Steps Toward Strength and a Life Reclaimed

Thirteen-year-old Paul Doyle’s world had shrunk to the size of his bedroom, where his battle with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) kept him isolated from the people and activities he loved. For months, he avoided any contact, gripped by overwhelming fears of germs, meat, and dairy. His parents, Tom and Bonnie, felt helpless watching their son struggle.

“It was heartbreaking,” Bonnie recalls. “We could see he wanted to move forward, but his fears had him trapped.”

Then, one day, Paul took a single step toward recovery—literally—by leaving his room and asking his parents to reach out to Bradley Hospital. The Doyles had trusted the care and support Paul received at Bradley Hospital in the past, and they knew that if anyone could help him again, it would be the team there.

“I was ready to fight and take my life back,” Paul says.

Supported by the Pediatric Anxiety Research Center (PARC) team, Paul began a journey of small but powerful steps: first talking to clinicians through his bedroom door, then braving walks outside his home, and eventually joining Bradley’s intensive outpatient program.

Through exposure therapy and encouragement from Bradley’s dedicated team, Paul confronted his fears head-on. 

“One day, you realize you have your life back,” he shares, “and you can start helping others with it.”

Today, Paul is a thriving sixteen-year-old, a junior in high school studying marine trades, and an avid baseball player. He even shares the skills he learned at Bradley with family members who also face OCD. 

“The team at Bradley has been there through every part of our lives these past three years,” says Tom. “They celebrated each of Paul’s victories, big and small. Without them, I don’t know where we’d be.”

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