Have you ever had thoughts so disturbing they make you doubt yourself? Pedophilia OCD (POCD) can bring intrusive fears that aren’t reflective of who you are—so let’s clear the air: having POCD isn’t the same as having pedophilia. Curious how this all works and how you can break free from its grip?

In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, we are thrilled to welcome Rachel Tombaugh, a psychotherapist who specializes in OCD and anxiety.

Today, we discuss the complexities of Pedophilia OCD (POCD), a specific and often misunderstood subtype of OCD. We explore the distress it causes and the misconceptions surrounding it. POCD involves intrusive and unwanted thoughts about inappropriate sexual behavior toward children—thoughts that do not reflect the individual's true desires or intentions.

Rachel explains how these distressing thoughts create significant inner turmoil and highlights the importance of specialized treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and exposure and response prevention. This episode aims to dispel misconceptions, reduce stigma, and provide hope by offering resources for additional support.

In This Episode

• [00:43] Introduction to Rachel Tombaugh

Notable Quotes

• [02:55] “In the general public, it is a lesser-known form of OCD. It's actually really, really common.”- Rachel

Our Guest

Rachel Tombaugh is a psychotherapist in private practice in Scottsdale, Arizona, specializing in OCD, anxiety disorders, panic disorder, and trauma. She delivers transformative results with advanced training in cognitive behavioral therapy, exposure, response prevention, and inference-based CBT. Rachel lives in the Sonoran Desert with her family, horse Gabriel, and a menagerie of beloved pets. Her clinical expertise and personalized approach ensure effective and meaningful treatment for her clients.

Resources & Links

Kristina Orlova, LMFT

• https://www.instagram.com/ocdwhisperer/

Rachel Tombaugh

• https://ocdandptsdtherapy.com/

• https://web.facebook.com/OCDandPTSDTherapy/?_rdc=1&_rdr

Disclaimer

Please note that while our host is a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in OCD and anxiety disorders in the state of California, this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for therapy.

Stay tuned for biweekly episodes filled with valuable insights and tips for managing OCD and anxiety. And remember, keep going in the meantime. See you in the next episode!