In episode 348 I chat with Shaun Flores who has kindly agreed to share his story with us. 

We discuss his story, how a dream triggered OCD in a big way, sexual orientation themed OCD, suicidal themed OCD, harm themed OCD, ADHD, some of the possible reasons why people of colour are under represented in the OCD community, how he’s doing now, his advocacy, and much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/shaun-248

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

In episode 347 I interviewed Chrissie Hodges. Chrissie is a Peer Support specialist, founder of OCD Gamechangers, and Author of ‘Pure OCD: The Invisible Side of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder’. Chrissie was awarded the hero award at the 24th IOCDF conference in San Fran.

We discuss some of the physical symptoms of OCD, worrying about telling her therapist about the physical symptoms that were manifesting for her, the groinal, compulsions around these bodily sensations, disgust and shame, when checking compulsions make you feel and think you acted on a worry, and much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/chrissie-247 

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

In episode 346 I chat with Dr Patricia Zurita Ona. Patricia is director of the East Bay Behavior Therapy Center and adjunct professor at the Wright Institute. She is the author of several books including her new book ‘Acceptance and Commitment Skills for Perfectionism and High-Achieving Behaviors: Do Things Your Way, Be Yourself, and Live a Purposeful Life’.

We discuss what are perfectionistic, and high achieving behaviours, fears of being a failure and not being good enough, what perfectionism can look like in relationships and friendships, harnessing the power of perfectionism without losing yourself, checking in with what matters, how these things have impacted Patricia’s life, choosing to show up to what matters in your life, her new book, finding your own rhythms, values based decisions, OCD and perfectionism, how these traits can impact exposure and response (ERP) therapy, and much more. Hope it helps. 

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/patricia-246 

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

In episode 345 I chat with Dr Sam Greenblatt. Sam is a licensed clinical psychologist.

We discuss an update on his past relapse, his fire metaphor, processing the trauma of OCD, meta OCD, PTSD and OCD, identity and OCD, the idea of perceived fragility, loss and grief around OCD, figuring out what is normative, and much more. Hope it helps.  

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/greenblatt-345 

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

In episode 344 I chat with Courtney Newman who has kindly agreed to share her story with us. 

We discuss her story, going to therapy, learning what OCD is, mental compulsions, harm worries around her family, covid related contamination worries, having a clean world and a dirty world, and much more. Hope it helps. 

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/courtney-344 

The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers affordable, effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans, if they currently take your insurance, or to download their free app, head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories

In episode 343 I chat with Robert Fox. Rob is a therapist (LMHC) practicing in Woburn, USA. He specialises in internal family systems and EMDR therapy. 

We discuss what is internal family systems (IFS), the idea of parts of us, feeling feelings, the positive intention of our parts, the idea that OCD is a sign post to something deeper that needs healing or attention, pushing down feelings in childhood, case examples and examples from his own life, caring for the parts of ourselves, expressing and witnessing emotions, and much more. Hope it helps. 

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/rob-fox-343 

The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers affordable, effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans, if they currently take your insurance, or to download their free app, head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories

In episode 342 I chat with Dr Steven Phillipson. Steven is a licensed clinical psychologist who specialises in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for OCD. Steven is the Clinical Director at the Center for Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapy in New York.

We discuss why sleep is the hostage of anxiety, desperation around sleep, what is sleep and the stages of sleep, how sleep medication, alcohol, and benzodiazepines can affect sleep quality, using sleep as avoidance, insomnia, sleep as an independent system, how trying to sleep may be causing a lack of it, what Steve doesn’t like about the CBT sleep hygiene approach, Steve’s approach to helping his clients sleep, why sleep shouldn’t be the goal, getting an OCD spike at night, OCD in our dreams, and much more. Hope it helps. 

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/steve-phillipson-sleep-342 

This episode is supported by Cambridge University Press and Dr Lynne Drummond’s new book “Everything you need to know about OCD”. Get 20% off Lynne’s new book at cambridge.org/EverythingOCD. Simply use discount code OCDStories20 at checkout. 

The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers affordable, effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans, if they currently take your insurance, or to download their free app, head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories

In episode 341 I chat Dr Lynne Drummond. Lynne is an honorary consultant psychiatrist at south west London and St George's NHS Trust, and visiting Professor at the University of Hertfordshire.

We discuss her therapy story, her new book “Everything you need to know about OCD”, the stigma around OCD, raising awareness around OCD, a historical view of how OCD has been viewed, working with patients who have struggled with treatment in the past, how Lynne and her team were able to help these patients, medication, how Lynne explains exposure and response prevention (ERP), optimising ERP, living with uncertainty, and much more. Hope it helps. 

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/lynne-drummond-341

Get 20% off Lynne’s new book at cambridge.org/EverythingOCD. Simply use discount code OCDStories20 at checkout. 

The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers affordable, effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans, if they currently take your insurance, or to download their free app, head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories

In episode 340 I chat with Liam who has kindly agreed to share his story with us. 

We discuss his story, pedophile themed OCD (pOCD), violent intrusive thoughts, attending a support group, grief and loss, learning to see OCD not as a bully, his therapy journey and what he learned, setting up his own OCD support group, a suicide attempt, advocating about OCD at his work, and so much more. Hope it helps. 

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/liam-340

The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers affordable, effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans, if they currently take your insurance, or to download their free app, head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories

In episode 339 I chat to Dr Heather Sequeira. Heather is a consultant psychologist specialising in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).

We discuss her therapy story, trauma and OCD, what is post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), what is complex or developmental trauma, what’s going on in the brain with trauma, disgust in trauma and OCD, doubt and uncertainty, treating OCD and trauma together, the role of compassion, when the OCD theme directly links to the trauma, focusing on what we want to do now, shame around the freeze response, and much more. Hope helps. 

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/heather-339 

The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers affordable, effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans, if they currently take your insurance, or to download their free app, head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories