The Ocd Stories

In episode 499 I chat with Dr Ronald Nicholson. Ron is a clinical psychologist currently practicing as a post-doctoral fellow at Dr. Steven Phillipson's Center of Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapy. We discuss humour in OCD therapy, why humour can help, finding the right balance between humour and seriousness, humour as a way of showing irrelevance, Dr Phillipson asks a few questions including what is the funniest thing that has happened in therapy. We discuss the science of laughter, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/ron-499  The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories Join many other listeners getting our weekly emails. Never miss a podcast episode or update: https://theocdstories.com/newsletter  Thanks to all

In episode 498 psychotherapist Jonny Say interviews Stuart. Stuart is the host and founder of The OCD Stories podcast. Stuart is a psychotherapist, and co-founder of The Integrative Centre for OCD Therapy. In the build up to episode 500 Jonny interviews me (Stuart), we discuss the history of the podcast and some of my personal history, how the podcast helped me in the early days and which topics or guests helped in particular, and then how the podcast has helped me as a therapist, the evolution of the podcast, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/stuart-498 The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories Join many other listeners getting our weekly emails. Never miss a podcast episode or update: https://theocdstories.com/newsletter  Thanks to all our patrons

In episode 497 I chat with Dr Steven Phillipson. Steven is a licensed clinical psychologist who specialises in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for OCD. Steven is the Clinical Director at the Center for Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapy in New York.  We discuss identity contamination as a theme of OCD, the amygdala, not buying into OCD themes, talking about OCD with people, Dr Phillipson’s Cancel Toku list - a list of irrational or maladaptive words and concepts and their more adaptive equivalents, some exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP) tools, and much more. Hope it helps.  Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/phillipson-497  The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories A live training by Dr Phillipson for therapists: https://www.integrativecentreforocd.co.uk/live-trainings-

In episode 496 I chat with Riley who has kindly agreed to share her OCD story with us. We discuss how OCD latched on to her sport (swimming), compulsive exercise, her different compulsions, obsessions around being strong, getting therapy, restricting foods, residential treatment, medication, finding joy in activities again, words of hope, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/riley-496 The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories Join many other listeners getting our weekly emails. Never miss a podcast episode or update: https://theocdstories.com/newsletter  Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcast 

In episode 495 I chat with Gina Abbondante. Gina is a psychotherapist and clinical director at Change of Mind counselling. We discuss her OCD story, panic disorder - having a panic attack as early as kindergarten, blood injection injury phobia, when OCD started, suicidal themed OCD, exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), inference-based CBT (CBT), working with postpartum and postnatal parents, equine therapy, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/gina-495  The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories Join many other listeners getting our weekly emails. Never miss a podcast episode or update: https://theocdstories.com/newsletter  Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive

In episode 494 I chat with Clare who has kindly agreed to share her OCD story with us. We discuss intrusive thoughts, harm themed OCD, skin picking, her family, exposure and response prevention therapy, her research, words of hope, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/clare-494 Thanks to our podcast partners NOCD who make this podcast possible. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories Join many other listeners getting our weekly emails. Never miss a podcast episode or update: https://theocdstories.com/newsletter 

In episode 493 I chat with Braden Smith who has kindly agreed to share his OCD story with us. Braden is a offensive tackle for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). We discuss his OCD story, religious scrupulosity OCD, how OCD affected his professional career as an NFL athlete, how OCD focused on his faith, using psychedelic treatments, exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), rumination and compulsive prayer, going to an intensive outpatient treatment, how he now challenges his OCD, how Braden uses humour, real event OCD, and much more. Hope it helps.    Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/braden-493 The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories Join many other listeners getting our weekly emails. Never miss a podcast episode or update: https://theocdsto

In episode 492 I chat with Sheva Rajaee. Sheva is a psychotherapist who specialises in the treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and other related anxiety disorders. She is the founder of the Center for Anxiety and OCD (CAOCD). Sheva authored the book Relationship OCD: A CBT-Based Guide to Move Beyond Obsessive Doubt, Anxiety, and Fear of Commitment in Romantic Relationships. We discuss an update on her, her center’s couples protocol for working with relationship OCD (rOCD), treating the system with rOCD, attachment theory, attachment insecurities, emotion focused therapy (EFT), having healing couples conversations, helping the partner navigate the OCD and relationship, self compassion in the context of the couple, sex and intimacy, values based sex, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/sheva-492 The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and

In episode 491 I chat with Rowen who has kindly agreed to share her OCD story with us. We discuss her story, compulsively confessing, sexual orientation themed OCD, relationship themed OCD, the possibility of her birth control (IUD) affecting her mental health, words of hope and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/rowen-491 The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories Join many other listeners getting our weekly emails. Never miss a podcast episode or update: https://theocdstories.com/newsletter  Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcast 

In episode 490 chat with Jan Stewart. Jan is a mental health and neurodiversity advocate. She authored the book, ‘Hold on Tight: A Parent’s Journey Raising Children with Mental Illness’. We discuss Jan’s parenting OCD story, neurodiversity, getting help for herself and her kids, why the patient is the whole family, separating her son from his diagnosis, reducing parental accommodation, advice for loved ones and parents, the importance of not forgetting the siblings, parental self-care, and much more. Hope it helps.  Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/jan-490 The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories Join many other listeners getting our weekly emails. Never miss a podcast episode or update: https://theocdstories.com/newsletter  Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. T

In episode 489 I chat with Dr Michael Greenberg. Michael is a clinical psychologist who specialises in Rumination-Focused ERP (RF-ERP).  We discuss an update on Michael, rumination-focused exposure and response prevention therapy (RF-ERP), OCD as a defense mechanism, a psychoanalytical view of OCD, digesting feelings, some different psychological defenses, attachment and early experiences, clinical examples of his point, how we are all humans that bring human experiences to our relationships, a compassionate view on parenting, and much more.  Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/michael-489 The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories Join many other listeners getting our weekly emails. Never miss a podcast episode or update: https://theocdstories.com/newsletter  Thanks to all our patr

In episode 488 I chat with Dr Steven Phillipson. Steven is a licensed clinical psychologist who specialises in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for OCD. Steven is the Clinical Director at the Center for Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapy in New York. We discuss the worries that come up around getting obsessed with others responses to us - what Steve calls look at you looking at me, olfactory obsessions, body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), and other niche OCD spike themes including, worrying if your child is your child, worrying about a loved one having been abducted by aliens and replaced, worries about being in a simulation, worries about being God, worrying your partner is not the sexual orientation they say they are, worrying about catching someones undesirable aspects of their character, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/steve-488 The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about

In episode 487 I chat with Justin Hughes, Valerie Andrews, Dr Alan Noble, and Chelsea Risko. We discuss  how OCD can latch on to faith, scrupulosity, finding the line between compulsive prayer and valued prayer, exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), inference-based cognitive behavioural therapy (I-CBT), how faith was a support for them, worrying about therapy and faith, working with a non faith based counsellor, words of hope, and much more.  Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/faith-487 The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://learn.nocd.com/theocdstories Join many other listeners getting our weekly emails. Never miss a podcast episode or update: https://theocdstories.com/newsletter  Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll recei

In episode 486 I chat with Stephen who has kindly agreed to share his OCD story with us. We discuss his story, his early memories, how OCD affected his work, existential themed OCD, medication, a detrimental psychedelics experience, religious scrupulosity, derealisation, getting admitted to a psychiatric ward, therapy, agoraphobia, boundaries, trauma work, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/stephen-486 The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://learn.nocd.com/theocdstories Join many other listeners getting our weekly emails. Never miss a podcast episode or update: https://theocdstories.com/newsletter  Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcas

In episode 485 I chat with Jonny Say. Jonny is a UK based therapist and co-director at The Integrative Centre for OCD Therapy.  We discuss the importance of the therapeutic relationship, the benefits of it to outcomes, functional analytic psychotherapy (FAP), how compulsions can get in the way of the therapeutic relationship, how a good therapeutic relationship can help acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), the therapeutic relationship as a way of dealing with shame, rupture and repair, Jonny and I share our own experiences from therapeutic relationships, and much more. Hope it helps.  Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/jonny-485 The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://learn.nocd.com/theocdstories  FAP training for therapists: https://www.integrativecentre

In episode 484 I chat with Patrick who has kindly agreed to share his OCD story with us.  We discuss his story, suicidal themed OCD, dreams, his early OCD memories, panic, contamination, opening up to his partner, shame, exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), we rift about OCD, words of hope, and much more. Hope it helps.  Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/patrick-484  The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://learn.nocd.com/theocdstories  Join many other listeners getting our weekly emails. Never miss a podcast episode or update: https://theocdstories.com/newsletter   Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcast 

In episode 483 I chat with Dr Jonathan Abramowitz. Jonathan is a clinical psychologist with a private practice in Chapel Hill, NC specializing in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). He is also Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of North Carolina. And author of several books including Getting over OCD, The family guide to getting over OCD, and Living well with OCD.  We discuss his latest research on postpartum OCD, his new book - Living well with OCD, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), urge surfing, competing responses, self monitoring, defusion, self compassion, inference-based CBT (I-CBT), words of hope, and much more. Hope it helps.  Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/jon-483 The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://learn.nocd.com/theocdstories  Join many other

In episode 482 I chat with Rebekah who has kindly agreed to share her OCD story with us.  We discuss her early compulsions, trauma, an eating disorder, social anxiety and depression, agoraphobia, panic, being told she wouldn’t recover, her mum advocating for her, involuntary hospitalisation, diagnosis, joining support groups, exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), harm and contamination OCD, dealing with shame, premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), what helps her, her advocacy, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/rebekah-482 The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://learn.nocd.com/theocdstories  Join many other listeners getting our weekly emails. Never miss a podcast episode or update: https://theocdstories.com/newsletter   Thanks

In episode 481 I chat with Zoey who has kindly agreed to share her OCD story with us.  We discuss fears of choking and swallowing, obsessing over her partners porn use, therapy, exposure and response prevention therapy therapy (ERP), aligning therapy with her values, body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), seeing her therapist through NOCD, and much more. Hope it helps.  Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/zoey-481 The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://learn.nocd.com/theocdstories  Join many other listeners getting our weekly emails. Never miss a podcast episode or update: https://theocdstories.com/newsletter   Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcast 

In episode 480 I chat with Chrissie Hodges. Chrissie is a Peer Support specialist, founder of OCD Gamechangers, and Author of ‘Pure OCD: The Invisible Side of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder’. Chrissie was awarded the hero award at the 24th IOCDF conference in San Fran. We talk advocacy, censorship, stigma, the need for advocates to talk about all experiences of OCD to normalise all experiences including taboo themes, the difficulties of opening up, how cancel culture may have hindered advocacy, encouragement to share the whole picture of OCD, the topic of advocacy or influencer, how to handle criticism online, having an advocacy mission statement, and much more.  Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/chrissie-480  The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://learn.nocd.com/theocdstories  Join many other listeners getti