kids notice and detach from these thoughts without shame.

Do children with OCD know their rituals don’t make sense?

Often they do, but the anxiety feels unbearable without the ritual. Therapy explains the OCD cycle and teaches new responses so kids can tolerate uncertainty without compulsions.

Can OCD in kids go away on its own?

OCD rarely resolves without treatment. Early ERP-informed support makes it easier to interrupt the cycle and reduce impact on school, friendships, sleep, and family life.

How involved are parents in OCD treatment for kids and teens?

Parent involvement is essential. We coach families to step out of reassurance and accommodation cycles, respond calmly, reinforce progress, and reduce stress at home.

How does therapy help with OCD in children and teens?

The gold-standard is Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), a CBT method that helps youth face triggers without rituals. We pair ERP with emotion regulation and parent coaching for durable change.

What causes OCD in children and adolescents?

OCD arises from genetic, neurological, and environmental factors. Some children have heightened sensitivity to uncertainty; others develop symptoms under stress or after illness. Therapy focuses on giving kids control over OCD—not the other way around.

How is OCD different from anxiety or perfectionism?

OCD includes distressing obsessions and compulsions aimed at reducing anxiety or preventing harm. Perfectionism involves high standards but not necessarily rituals. A child psychologist can clarify the pattern and treatment plan.

What are the signs of OCD in children and teens?

Common signs include intrusive thoughts, reassurance-seeking, checking, handwashing, arranging, counting, or needing things to feel “just right.” If these patterns interfere with daily life, OCD therapy can help.

Accepting New Clients

Kate Masters

Registered Provisional Psychologist

Children (3–12) & Parents · Play Therapy · Attachment · Neurodivergence · Autism · ADHD · Highly Sensitive Children

Kate is a Registered Provisional Psychologist who supports young children (ages 3–12) and their parents from a developmental and attachment-informed perspective. She has a special interest in highly sensitive children and neurodivergent youth, including those with autism and ADHD.

Kate recognizes the natural diversity in how children think, learn, and experience the world — viewing neurodivergence as a meaningful difference, never a deficit. Her work focuses on building strong relationships, supporting emotional development, and helping families move toward the goals that matter most to them.

Known for her thoughtful, down-to-earth presence, Kate creates a welcoming space where children feel comfortable expressing themselves and parents feel genuinely supported. Her sessions are playful, engaging, and relationship-focused, drawing on creative, play-based approaches — AutPlay, Theraplay, Sand Tray, and Art — alongside Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Solution-Focused Therapy, and neurodiversity-informed practice. Sessions are offered in person, with online availability for parent work.

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Kate Masters, Registered Provisional Psychologist at Creative Sky Psychology in Calgary