OCD psychiatrist in Kansas and Missouri

How OCD shows up

Obsessive-compulsive disorder has two parts. Obsessions are unwanted thoughts, images, or urges that cause distress: fears of contamination, of harming someone, of having done something wrong, of things not being "just right," or taboo thoughts that feel horrifying precisely because they go against your values. Compulsions are the things done to quiet that distress, such as washing, checking, counting, repeating, seeking reassurance, mentally reviewing, or avoiding triggers.

The relief from a compulsion is real but short, so the cycle tightens over time. Many people hide their rituals for years. Some have mostly mental compulsions, which makes OCD easy to miss, and it is often mistaken for generalized worry or perfectionism.

What the research supports

Exposure and response prevention (ERP), a form of CBT, is the best-studied therapy for OCD. SSRIs are the first-line medications, and OCD often needs higher doses and a longer trial, commonly 8 to 12 weeks, than depression does before the effect can be judged. When one medication does not help enough, there are other well-studied options.

Where Dr. Brown fits

Dr. Brown is a psychiatrist. He evaluates OCD and related problems, prescribes and adjusts medication, and offers ongoing psychodynamic therapy when that fits.

He does not provide ERP himself. If you have an ERP therapist, he coordinates with them so medication and therapy support the exposure work. If you don't have one yet, he can talk with you about finding one.

After ERP, still stuck

Many people arrive after ERP made sense on paper but symptoms, sleep, mood, or follow-through still got in the way. A visit looks at whether the medication is the right one, at the right dose, for long enough, and at what has made the exposure work hard to keep doing.

Follow-through and daily life

If you perform at a high level and still cannot sit down and do the next step, that gap matters clinically: focus, energy, anxiety loops, and the space between knowing and doing.

The first visit

The first appointment is a video evaluation of about 90–100 minutes, covering obsessions and compulsions, how much time they take, past treatment and medication, and what you want to change. You leave with a plan. For children and teens, a parent or guardian takes part for about 20 to 30 minutes.

Kids, teens, and families

OCD often begins in childhood or adolescence, and families can get pulled into rituals and reassurance without meaning to. Because Dr. Brown is a child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist, care can continue as a teen becomes an adult.

Video care across both states

Specialized OCD care can be hard to find outside a few metro areas. With video visits, the distance to an office doesn't decide whether you can get it, whether you live in Wichita, Garden City, Springfield, or Joplin. You need to be physically in Kansas or Missouri during the visit.

Do you provide ERP?

No. Dr. Brown does not provide ERP himself. He prescribes and adjusts medication, offers psychodynamic therapy, and coordinates with ERP therapists.

Are intrusive, disturbing thoughts a sign I might act on them?

No. In OCD, these thoughts are distressing precisely because they go against what you want. They are a common symptom, not a hidden wish.