Contamination OCD Therapy
Serving San Jose, Sacramento & all of California
Contamination OCD
Contamination OCD Therapy to Break Free from Fear of Germs
Contamination OCD therapy can help you overcome the fear of things being dirty or unsafe. Contamination OCD is one of the most common forms of OCD and can make everyday life feel overwhelming. Here are some ways contamination OCD may show up for you:
- Constantly worrying about germs, dirt, or chemicals on everyday objects.
- Spending a lot of time washing your hands, showering, or cleaning just to feel safe.
- Avoiding touching people, public spaces, or even parts of your own home for fear of being contaminated.
- Feeling responsible for protecting others from germs or pressuring loved ones to follow your rules or rituals.
If any of these sound familiar, you may be experiencing Contamination OCD. The good news is that with Contamination OCD therapy, you can learn how to manage the urge for things to do compulsions to reduce your fear of germs and other contaminates.
Laura Johnson, LMFT, LPCC, is a certified CBT therapist with expertise in contamination OCD therapy. I can provide you with contamination OCD therapy if you live anywhere in California including San Jose, San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, and San Diego.
Could I Have Contamination OCD?
Contamination OCD is one of the most common forms of OCD and can make everyday life feel overwhelming. Here are a few questions to help you see if this might be what you’re experiencing:
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Do you find yourself constantly worrying about germs, dirt, or chemicals on everyday objects?
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Do you spend a lot of time washing your hands, showering, or cleaning just to feel safe?
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Do you avoid touching people, public spaces, or even parts of your own home for fear of being contaminated?
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Do you feel responsible for protecting others from germs and pressure loved ones to follow your rules or rituals?
If these questions sound familiar, you may be dealing with Contamination OCD—but the good news is that effective treatment can help you take your life back.
What is Contamination OCD?
Contamination OCD is one of the most common types of obsessive-compulsive disorder. It involves an exaggerated fear of being contaminated by germs, dirt, or other substances, and often leads to compulsive rituals like handwashing, showering, or cleaning. People with Contamination OCD may avoid touching doorknobs, money, or even loved ones to prevent possible contamination.
For some, the fear spreads so much that only a “safe zone” feels clean enough—sometimes shrinking to a single room or even the shower. Contamination OCD doesn’t just affect the person—it can place stress on loved ones if they are asked to follow strict rules, such as changing clothes before entering the home or avoiding certain areas.
Common Symptoms of Contamination OCD
People with Contamination OCD often experience intense fears of germs, illness, or spreading contamination. These fears usually lead to repetitive rituals or strict avoidance behaviors that interfere with daily life.
Obsessions
(fears and intrusive thoughts):
Compulsions
(behaviors meant to reduce anxiety):
How Therapy Helps with Contamination OCD
Therapy breaks the vicious cycle of obsessions and compulsions. While compulsive cleaning or avoiding may bring short-term relief, they actually fuel OCD in the long run. With treatment, you’ll learn how to face contamination fears without giving in to rituals—and discover that anxiety fades on its own.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Contamination OCD
CBT is the gold-standard treatment for OCD, especially a technique called Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). In therapy, you’ll gradually face feared objects and situations (like touching a doorknob or riding a bus) while resisting the urge to wash or clean. Over time, your brain learns that the feared consequences don’t happen, and the anxiety decreases.
CBT also teaches you to:
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Identify triggers that set off your contamination fears
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Challenge “thinking traps,” such as catastrophizing (“If I touch that, I’ll get a deadly disease”) or all-or-nothing thinking (“If it’s not perfectly clean, it’s dangerous”)
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Reduce reassurance-seeking and other safety behaviors
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Use mindfulness to accept uncertainty instead of trying to eliminate it
With practice, CBT helps you spend less time on rituals and regain freedom in daily life.
Schema Therapy for Contamination OCD
Schema Therapy goes deeper than surface fears by addressing the core patterns that fuel OCD and can be added when symptoms are not improving with CBT alone. Common schemas linked to Contamination OCD include:
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Vulnerability to Harm – a deep fear that the world is dangerous and unsafe
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Over-Responsibility – feeling it’s your job to protect others at all costs
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Unrelenting Standards – believing things must be perfectly clean or controlled
In Schema Therapy, you’ll learn where these patterns come from, challenge them, and build healthier ways of thinking. Combining Schema Therapy with CBT provides both short-term relief and long-term change.
Why Work with Me?
I’m an expert in the treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), including contamination fears that can make everyday life feel like a series of invisible tests of safety and cleanliness. Over the years, I’ve helped many clients regain freedom from the endless cycles of washing, avoiding, and reassurance-seeking through proven, evidence-based methods. I’ve completed advanced OCD training through the University of Pennsylvania and the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF), where I’ve been a long-time member dedicated to improving access to effective OCD treatment.
I’m also one of the few therapists in California certified in both Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Schema Therapy—a rare combination that allows me to address both the surface-level compulsions and the deeper fears that make OCD so persistent. Using CBT and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) as the gold-standard approach, I help clients build confidence, reduce rituals, and create meaningful, lasting change—even when previous therapy hasn’t worked.
Frequently Asked Questions about Contamination OCD
Is Contamination OCD the same as being a “clean freak”?
No. This is not about liking things tidy—it’s about overwhelming anxiety and rituals that feel impossible to resist, even when you know they don’t make sense.
Will therapy force me to touch dirty things right away?
No. ERP is gradual and done at your pace. You’ll never be forced into exposures—you’ll build skills step by step.
Can medication help with Contamination OCD?
Yes, medications can help reduce symptoms, but CBT/ERP is the most effective long-term treatment. Many people use a combination.
How does Schema Therapy help with OCD?
It addresses the deeper fears and beliefs that keep OCD strong, so you not only reduce symptoms but also feel more resilient in the long run.
Can my family be involved in treatment?
Yes. Sometimes family members unintentionally get pulled into rituals. Therapy can help them support you in healthier ways.
Take the First Step to Get Help with Contamination OCD
Contamination OCD can take over your life—but it doesn’t have to stay that way. With the right therapy, you can reduce rituals, feel less trapped by fear, and regain control. I work with clients across California through secure video sessions, including San Jose, Sacramento, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego.
Contact me today to schedule your first session and start your path to freedom from OCD.