Counselling in Edmonton, St. Albert, and online that gives you room to look at perfectionism, control, and rigid rules on your own terms. Registered Psychologists and Registered Provisional Psychologists regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP). Counsellors (CCCs) certified by the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA), social workers regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW), and therapists. In person at five Edmonton and St. Albert locations, or virtual sessions anywhere in Alberta.

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You Might Be Wondering Whether OCPD Counselling Is Right for You

You may not be sure your high standards are a problem at all. Caring about doing things properly has probably served you well. Part of you may even feel that life would run more smoothly if other people were a little more careful. It is hard to tell where "conscientious" ends and "this is costing me something" begins. Maybe the doubt came from someone else. A partner, a manager, or a friend may have used words like "rigid" or "controlling," and you are not sure you agree. Or you may be reading this for someone you care about, trying to understand them better. You might redo a task late at night because it was not quite right, even when no one else would notice. You might keep work to yourself because explaining how it should be done feels harder than doing it all. A small change of plans, like a meeting moving or a friend arriving late, might leave you tense for the rest of the day. Patterns like these are understandable. Standards, lists, and rules can start as ways to keep things on track and to feel steady. They do not mean something is wrong with who you are. They may simply be working harder than you want them to. If you are trying to work out whether talking with someone could help, or whether this page even applies to you, the sections below explain what this counselling involves, what it does not do, and how you might decide.

Who We Help

This counselling may be a good fit if:

• your standards, rules, or need for things to be done a certain way are creating strain at work, at home, or in relationships
• you find it hard to delegate, finish tasks, make decisions, or relax while something feels unfinished
• mistakes, uncertainty, or changes in plan tend to bring up strong stress or self-criticism
• someone close to you has raised concerns, and you want a neutral place to think them through
• a qualified professional has mentioned OCPD to you before, and you want support with what that means for daily life
• you want to explore these patterns without needing a diagnosis first

If you are reading on behalf of a partner, parent, or adult child, you are welcome to book counselling for yourself. Living or working closely with someone whose standards feel immovable can be stressful, and you can get support whether or not they choose to come. Couples counselling may also be an option if both of you are willing.

This service may not be the right fit if:

• you are in crisis or worried about your immediate safety. Please use the crisis resources below.
• you need a report for court, a custody matter, an employer, or an insurer. Forensic and legal work is outside this counselling service.
• you are looking for a formal diagnosis. Psychological assessment is a separate service with its own process. You can read about it on our personality and behavioural assessment page.
• you are mainly looking for support with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Our OCD counselling page describes that service. If you are not sure which applies, a therapist can talk it through with you.

If You Need Help Right Now

Counselling appointments are not set up for emergencies. If you are thinking about suicide, worried you might hurt yourself or someone else, or in immediate danger, please contact one of these services:

• Call 911 or go to your nearest emergency department if you are in immediate danger.
• Alberta Mental Health Help Line: 1-877-303-2642 (24/7)
• 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline: call or text 988 (24/7)
• Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741741

Wholesome Psychology is not an emergency or crisis service.

What OCPD Counselling Is, and What It Is Not

OCPD counselling is talk therapy focused on patterns involving high standards, order, rules, control, and flexibility, when those patterns feel difficult or limiting for you. You and your therapist decide together what to focus on. That might be work stress, conflict at home, decision-making, or the way you speak to yourself after a mistake.

Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) sound alike, but they are not interchangeable terms. Classification systems also use different language. For example, the ICD-11 lists anankastia among the prominent personality traits or patterns that can be described in personality disorder or personality difficulty (World Health Organization [WHO], n.d.). You do not need to sort out these terms before reaching out.

To be clear about scope, this counselling:

• is not a diagnostic assessment. This page cannot tell you whether you have OCPD, and neither can booking a session. A clinician can talk with you about whether assessment, consultation, or referral may be appropriate.
• does not include a psychological assessment. Assessments are a separate service.
• is not a legal, investigative, or crisis service.
• moves at a pace you set. Your therapist will not push you to talk about anything before you are ready.
• is confidential within limits set by law and professional standards. Your therapist explains these in the first session, and there is more detail in the confidentiality section below.
• is provided by clinicians who work within the limits of their training and credential. If your needs fall outside that scope, your therapist can talk with you about other options.

Signs Perfectionism, Control, or Rigid Rules May Be Affecting You

These are patterns people sometimes describe when they first come to counselling. They are not a checklist. Having some of them does not mean you have a personality disorder.

• Feeling that a job is not finished until it is done exactly right, even when "good enough" would do
• Spending so long on details, lists, or planning that the main task gets delayed
• Finding it hard to hand work to others, or redoing it after they finish
• Feeling tense, irritated, or unsettled when routines or plans change
• Arguing with a partner, family, or coworkers about the "right" way to do things
• Being very hard on yourself after a mistake, sometimes for days
• Struggling to rest, take time off, or enjoy free time while something feels unfinished
• Putting off decisions out of worry about getting them wrong
• Sensing that others see you as inflexible, while you feel you are simply being responsible

Being organized, careful, or committed to quality is not a problem in itself. Many of these patterns are attempts to keep things on track and to feel steady. They are not a verdict on who you are. If they are wearing on you or on the people around you, counselling can offer a structured place to look at them more closely and decide what, if anything, you want to change.

If you would like general Canadian public information first, the Canadian Mental Health Association publishes a page on personality disorders (Canadian Mental Health Association, Nova Scotia Division [CMHA NS], n.d.).

How Counselling Works Here

• Find your therapist. You can use the Match Tool to narrow your options, browse our therapists' profiles, or call our admin team at 780-904-4880 for help choosing.
• Book your first session. Your first appointment covers consent, privacy, and the limits of confidentiality. Then it turns to what brought you in and what you would like to be different. You can ask questions at any point, including about how your therapist works.
• Build your plan together. You and your therapist agree on goals and a way of working that suits you. For some people, the focus is practical, such as delegating at work. For others, it is about relationships or self-criticism.
• Ongoing sessions. Sessions are 50 minutes, usually weekly or every two weeks. Frequency can be adjusted as your needs, schedule, or budget change.
• Progress check-ins. Your therapist regularly reviews with you what is helping and what is not. The plan can change as you go.

There is no fixed number of sessions. Your voice shapes the work at every stage, including when to slow down, change focus, or take a break. More detail on the first steps is on our Getting Started with Therapy page.

Evidence and Approaches

You may have read elsewhere that one particular therapy is the treatment for OCPD. We have chosen not to make that kind of claim here. The sources reviewed for this page included international classification language but no treatment guidelines or outcome studies, so ranking one approach over another would be guesswork.

What we can describe honestly is how counselling here is shaped around you.

Individualized, Goal-Focused Counselling

What it helps with: Exploring patterns around high standards, rules, control, and flexibility that you find difficult or limiting, at a pace you set.

Evidence summary: The ICD-11 lists anankastia among the prominent personality traits or patterns that can be described in personality disorder or personality difficulty (WHO, n.d.). This is a classification system that describes patterns. It does not recommend a particular treatment.

Limitations: The materials reviewed for this page did not include studies measuring how well any specific counselling approach works for OCPD. Your therapist can explain the approaches they use and what is known about them for your situation.

What Results to Expect

Change in long-standing patterns is rarely a straight line. You might notice a shift in one area, such as letting a small task wait until morning, while another area stays stuck for a while. Setbacks can happen, and they do not mean counselling has failed.

Some people notice small shifts within a few months. Others find that longer-term work suits the patterns they want to change. Things that can influence how counselling goes include:

• the nature of the patterns you want to work on and how many parts of life they touch
• current pressures, such as workload, caregiving, or relationship stress
• what you want from counselling, and whether those goals feel like your own
• the fit between you and your therapist

No form of counselling can guarantee a particular outcome, and outcomes vary from person to person. If the fit with your therapist does not feel right, you can change therapists or ask to try a different approach. That is a normal part of finding support that works for you.

Confidentiality and Privacy

What you share in counselling is confidential. Our psychologists are regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP) and follow the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists. Clinicians from other professions follow the standards of their own regulatory bodies.

Two Alberta privacy laws are relevant to counselling. The Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) applies to private organizations, including private clinics like ours. It governs how your personal information is collected, used, stored, and disclosed. The Health Information Act (HIA) governs health information held by custodians, such as Alberta Health Services, and people working on their behalf. If you are unsure which applies to your information, your therapist or our admin team can explain.

There are legal limits to confidentiality. A therapist may need to share information without your consent in situations that include:

• a risk of serious harm to you or to someone else
• suspected abuse or neglect of a child, which must be reported under Alberta law
• a court order requiring records or testimony

Your therapist will explain these limits clearly in your first session. You are welcome to ask questions about privacy before you share anything personal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to go through my whole history or explain everything in detail?

No. You decide how much to share and when. You can start with what is happening now, such as a conflict at work or a habit that eats into your evenings, and only look further back if it feels useful. Your therapist will follow your lead on pace.

Is what I share kept private?

Yes, within limits set by law. What you share is confidential, with exceptions that include a risk of serious harm, suspected child abuse or neglect, and court orders. Your therapist will go over these in your first session. The confidentiality and privacy section above has more detail.

How many sessions will I need?

There is no set number. Some people come for a shorter stretch to work on one specific concern, like delegating or coping with change at work. Others choose longer-term counselling to look at patterns that show up across many parts of life. You and your therapist will review progress regularly and decide together whether to continue, adjust, or pause.

What if the therapist is not the right fit?

Fit matters, and it is fine to say so. You can tell your therapist directly, or contact our admin team at 780-904-4880, and they can help you find a different clinician. New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

Can I have sessions online?

Yes. Virtual sessions are available anywhere in Alberta. The same confidentiality and consent standards apply as for in-person sessions. Your therapist can talk with you about setting up a private space for your calls.

Is OCPD the same as OCD?

No. The names are similar, but they are not interchangeable terms. You do not need to know which term fits before booking. A therapist can talk about the concerns that brought you in without assuming a label.

Do I need a diagnosis to start counselling?

No. You can come in to talk about stress, relationships, work, or personal goals without having or wanting a label. If you would like a formal diagnostic opinion, that is a separate assessment service, and your therapist can talk with you about whether it may be appropriate.

Someone close to me is very rigid about how things are done. Can I get support if they will not come?

Yes. You can book counselling for yourself to talk about how their standards affect you, how to communicate, and where your own limits are. Their participation is not required. If someone's control over you feels frightening or unsafe, rather than frustrating, please use the crisis resources above or call the Family Violence Info Line at 310-1818 (24/7, toll-free).

Meet Your Clinicians

Our team includes Registered Psychologists, Registered Provisional Psychologists, Registered Social Workers, Certified Canadian Counsellors, Mental Health Therapists, and Student Therapists. All of our psychologists are registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists. Registered Provisional Psychologists practise under the supervision of a senior registered psychologist. Registered Social Workers are regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW), and Student Therapists are master's-level students completing supervised practicum training.

Each clinician's training and areas of focus are different. Profiles on our Our Therapists page describe each person's background and approach, and the Match Tool can help you narrow the list. If you would rather talk it through with a person, our admin team can be reached at 780-904-4880.

Children and Youth

Parents sometimes notice perfectionism, strict self-rules, or distress about changed routines in a child or teen and wonder what it means. Noticing these patterns does not mean a young person has a personality disorder, and this page is not about diagnosing young people.

We offer counselling for children, adolescents, and young people. Therapists who work with younger clients use age-appropriate approaches. They also work with parents and caregivers so that support at home and in therapy fits together. You can learn more on our child and youth mental health and adolescent mental health pages.

If You Would Like to Take a Next Step

If you would like to talk through whether counselling fits what you are dealing with, you can reach out in whichever way feels easiest:

• Book a session online
• Match with a therapist using our matching tool
• Call our admin team at 780-904-4880
• Email info@wholesomepsychology.ca
• Read Getting Started with Therapy to see what the first steps involve

Starting the conversation is enough.

New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

References

• Canadian Mental Health Association, Nova Scotia Division. (n.d.). Personality disorders. https://novascotia.cmha.ca/personality-disorders/
• World Health Organization. (n.d.). ICD-11 for mortality and morbidity statistics.