Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS)

What is Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS)?

Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) is a medical condition that can sometimes occur as a reaction to fertility treatment, particularly during IVF. It happens when the ovaries respond too strongly to hormone medications used to encourage the development of eggs.

This can lead to the ovaries becoming swollen and painful, and fluid may leak into the abdomen and other parts of the body. In mild cases, OHSS causes bloating and discomfort, but in more severe cases, it can be extremely painful and distressing — sometimes requiring medical monitoring or hospital care.

The emotional impact

For some, OHSS is not only physically intense — it can also be emotionally shocking. The sudden onset of severe pain, the sense of the body reacting unpredictably, and the vulnerability that can arise in the midst of fertility treatment may leave deep impressions, sometimes hard to put into words.

This is where therapeutic approaches like Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR) can be helpful — offering a gentle, structured way to process the shock, fear, and overwhelm that may have become imprinted in the nervous system during or after the experience.

 Shared with permission

This is a testimonial from a client who developed OHSS after IVF treatment. She kindly agreed to share her experience of how DBR helped her process the trauma and find relief.

From Pain and Shock to Relief: Processing OHSS with DBR

I had an IVF treatment and unfortunately, I developed moderate OHSS. It felt horrendous and it was very upsetting. It was such a shock. I contacted Sarah because I was struggling with the ongoing physical pains, which resulted in me feeling depressed and lost.

Sarah used a therapy called Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR). It helped me process the trauma. After a couple of processing sessions, the pain just went. DBR helped release some trapped feelings held at a deep level that I had not been aware of before.

(Female, aged 39, online)

If you have been affected by OHSS or another physical health trauma and would like to explore whether Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR) might help, you are very welcome to get in touch.

Testimonial for help with skin picking (dermatillomania) and over-thinking using CBT (metacognitive therapy) and DBR (deep brain reorienting)

I knew I had to get some kind of control. I had reached the point where I didn’t want to go on anymore.

During my work with Sarah, I learned how to control my overthinking.  It appears my skin-picking was a coping mechanism and a stress release. As I am coping better with life’s stressors and not getting as overwhelmed by them, I am able to control the urge to pick my skin. We did some therapy on dermatillomania, which specifically targeted this condition with a positive outcome.

I now feel more content, centred, and experience more moments of peace. Life will always have its challenges but I am more equipped to deal with them, as and when they happen, rather than worrying about future events. Thoughts will obviously arise about the past but I have learned how to accept that these events are in the past and leave them alone. 

I feel I would not have been able to achieve all of this without Sarah’s support and caring approach. I found her to be extremely gifted and knowledgeable. I would highly recommend her. 

(Female age 45, mixture of online and in person therapy, May 2025)

CBT (Metacognitive Therapy), EMDR and DBR for fear of contamination from asbestos

Sarah was recommended to me when I was struggling with a dread of being contaminated by asbestos. It had reached a point that I didn’t even want to leave the house. I wouldn’t even go into the garden. I couldn’t say the word “asbestos” and if I ever heard the word, I felt sick in the pit of my stomach. I knew I needed to do something, but I didn’t want to. Finally, my family convinced me to phone Sarah. 

The CBT was effective and I made some good progress with that.  The DBR was really powerful and helped with deeper issues that were associated with my fear of asbestos, that I wasn’t aware of. I felt really comfortable with Sarah and at ease each time.  She actually listened to me and never made me feel like I was silly.

I would encourage anyone who is struggling with a fear like this to seek help as I am glad I did.

(In person, male, aged 31, Dec 2024)

Metacognitive therapy (MCT) helps with a client's reaction to an infection

A couple of years ago I had a severe and traumatic reaction to something. Unfortunately, the usual medications didn’t work for me. I struggled to find something that would work. I found the whole experience extremely distressing. Eventually I found a cure. A few months ago I worried about it returning. I started having regular and disturbing flashbacks and I didn’t know what to do. It was affecting my relationships with others. Someone recommended that I see Sarah. Within five sessions I noticed a huge change in myself. I am grateful to Sarah for giving me the help that I needed. What we did in the sessions was spot on!

(Online, male aged 23)

CBT for depression and stress

My progress is remarkable in such a short time because when I came to see Sarah, I felt so low and there I felt there was no way out. An event had triggered historical experiences. CBT with Sarah has been a really good fit for me.

I am now better than my ‘normal’ before I started, because I have lots of little tools and I have learnt things about myself that I didn’t realise. I feel more compassion towards myself as I was quite hard on myself before.

(Female, aged 58, in person, July 2024)

CBT for Anxiety and Worry

CBT was recommended for me and I was not sure how it could possibly help with my personal circumstances. I felt hopeless at the time. 

Sarah adapted our work together to the way I learn. I found the in session exercises very helpful and I could easily apply what I learned to my every day life. 

I have just finished my 8th session and I am going away with great stuff and feeling positive. 

(In person, female, age 53, May 2024)

Metacognitive therapy (MCT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for Harm OCD and a chronic health condition

When I first saw Sarah, I was feeling really down and was dragging myself through each day not knowing how to cope with the OCD. I was overwhelmed with harm OCD and was hating myself because of the thoughts that were entering my mind. My chronic health condition makes life challenging for me and I felt so hopeless having both to cope with. 

I learnt that I do have agency over my compulsions, for example I used to try to block out the intrusions and would try to avoid anything that might trigger them. Whereas before therapy, they felt like they were out of control. With the help of metacognitive therapy and ACT (both forms of CBT) I have started to turn my life around. Sarah made me feel safe and heard throughout our sessions and her style of therapy really clicked with me. It allowed me to make the changes necessary to move forward with my life and learn to manage my health condition.

(Female, age 25, virtual sessions, April 23)

The treatment of PTSD using EMDR following a traumatic event.

 I was hit by a truck whilst riding my bike. I had been riding on busy roads for over twenty years and regarded myself as a competent and careful cyclist. I found this incident to be particularly traumatic. Along with physical injuries, I also experienced some psychological symptoms which affected my day-to-day life. I have always thought of myself as a headstrong and determined person, so I was taken by complete surprise, and this affected my belief in myself. 

I was a bit sceptical of EMDR at first and thought “is this really going to work?” Having completed the treatment, I think it is amazing and has totally changed my life. Before starting the therapy, I thought my love of riding a bike had passed and I would never get it back. Now, I am as passionate as ever about riding. I found Sarah to be very approachable and trustworthy. Even though EMDR seemed unusual, I felt safe in her hands.

(Female, aged 46, virtual sessions, March 2022)

MCT, EMDR and DBR for emetophobia and health anxiety

I suffered from emetophobia and health anxiety from the age of 13 following a traumatic experience. This affected my social life and my IBS. My preoccupation with this controlled a lot of my thoughts and my behaviours.  Throughout the sessions with Sarah I have learned how to control my worry about this using metacognitive therapy (MCT). 

EMDR helped me to unpick the traumatic experience in a subtle way and it didn’t feel overwhelming. I had initially felt hesitant about doing it for fears that it would rip a plaster off and open up lots of unpleasant memories in the session, which didn’t actually happen. The DBR was fascinating, gentle and calming. It helped me to process things in a subtle way.  I want to say it felt “non-invasive” and unconscious. 

Throughout the time I saw progress in my ability to travel, see friends and go out for meals. As I controlled my worry and managed my anxiety, my IBS symptoms eased. 

 (Female, aged 22, in person therapy, April 23)

Testimonial for CBT and EMDR for a re-occurrence of panic attacks.

Due to a combination of life events, and restrictive living due to the Pandemic, I unfortunately experienced a relapse in my panic and anxiety disorder.

I did not hesitate to contact Sarah, who once again was able to help me.

We explored what was currently maintaining my panic disorder and heightened anxiety.  We then processed some deep-rooted traumatic memories that were also contributing to the maintenance of my panic and anxiety. With a combination of talking, and lots of engaging exercises in order to not only compliment the fantastic work we had done in the my previous sessions, (when first diagnosed), but we went even further and explored new techniques and tools to help me normalise my feelings and thoughts, train myself to control activating the CAS – if you know, you know! – and turn a corner into believing that I truly do have the ability to control my thinking patterns, beliefs and behaviours which have been fuelling my problems.

(Female age 34, virtual sessions)