OCD Straight Talk

Chris breaks down the reality of uncertainty, and explains how we can either work with uncertainty, or against it. 

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Chris talks behind and beyond all the technical language and diagnostic criteria of OCD. The condition, whatever it is, centers on a life-dimension common to humanity. But some people just don't find this dimension very distressing - lucky them. Others, on the other hand, find it very distressing. But theirs liberty in realizing the reality that this dimension is unchangeable. It gives birth to the question, How can we work to tolerate, and live life in light of uncertainty? 

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Chris discloses parts of his story toward deep faith in Christ. The Gospel begins with the Bad News - with a real, and deep discovery of one's detestable nature before God and man. 

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Chris responds to a listener and explains the importance of identifying compulsions, and distinguishing them from obsessions in existential OCD. 

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Chris discusses a concept that is practical to cracking the code of OCD. Many of us approach OCD with stereotypes and assumptions. Part of what that means is that we think of compulsions as limited to checking, or counting, or washing, or whatever. But through the course of hundreds of cases, it has become clear that .compulsions extent far beyond these few, stereotypical possibilities. Many compulsions are unique to individuals: call them "quirks" or "idiosyncrasies." But many quirks that seem to appear when we're anxious - many things that we do to express our nervousness, like leg-bouncing for example, actually serve as anxiety-maintaining behaviors. These need to be stopped just the same as our stereotypical (macro) compulsions.

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Chris discusses several common mistakes individuals tend to make in relation to their OCD, often whether in therapy or not. This episode works to dissect the OCD and the treatment-process to show where individuals often get it wrong. 

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Chris revisits his conversation with Michael May, MA, LPCC, an ACT therapist and OCD treatment-specialist. He discusses the "I'm having the thought that..." strategy. Tried (by you, the consumer) and true strategies are invaluable when we're in the throws of anxiety. 

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Chris discusses the Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) protocol with Michael May, MA, LPCC, an ACT trainer and clinical expert. They talk therapeutic "shop," and delve into treatment strategies that are common to ACT and Ex/RP; as well as, discuss some of the overarching concepts that are beautifully unique to the evidence-based protocol known around the world as, ACT.

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Chris discusses two cases in which stopping rumination was an important part of the therapeutic process. Remember, if "nobody's home" to do the work of rumination, then that compulsive "work" doesn't get done. And that's a beautiful thing. 

This episode includes adult, and some explicit material in the way of providing specific examples of technique-application.

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Chris discusses a complex set of dynamics in modern psychotherapy that serve to offer an explanation to an otherwise puzzling problem: Why do people suffering from clinically significant anxiety often not get better in psychotherapy? 

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