The OCD Stories

Latest Episodes:

A conversation with an OCD Support group, featuring Dr Lauren Wadsworth (#392) Jul 29, 2023

Show notes

In episode 392 I chat with 6 members of an OCD support group. The support group members on the show were Bri, Bridget, Cassie, Joe, Kim, Steve, and Dr Lauren Wadsworth.

We discuss what is the group about, what's it like being in an OCD support group, the benefits of being in an OCD support group, they share some nice memories of being in the group, setting goals within the group, managing challenges in the group, and much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/ocd-support-group-392

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

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

Ethan Smith and Dr Jonathan Hoffman: Aha moments Jul 26, 2023

Show notes

In this midweek special episode I chat with Ethan Smith, and Dr Jonathan Hoffman of the Neurobehavioral Institute (NBI) in Florida.

We discuss aha moments, Ethan's story and aha moment, aha moments of all kinds, pseudo aha moments, the catalysts for an aha moment, whether people need them, and much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/nbi-6

The midweek special episodes which go out at the end of the month on a Wednesday are made possible by and in partnership with the Neurobehavioral Institute (NBI) in Florida. I will be interviewing different members of their clinical team on a range of topics. NBI specialise in treatment and programs for anxiety, OCD, comorbidities, and complex cases. They also offer an intensive outpatient program, and a residential program called the NBI Ranch: A supportive living experience that complements intensive treatment for Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Related Disorders.

To find out more about their intensive outpatient services, or the NBI ranch, as well as to read some of their free information online about OCD via their blog, click here to find out more: https://www.nbiweston.com/

Story: Katryna (#391) Jul 23, 2023

Show notes

In episode 391 I chat with Katryna who has kindly agreed to share her story with us.

We discuss her OCD story, masking symptoms, self harm, OCD themes including: harm, symmetry, existential, suicidal, relationship. We talk about compulsively tapping and blinking, panic, her dog Oliver who helped her a lot, how taking mind altering substances triggered an OCD theme, a traumatic event (attempted kidnapping) triggering harm OCD, the use of humour in therapy, doing intensive outpatient therapy, NOCD, group therapy, depersonalisation and derealisation, and much more.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/katryna-391

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

Kevin Ashworth: Helping parents help children (and teens) with OCD (#390) Jul 16, 2023

Show notes

In episode 390 I chat with Kevin Ashworth. Kevin is the clinical director & senior clinician at the Northwest Anxiety Institute.

We discuss his therapy story, helping parents help kids and teens with OCD, helping with parental shame and guilt, psychoeducating parents on OCD, reducing accommodations, the therapeutic program SPACE which stands for supportive parenting for anxious childhood emotions, having Mum, Dad or care giver in the therapy room, dealing with conflict between child and parent, how much should parents remind kids of therapy homework, the importance of humour, learning to be miserable on purpose, and much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/kevin-390

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

Lauren Rosen: Mindfulness and OCD (#389) Jul 09, 2023

Show notes

In episode 389 I chat with Lauren Rosen. Lauren is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and founder of The Center for the Obsessive Mind.

We discuss her OCD story, what is mindfulness, some benefits of mindfulness, learning to let go of the question, making space for and accepting the presence of feelings, techniques and practices of mindfulness, and much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/lauren-389

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

Story: Sara (#388) Jul 02, 2023

Show notes

In episode 388 I chat with Sara who has kindly shared her story with us.

We discuss her story, themes of OCD: sexual orientation, harm, existential, and relationship. We talk about panic disorder, depersonalisation, depression, substance use, getting diagnosed, dialectal behaviour therapy (DBT), intrusive thoughts, death anxiety, compassion for her younger self, and much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/sara-388

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

Dr Katia Moritz and Dr Jonathan Hoffman: Cracking the nut (case) Jun 28, 2023

Show notes

In this midweek special episode I chat with Dr Jonathan Hoffman and Dr Katia Moritz of the Neurobehavioral Institute (NBI) in Florida.

We discuss the analogy Cracking the nut, who cracks the nut (case), working with tough cases of OCD, getting treatment ready, what makes OCD harder for someone, frustration tolerance, comorbidities, getting families and loved ones involved in the treatment process, and much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/nbi-5

Emily Hemendinger: Executive functioning, and decision making in OCD (#387) Jun 25, 2023

Show notes

In episode 387 I chat with Emily Hemendinger. Emily is clinical director of the OCD Program at the University of Colorado Health Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic.

We discuss what's new with her, what is executive functioning, how OCD can effect executive functioning, how impaired executive functioning can impact people's quality of life, things that can help, decision making, how exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP) comes into play with decision making, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/emily-387

Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. This podcast episode is available as a video recording on our Patreon. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the other benefits you'll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcast

Kelley Franke: OCD Story, and being a therapist (#386) Jun 18, 2023

Show notes

In episode 386 I chat with Kelley Franke. Kelley is Licensed Marriage and Family therapist and founder of the Center for OCD.

We discuss Kelley's OCD story, experiencing 3 major deaths in a short period of time and how this affected her OCD, existential themed OCD, a suicide attempt, becoming a therapist, how OCD impacted her parenting, advocating for people experiencing OCD, how her approach to OCD has changed in recent years, what matters most to her in the world of OCD right now, and much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/kelley-386

Madelaine Sanfilippo: Group Therapy for OCD (#385) Jun 11, 2023

Show notes

In episode 385 I chat with Madelaine Sanfilippo. Madelaine is a licensed Marriage and Family therapist in the state of California and Head of Groups at The Center for Anxiety and OCD.

We discuss her OCD story, what is a group, how does group therapy differ from individual therapy, the benefits of group therapy, when is group therapy right for you, the flow and process of group therapy, Exposure and Response Prevention therapy (ERP) within a group therapy setting, who wouldn't be suitable for group therapy, and much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/madelaine-385