ABSTRACT
The assumption that best fits the obsessive-compulsive disorder is that it is grounded in the neurology of the individual; the best explanation would seem to be that this neurological condition results in a heated dialogue between two parts of the brain. The person with clinical-level OCD lives with conflicting feelings, both physical and mental. These conflicting feelings result in a condition of self-absorption. Pastoral caring is a mirroring of loving both our self and our neighbor. It is the ability to improve the rebound time that marks the therapeutic response to pastoral care. It results not in a revolutionary overthrow of the OCD, but in an evolutionary transformation. Mental health brings the ability to bounce back faster and faster, to utilize change, to respond to need and opportunity. In terms of working with a relationship troubled by OCD, it is important to remember that the focus must be on the OCD.
