SCIENCEWORKS
BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE
Edited and reviewed:
June 10, 2026
Reviewed by:
Complete Care for all Neurotypes
Therapy | Assessments | Coaching
INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS & OCD
i-CBT for intrusive thoughts in Tennessee
Inference-based CBT for unwanted intrusive thoughts — easing the fear that a thought means something about you, by secure telehealth across Tennessee.
Disturbing thoughts appear out of nowhere
ARE THESE THOUGHTS OCD?
What i-CBT for intrusive thoughts involves
Inference-based CBT that defuses the meaning OCD assigns to thoughts
A clinician who has heard it all and won't be alarmed
Skills to stop suppressing, checking, and analyzing thoughts
Licensed Providers
Telehealth Nationwide*
Neuro-affirming
Private & Secure
WHAT INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS ARE
What i-CBT is, and how it quiets intrusive thoughts
Unwanted intrusive thoughts — violent, sexual, blasphemous, or just bizarre — are something almost everyone has. They become a problem only when the mind treats them as meaningful: "why did I think that — what does it say about me?" Inference-based CBT (i-CBT) understands this as a reasoning problem, where doubt and imagination turn ordinary mental noise into a frightening message.
With your therapist, you learn how that leap is made — the way OCD distrusts your own character, spins "what if" stories, and demands a certainty that's impossible to reach. As the thoughts lose their false significance, the suppressing, checking, and analyzing ease, with no forced exposure. The aim isn't to never have the thoughts — it's to let them pass as the noise they are, so they stop running your day.
KEY STATISTICS ABOUT INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS
94%
of people experience unwanted intrusive thoughts
Source:
2.3%
of U.S. adults develop OCD at some point in life
Source:
1 in 2
of adults with OCD live with serious impairment
Source:
WHAT TO EXPECT
A simple, reassuring way to start
1
Free 15-minute consult.
Tell us what's going on — nothing you say will shock us.
2
3
Structured i-CBT by secure telehealth statewide, or in person in Nashville.
You're paired with a clinician experienced in intrusive-thought OCD.
Matched with the right therapist.
Weekly telehealth sessions.
Payment options
As a specialty practice, we're out-of-network so we can offer the most effective, customized services.
Our payment options are transparent and flexible:
-
Self-Pay: All major credit cards; FSA/HSA eligible
-
Payment Plans: 6-months interest-free for approved clients via CareCredit
-
Superbills Provided
-
Out-of-Network: Up to 90% reimbursement for qualifying plans
WHO YOU'LL WORK WITH
Specialized, supervised, unshockable
Your i-CBT care is delivered by licensed Tennessee clinicians with specialized training in inference-based CBT for OCD and unwanted intrusive thoughts. We've heard the thoughts that scare you most, respond without alarm, and every plan is clinically supervised and reviewed.
Dr. Kiesa Kelly (she/her)
Owner & Psychologist
Ryan Burns (he/him)
Practice Director
WHY CLIENTS CHOOSE SCIENCEWORKS
Reassuring, expert, evidence-based
Because we're independent and out-of-network, your care targets the OCD doubt itself — not whatever fits a rushed visit or an insurance template.
You're matched with a clinician trained in i-CBT, an evidence-based alternative to exposure for distressing intrusive thoughts — not a generalist.
Care runs by secure telehealth statewide, with in-person visits at our Nashville office, so specialized help reaches you wherever you are.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Questions about intrusive thoughts
Do my intrusive thoughts mean I'm a bad or dangerous person?
No. Research shows unwanted intrusive thoughts are nearly universal, and their content does not reflect your character or intentions. They distress you precisely because they clash with your values. i-CBT helps your mind stop treating them as evidence about who you are.
How is i-CBT different from exposure therapy?
i-CBT works on the reasoning that makes a thought feel meaningful, rather than repeatedly exposing you to distressing images. Many people who found exposure too overwhelming respond well to this talk-based approach.
Is therapy online or in person?
It's delivered by secure telehealth to clients anywhere in Tennessee, and in person at our Nashville office if you prefer. Most people take part online from home, work, or school, with no travel; in-person visits in Nashville are available on request.
*Therapy and assessments available in the following states (coaching available worldwide):
Work with us locally:
AL, AZ, AR, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, ID, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, ME, MD, MI, MN, MS, MO, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NC, ND, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WV, WI, WY
2603 Elm Hill Pike, Suite C
Nashville, TN 37214
Disclaimer: This page provides general educational information and is not a substitute for mental health diagnosis or treatment. Reading this page does not create a therapist–client relationship with ScienceWorks Behavioral Healthcare. If you are in crisis or may be at risk of harm to yourself or others, call 911, go to your nearest emergency room, or call/text 988 (U.S.). Additional emergency support can be found here: Emergency Resources.