The OCD Stories

Latest Episodes:

Shai Friedland - OCD in South Africa (#274) Apr 25, 2021

Show notes

In episode 274 I interviewed Shai Friendland. Shai is a clinical psychologist in Johannesburg, South Africa. He specialising in the treatment of OCD.

In this episode we talk about his OCD story, contamination worries, what led him to become a psychologist, we talk about OCD in South Africa, increasing advocacy in the country, living with uncertainty, words of hope, and much more more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/shai-friedland-274

The podcast is made possible by NOCD. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories

Dr Michael Twohig - ACT for OCD (#273) Apr 18, 2021

Show notes

In episode 273 I interviewed Dr Michael Twohig. Michael is the co-director of the USU ACT Research Group, a licensed psychologist in the state of Utah, and a Professor of Psychology at Utah State University.

In this episode I chat with Michael about his research and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) story, his experience of training under Dr Steven Hayes, what is ACT, why he studied ACT initially as a sole intervention for OCD and what he found, he breakdowns the 8 session ACT protocol he used in his research, we talk about psychological flexibility and why it's important, we talk about cognitive defusion, integrating ACT with Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), how bringing in values into therapy can helpful, some of the metaphors he likes for OCD, and much much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/michael-twohig-273

The podcast is made possible by and sponsored by NOCD. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories

Story: Elke Atzpodien (#272) Apr 11, 2021

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In episode 272 I interview Elke Atzpodien. Elke shared her story in episode 102 back in 2017, and she has come on to give us an update.

In this episode I chat with Elke about an update on her story, her experiences of Exposure and Response Prevention therapy (ERP), group therapy, support groups, meeting Margot her therapy buddy, mixing exposure homework with valued activities, stopping asking for reassurance, how her husband had also suffered and decided to go to therapy to help process the 20 years of experiencing OCD in the home, her peer support training, stigma and self stigma, dealing with OCD during supporting her father through cancer treatment, the ideas of OCD treatment that helped her, and much much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/elke-272

Dr Ben Sedley - Stuff that's loud (#271) Apr 04, 2021

Show notes

In episode 271 I interview Dr Ben Sedley. Ben is a clinical psychologist from New Zealand. He has authored two books, and runs a private practice called ACT Wellington.

In this episode I chat with Ben about his therapy journey, what is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), how Relational Frame Theory (RFT) underpins ACT, how ACT can be useful for OCD, Ben gives examples of how ACT enhances ERP, ACT's view of suffering, we talk about grief and OCD, his and Lisa Coyne's book 'Stuff that's loud' an ACT book for teens with OCD, his book 'Stuff that sucks', the importance of listening to teens, the ACT metaphors Ben likes, and much much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/ben -sedley-271

Laura Johnson - OCD Doodles (#270) Mar 28, 2021

Show notes

In episode 270 I chat with Laura Johnson. Laura is the creator of OCD Doodles and has kindly agreed to share her story with us.

In this episode I chat with Laura about her story, her earliest experience, existential and superstitious worries, how as a kid seeing a school shooting on TV triggered worries of harm coming to her family, how OCD impacted her family as a child, contamination worries, relationship worries, drinking alcohol to self-medicate, seeking help, taking medication, her treatment journey from getting the wrong types of therapy, her negative experiences of working with a coach, finally getting therapy with a qualified therapist experienced in OCD, feeling guilty around harm OCD, parenting while dealing with OCD, and much much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/laura-johnson-ocd-doodles-270

Dr Michael Greenberg - Putting Rumination and Agency at the center of ERP (#269) Mar 21, 2021

Show notes

In episode 269 I chat with Dr. Michael J. Greenberg. Michael is a licensed clinical psychologist. He is the director of OCD Associates, a practice specializing in Rumination-Focused ERP.

In this episode I chat with Michael about why rumination is a compulsion, rumination focused exposure and response prevention (RF-ERP), how his approach to treating OCD doesn't fit with the habituation model of ERP but how it's closer to the inhibitory learning model approach, he gives examples how he does ERP, how and why he focuses on getting his client's anxiety close to zero before doing an ERP exercise, why he focuses on eliminating rumination first before physical compulsions, the difference between thinking normally and ruminating, noticing when you are ruminating, and much much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/dr-michael-greenberg-269

Story: Neil Hemmer (#268) Mar 14, 2021

Show notes

In episode 268 I chat with Neil Hemmer. Neil is a therapist with a masters in social work, and has plenty of personal experience with OCD. He has kindly agreed to share his story with us.

In this episode I chat with Neil about his story, his early memories, contamination OCD, he gives his candid account of intrusive thoughts, his faith, religious OCD, medication, self medicating with alcohol, relationship OCD, obsessive worries about having sexually assaulted someone, harm OCD, suicidal ideation, hitting rock bottom, addiction and OCD, going inpatient for OCD and addiction, smart recovery for addiction, writing scripts in exposure and response prevention theory (ERP), he shares some graphic stories of his clients in the aim to give hope, and much much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/story-neil-hemmer-268

Story: Lou (#267) Mar 07, 2021

Show notes

In episode 267 I chat with Lou who has kindly agreed to share her story with us.

In this episode I chat with Lou about her story, ruminating, reassurance seeking, not feeling good enough, self medicating at a young age with alcohol and drugs, how the birth of her first child triggered an OCD episode, peadophile themed OCD (pOCD), worries of her and others harming her baby (postpartum OCD/maternal OCD), feeling like a bad person, getting therapy, dealing with anger, discovering Acceptance and Commitment therapy (ACT), eventually deciding to take medication and her experiences, the various triggers around her children, telling her husband something wasn't feeling right, a fear of upsetting people, the OCD camp, what else helps her with her well being, and much much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/story-lou-267

Dr Jon Abramowitz: The family guide to getting over OCD (#266) Feb 28, 2021

Show notes

In episode 266 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 bookings including Getting over OCD, and The family guide to getting over OCD.

In this episode I chat with Jon about why he wrote this book, how the family system plays into OCD and vice versa, he writes the book from two perspectives: one, the loved one with OCD wants to get better, and two, the loved one with OCD doesn't want to do treatment, we discuss family accommodation and why it's not helpful, how to stop accommodating your loved one, we discuss treatment refusal (when someone refuses to get help), we discuss the difference between a reward and a bribe for children, setting boundaries, how to get family life back on track even if a loved one refuses to get help, how to listen to and talk to your loved one with OCD, what areas of OCD research Jon is excited by, and much much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/the-family-guide-to-getting-over-ocd-266

Thank you for listening to this week's podcast. If you enjoy The OCD Stories and would like to support us with a one time tip/donation please go to theocdstories.com/support. All tips, no matter how large or small are greatly appreciated.

Story: Chance McNeely (#265) Feb 21, 2021

Show notes

In episode 265 I chat with Chance McNeely who has kindly agreed to share his story with us.

In this episode I chat with Chance about his OCD story, themes - sexual orientation OCD, harm OCD, relationship OCD, pedophile OCD, growing up in an anxious household, compulsively overthinking things, finding out about intrusive thoughts, peer support, self-compassion as his saving grace, becoming a certified peer, working for OCD Peers, and much much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/story-chance-mcneely-265

The podcast is made possible by and sponsored by NOCD. NOCD are now in the UK. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories

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