Christian Faith and OCD, Scrupulosity, Intrusive Thoughts, Compulsions, ICBT

In this episode, Carrie unpacks what it really means to take a thought captive and why that verse can feel confusing for Christians navigating OCD. She brings biblical clarity, challenges common misconceptions, and shares a more grace-filled way to respond to intrusive thoughts.

Episode Highlights:

What that “take every thought captive” verse actually means in context—and why it’s not about perfect thought control

How spiritual armor like the helmet of salvation helps protect your mind in OCD struggles

Why trying to squash every thought can keep you stuck in compulsions

The difference between intrusive thoughts and sin—and how to respond with grace instead of fear

How to let go of the pressure to manage every thought and trust God’s work in your healing

Explore the Empowered Mind: Christian ICBT for OCD: https://carriebock.com/training/ 

Carrie's services and courses: carriebock.com/services/
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In today’s episode, we’re wrapping up our Personal Story Summer Series with Michael Kier, author of Waging War Against OCD: A Christian Approach. Michael shares his honest journey through scrupulosity, intrusive thoughts, and how grace—not striving—transformed his view of God and mental health. 


Episode Highlights:

What it’s like to live with scrupulosity (religious OCD) from childhood into adulthood

How to tell the difference between conviction from God and intrusive OCD thoughts

Why legalism, fear, and shame often get tangled with our view of God

How becoming a parent deepened Michael’s understanding of grace

What it really means to walk by faith—not fear-driven compulsions

Explore the Empowered Mind: Christian ICBT for OCD: https://carriebock.com/training/ 

Carrie's services and courses: carriebock.com/services/
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Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/christianfaithandocd/
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As part of the Personal Story Summer Series, we’re bringing back Carrie’s powerful conversation with Amber Williams Van Zuyen, who shares her journey through harm OCD, intrusive thoughts, and the difficult decision to take medication during pregnancy. Amber’s story is relatable, faith-filled, and a reminder that you’re not alone in the struggle.

Plus, don’t miss Carrie’s upcoming live webinar Calming the Inner Chaos: Tips for Christians Seeking OCD Treatment on August 11 at 4PM CT—replay available!


Episode Highlights: 

What harm OCD really looks like behind closed doors

The guilt and confusion that often swirl around faith and medication

The impact of dismissive or misinformed "Christian" counseling

Why finding the right diagnosis and treatment made all the difference

How Amber leaned into Scripture, community, and honesty to reclaim her peace

Explore the Empowered Mind: Christian ICBT for OCD: https://carriebock.com/training/ 

Carrie's services and courses: carriebock.com/services/
                                                       carriebock.com/resources/

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/christianfaithandocd/
and like our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/christianfaithandocd for the latest updates and sneak peeks. 

In this episode, Carrie revisits a powerful conversation with author Peyton Garland, who shares her journey through OCD, scrupulosity, and anxiety while holding onto her Christian faith. 

Episode Highlights:

-The emotional weight of growing up in a culture where therapy was viewed as weakness,

-The spiritual confusion and fear that can accompany OCD in rigid religious environments

-How finding a diagnosis provided clarity and freedom

-The role of her supportive husband in her healing journey

-The generational impact of seeking therapy and breaking silence in her family

-How therapy, grace, and community helped her overcome shame and find peace

https://www.instagram.com/peytonmgarland/

https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B08QND5Z5F

Explore the Empowered Mind: Christian ICBT for OCD: https://carriebock.com/training/ 

Carrie's services and courses: carriebock.com/services/
                                                       carriebock.com/resources/

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/christianfaithandocd/
and like our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/christianfaithandocd for the latest updates and sneak peeks. 

In this episode, Carrie responds to the International OCD Foundation’s newly released 2024 treatment guidelines. She offers a therapist’s take on the updates, and what they mean for Christians navigating OCD. 


Episode Highlights:

What the IOCDF’s updated 2024 treatment guidelines mean for OCD care, and why this shift matters.

How Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) compares to newer approaches like Inference-Based CBT (ICBT) and metacognitive therapy.

Why faith-based concerns and nervous system sensitivity can make ERP difficult for some Christians with OCD.

Which therapies the IOCDF considers “adjunct,” “second-line,” or “potentially harmful”—and Carrie’s take on that, especially when it comes to EMDR.

How to navigate your treatment choices with discernment, hope, and a plan that fits both your story and your values.

https://iocdf.org/ocd-treatment-guide/

Explore the Empowered Mind: Christian ICBT for OCD: https://carriebock.com/training/ 

Carrie's services and courses: carriebock.com/services/
                                                       carriebock.com/resources/

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/christianfaithandocd/
and like our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/christianfaithandocd for the latest updates and sneak peeks. 

In this episode, Carrie speaks with Virginia-based therapist Stephanie Smith about her personal and professional journey with OCD, including how it intersected with her Christian faith. They explore the development of scrupulosity, the healing impact of ICBT, and the importance of separating OCD’s voice from the truth of God’s grace.

Episode Highlights:

Stephanie’s personal journey with OCD, beginning in childhood and evolving into scrupulosity during her teen years.


Why OCD often targets a person’s deepest values—such as faith—and how that complicates spiritual life.


The difference between fear-based religious behavior and grace-centered faith.

The role of perfectionism and guilt in religious OCD and the shift toward grace-based faith.

How Inference-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (ICBT) helps individuals stay grounded in reality and resist OCD’s imagined narratives.

Explore the Empowered Mind: Christian ICBT for OCD: https://carriebock.com/training/ 

Carrie's services and courses: carriebock.com/services/
                                                       carriebock.com/resources/

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/christianfaithandocd/
and like our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/christianfaithandocd for the latest updates and sneak peeks. 

As part of our ongoing OCD Personal Story series, Carrie sits down with Amber Vetitoe who bravely shares her lifelong battle with undiagnosed OCD—from early childhood fears to the heavy weight of scrupulosity and health anxiety—and the healing journey that unfolded through faith, perseverance, and the right therapeutic support.


Episode Highlights: 

How OCD can go undiagnosed for years, masquerading as panic attacks, anxiety, or spiritual crises


The impact of childhood fears and how they can evolve into OCD themes in adulthood


Amber’s experience with scrupulosity and the fear-based view of God she once held


What perseverance looks like when therapy is hard, messy, and triggering


How I-CBT helped Amber identify her feared self and reframe her identity


The importance of finding the right therapist who meets you with understanding and skill

Explore the Empowered Mind: Christian ICBT for OCD: https://carriebock.com/training/ 

Carrie's services and courses: carriebock.com/services/
                                                       carriebock.com/resources/

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/christianfaithandocd/
and like our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/christianfaithandocd for the latest updates and sneak peeks. 

As part of the OCD Personal Story Summer Series, Carrie shares a special re-airing of her powerful conversation with bestselling author Stormie Omartian—beloved for The Power of a Praying Wife, Parent, Husband, and other transformative books on prayer. While this isn’t a traditional OCD story, it speaks deeply to anyone who’s carried the weight of trauma, emotional pain, or the lasting impact of growing up with a parent battling severe mental illness. Stormie’s testimony is a powerful reminder that healing is possible—even from the deepest wounds.


Episode Highlights: 


How childhood trauma and a parent’s mental illness can impact long-term emotional and mental health


The connection between anxiety, depression, and unresolved pain from the past


Why healing is often a layered process that unfolds over time


The role of prayer, fasting, and faith in emotional and spiritual healing

Why support, prayer, and connection are vital when you feel stuck

Explore the Empowered Mind: Christian ICBT for OCD: https://carriebock.com/training/ 

Carrie's services and courses: carriebock.com/services/
                                                       carriebock.com/resources/

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/christianfaithandocd/
and like our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/christianfaithandocd for the latest updates and sneak peeks. 

In this episode, Carrie welcomes fellow therapist Heather Vignali to share her personal journey with OCD, including how symptoms emerged during a major life transition—and how ICBT, EMDR, and her Christian faith played a role in her healing.

Episode Highlights:

The ways OCD impacted Heather’s life, including obsessive safety concerns and compulsive monitoring of her daughter.

What “anxiety tongue” is and how somatic symptoms can signal deeper mental health struggles.

How Inference-Based CBT (I-CBT) helped Heather understand the root of her intrusive thoughts through concepts like the Feared Possible Self.

Ways EMDR and other integrative therapies can support healing when trauma and OCD intersect.

How OCD can impact faith, and how to navigate scrupulosity while reconnecting with spiritual truth.

www.facebook.com/HeatherVignaliLPC

Explore the Empowered Mind: Christian ICBT for OCD: https://carriebock.com/training/ 

Carrie's services and courses: carriebock.com/services/
                                                       carriebock.com/resources/

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/christianfaithandocd/
and like our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/christianfaithandocd for the latest updates and sneak peeks. 

In Episode 176 of Christian Faith and OCD, Carrie kicks off a new series of personal stories from individuals who have struggled with OCD by revisiting an early and powerful interview with Mitzi VanCleve. Mitzi shares her decades-long journey with OCD, including early symptoms, spiritual struggles, and finally finding hope through proper diagnosis.


Episode Highlights:


How OCD can begin in early childhood and evolve into different themes throughout life.

Why many people with OCD—especially those of faith—struggle in silence due to stigma, shame, and misunderstanding.

The impact of receiving a proper OCD diagnosis after years of mislabeling symptoms as general anxiety or spiritual weakness.

How faith, therapy, and even medication can work together in the healing journey.

The importance of compassionate support from churches and faith communities in addressing mental health struggles like OCD.

Explore the Empowered Mind: Christian ICBT for OCD: https://carriebock.com/training/ 

Carrie's services and courses: carriebock.com/services/
                                                       carriebock.com/resources/

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/christianfaithandocd/
and like our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/christianfaithandocd for the latest updates and sneak peeks.