Fam, is your child struggling with anxiety or OCD behaviors in the classroom? This Water Cooler Chats episode breaks down the warning signs parents and teachers often miss, plus actionable strategies to help. Drawing from the International OCD Foundation’s latest research, we explore why 1 in 100 youth have OCD, how symptoms can hide for years before diagnosis, and what you can do right now to support your child or students. Whether you’re a parent watching your child struggle or an educator wanting to help, you’ll find hope, validation, and real-world next steps. You are not alone.

Celebrating three years of the OCD Family Podcast, this quick water cooler chat dives into the biggest lesson learned: true support for loved ones with OCD isn’t about fixing—it’s about being present and holding space. Hear a heartfelt thank you to the community, encouragement to keep connecting, and a heads-up that long-form interviews and inspiring stories return August 29, 2025.

In this Water Cooler Chat episode, we explore conditions that can mimic or overlap with OCD—but require different approaches. So join Nicole Morris, LMFT and Mental Health Correspondent, as she dives into conditions that look like or trigger OCD-like symptoms, including PANS/PANDAS, Lyme, Bartonella, and eating disorders. We also unpack how severe OCD can resemble psychosis—but isn’t the same. Learn why medical evaluation is key and when it might not be “just OCD.”

Struggling with intrusive thoughts and desperate to stop them? You’re not alone. Join your host, Nicole Morris, LMFT and Mental Health Correspondent, in this short and powerful episode where we explore why you can’t stop intrusive thoughts — and why that’s actually good news. Learn how response prevention, the heart of Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), empowers people with OCD to break the cycle of compulsions and reclaim their lives. Perfect for loved ones, parents, spouses, and anyone supporting someone with OCD, this episode offers hope, clarity, and the reminder that you don’t have to do it alone.

Join your host, Nicole Morris, LMFT and Mental Health Correspondent, as she recaps the 30th Annual International OCD Foundation Conference in Chicago with guests Madison Di Silvio and Angela Henry. They share highlights, laughs, dance floor injuries, and deep reflections on lived experience, shame, self-compassion, and growing the OCD treatment community. It's a candid and heartfelt look at what made this year's conference so special—and where it can grow. So join the conversation!

In this 4th of July episode of The OCD Family Podcast, Nicole shares practical strategies for managing OCD during the holidays. She reminds listeners that intrusive thoughts and obsessional doubts don’t take a day off—but we don’t owe OCD anything in return. From respecting your sensory needs to practicing ERP in alignment with your values, the episode encourages flexible, empowered choices. Nicole also touches on I-CBT strategies to help listeners “pop out” of the OCD bubble and reconnect with what matters most. So join the conversation for a supportive, honest, and actionable water cooler chat for OCD warriors and their families.

In this Water Cooler Chat, Nicole dives into two of her favorite worlds—OCD and true crime—to unpack how our brains interpret evidence. Using courtroom logic as a guide, she explores the difference between reasonable inference and inferential confusion, a common thinking trap in OCD. With real-world and courtroom examples, Nicole shows how OCD relies on imagined possibilities, self-doubt, and irrelevant associations—while fact-based reasoning, like in a trial, asks for direct evidence. It’s a mental mistrial when OCD plays judge and jury, but this episode helps listeners spot the difference and reclaim clarity. So join the conversation, because OCD doesn’t get the final verdict.

Do you or your loved one ever worry that you're “faking” your OCD? You’re not alone—and that fear might be OCD itself. In this Water Cooler Chat, Nicole tackles the painful OCD fear: “What if I don’t actually have OCD?” She explains how this doubt is part of the disorder and offers tips for loved ones to support without feeding the cycle. Plus, we recap resources for those without a therapist, including online communities. So join the conversation, because the fam has got your back!

In this episode of the Water Cooler Chat series, Nicole offers heartfelt and practical guidance for families supporting a loved one with OCD as they transition to college. Covering six key strategies, the episode emphasizes starting conversations early, building a treatment plan, and planning for a care community. It highlights the importance of life skills practice, appropriate (but not over-accommodated) support, and fostering autonomy. Lastly, we reflect that supporting someone with OCD isn’t about protection—it’s about empowerment, connection, and growth for the whole family. So join the conversation!

In this Pride Edition of the Water Cooler Chat series, join Nicole as she explores how justice-based ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) can respectfully and effectively target core fears in OCD—especially within LGBTQIA+ contexts. Three examples are covered: SO-OCD (Sexual Orientation OCD), Relationship OCD, and Moral Scrupulosity tied to queer identity. The episode emphasizes that treatment should honor identity, not erase it, and provides value-driven, identity-affirming interventions that align with dignity and justice. Whether you're queer, questioning, or an ally, this episode offers empowering insights for recovery.