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News and Research
Science-backed Information for Better Care
ScienceWorks is a modern telepsychology practice offering evidence-based care for: Autism & ADHD, Anxiety & Depression, OCD, Trauma, Insomnia, Kids & Families, and more.
These conditions frequently co-occur, can be difficult to diagnose, and also difficult to treat - often requiring specialist knowledge and direct clinical experience to achieve the best possible outcomes.
That's why research and training are the foundation of our work.
Our goal is sharing our knowledge with our friends, clients, and partners to build a stronger, more informed mental health community.
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ERP or I-CBT for OCD: How to Choose a Starting Point for OCD Therapy
Last reviewed: 03/11/2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Kiesa Kelly If you’re stuck researching ERP or I-CBT for OCD , you’re not alone. For many people, the “Which treatment is best?” question starts to feel urgent, high-stakes, and impossible to answer with certainty. In this article, you’ll learn: What ERP and I-CBT are actually trying to change Signs each approach may be a better starting fit for your OCD pattern When combining ERP vs I-CBT can be the most practical option Questions t

Ryan Burns
Mar 118 min read


Do I Need Specialized Therapy or General Counseling? How to Tell the Difference
Last reviewed: 03/10/2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Kiesa Kelly If you’re trying to decide between specialized therapy and general counseling, you’re not alone. Many people start with “therapy” as a broad idea, then realize they need something more specific, like treatment that targets OCD loops, insomnia, trauma responses, or executive function struggles. In this article, you’ll learn: What people usually mean by “general counseling” (and when it helps) What makes therapy “specialize

Ryan Burns
Mar 109 min read


CBT-I vs Sleep Hygiene: When Insomnia Needs Specialized Treatment for Insomnia
Last reviewed: 03/09/2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Kiesa Kelly If you’ve been Googling “treatment for insomnia” at 2:00 a.m., you’ve probably seen the same advice: cut caffeine, get off screens, keep your bedroom cool. Those are useful sleep hygiene habits. But for many people, insomnia is not a “bad routine” problem. It’s a stuck pattern in the brain and body that often needs an evidence-based plan like cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). [1][2] In this article, you’l

Ryan Burns
Mar 96 min read


What Type of Therapy Do I Need? A Decision Guide for OCD, ADHD, Autism, Insomnia, and Trauma
Last reviewed: 03/09/2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Kiesa Kelly Searching “type of therapy” can feel like walking into a hardware store without a project. The problem is not you. The word therapy covers very different tools, and the best fit depends on the pattern underneath your symptoms: obsessive doubt, executive-function overload, trauma-driven threat responses, or a sleep system that’s learned the wrong rhythm. In this article, you’ll learn: How to match symptoms to an evidence-

Ryan Burns
Mar 97 min read


Accepting uncertainty OCD: What “Accepting Uncertainty” Actually Means in Treatment
Last reviewed: 03/04/2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Kiesa Kelly If you’re working on accepting uncertainty OCD , it can sound like someone is asking you to “be okay” with the one thing your brain treats as intolerable: not knowing. But in evidence-based OCD treatment, acceptance is not a mindset you force. It’s a response you practice. In this article, you’ll learn: Why OCD demands absolute certainty (and why that promise never lasts) What “acceptance” means (and what it does not mean

Ryan Burns
Mar 58 min read


Why Reassurance Makes OCD Worse (Even When It Feels Helpful): The Reassurance OCD Trap
Last reviewed: 03/03/2026 Reviewed by: Dr. Kiesa Kelly If you live with reassurance OCD, you already know the paradox: asking for certainty (or giving it to yourself) can feel calming for a moment, then the doubt snaps back even stronger. That “just tell me I’m okay” urge isn’t a character flaw; it’s often OCD chasing relief through a compulsion. [1] In this article, you’ll learn: What reassurance seeking looks like in OCD (including mental rituals and Googling) Why reassuran

Ryan Burns
Mar 37 min read


PHQ-9 Depression Screening: PHQ-9 scoring and how to interpret it safely
Your PHQ-9 score can feel scary or confusing. This guide explains phq-9 score meaning, severity ranges, and how to use your results safely, including what to do if you checked the self-harm item and how to get support in Tennessee.

Kiesa Kelly
Feb 197 min read


Why You Can’t Sleep: How CBT-I Helps Reset a Stuck Sleep Cycle
Reset a stuck sleep cycle with CBT-I for insomnia. Learn how sleeplessness becomes a learned pattern, why timing and habits matter, and the gentle, evidence-based steps—stimulus control, sleep restriction, and cognitive tools—that help your brain trust bedtime again.

Kiesa Kelly
Oct 16, 20257 min read


CBT-I for Insomnia: How It Works
CBT-I sleep therapy retrains your brain’s sleep systems—reducing hyperarousal, rebuilding healthy bed–sleep cues, and improving sleep quality that lasts. Learn how stimulus control, sleep restriction, and gentle cognitive tools work (with research citations) and how ScienceWorks applies CBT-I with circadian alignment and supportive coaching.

Kiesa Kelly
Oct 15, 20258 min read


ICBT vs. ERP for OCD: Which Treatment Approach Might Be Right for You?
Struggling with OCD? Understanding the difference between Inference-based CBT (I-CBT) and Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) can help you find the right treatment path. While ERP is considered the gold standard for OCD treatment, I-CBT offers a gentler, equally effective alternative for those who find exposure-based approaches intimidating. Learn how these evidence-based approaches differ and which might be best suited to your unique needs and neurodivergent profile.

Ryan Burns
May 6, 20257 min read


What is ERP Therapy? A Gentle Introduction to Exposure Response Prevention for OCD
Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) therapy is a proven, effective approach for treating Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder that helps individuals break free from the cycle of obsessions and compulsions. By gradually facing fears while learning to resist compulsive behaviors, ERP empowers those with OCD to reclaim their lives and develop healthier responses to anxiety. At ScienceWorks, we offer both ERP and gentler alternatives like Inference-based CBT, tailored to your unique need

Kiesa Kelly
May 6, 20258 min read


Medical Trauma: An Overlooked Aspect of Chronic Illness
Living with chronic illness often involves navigating complex healthcare systems, challenging diagnoses, and invasive treatments—experiences that can lead to medical trauma. At ScienceWorks Behavioral Healthcare, we understand how this overlooked aspect of chronic illness affects overall wellbeing and offer science-backed therapies for chronic illness that address both the physical and psychological dimensions of your health journey.

Kiesa Kelly
May 2, 20257 min read
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