Stay ConnectedTune in each week for a deep dive into all things OCD with host Dr. Patrick McGrath, NOCD’s Chief Clinical Officer. We’ll be sharing inspiring real-life stories of people who’ve faced OCD and came out the other side, as well as practical tips for understanding and tackling OCD. We hope you enjoy the podcast and it helps you get to know OCD.
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When Brenna Posey first learned of her OCD, she kept it to herself for years — afraid no one would understand what she was going through. She worried people would either dismiss it or get scared by how deeply it affected her. And as the oldest sibling, she wasn’t used to people worrying about her. But everything started to change the moment Brenna opened up to her family. What she found wasn’t judgment — it was support.
In this video, Brenna shares the turning points that helped her go from silence to honesty, how she talks about OCD with loved ones now, and the steps that made those conversations easier.
If you're struggling with OCD, our NOCD therapists might be able to help. They are specially trained in ERP therapy — the most effective treatment against OCD. To learn about treatment options, book a free 15-minute call at https://learn.nocd.com/podcast
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Jan Stewart was a high-level executive with big dreams for her family — but nothing prepared her for what came next. Both of her children were diagnosed with serious mental health conditions, including OCD, ADHD, autism, Tourette syndrome, and more.
In this powerful conversation, Jan opens up about what it’s really like to raise two kids with serious mental health struggles. From misdiagnoses and meltdowns to stigma, sleepless nights, and small wins that meant everything, she shares what she wishes she had known early on — and what she hopes every parent facing similar challenges can take away from her story.
Need help treating OCD? Our specially-trained therapists can help. Visit https://learn.nocd.com/podcast to book a free 15-minute consultation and explore options most suited for you.
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Before Zach Kornfeld was one of the Try Guys — before millions knew his name — he was a kid quietly fighting battles in his own mind. With no words for what was happening, he just knew something felt off. A drawer left slightly open, a railing brushing the wrong arm, and his whole body would spark with discomfort. He didn’t know it was OCD yet. And when he finally found a name for it, it didn’t come with a map. Just more questions, more trial and error, and a long road toward learning how to live with it.
Now he’s a full-time creator running a media company, making people laugh, and still closing drawers behind coworkers. Not because he’s cured. Not because the thoughts are gone. But because he’s figured out how to live with the disorder. As he told us on this episode of the Get to know OCD podcast, "my life is dope as hell and I have OCD."
Need help treating OCD? Our specially-trained therapists can help. Visit https://learn.nocd.com/YT to book a free 15-minute consultation and explore options most suited for you.
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When Brenna Posey started dating her boyfriend, everything felt right — he was kind, emotionally mature, and genuinely cared about mental health. But even in the middle of a good relationship, OCD found a way in. She started spiraling with thoughts like “What if I don’t love him enough?” or “What if this relationship isn’t right and I’m just too scared to admit it?” The scariest part wasn’t anything he did — it was the uncertainty. And for someone with OCD, uncertainty feels unbearable. In this personal video, Brenna shares what it was really like to open up about OCD for the first time, how her partner responded, and how Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy helped her stop needing impossible guarantees.
ERP therapy helped Brenna repair her relationships. If you're struggling, our NOCD therapists might be able to help. They are specially trained in ERP therapy — the most effective treatment against OCD. To learn about treatment options, book a free 15-minute call at https://learn.nocd.com/podcast
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Daily panic attacks. Anxiety so crippling he could barely function. The fear that if he told anyone what was happening in his mind, they’d think he was crazy. That was Sean Patton’s reality growing up. OCD wasn’t just about organizing things or washing hands — it was a relentless loop of intrusive thoughts and compulsions that dictated his life. It got so bad he dropped out of high school, avoided doorways, people, places, and conversations that might expose his struggles. But what Sean didn’t realize at the time was that the very thing causing his pain would eventually become the foundation of his greatest strength.
Comedy became Sean’s way of fighting back. What started as a defense mechanism— using humor to mask the chaos inside — turned into a career where he could be unapologetically honest about his experiences. On stage, he found power in telling the stories he once tried to hide, turning his most terrifying thoughts into punchlines that resonated with audiences who had their own hidden battles. In this sit-down interview, Sean opens up about his journey with OCD, the misconceptions about mental health, and how laughter became his therapy.
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
2:05 Meet Sean Patton
4:03 How OCD affected Sean early in his life
9:42 How Sean dealt with his OCD
11:08 Is psychedelics good for OCD?
16:25 Misrepresentation of OCD in movies and shows
20:45 Is OCD beneficial?
23:15 Sean’s comedic act about OCD
26:47 Fear that OCD will evolve
27:50 “It’s Okay”
29:36 OCD ebbs and flows
32:13 Why Sean talks about OCD in his comedy
39:21 Facing OCD fears head-on
42:39 The best compliment Patrick gets
46:26 Destigmatize OCD and other mental health struggles
49:21 Sean’s comedic act about OCD superstitions
54:09 Why does OCD have to feel so real?
58:05 How to find Sean
Struggling with OCD? NOCD may be able to help. We specialize in Exposure and Response Prevention therapy — the gold standard in OCD care. To learn about treatment, book a free 15-minute call at https://learn.nocd.com/podcast
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When we try to control every thought that enters our mind, we unknowingly give it more power. The harder we fight intrusive thoughts or uncomfortable feelings, the more they seem to persist. Brenna Posey, a member of NOCD, shares how this cycle kept her stuck and how she learned — through therapy and experience — that true freedom comes from allowing thoughts to come and go without reacting to them.
Learning to sit with uncertainty is one of the most challenging but life-changing skills for managing OCD. In this video, Brenna explains why resisting anxiety only fuels it and how changing your response can break the cycle. She also offers practical strategies to help you step away from compulsions and regain control —not over your thoughts, but over how you respond to them.
Exposure and Response Prevention therapy helped Brenna manage her OCD, and it might do the same for you. If you want to explore treatment options with our team, book a free 15-minute call at https://learn.nocd.com/podcast
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The 2025 IOCDF Conference — starting July 10 in Chicago — is set to bring together clinicians, researchers, and individuals with OCD for a weekend focused on education, advocacy, and community. In this episode, Rebecca Deusser, Executive Director of the International OCD Foundation, talks with Dr. Patrick McGrath about what makes this event unique and why it has become such an important gathering for the OCD community. They discuss new initiatives for this year’s conference, including expanded virtual access, increased programming for families, and a stronger emphasis on global outreach.
Beyond the conference, Rebecca shares the IOCDF’s long-term goals, from pushing for more research funding to improving access to treatment worldwide. With OCD still widely misunderstood and effective care difficult to find, the need for advocacy has never been greater. This conversation dives into how the conference plays a key role in breaking stigma, equipping clinicians with better training, and giving those affected by OCD the resources they need.
For more information about the conference, please visit: https://iocdf.org/programs/conferences/
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Most films and TV shows get OCD completely wrong. They reduce it to a quirky obsession with cleanliness or a need for perfect symmetry, missing the relentless, intrusive thoughts that actually define the disorder. But filmmakers Luca Pizzoleo and Conor Patrick Walsh — who both have OCD themselves — set out to change that. Their short film, O.C.D., isn’t about neat freaks or excessive handwashing; it’s about the unseen war happening inside the mind.
In O.C.D., intrusive thoughts aren’t just thoughts — they’re real, tangible, inescapable. With a mix of psychological horror, dark humor, and brutal honesty, Conor and Luca pull viewers into the suffocating cycle of compulsions and anxiety that so many with OCD know all too well. The response has been overwhelming — millions of views, thousands of comments from people who finally feel seen — and hopefully, plans to expand the story into a full-length feature film.
Both Conor and Luca sit down to talk with Dr. Patrick McGrath about living with OCD and the filmmaking process behind it — where the disorder was ever present.
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
2:20 Inspiration behind O.C.D. film
4:10 Conor’s OCD experience
5:51 Luca’s OCD experience
7:40 Why OCD feels so real
10:50 OCD is the mental version of “knocking on wood”
11:38 A clip from O.C.D. film
18:11 Substance abuse as an OCD coping mechanism
20:33 Luca’s treatment experience
23:08 OCD lies to you
25:27 No one with OCD recommends having it
27:39 Living with OCD IS possible
32:45 How OCD interfered in Luca’s filmmaking process
36:24 Turning O.C.D. into a feature film
38:21 Has the film helped others understand OCD?
41:18 Portrayal of OCD in the media
45:08 What Conor and Luca hope people take away from the film
48:17 Outro
Watch O.C.D. here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAfdRMeZkWQ
If you are struggling with OCD, help is available. NOCD Therapists are specialty-trained in ERP therapy, the most proven treatment for OCD, to help you regain your life. Book a free 15-minute call to learn more about specialized treatment at https://learn.nocd.com/podcast
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For years, Brenna Posey struggled with overwhelming fears, intrusive thoughts, and behaviors she couldn't explain. She went through cycles of anxiety, compulsions, and brief periods of relief—never realizing there was a name for what she was experiencing. It wasn’t until one pivotal moment that everything clicked. In this video, Brenna shares the exact moment she realized she had OCD, how she found hope, and why understanding her diagnosis changed everything.
If you are struggling with OCD, help is available. NOCD Therapists are specialty-trained in ERP therapy, the most proven treatment for OCD, to help you regain your life. Book a free 15-minute call to learn more about specialized treatment at https://learn.nocd.com/YT
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Kristy Quinn never expected to find herself at rock bottom. Growing up, she struggled with crippling OCD, intrusive thoughts, and overwhelming anxiety — challenges that few around her truly understood. To cope, she turned to alcohol, using it as a way to quiet the never-ending noise in her mind. But what started as an escape quickly became a trap, pulling her deeper into addiction and self-destruction. At her lowest, she suffered seizures, lost her memory, and nearly lost her life. She knew something had to change, but the road to healing felt impossible. How do you rebuild when the very thing you've used to survive is destroying you?
For Kristy, the answer came in the form of comedy and community. Taking the stage was terrifying at first, but it was also the first time she felt truly present — fully sober, fully herself. Each joke, each performance, each connection with an audience reminded her that she was more than her struggles. Through ERP therapy, support from others who understood her pain, and a newfound passion for making people feel good, she slowly took back control.
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:53 Kristy’s background
2:09 Being in the moment while doing comedy
5:57 Kristy used to be terrified of doing comedy
9:27 OCD has been a part of Kristy’s life since childhood
13:13 When Kristy began using alcohol to cope with OCD
15:59 Talking about OCD openly
19:36 When others don’t understand the disorder
20:42 How Kristy uses OCD in her comedy
22:17 The low point in Kristy’s life
26:49 Talk therapy made Kristy’s condition worse
29:52 “What if” rules Kristy’ life before ERP therapy
31:48 The power of diet and helping others
34:46 What Kristy wishes she knew about OCD before
37:22 Kristy’s advice if you’re struggling with OCD
42:11 Where to find Kristy
If you are struggling with OCD, help is available. NOCD Therapists are specialty-trained in ERP therapy, the most proven treatment for OCD, to help you regain your life. Book a free 15-minute call to learn more about specialized treatment at https://learn.nocd.com/YT
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