If you live with OCD, you know the cycle well:

An urge arises—to wash, to check, to count, to repeat.
You perform the action, trying desperately to quiet the anxiety.
A moment of relief follows—but it’s fleeting.
Then comes regret—shame, guilt, or despair.

That cycle dominated my life for decades. I obeyed it thousands of times a day, convinced I had no choice. Each time I gave in, I felt temporary relief—followed almost immediately by self-reproach. The cycle felt unbreakable. But one night, something shifted.

Instead of automatically acting on the urge, I paused. I named it: Urge. That single word created space between the feeling and my response. And in that space, I felt something I hadn’t known in years: real relief. Not the fleeting relief from obeying a compulsion, but a more profound calm from not giving in.

That was the birth of the ULR Method™: Urge, Label, Relief.
It may sound deceptively simple, but that’s exactly what makes it powerful. Here’s how it works:

Urge → Notice when the compulsion begins.
Label → Simply name it: “Urge.”
Relief → Experience the calm that follows when you don’t give in.

The genius of this method lies in the pause. Labeling the urge creates just enough distance to break the automatic link between obsession and compulsion. Over time, the urges lose their grip, and the brain begins to expect a different outcome.

You can apply this approach to many forms of OCD:

Visible compulsions like hand-washing or door-checking.
Hidden mental rituals like silent prayers, endless reviewing, or counting.
Tics and urges that feel impossible to resist.

At first, I practiced ULR with smaller compulsions, where the anxiety felt less overwhelming. Slowly, I worked up to the urges that had always felt unstoppable. Even if I didn’t succeed every time, the practice began to change me. Each pause was a small victory. Each label was proof that I had a choice.

Of course, ULR isn’t about perfection. It’s not a cure. Some days are easier than others, and setbacks happen. But for me, it was the first real tool that shifted the balance of power. I was no longer just a passenger in OCD’s cycle. I was an active participant in breaking it.

In OCD and the New ULR Method™, I walk through this process step by step, including variations and troubleshooting for different situations. I explain how to adapt ULR to your own struggles, and how to use it alongside other supports like therapy and medication. It’s not just a story—it’s a toolkit built from lived experience.

If you’ve ever felt trapped in the cycle of urge, action, relief, and regret, know this: you are not powerless. A single pause can change the entire loop. And sometimes, that’s where freedom begins.

Want to learn how to use the ULR Method™ effectively? Visit www.AwakenMyPotential.com to explore how this simple strategy can bring you immediate relief.

This book is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Results may vary.