Podcasts about exposure response prevention

Understanding OCD and Anxiety: Navigating Intimacy with Sarah Hazleton In this episode we dive into the intricacies of OCD and anxiety, particularly focusing on how they affect intimacy and relationships, with guest Sarah Hazleton, a licensed clinical social worker. Sarah explains how OCD manifests through intrusive thoughts and compulsions, its impact on relationships, and the different subtypes of OCD including relationship OCD and Pure O. We discuss the importance of appropriate therapeutic approaches, like Exposure Response Prevention (ERP), and resources for those seeking help. The conversation touches on the stigma and shame surrounding OCD, particularly when it involves sexual and intimate thoughts. Practical advice is provided for those seeking therapy, including how to find qualified therapists through reliable sources. This episode is released in recognition of mental health awareness, emphasizing the significance of understanding and accepting diverse mental health challenges. Sarah is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker specializing in treatment of OCD and anxiety related disorders. She completed her master’s degree at University of New England in 2007 and spent the early part of her career as a clinician working with children, adolescents, and families experiencing severe and persistent mental health challenges. Over recent years, Sarah has focused her therapy practice on the treatment of OCD and anxiety disorders using Exposure Response Prevention and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as primary treatment modalities. Intimacy, gender, and sexuality are often interwoven in a client's obsessive and anxious thoughts, yet are often not identified by clients as a treatment issue. Sarah hopes to improve awareness of some of the "unspoken and taboo" thoughts and worries people experience. She wants to decrease the stigma felt by people whose OCD and/or anxiety is affecting their relationships, intimacy, and identity. You can find Sarah at www.hazeltoncounseling.com The article mentioned at the beginning - https://www.verywellmind.com/impact-of-ocd-on-sex-life-5086811 The International OCD Foundation - https://iocdf.org/ Here are some books recommended by Sarah and the IODCF. Buying them through these links will help support What Excites Us! Thank you! The Anti-Anxiety Program: A Workbook of Proven Strategies to Overcome Worry, Panic, and Phobias - Peter J. Norton (Author), Martin M. Antony (Author) - https://amzn.to/4eZWGyL Coping With OCD: Practical Strategies for Living Well With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - Bruce Hyman, PhD with Troy Dufrene - https://amzn.to/3zR8ch7 The OCD Answer Book: Professional Answers to More Than 250 Top Questions About Obsessive-Compulsive Disorderby Patrick B. McGrath, PhD - https://amzn.to/4eFf5kK "It'll be Okay:" How I Kept Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) from Ruining My Lifeby Shannon Shy - https://amzn.to/3XZQ6S5 Overcoming Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts: A CBT-Based Guide to Getting Over Frightening, Obsessive or Disturbing Thoughts - by Sally Winston, PsyD & Martin Seif, PhD - https://amzn.to/3zVtlGQ Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and Content Warning 03:05 Understanding OCD and Anxiety 12:16 Types of OCD 17:22 OCD's Impact on Relationships 21:24 Compulsions During Intimacy 25:09 Relationship OCD 32:43 Challenges Faced by Teens with OCD 36:35 Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) Explained 47:52 Resources for OCD Support 53:27 Finding the Right Therapist56:53 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode, I explain the Brain Health Centric Lifestyle to help you craft a plan in approaching OCD. The Brain Health Centric Lifestyle plan involves identifying the following:    List of Compulsions  ERP Plan  Understanding Core Fear   Brain Health Centric Lifestyle  Medication Plan  Holistic Healing  In this episode I talk about:  ◾️ The science behind OCD and how crafting this plan can aid in recovery ◾️ Tips and tricks in achieving this plan ◾️ Different changes that can be applied in daily life to achieve this plan Find Zach here: zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck Join my free webinar, "Break Free from OCD," where I'll guide you through effective strategies to overcome intrusive thoughts and compulsions. Don't miss this opportunity to start your journey toward a calmer, happier life—register now using this link: join.zachwesterbeck.com/break-free-from-ocd-webinar. Disclaimer: nothing here is medical advice. Please do your own research. The information above is just for information and learning. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major 2insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call. Zach Westerbeck is not a licensed medical professional. Zach Westerbeck is not trained in diagnosing psychological or medical conditions. Zach Westerbeck is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. Zach Westerbeck makes no guarantees of any kind that the information or services provided by Zach Westerbeck will improve the client's situation. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. Please seek professional assistance from a licensed professional. Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy.

In this episode, I talk about the 4 Core Responses, which can be used at step 2 of the OCD Cycle discussed in the previous episode. The 4 Core Responses are:  - Acceptance - Uncertainty - Indifference  - Agreement In this episode I talk about:  ◾️ How the 4 Core Responses are deployed in the OCD cycle ◾️ A bonus 5th Response and what it means ◾️ How these responses change the meaning of a compulsion Find Zach here: zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck Join my free webinar, "Break Free from OCD," where I'll guide you through effective strategies to overcome intrusive thoughts and compulsions. Don't miss this opportunity to start your journey toward a calmer, happier life—register now using this link: join.zachwesterbeck.com/break-free-from-ocd-webinar. Disclaimer: nothing here is medical advice. Please do your own research. The information above is just for information and learning. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major 2insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call. Zach Westerbeck is not a licensed medical professional. Zach Westerbeck is not trained in diagnosing psychological or medical conditions. Zach Westerbeck is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. Zach Westerbeck makes no guarantees of any kind that the information or services provided by Zach Westerbeck will improve the client's situation. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. Please seek professional assistance from a licensed professional. Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy.

As part of my on-going solo series where I share my personal journey with OCD, I discuss the cyclical nature of OCD, which generally follows: Intrusive Thoughts > Attaching Meaning > Anxiety > Desire to Remove > Compulsion > Confirmation of Threat > Intrusive Thoughts In this episode I talk about:  ◾️ Each stage of the OCD cycle ◾️ Ways to react in each stage ◾️ Learning to live within this cycle Find Zach here: zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck Join my free webinar, "Break Free from OCD," where I'll guide you through effective strategies to overcome intrusive thoughts and compulsions. Don't miss this opportunity to start your journey toward a calmer, happier life—register now using this link: join.zachwesterbeck.com/break-free-from-ocd-webinar. Disclaimer: nothing here is medical advice. Please do your own research. The information above is just for information and learning. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major 2insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call. Zach Westerbeck is not a licensed medical professional. Zach Westerbeck is not trained in diagnosing psychological or medical conditions. Zach Westerbeck is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. Zach Westerbeck makes no guarantees of any kind that the information or services provided by Zach Westerbeck will improve the client's situation. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. Please seek professional assistance from a licensed professional. Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy.

In this episode, I talk about the foundational goal in OCD recovery and how it affects my approach to daily life. Our goal shouldn't be to stop intrusive thoughts or feelings from ever happening again, but instead to teach our brains that it's okay if they do.   In this episode I talk about:    ◾️ Dealing with intrusive thoughts ◾️ The proper mindset to recovery ◾️ The mental shift to letting intrusive thoughts be   Find Zach here:   zachwesterbeck.com   @zach_westerbeck   Join my free webinar, "Break Free from OCD," where I'll guide you through effective strategies to overcome intrusive thoughts and compulsions. Don't miss this opportunity to start your journey toward a calmer, happier life—register now using this link: join.zachwesterbeck.com/break-free-from-ocd-webinar.   Disclaimer: nothing here is medical advice. Please do your own research. The information above is just for information and learning. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice.   This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major 2insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call.   Zach Westerbeck is not a licensed medical professional. Zach Westerbeck is not trained in diagnosing psychological or medical conditions. Zach Westerbeck is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. Zach Westerbeck makes no guarantees of any kind that the information or services provided by Zach Westerbeck will improve the client's situation. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. Please seek professional assistance from a licensed professional.   Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy.

In this next batch of episodes, I'll be sharing my first-hand experiences with OCD. Although this podcast leans towards inviting professionals and experts in the mental health space, it's also important to know that anyone can live through and recover from these hardships. In this episode I talk about:  ◾️The onset of my symptoms ◾️ Different types of OCD I encountered ◾️ How I approached recovery Find Zach here: zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck Join my free webinar, "Break Free from OCD," where I'll guide you through effective strategies to overcome intrusive thoughts and compulsions. Don't miss this opportunity to start your journey toward a calmer, happier life—register now using this link: join.zachwesterbeck.com/break-free-from-ocd-webinar. Disclaimer: nothing here is medical advice. Please do your own research. The information above is just for information and learning. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major 2insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call. Zach Westerbeck is not a licensed medical professional. Zach Westerbeck is not trained in diagnosing psychological or medical conditions. Zach Westerbeck is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. Zach Westerbeck makes no guarantees of any kind that the information or services provided by Zach Westerbeck will improve the client's situation. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. Please seek professional assistance from a licensed professional. Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy. Zachwesterbeck (https://join.zachwesterbeck.com/break-free-from-ocd-webinar) Break FREE from OCD Webinar

Carly Samach is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who has spent over 5 years as a senior therapist and clinical advisor/trainer. Her clinical focuses include severe and persistent mental health, OCD/anxiety disorders, trauma related disorders, and family system work. She utilizes evidence based treatments, Exposure Response Prevention, art therapy, and other approaches in treating her patients. In this episode, Carly returns to share more about the fear of having hope in OCD and using it to challenge ourselves for a fulfilling recovery.   In this episode we talk about:   ◾️What is hope when it comes to OCD recovery ◾️ The coexistence of hope and fear for a challenging but fulfilling recovery ◾️ Using these abstract concepts concurrently with ERP   Find Carly here:   @counselingwithcarly   Find Zach here:   zachwesterbeck.com   @zach_westerbeck   This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major 2insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call.   Zach Westerbeck is not a licensed medical professional. Zach Westerbeck is not trained in diagnosing psychological or medical conditions. Zach Westerbeck is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. Zach Westerbeck makes no guarantees of any kind that the information or services provided by Zach Westerbeck will improve the client's situation. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. Please seek professional assistance from a licensed professional.   Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy.

Clarissa W. Ong is a postdoctoral associate at the Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders at Boston University. She has done extensive research on perfectionism, OCD, hoarding disorder, and therapies such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and process-based therapy. She recently authored The Anxious Perfectionist: How to Manage Perfectionism - a deep dive into how perfectionism aggravates anxiety, stress, and overall mental health.  In this episode we talk about: ◾️ What defines perfectionism ◾️ How perfectionism becomes a root problem for anxiety ◾️ Processing perfectionism through ACT Find Clarissa here: poislab.com Find Zach here: zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck The POIS Lab at the University of Toledo and Personalized Mental Health Lab at Southern Illinois University are researching the effects of two self-help interventions that aim to help people cope with problematic perfectionism. To learn more about participating in the study, please visit https://bit.ly/goodenoughstudy.  This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major 2insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call. Zach Westerbeck is not a licensed medical professional. Zach Westerbeck is not trained in diagnosing psychological or medical conditions. Zach Westerbeck is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. Zach Westerbeck makes no guarantees of any kind that the information or services provided by Zach Westerbeck will improve the client's situation. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. Please seek professional assistance from a licensed professional. Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy.

Joelle Rabow Maletis is a ballet dancer turned psychotherapist. After spending 20 years dancing professionally, she experienced a career-ending injury and shifted her career to therapy. Her love for psychology helped her develop a deeper understanding of herself and the people around her. She founded JRM&A, a team of clinicians with the unifying goal of helping people discover their hopes, dreams, and abilities to thrive through adversity. In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ What Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is ◾️ How Post Traumatic Growth can be achieved ◾️ The potential overlap between OCD & Trauma Find Joelle here: joellerabowmaletis.com Find Zach here: zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major 2insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call. Zach Westerbeck is not a licensed medical professional. Zach Westerbeck is not trained in diagnosing psychological or medical conditions. Zach Westerbeck is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. Zach Westerbeck makes no guarantees of any kind that the information or services provided by Zach Westerbeck will improve the client's situation. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. Please seek professional assistance from a licensed professional. Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy.

Esther Fernandez is a writer and communicator who uses her skills to advocate recovery from mental health disorders and struggles. Her works aim to create sustainable, positive change in people facing these struggles. She is a junior copywriter at Made of Millions, a non-profit organization on a mission to break the stigma towards mental health.  In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ Esther's personal journey and recovery with mental health struggles ◾️ How to gain deeper insight into mental health, recovery, and stigmas ◾️ How hope can play a big role in recovery Find Esther here: @pink_prayers madeofmillions.com Find Zach here: zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major 2insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call. Zach Westerbeck is not a licensed medical professional. Zach Westerbeck is not trained in diagnosing psychological or medical conditions. Zach Westerbeck is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. Zach Westerbeck makes no guarantees of any kind that the information or services provided by Zach Westerbeck will improve the client's situation. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. Please seek professional assistance from a licensed professional. Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy.

Chris Leins has been working in the field of treating OCD and anxiety disorders since 2015. After having formally trained and worked together with well-respected researchers in the field, he has developed a treatment approach that incorporates Cognitive-Behavior Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in serving his patients. Instead of approaching a patient with “talk therapy,” he encourages them to engage in exposure therapy, equipping them with real-life strategies to manage their anxiety and OCD.  In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ A deeper understanding of compulsions ◾️ Identifying symptoms and compulsions and how to deal with them ◾️ Distinguishing obsessions and compulsions Find Jason here: @ocdstraighttalk kentuckyocd.com Find Zach here: zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major 2insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call. Zach Westerbeck is not a licensed medical professional. Zach Westerbeck is not trained in diagnosing psychological or medical conditions. Zach Westerbeck is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. Zach Westerbeck makes no guarantees of any kind that the information or services provided by Zach Westerbeck will improve the client's situation. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. Please seek professional assistance from a licensed professional. Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy.

Dr. Jason Krompinger is a clinical psychologist and the Directer of Clinical Training at the New England center for OCD and Anxiety. He has been specializing in OCD and related disorders since 2008 after having had an extensive educational background in the field. He offers flexible application of empirically supported interventions for OCD through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, including Exposure Response Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. He uses thorough Case Conceptualization and process-driven intervention to attend to his patients.  In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ Understanding OCD patterns through Case Conceptualization  ◾️ How clinicians are trained to treat OCD and related disorders  ◾️ Treating the person and not just the symptoms Find Jason here: dr.jason@newenglandocd.org Find Zach here: zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major 2insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call. Zach Westerbeck is not a licensed medical professional. Zach Westerbeck is not trained in diagnosing psychological or medical conditions. Zach Westerbeck is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. Zach Westerbeck makes no guarantees of any kind that the information or services provided by Zach Westerbeck will improve the client's situation. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. Please seek professional assistance from a licensed professional. Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy.

Dr. Siddhi Patel is a licensed Clinical Psychologist based in New Jersey and New York. With over 12 years serving adolescent and adult patients facing anxiety and mood disorders, eating disorders, relationship difficulties, OCD, PTSD, and BPD, she has cultivated a treatment approach that is tailor fit to each individual patient as she believes everyone has a unique journey to recovery. Dr. Patel has extensive training in Cognitive behavior Therapies (CBT), and even completed extensive training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).  In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ Understanding Dialectical Behavior Therapy  ◾️ When DBT is the correct approach for recovery ◾️ Using DBT in conjunction with other modalities of OCD treatment Learn more about DBT here: isitdbt.net Find Siddhi here: merakipsychologycenter.com Find Zach here: zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call. Zach Westerbeck is not a licensed medical professional. Zach Westerbeck is not trained in diagnosing psychological or medical conditions. Zach Westerbeck is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. Zach Westerbeck makes no guarantees of any kind that the information or services provided by Zach Westerbeck will improve the client's situation. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. Please seek professional assistance from a licensed professional. Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy.

Dr. Lauren Ladsworth has spent much of her career dedicated to the research and treatment of severe anxiety disorders, including OCD. She is the founding director of Genesee Valley Psychology, a clinic providing individual and group therapy. Her commitment to research goes beyond anxiety disorders, as she aims to become a more culturally competent clinician and researcher. Outside of the clinic, she offers training on Identities, Inclusion, and Diversity in Business and Academic settings through Twin Star Diversity Trainers. In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ Increasing willingness and non-engagement in OCD ◾️ Dealing with OCD in “Jello Mode” ◾️ Connecting to other stories of recovery as a starting point Find Lauren here: meridianpractice.org gvpny.org Find Zach here: zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call. Zach Westerbeck is not a licensed medical professional. Zach Westerbeck is not trained in diagnosing psychological or medical conditions. Zach Westerbeck is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. Zach Westerbeck makes no guarantees of any kind that the information or services provided by Zach Westerbeck will improve the client's situation. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. Please seek professional assistance from a licensed professional. Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy.

Danielle Henderson is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Pennsylvania with a Telehealth Cert for Florida. She also has a Doctor Degree in Clinical Psychology, and is a manager for a team of trainers for new incoming therapists at NOCD. As a therapist specializing in OCD, she relies heavily on Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) techniques, where she helps her patients adopt to the idea of living in the grey or being comfortable with uncertainty.  In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ General OCD facts ◾️  Initial steps to the recovery process ◾️ Maintaining a lifestyle living in the “grey” Find Danielle here: @DHenderson_PsyD Find Zach here: zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call. Zach Westerbeck is not a licensed medical professional. Zach Westerbeck is not trained in diagnosing psychological or medical conditions. Zach Westerbeck is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. Zach Westerbeck makes no guarantees of any kind that the information or services provided by Zach Westerbeck will improve the client's situation. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. Please seek professional assistance from a licensed professional. Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy.

Dr. Teri Bullis is the founder of Behavior Solutions for Children and Families. Her specialty in therapy lies in treating children of ages 3 to 12 and parents with ADHD, aggression, oppositionality, ASD-related social skills deficit, sleeping issues, and more. For patients with OCD, she collaborates with the patient in crafting effective ERP exercises to help them confront their intrusions in manageable steps. She believes in the close involvement of parents when it comes to treating their kids who face behavioral challenges.  In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ OCD in 3-12 year olds ◾️  Setting up a rewards system to aid in the child's recovery ◾️ Helping parents participate in their children's recovery journey Find Teri here: drterib@gmail.com behaviorsolutionsvt.com Find Zach here: zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call. Zach Westerbeck is not a licensed medical professional. Zach Westerbeck is not trained in diagnosing psychological or medical conditions. Zach Westerbeck is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. Zach Westerbeck makes no guarantees of any kind that the information or services provided by Zach Westerbeck will improve the client's situation. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. Please seek professional assistance from a licensed professional. Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy.

There are many assumptions about ERP, Exposure Response Prevention, the go-to approach to treat OCD in kids. Some parents (and therapists) don't understand how ERP is supposed to work, how it is done and what one should expect.In this week's AT Parenting Survival Podcast I explore the most common assumptions about ERP that are incorrect.

Eeva Edds is a Licensed Professional Counselor based in Houston. With a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology, she has worked in a variety of diagnoses, including anxiety disorders such as Specific Phobia, Social Anxiety Disorder, and OCD. Her approach to treatment utilizes evidence-based treatment techniques such as Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). She is also trained in SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions), a treatment modality for parents of children with anxiety disorders and OCD. She believes in a compassionate yet firm approach to meeting with her clients, fostering a collaborative environment where the patient is encouraged to be an active participant in their own recovery. In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ Understanding Relationship OCD ◾️ Treatment & living with Relationship OCD ◾️ Living a values-based life despite Relationship OCD Find Eeva here: @eevaeddslpc eeva@hcfvl.com houstoncenterforvaluedliving.com Find Zach here: zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call. Zach Westerbeck is not a licensed medical professional. Zach Westerbeck is not trained in diagnosing psychological or medical conditions. Zach Westerbeck is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. Zach Westerbeck makes no guarantees of any kind that the information or services provided by Zach Westerbeck will improve the client's situation. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. Please seek professional assistance from a licensed professional. Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy.

In this riveting episode with Alicia Racine, we go deep into a number of important therapeutic topics. We cover the incredible overlap between developing oneself as an artist and as a therapist. The root of most eating disorders and the kinds of therapeutic interventions that work best for folks with an ED. The crucial element of the therapeutic process that is often missed and how that causes eating disorders to return. The difference between eating disorders and disordered eating. Modalities such as brain spotting, EMDR, DBT, and Exposure Response Prevention. Trauma and policing. Co-occurrence of OCD and trauma and the current therapeutic standards. Going to the places that scare us. And so much more! Alicia Racine is an accomplished performance artist and therapist, who has worked with several demographics including people diagnosed with schizophrenia, eating disorders and more recently, high profile clients dealing with traumas ensued by the media.  During her time working with eating disorders, she created a group that supported women and their relationship with food called Sexy Delicious Healthy. She hosted a retreat in Bali for those struggling with Eating Disorders and served as a board member for the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (iaedp), Los Angeles chapter. Her private practice began with a focus on ed until the pandemic where she could no longer practice her two-session weekly method of talk therapy and exposure meals. During the pandemic, she created a consulting program that placed hundreds of people in therapy with a clinician that matched them. Her self-imposed criteria included economics, treatment style, expertise in their diagnosis, temperament match, and cultural appropriateness.  As a lifelong performer, Alicia is currently using humor to make mental health more accessible, She creates fun and often irreverent meditations that are aware of their own woo wooness, and is about to launch a mental health podcast where she collaborates with stand-up comedians. She is also insanely passionate about supervising associate clinicians in her group practice. Alicia has a Tedx talk coming out within the next few months created for the Gex z population.  Website - Instagram -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your support is deeply appreciated! Find me, Lara, on my Website / Instagram You can support this podcast with any level of donation here. Order The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga: How to Create Safer Spaces for All Opening and Closing music: Other People's Photographs courtesy of Daniel Zaitchik. Follow Daniel on Spotify.

Juliet Gustafson is a licensed master social worker based in Ypsilanti, Michigan. As a professional, she has cultivated a passion for OCD treatment and education rooted from her own bout with the disorder. She uses evidence-based treatments to empower adolescents and adults with OCD and anxiety disorders to heal and engage in values-based living. She utilizes Exposure Response Therapy (ERP), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Habit Reversal Training (HRT) in her practice. In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ What defines pedophilia and harm OCD ◾️ Understanding the different approaches to OCD recovery  ◾️ Other ways to heal from OCD, such as community and humor Find Saraa here: julietgustafson.com @ocd_therapist_juliet Find Zach here: zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call. Zach Westerbeck is not a licensed medical professional. Zach Westerbeck is not trained in diagnosing psychological or medical conditions. Zach Westerbeck is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. Zach Westerbeck makes no guarantees of any kind that the information or services provided by Zach Westerbeck will improve the client's situation. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. Please seek professional assistance from a licensed professional. Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy.

Saraa D. Lee, LCSW of Soul Spa Psychotherapy is an OCD and Trauma specialist. She studied Psychology at Pomona College, earned an MSW at UCLA and is a former Fulbright grant winner.  Saraa treats child and adult clients from California, Illinois and internationally. Saraa is also a Clinical Supervisor with NOCD, which provides OCD treatment in most states In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ Anxiety and burnout ◾️ Recovery from OCD with Exposure Response Therapy  ◾️ Understanding different forms of intrusive thoughts Find Saraa here: soulspapsychotherapy.com/ Find Zach here: zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call. Zach Westerbeck is not a licensed medical professional. Zach Westerbeck is not trained in diagnosing psychological or medical conditions. Zach Westerbeck is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. Zach Westerbeck makes no guarantees of any kind that the information or services provided by Zach Westerbeck will improve the client's situation. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. Please seek professional assistance from a licensed professional. Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy.

Dr. Tatyana Mestechkina is a licensed clinical psychologist practicing in New York, New Jersey, and Florida. She is the founder and clinical director of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Better Living, which is also the approach she uses in treating patients, together with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. She specializes in treating OCD, even in the purely obsessional subtype (Pure-O), and anxiety disorders such as generalized, social, panic, health, and phobias. Her clients are often ones that face concerns related to perfectionism, body-image, mood challenges, and postpartum/perinatal issues. In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ Processing thoughts and feelings when facing compulsions ◾️ Positively changing your relationship with your brain   ◾️ Reframing emotions when resisting compulsions Find Tatyana here: @ocdanxietyexpert cbtforbetterliving.com Find Zach here: zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck Use promo code: ZACH  https://www.restoredminds.com/offers/SrL78mUq?coupon_code=ZACH This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call. Zach Westerbeck is not a licensed medical professional. Zach Westerbeck is not trained in diagnosing psychological or medical conditions. Zach Westerbeck is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. Zach Westerbeck makes no guarantees of any kind that the information or services provided by Zach Westerbeck will improve the client's situation. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. Please seek professional assistance from a licensed professional. Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy.

Christina is a licensed therapist in New Hampshire with licenses in Florida and Maine. Her practice treats patients suffering from OCD and generalized anxiety, perfectionism, and body-focused repetitive behaviors. As a therapist and life coach, she shares her learnings from her own personal journey living with anxiety and "shoulds" of perfectionism. In her journey to treating OCD, she herself discovered having the disorder and now uses her experiences and learnings from it in treating her patients.  In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ Inference-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and other approaches to OCD recovery ◾️ Perfectionism and anxiety disorders and how they affect a person with OCD ◾️ Building and finding community while in recovery from OCD Find Christina here: christinaennabe.com @christinacounsels Find Zach here: zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck Use promo code: ZACH  https://www.restoredminds.com/offers/SrL78mUq?coupon_code=ZACH This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call. Zach Westerbeck is not a licensed medical professional. Zach Westerbeck is not trained in diagnosing psychological or medical conditions. Zach Westerbeck is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. Zach Westerbeck makes no guarantees of any kind that the information or services provided by Zach Westerbeck will improve the client's situation. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. Please seek professional assistance from a licensed professional. Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy.

Dr. Reid Wilson is a licensed psychologist who has spent over 30 years in the field of self-help for anxiety disorders and OCD. He is the Director of the Anxiety Disorders Treatment Center and an author of several self-help books catering to anxiety disorders. He is also Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. In 2014, he was honored with the highest award given by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, and was presented the Service Award by the International OCD Foundation in 2019.  In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ A deep dive into anxiety and OCD ◾️ Deciding whether tools or medication are fit for your recovery ◾️ How OCD and anxiety treatment has evolved through the years Find Dr. Reid here: anxieties.com Find Zach here: zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call. Zach Westerbeck is not a licensed medical professional. Zach Westerbeck is not trained in diagnosing psychological or medical conditions. Zach Westerbeck is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. Zach Westerbeck makes no guarantees of any kind that the information or services provided by Zach Westerbeck will improve the client's situation. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. Please seek professional assistance from a licensed professional. Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy.

Matthew Codde is a licensed clinical social worker and the founder of RestoredMinds and the creator of the Triple-A-Response. He has had his own personal bout with OCD & anxiety in his early teen years, and sought help from 5 different therapists before receiving the proper diagnosis. Through his personal experiences and extensive research, he created the Triple-A-Response, an approach to responding to OCD & Anxiety in your head, in your body, and in your life. He is now an advocate of this response as it had helped him reclaim his life and pursue nthings he thought once impossible. In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ The Triple-A-Response ◾️ How Matt's experiences lead him to this way of responding to OCD & anxiety ◾️ Applications of this mindset in body, mind, and life Find Matthew here: restoredminds.com @mattccodde_lcsw restoredminds.com Find Zach here: zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck Use promo code: ZACH  https://www.restoredminds.com/offers/SrL78mUq?coupon_code=ZACH This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call. Zach Westerbeck is not a licensed medical professional. Zach Westerbeck is not trained in diagnosing psychological or medical conditions. Zach Westerbeck is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. Zach Westerbeck makes no guarantees of any kind that the information or services provided by Zach Westerbeck will improve the client's situation. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. Please seek professional assistance from a licensed professional. Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy.

Carter Goos had been struggling with mental health for a time and had only noticed the onset of symptoms early 2020. After getting a conclusive diagnosis for his OCD, he was able to make progress in his recovery through small steps that he made in his daily routine. Despite different forms of intrusive thoughts and compulsions, he has learned to live with his OCD by continuously working on his mindset and routines. In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ The onset of OCD and anxiety disorder symptoms from the perspective of a patient ◾️ Different kinds of compulsions and intrusive thoughts ◾️ Living with and recovering from OCD through small steps Find Zach here: zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call. Zach Westerbeck is not a licensed medical professional. Zach Westerbeck is not trained in diagnosing psychological or medical conditions. Zach Westerbeck is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. Zach Westerbeck makes no guarantees of any kind that the information or services provided by Zach Westerbeck will improve the client's situation. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. Please seek professional assistance from a licensed professional. Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy.

Erin Jones is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor with over 5 years of experience in treating OCD and other anxiety disorders in youth and adults. Her approach to treatment involves evidence-based practices such as Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Her expertise in treating OCD comes with personal experience as she had only discovered having OCD while training to be a clinician.  In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ Erin's personal journey with OCD while becoming a clinician ◾️ The lifestyle that comes with OCD ◾️ Navigating doubts and OCD Find Erin here: bullcitanxiety.com jones@bullcityanxiety.com @erintalksocd Find Zach here: zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call. Zach Westerbeck is not a licensed medical professional. Zach Westerbeck is not trained in diagnosing psychological or medical conditions. Zach Westerbeck is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. Zach Westerbeck makes no guarantees of any kind that the information or services provided by Zach Westerbeck will improve the client's situation. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. Please seek professional assistance from a licensed professional. Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy.

Jordan Chiu is a photographer, a creative at Patagonia, and a host of his own podcast called Never The Same. His podcast has become an outlet for him to share his experience in processing the loss of his partner during the pandemic. Jordan also built a community from this podcast by advocating the betterment of mental health care while showing support for people who may have had similar experiences.  In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ Navigating the emotions from losing a loved one  ◾️ Turning grief into something productive ◾️ Finding community in times of difficulty  Find Jordan here: @jordanpchiu Find Zach here: zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call. Zach Westerbeck is not a licensed medical professional. Zach Westerbeck is not trained in diagnosing psychological or medical conditions. Zach Westerbeck is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. Zach Westerbeck makes no guarantees of any kind that the information or services provided by Zach Westerbeck will improve the client's situation. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. Please seek professional assistance from a licensed professional.4 Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy.

Caryn Gill is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, California, and Missouri. She has worked in the mental health field for over a decade, and has been treating OCD and anxiety specific patients since 2017. Her treatment focuses on the duality of change through acceptance, which involves either working on triggers and compulsions in OCD and anxiety, or healing emotional wounds that were caused by these mental illnesses. Rather than "fixing" her clients, she believes in their intrinsic strength, and she helps them uncover the will to live despite OCD and anxiety. Apart from working with her patients, she is also passionate about training other clinicians on the uses of Exposure & Response Prevention for OCD and anxiety disorders.   In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ How clinicians are trained to treat mental health disorders ◾️ Understanding OCD treatment from the clinician's perspective ◾️ Modalities to support recovery from OCD & Anxiety  Find Caryn here: @therapist.caryn Find Zach here: zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call. Zach Westerbeck is not a licensed medical professional. Zach Westerbeck is not trained in diagnosing psychological or medical conditions. Zach Westerbeck is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. Zach Westerbeck makes no guarantees of any kind that the information or services provided by Zach Westerbeck will improve the client's situation. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. Please seek professional assistance from a licensed professional. Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy.

Maria Failla is a "plant-killer-turned-happy-plant-lady." She is an advocate for plant care beyond the basic light exposure and water drainage, as she believes plants and nature are key to improving mental health. Her lifestyle change from being a "plant killer" to really understanding the intricacies of nature has given her clarity in many aspects of life. Her  disconnection from screens and reconnection with nature granted her mindfulness, subsequently alleviating her mental health. In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ How a disconnecting from nature can negatively impact life ◾️ Exploring the possibilities of plant care even in an urban setting ◾️ How nature can improve overall wellness mentally and physically  Find Maria here: growingjoywithmaria.com Find Zach here: zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call. Zach Westerbeck is not a licensed medical professional. Zach Westerbeck is not trained in diagnosing psychological or medical conditions. Zach Westerbeck is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. Zach Westerbeck makes no guarantees of any kind that the information or services provided by Zach Westerbeck will improve the client's situation. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. Please seek professional assistance from a licensed professional. Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy.

Charlene Colwell is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker based in Minnesota. Her private practice focuses on treating patients who suffer OCD and general anxiety. She has grown a passion for helping people who suffer said mental illnesses because she too experienced the same things growing up. She has dedicated her time the past 11 years to helping her patients change their relationship with OCD through evidence based treatments. Today, she continues her training through Rogers Behavioral Health, and education training through the Cognitive Behavior Institute Center for Education and the International OCD Foundation.  In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ Internal Family Systems (IFS) ◾️ Changing perspectives and the relationship with OCD ◾️ How this perspective shift can aid living with OCD Find Charlene here: restoringwaterscounseling.com Find Zach here: zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call. Zach Westerbeck is not a licensed medical professional. Zach Westerbeck is not trained in diagnosing psychological or medical conditions. Zach Westerbeck is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. Zach Westerbeck makes no guarantees of any kind that the information or services provided by Zach Westerbeck will improve the client's situation. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. Please seek professional assistance from a licensed professional. Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy.

Anna Jackson is a licensed psychotherapist based in London. Her practice revolves around most mental health related concerns, specifically with anxiety and OCD. She treats her patients by utilizing traditional psychotherapy (such as using integrative CBT/REBT), optimizing physical health and nutrition, and meditative practices such as theta healing In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ Anna's personal history with mental health struggles ◾️ Understanding OCD and anxiety in the early years ◾️ The correlation of nutrition and psychology Find Anna here: annajacksontherapy.com @annapsychotherapist Find Zach here: zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call. Zach Westerbeck is not a licensed medical professional. Zach Westerbeck is not trained in diagnosing psychological or medical conditions. Zach Westerbeck is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. Zach Westerbeck makes no guarantees of any kind that the information or services provided by Zach Westerbeck will improve the client's situation. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. Please seek professional assistance from a licensed professional. Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy.

Courtney Holbrook is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who specializes in treating OCD, PTSD, BFRBs, and Tics. She utilizes evidence-based treatments such as Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP), Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PET), Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), HRT and the ComB model, and Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT). Her decision to specialize in this field is due to her family's history of anxiety and undiagnosed OCD. She also struggled with various forms of OCD and hopes to help her patients in learning the ropes of OCD recovery just as she did.   In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ Defining OCD ◾️ Finding the right treatment for you ◾️ Understanding how OCD correlates to other mental illnesses Find Courtney here: treatmyocd.com/therapists/203327/courtney.holbrook Find Zach here: zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call. Zach Westerbeck is not a licensed medical professional. Zach Westerbeck is not trained in diagnosing psychological or medical conditions. Zach Westerbeck is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. Zach Westerbeck makes no guarantees of any kind that the information or services provided by Zach Westerbeck will improve the client's situation. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. Please seek professional assistance from a licensed professional. Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy.

Get ready to be inspired in this episode as we introduce you to Blake Powers, a fantastic member of our Conquer Your OCD course and my cherished client. Blake's journey, from wrestling with the clutches of OCD to reclaiming his life, is nothing short of incredible. Join us for an uplifting conversation filled with resilience, growth, and the tools that helped Blake reclaim his life from OCD. In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ How OCD affects everyday life ◾️ Actionable steps to recovering from OCD ◾️ Finding the strength to seek professional help Find Zach here: zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call. Zach Westerbeck is not a licensed medical professional. Zach Westerbeck is not trained in diagnosing psychological or medical conditions. Zach Westerbeck is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. Zach Westerbeck makes no guarantees of any kind that the information or services provided by Zach Westerbeck will improve the client's situation. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. Please seek professional assistance from a licensed professional. Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy.

Tamara Harrison is a counselor based in Seattle, Washington. Her specialty in treating patients lies in OCD, Anxiety, and Body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRB's). She utilizes Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP) in treating patients suffering from OCD, and Habit Reversal Training (HRT) for patients with BFRB's. Tamara takes on  a warm, understanding, & empathetic approach based on proven techniques to treat her patients. In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ Understanding Body-focused repetitive behaviors and its relation to mental health ◾️ Treating BFRB's with Habit Reversal Training ◾️ Identifying whether or not your movements are BFRB's Find Tamara here: Tamara@evergreenstatecounseling.com psychologytoday.com Find Zach here: zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call. Zach Westerbeck is not a licensed medical professional. Zach Westerbeck is not trained in diagnosing psychological or medical conditions. Zach Westerbeck is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. Zach Westerbeck makes no guarantees of any kind that the information or services provided by Zach Westerbeck will improve the client's situation. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. Please seek professional assistance from a licensed professional. Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy.

Lindsay Murphy is a dedicated member of our Conquer Your OCD course and 1-on-1 coaching program, takes the spotlight in this episode. She generously shares her personal OCD recovery journey and offers insights into the strategies that have proven effective for her along the way. In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ Lindsay's personal history with mental health ◾️ Self doubt and hindrances to seeking mental health treatment ◾️ Exposures and learning to live with OCD Find Zach here : zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call. Zach Westerbeck is not a licensed medical professional. Zach Westerbeck is not trained in diagnosing psychological or medical conditions. Zach Westerbeck is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice. If you require assistance with any mental health or medical issue, please contact your health care provider for any medical care or medical advice. Zach Westerbeck makes no guarantees of any kind that the information or services provided by Zach Westerbeck will improve the client's situation. This podcast should not be considered medical advice. Please seek professional assistance from a licensed professional. Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy.

Robyn Stern is a licensed clinical worker who works mainly with patients suffering from Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). As someone who also suffers from the disorder, she uses her experiences together with her professional clinical training to create a safe space for people who want to understand their condition more thoroughly and intimately. With over a decade in her practice, she has adapted to using a research-based treatment in approaching each individual client. She uses a variety of modalities, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure Response prevention (ERP), Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) in treating BDD, OCD, BFRBs, and anxiety disorders. In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ Robyn's personal background with BDD, depression, and anxiety ◾️ Understanding BDD, its effects, and symptoms ◾️ What to do when you feel that you might have BDD Find Robyn here: rlsterntherapy.com Find Zach here : zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call. Zach Westerbeck (https://zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/) Virtual OCD Therapy - Zach Westerbeck I've partnered with NOCD to bring you effective, affordable and convenient OCD therapy.

Kelsey Callahan is a licensed professional counselor in the state of Tennessee who has been working in the mental health field for almost 8 years, specially working on OCD and anxiety. As a counselor, she performs assessments and diagnostics, psychotherapy, treatment planning, and crisis management. In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ Demystifying rumination and its part in OCD ◾️ Differentiating rumination and compulsions ◾️ Identifying your thoughts and when you should visit a therapist Find Kelsey here: treatmyocd.com @treatmyocd Find Zach here : zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call.

Lisa Fernandez has been a licensed clinical social worker since 1995, helping patients suffering from depression, anxiety, and OCD. She is also currently working for a certification in treating ADHD, as she has seen its connection in recent years to depression and anxiety. Lisa believes in fostering a safe environment for her patients in therapy, and teaches mindfulness and cognitive restructuring techniques while utilizing Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) in treating OCD. In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ Core symptoms of OCD  ◾️ Identifying and living with OCD ◾️ Finding the right therapist  Find Lisa here: lisafernandezlcsw@gmail.com   Find Zach here : zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call.

Kirsten Pagacz is an author and business owner of Retro-A-Go-Go, an online seller of retro kitsch. After having a traumatic childhood, family members with anxiety disorders, and suffering from OCD for almost 20 years, she realized that she could name her OCD, subsequently letting her tame it. In her book Leaving the OCD Circus, she reveals how OCD had shaped her life at a young age and how she took it into adulthood and eventually healed from it.    In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ Kirsten's childhood with OCD ◾️ Her learnings from her recovery journey ◾️ Personal tips from Kirsten when tackling OCD Find Kirsten here:   kirsten@retroagogo.com Support Ukrainian doctors saving lives of soldiers: leleka.care Find Zach here : zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call.

Hanna is a registered Social Worker whose areas of specialization include clinical counselling with individuals, families, and groups. She obtained her Master's degree in social work from the University of Calgary and has worked in an addiction treatment facility and immigrant serving agency providing psychotherapy services. Hanna's experiences include working with people who struggle with anxiety, depression and other psychochological forms of trauma. She has a particular interest in mindfulness wellness strategies as well as the process of recovery from chemical and behavioural addictions. Hanna primarily uses CBT in her treatment for patients all while incorporating aspects of other evidence-based therapies like Emotionally Focused Therapy and Dialectial Behavior Therapy when appropriate. She believes in taking a compassionate and non-judgemental approach in guiding her patients out of their traumas.  In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ The war in Ukraine and its impacton mental health ◾️ Guilt, responsibility, and e ncouraging self-compassion ◾️ Having happiness and joy and owning it Find Hanna here:   hannazavrazhyna@gmail.com Support Ukrainian doctors saving lives of soldiers: leleka.care Find Zach here : zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call.

Shauna Pichette is the Clinical Training Team Lead of NOCD. She is a licensed therapist who has a variety of experiences with different groups and specialties across different states. Her main treatment approach is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which includes Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Exposure Response Therapy (ERP), and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT). With an extensive background in treating patients with anxiety, OCD, depression, and other mental illnesses, Shauna chooses to approach her patients very warmly and candidly. In the midst of all the clinical terms, she still wants her patients to feel welcome and never ashamed of their experiences. In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ Cultivating compassion ◾️ Understanding intrusive thoughts ◾️ What you should aim for when treating your OCD Find Shauna here:   care@nocdhelp.com @thattherapistshauna Find Zach here : zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call.

Jason Elias and Adam Reid are co-founders and partners of CBTeam, a Behavioral Health Clinic in Lexington where specialists guide their patients in overcoming OCD & anxiety. The team is made up of Behavioral Coaches who specialize in Exposure Therapy to help clients implement evidence-based treatment plans such as CBT, ACT, and ERP in their daily lives. Jason Elias is the founder, director, and Head of Adult Psychological Services of CBTeam. He has an extensive background in clinical psychology which he now utilizes compassionately and creatively in delivering evidence-based treatments for anxiety.  Adam Reid is a partner & Head of Child and Adolescent Psychological Services at CBTeam. Also having earned multiple degrees in his years of studying & researching on mental wellness, he now works mainly in OCD-specific training for children and adolescent patients struggling with confidence, bravery, and social acceptance. In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ Jason & Adam's personal backgrounds and what brought them to the OCD & Anxiety field ◾️ An in-depth look at evidence-based treatments in mental health ◾️ Understanding anxiety & OCD Find Jason & Adam here:   CBTeam.org Find Zach here : zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call.

“Kinksters deserve Love too! You deserve a Fairy Tale that includes Whips and Chains and Rope and Nipple Clamps” Sexual Revolutionary & Feminist Prn Producer Madison Young is a globetrotting fetish model who likes her rope cinched Tight, and is not a fan of the ‘Is this comfortable for you?' check-in. So when she meets the Rope Artist, she quickly falls in love with this stranger's warm touch, his smell, and most of all, his rope. And when they finally profess their feelings, everything changes. Plus Dixie is putting out a call for story pitches. Wanna get onstage? The first round of East Coast cities has been announced!   Song: ‘Around My Neck' (Finneas)   Rope l Shibari | Bondage l Restraint l Cinch l Punk Rock l Tight l Nipple Clamps l Rope Artist l Dance | Arm Restraints l Hogtied l Flesh l Chest Harness l Ebby? l Suspension l Tie Me Up l Video I Partner l Submissive l Tour l Damsel in Distress l It's Different with You l Camera l Fairy l Safe Space l BreakUp l Daddy l Dominant l Husband l Parent l Photography l Model | Travel l Magic l Fetish l   About our Storyteller:   Madison Young is a sexual revolutionary that has been smashing stigma in the media for two decades across multiple mediums and platforms including several critically-acclaimed books, touring with their one womxn off-Broadway show, Reveal All Fear Nothing, and directing, hosting and producing the documentary television series, Submission Possible (Season 2 of their documentary tv series, Submission Possible, is available soon on Revry TV).   Young brings her 20+ years of experience as a pioneer in the feminist porn movement, along with her award-winning filmmaking and writing talents, to her many projects in a way that reflects the emotional nuance and authentic vulnerability that has become a signature of Young's work.    Young has been featured on HBO's Real Sex and has been profiled for her expertise in feminism, erotic film and sexuality on Dateline NBC, MTV, Slutever on Viceland, Bravo TV, The New York Times, Savage Love, BBC, Elle Magazine, and Elite Daily just to name a few.  The reach and impact of Young's writing and filmmaking is deep and has garnered praises from celebrity icons including Margaret Cho, Dave Navarro, Maggie Gyllenhall, Amanda Palmer and Diablo Cody. Last Year, Young also opened The Arbor, a new art space and screening room in San Francisco's Mission District that is dedicated to amplifying the voices of queer and transgender narratives in film, television and visual art.   Learn more about Madison Young at https://www.empressinlavendermedia.com/ Episode links: NOCD.com : OCD is more than what you see on TV and in the movies. Imagine having unwanted thoughts about your sexuality stuck in your head all day no matter how hard you try to make them go away. Relationship OCD is an often overlooked subtypes of OCD that come with unrelenting intrusive images, thoughts and urges about your partner, loved one, or sexuality.   If you think you may be struggling with Relationship OCD, there's hope. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD.   With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists. It's affordable and they accept most major insurance plans.   Breaking the OCD cycle takes effective treatment.To get started, go to https://www.NOCD.com/ to book a free 15-minute call.   SUBSCRIBE: Want to be the first to know where Bawdy is headed to on our National Tour? I'm trying to bring Bawdy to YOUR city and Tickets will be released FIRST on the Bawdy newsletter.   Subscribe to the Bawdy Storytelling email list at https://bawdystorytelling.com/subscribe   You'll be the first to see upcoming tour dates, get access to tickets, storytelling workshops, livestreams, podcasts, fan meetups and special events. I've been shadowbanned on Social Media and having my accounts deleted is probably next. The only sure way we can connect if that happens is for you to sign up for Bawdy's email newsletter. Please ask your friends to sign up, too. Let's be Friends!   NEW TOUR DATES Announced! • Baltimore MD (January 19th, 2024) Tickets at https://tinyurl.com/BawdyBaltimoreFriday   • Baltimore MD (January 20th, 2024) Tickets at https://tinyurl.com/BawdyBaltimoreSaturday Philadelphia PA: Tickets coming soon Pittsburgh PA (February 4th, 2024) Tickets at https://tinyurl.com/BawdyPittsburgh   Nashville TN: Tickets coming soon   • New York City: Tickets coming soon   • Atlanta GA (February 17th, Brunch Show): Tickets at https://tinyurl.com/BawdyAtlanta2024     Patreon Special Offer:   All-You-Can-Eat Special: Need some Entertainment to get you thru til the world warms up again? Right now, I have an End of Year Special Offer: 40+ Hours of Bawdy! Sign up (or Increase your support) for Bawdy's Patreon and you get: • 16 Full Livestreams Stories from Margaret Cho, Sunny Megatron, Dirty Lola, Slutever, ReidAboutSex and many more • Music from Rachel Lark, Jefferson Bergey, Shirley Gnome - All your favorites You'll be helping Dixie fulfill her Bawdy Storytelling Tour Dreams • Available at the $25/month or greater level at: https://www.patreon.com/Bawdy   Bawdy still exists, Thanks to YOU. Not a Patreon member yet? Join Bawdy's Patreon now to get exclusive Patreon-only rewards (and my eternal gratitude)   Looking for another way to ensure this podcast continues? Donate at: Venmo: Venmo.com/BawdyStorytelling Paypal: paypal.me/bawdystorytelling Zelle: BawdyStorytelling@gmail.com BuyMeACoffee: buymeacoff.ee/bawdy And your Airline Miles will help immensely with this upcoming Tour, too. By the way: THANK YOU for considering it.   PRIVATE COACHING with Dixie: Want to work one-on-one with me? Right now I'm offering personal branding (your dating profile, website, etc), Storycoaching a nervous new keynote speaker, and I help develop documentaries, craft personal stories for the stage, and write their books - because storytelling is everywhere you wanna be. I can help you live the life that you've always dreamed about: communicate with clarity, help you land your dream job, and discover your own story … Whether it's getting onstage for the first time, writing your memoir, creating a podcast, or learning brand storytelling for your business, I can help. Email me at BawdyStorytelling@gmail.com and let's make it happen.   My upcoming Substack 'The Dixie Ramble' is at https://substack.com/profile/22550258-dixie-de-la-tour #Subscribe   Bawdy Got Me Laid perfume, Bawdy Butter & more: Dixie has created her own fragrance: You'll love #BawdyGotMeLaid perfume, scented with golden honey, amber, ylang ylang, and warm vanilla. There's also our (scented or unscented) creamy Bawdy Butter, Hair & Bawdy Oil, & more. Bawdy Got Me Laid Merchandise means you can deliver your own great smelling Motorboats while supporting Dixie and Bawdy. Get yours today at https://bawdystorytelling.com/merchandise   Check out our Bawdy Storytelling Fiends and Fans group on Facebook - it's a place to discuss the podcast's stories with the storytellers, share thoughts with your fellow listeners, & help Dixie make the podcast even better. Just answer 3 simple questions and you're IN! https://www.facebook.com/groups/360169851578316/ Thank you to the Team that makes this podcast possible! Team Bawdy is:   Podcast Producer: Roman Den Houdijker Sound Engineer: David Grosof Storytelling support by Mosa Maxwell-Smith Dixie's Virtual Assistant is Roillan James Video & Livestream support from Donal Mooney Bawdy's Creator & Podcast Host is Dixie De La Tour & Thank you to Pleasure Podcasts. Bawdy Storytelling is proud to be part of your s*x-positive podcast collective!   Website: https://bawdystorytelling.com/ On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bawdystorytelling/ Like us at www.Facebook.com/BawdyStorytelling Join us on FetLife: https://fetlife.com/groups/46341 Support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/Bawdy Watch us on YouTube at http://bit.ly/BawdyTV Find out about upcoming Podcast episodes - & Livestreams - at www.BawdyStorytelling.com/subscribe  

Dr. Steven Hayes is a professor of Psychology at the University of Nevada and President of the Institute for Better Health, an organization dedicated to better mental and behavioral health. Much of his work in the mental health field revolves around his research in showing the validity of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) as therapy for OCD. Apart from his work as a therapist, he has written 47 books and nearly 700 scientific articles published and continues to write blog articles in his website. He has also appeared on TEDx and several other publications to share his knowledge and accomplishments in the field. In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ Steven's own experience struggling with mental health and how it fueled his research and career ◾️ Understanding ACT and how it differs from other methods of therapy ◾️ The Psychological Flexibility and its use in research and therapy Find Steven here:   stevenchayes.com Find Zach here : zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call.

Have you ever wanted to engage in a little friendly social masturbation? Legendary Author and Sexologist Carol Queen takes us on a freestyle journey back to the 80's, where she details her own fear of sex, and how she found true love. In the early days of the AIDS Epidemic, lack of medical answers lead to a generalized Coitophobia… could intercourse actually kill you? Soon the San Francisco Jacks come up with a creative way to release sexual energy, but they only allow gay men. Solution: Time for a Jill-Off, too - but be careful where you set down your hat. And Dixie is going On Tour, finally - Get Ready to Get Bawdy, y'all!   Song: ‘W.Y.D.O.T.D. Pt 1' (Jefferson Bergey)   Masturbation Club l Sex Party | Institute of Advanced Sexuality l Doctorate of Sexology l Healing l Gay Male l Tuition l Dyke-Identified | Masturbation l Swinger l AIDS Epidemic l Bend Over Boyfriend l Pegging l Dirty Limerick l Poetry l Penetration I Sex Education l Submissive l Piss Play l Circus l Ringmaster l Sexually Transmitted l Visual Stimulation l Multiple Orgasms l Rental l Lesbian l Peg The Patriarchy l Condom l Bisexual l Contagion l Arousal | Rules l Voyeurism l Masturbate-A-Thon l Consent l Human Sexuality l   About our Storyteller:   Carol Queen is an American author, editor, sociologist, and sexologist active in the sex-positive feminism movement. Queen is a two time Grand Marshal of San Francisco LGBTQ Pride. Queen has written on human sexuality in books such as Real Live Nude Girl: Chronicles of Sex-Positive Culture. She has written a sex tutorial, Exhibitionism for the Shy: Show Off, Dress Up and Talk Hot, as well as erotica, such as the novel The Leather Daddy and the Femme. Queen has produced adult movies, events, workshops and lectures. Queen was featured as an instructor and star in both installments of the Bend Over Boyfriend series about female-to-male anal sex, or pegging. She has also served as editor for compilations and anthologies, and is a sex-positive sex educator who speaks on stages around the world.   Episode links: NOCD.com : OCD is more than what you see on TV and in the movies. Imagine having unwanted thoughts about your sexuality stuck in your head all day no matter how hard you try to make them go away. Relationship OCD is an often overlooked subtypes of OCD that come with unrelenting intrusive images, thoughts and urges about your partner, loved one, or sexuality.   If you think you may be struggling with Relationship OCD, there's hope. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD.   With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists. It's affordable and they accept most major insurance plans.   Breaking the OCD cycle takes effective treatment.To get started, go to https://www.NOCD.com/ to book a free 15-minute call.   WORKSHOP:   This Sunday, December 3rd: 'How to Be Fascinating: Dixie's Secret System for Brilliant Storytelling' is happening live and in-person. It's an all day workshop in San Francisco, and there's just one spot left…cause I've been saving it for YOU. Do you tend to ramble a bit? Got ADHD, or are you Neurodivergent? Forget where you were going with that story? Wonder what your story is really about (because you'll learn so much about yourself and what drives you, through your stories). I'll teach you  my incredibly easy (and super secret) method and soon, you'll rock that job interview, excel at public speaking, feel more at ease on dates, learn to fully express yourself and yes, even stand onstage and deliver a standing-ovation worthy chapter from your life, if that's your goal. You'll find my story method valuable because once you learn how, you'll know the secret of telling a great story forever. #LifeSkills #NotJustBawdy   How to Be Fascinating Workshop in San Francisco Date: Sunday, December 3rd (10 AM - 5 PM) Register now at https://tinyurl.com/HTBFWorkshopSFO Not in San Francisco? Contact me and we can work together! Email Dixie at BawdyStorytelling@gmail.com   SUBSCRIBE: Want to be the first to know where Bawdy is headed to on our National Tour? I'm trying to bring Bawdy to YOUR city and Tickets will be released FIRST on the Bawdy newsletter.   Subscribe to the Bawdy Storytelling email list at https://bawdystorytelling.com/subscribe   You'll be the first to see upcoming tour dates, get access to tickets, storytelling workshops, livestreams, podcasts, fan meetups and special events. I've been shadowbanned on Social Media and having my accounts deleted is probably next. The only sure way we can connect if that happens is for you to sign up for Bawdy's email newsletter. Please ask your friends to sign up, too. Let's be Friends!   Patreon Special Offer:   All-You-Can-Eat Special: Need some Entertainment for this long Holiday weekend? Right now, I have an End of Year Special Offer: 40+ Hours of Bawdy! Sign up (or Increase your support) for Bawdy's Patreon and you get: • 16 Full Livestreams Stories from Margaret Cho, Sunny Megatron, Dirty Lola, Slutever, ReidAboutSex and many more • Music from Rachel Lark, Jefferson Bergey, Shirley Gnome - All your favorites You'll be helping Dixie fulfill her Bawdy Storytelling Tour Dreams • Available at the $25/month or greater level at: https://www.patreon.com/Bawdy   Bawdy still exists, Thanks to our Patreon supporters! Join Bawdy's Patreon now to get exclusive Patreon-only rewards (and my eternal gratitude)   Looking for another way to ensure this podcast continues? Donate at:   Venmo: Venmo.com/BawdyStorytelling Paypal: paypal.me/bawdystorytelling Zelle: BawdyStorytelling@gmail.com BuyMeACoffee: buymeacoff.ee/bawdy And your Airline Miles will help immensely with this upcoming Tour, too. By the way: THANK YOU for considering it.   PRIVATE COACHING with Dixie: Want to work one-on-one with me? Right now I'm offering personal branding (your dating profile, website, etc), Storycoaching a nervous new keynote speaker, and I help develop documentaries, craft personal stories for the stage, and write their books - because storytelling is everywhere you wanna be. I can help you live the life that you've always dreamed about: communicate with clarity, help you land your dream job, and discover your own story … Whether it's getting onstage for the first time, writing your memoir, creating a podcast, or learning brand storytelling for your business, I can help. Email me at BawdyStorytelling@gmail.com and let's make it happen.   My upcoming Substack 'The Dixie Ramble' is at https://substack.com/profile/22550258-dixie-de-la-tour #Subscribe   Bawdy Got Me Laid perfume, Bawdy Butter & more: Dixie has created her own fragrance: You'll love #BawdyGotMeLaid perfume, scented with golden honey, amber, ylang ylang, and warm vanilla. There's also our (scented or unscented) creamy Bawdy Butter, Hair & Bawdy Oil, & more. Bawdy Got Me Laid Merchandise means you can deliver your own great smelling Motorboats while supporting Dixie and Bawdy. Get yours today at https://bawdystorytelling.com/merchandise   Check out our Bawdy Storytelling Fiends and Fans group on Facebook - it's a place to discuss the podcast's stories with the storytellers, share thoughts with your fellow listeners, & help Dixie make the podcast even better. Just answer 3 simple questions and you're IN! https://www.facebook.com/groups/360169851578316/   Thank you to the Team that makes this podcast possible! Team Bawdy is:   Podcast Producer: Roman Den Houdijker Sound Engineer: David Grosof Storytelling support by Mosa Maxwell-Smith Dixie's Virtual Assistant is Roillan James Video & Livestream support from Donal Mooney Bawdy's Creator & Podcast Host is Dixie De La Tour & Thank you to Pleasure Podcasts. Bawdy Storytelling is proud to be part of your s*x-positive podcast collective!   Website: https://bawdystorytelling.com/ On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bawdystorytelling/ Like us at www.Facebook.com/BawdyStorytelling Join us on FetLife: https://fetlife.com/groups/46341 Support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/Bawdy Watch us on YouTube at http://bit.ly/BawdyTV Find out about upcoming Podcast episodes - & Livestreams - at www.BawdyStorytelling.com/subscribe  

Dr. Patrick McGrath is the Chief Clinical Officer at NOCD, where he oversees the OCD specialists as well as the clinical protocols of the company. He is also a Lead Psychologist at Ascension Illinois Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital, where he also treats OCD and anxiety disorders. Beyond OCD and anxiety, he works with a variety of medical and mental concerns such as school refusal, perinatal issues,trauma, and co-occuring substance use. Apart from having worked in the medical field for 24 years, he is also an author, having written the books "Don't Try Harder, Try Different," and "The OCD Answer Book."  In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ An overview of the psychiatric industry and where it is today ◾️ Dr. McGrath's experience in treating OCD and anxiety disorders ◾️ Key indicators of a successful recovery from OCD Find Patrick here:   patrickmcgrath@nocdhelp.com nocd.com Find Zach here : zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call.

How do you go from being a Gay Baptist Republican to the Biggest Freak Meme on the Internet? Infamous Pron Clown Ouchy the Clown tells his Origin Story, from his quiet Queer roots in Texas to the life-changing visit to Burning Man that changed everything. Returning to Oakland with 70+ new best friends and an appreciation for people who can juggle sh*t, our pal Doug dons a leather harness, Doc Martins and greasepaint, and naively slides down an underground s*x party's fire pole into their Dungeon. Soon he's Famous on the Net, gives birth to the P*rn Clown Posse, is being flown around the country to jump out of a Refrigerator Box, and is notorious for introducing strangers to his irreverent, lighthearted approach to K!nk. And this week, Dixie fights Corporate Healthcare to help Helen tell her Cancer story, right there in the Chemo chair. Never give up! #RestInPeaceOuchy   Song: ‘Carousel' (Melanie Martinez)   Queer l Clown l Leather | Subculture l S*xual Underground l Splosh l Dad Joke | Burning Man l P*rn Clown Posse l Tattoo l Hentai l Tentacle Pron l Electric Flyswatter l Spandex l Gay l Republican I Baptist l Morning Radio l DJ l Johnny Toxic l Dating Site l K!nk l Service Bottom l Penn & Teller l Cancer l Watersports l Food Play l Rubber l Safeword l K!nk l Logical Family | Sanguination l Clown Nose l Black Sheets l St. Andrews Cross l K!nky Salon l Polly Superstar l website l   About our Storyteller:   Ouchy the Clown was born in the Animal car of a Circus train in 1998. His parents were Delbert the Strong Man Messhuganutz, and Hortense the Ticket lady. Ouchy's formative years were spent on Alaskan Fishing boats, at Rodeos, in sloppy BDSM Dungeons, Sewers, Clown cars, Tiny bicycles, and Strip Bars with no windows. His favorite color is Ouch, and he loves Dad Jokes and pinching you while you are not looking. Ouchy is certified in nothing, and a legend in his own mind (and in the mind of anyone who knew him).   Episode links: NOCD.com : OCD is more than what you see on TV and in the movies. Imagine having unwanted thoughts about your sexuality stuck in your head all day no matter how hard you try to make them go away. Relationship OCD is an often overlooked subtypes of OCD that come with unrelenting intrusive images, thoughts and urges about your partner, loved one, or sexuality.   If you think you may be struggling with Relationship OCD, there's hope. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD.   With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists. It's affordable and they accept most major insurance plans.   Breaking the OCD cycle takes effective treatment.To get started, go to https://www.NOCD.com/ to book a free 15-minute call.   WORKSHOP:   Next Week! 'How to Be Fascinating: Dixie's Secret System for Brilliant Storytelling' is happening live and in-person. It's an all day workshop happening on Sunday, December 3rd in San Francisco, and there's just a couple of spots left… Join Dixie and a fun/small/open-minded group of storytellers-to-be, where you'll learn Dixie's incredibly easy (and super secret) method. Soon, you'll rock that job interview, excel at public speaking, feel more at ease on dates, learn to fully express yourself and yes, even stand onstage and deliver a standing-ovation worthy chapter from your life. You'll find my unique story method valuable because once you learn how, you'll know the secret of telling a great story forever. #LifeSkills #NotJustBawdy   How to Be Fascinating Workshop in San Francisco Date: Sunday, December 3rd (10 AM - 5 PM) Register now at https://tinyurl.com/HTBFWorkshopSFO Not in San Francisco? Contact me and we can work together! Email Dixie at BawdyStorytelling@gmail.com   SUBSCRIBE: Want to be the first to know where Bawdy is headed to on our National Tour? I'm trying to bring Bawdy to YOUR city.   Subscribe to the Bawdy Storytelling email list at https://bawdystorytelling.com/subscribe   You'll be the first to see upcoming tour dates, get access to tickets, storytelling workshops, livestreams, podcasts, fan meetups and special events. I've been shadowbanned on Social Media and having my accounts deleted is probably next. The only sure way we can connect if that happens is for you to sign up for Bawdy's email newsletter. Please ask your friends to sign up, too. Let's be Friends!   I'm the Special Guest Host on this week's Risk! Podcast ! It'll be available on Thursday, November 23rd, and I'm the host of their first ever 'S*x Stories' episode. Available wherever you listen to Podcasts. Happy Thanksgiving! #ThanksKevin   Patreon Special Offer:   All-You-Can-Eat Special: Need some Entertainment for this long Holiday weekend? Right now, I have an End of Year Special Offer: 40+ Hours of Bawdy! Sign up (or Increase your support) for Bawdy's Patreon and you get: • 16 Full Livestreams Stories from Margaret Cho, Sunny Megatron, Dirty Lola, Slutever, ReidAboutSex and many more • Music from Rachel Lark, Jefferson Bergey, Shirley Gnome - All your favorites You'll be helping Dixie fulfill her Bawdy Storytelling Tour Dreams • Available at the $25/month or greater level at: https://www.patreon.com/Bawdy   Bawdy still exists, Thanks to our Patreon supporters! Join Bawdy's Patreon now to get exclusive Patreon-only rewards (and my eternal gratitude)     Looking for another way to Keep Us Going? Donate at:   Venmo: Venmo.com/BawdyStorytelling Paypal: paypal.me/bawdystorytelling Zelle: BawdyStorytelling@gmail.com BuyMeACoffee: buymeacoff.ee/bawdy CashApp: $DixieDeLaTour And THANK YOU!   PRIVATE COACHING with Dixie: Want to work one-on-one with me? Right now I'm offering personal branding (your dating profile, website, etc), Storycoaching a nervous new keynote speaker, and I help develop documentaries, craft personal stories for the stage, and write their books - because storytelling is everywhere you wanna be. I can help you live the life that you've always dreamed about: communicate with clarity, help you land your dream job, and discover your own story … Whether it's getting onstage for the first time, writing your memoir, creating a podcast, or learning brand storytelling for your business, I can help. Email me at BawdyStorytelling@gmail.com and let's make it happen.   My upcoming Substack 'The Dixie Ramble' is at https://substack.com/profile/22550258-dixie-de-la-tour #Subscribe   What is Substack? Substack is an email newsletter platform (made up of text, audio, video, etc) known for its hands off approach to censorship. While there are still some publishing guidelines (no porn, hate speech or harassment, for example), the platform's lack of gatekeeping has attracted both ground-breaking journalists and some seriously controversial writers”. https://blog.hootsuite.com/what-is-substack/   Bawdy Got Me Laid perfume, Bawdy Butter & more: Dixie has created her own fragrance: You'll love #BawdyGotMeLaid perfume, scented with golden honey, amber, ylang ylang, and warm vanilla. There's also our (scented or unscented) creamy Bawdy Butter, Hair & Bawdy Oil, & more. Bawdy Got Me Laid Merchandise means you can deliver your own great smelling Motorboats while supporting Dixie and Bawdy. Get yours today at https://bawdystorytelling.com/merchandise   Check out our Bawdy Storytelling Fiends and Fans group on Facebook - it's a place to discuss the podcast's stories with the storytellers, share thoughts with your fellow listeners, & help Dixie make the podcast even better. Just answer 3 simple questions and you're IN! https://www.facebook.com/groups/360169851578316/   Thank you to the Team that makes this podcast possible! Team Bawdy is:   Podcast Producer: Roman Den houdijker Sound Engineer: David Grosof Storytelling support by Mosa Maxwell-Smith Dixie's Virtual Assistant is Roillan James Video & Livestream support from Donal Mooney Bawdy's Creator & Podcast Host is Dixie De La Tour & Thank you to Pleasure Podcasts. Bawdy Storytelling is proud to be part of your s*x-positive podcast collective!   Website: https://bawdystorytelling.com/ On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bawdystorytelling/ Like us at www.Facebook.com/BawdyStorytelling Join us on FetLife: https://fetlife.com/groups/46341 Support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/Bawdy Watch us on YouTube at http://bit.ly/BawdyTV Find out about upcoming Podcast episodes - & Livestreams - at www.BawdyStorytelling.com/subscribe  

Dr. Ashley Smith is a licensed clinical psychologist, co-founder of Peak Mind: The Center for Psychological Strength, and a self-proclaimed happiness quester. Since earning her PhD in 2007, she has become a sought-after specialist in the treatment of anxiety disorders. In addition to direct patient care, Dr. Ashley has published a book, articles, and a weekly blog. She regularly provides keynotes, workshops, and trainings for a variety of audiences and is involved in public outreach through the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Dr. Ashley is also open about living - and learning to thrive - with a rare visual impairment. The combination of her professional expertise and personal experiences put her in a unique position to educate and inspire. She is passionate about helping others live bold, happy lives through the use of psychology and applied neuroscience, and her ultimate goal is to change the way people think.   In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ Uncertainty, adversity, and knowing limitations when dealing with mental illness ◾️ Dr. Ashley's personal experience with mental illness ◾️ Dr. Ashley's approach in treating individual patients Find Ashley here:   drashleysmith.com Find Zach here : zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call.

Ever needed to juice up your marriage?   Have you ever talked to your wife about fucking a dude together? Burlesque, Drag and Theater sensation Bambi Galore is married to a woman, and they decide that what they need to juice up their marriage  is to pick up some bio-cock together. So Bambi and Heidi create their Threesome Manifesto and head out of town, only to battle whiskey dick, plates of coke, break-ins, Shane from the L Word crashing their threesome, and more. Will they achieve their FFM fantasy? And Dixie signs up for a Cancer Adventure, and embarks on a Secret Mission.   Song: 'Big Dick' (Little Big)   Queer l Addictive Personality l Police | Lesbian l Naked l Poet l Emotional l Robbery l Cigar l Ruined l Burlesque Regalia | Costume l Texting l Full Mast l Eye Contact l Wink l Squirt l All Nighter l Condoms l 6 Pack I Broken Window l Fantasy l Goal l Manifesto l Oprah l Cancer l Anatomical Cock l Bobbing Action l Wannabe l Threesome | Performer l Drinking l Snorting l Artist l Erect l New York's Finest l   About our Storyteller:   Bambi Galore is a human cannonball of filth and glitter.  For well over a decade, she has been subverting gender and sexuality through burlesque, drag and theater. Starting off in DC and then traveling to the the bright lights of New York City, she is a staple performer to the Baltimore scene. Bambi has won Best Drag Performer awards, but the best title she has received has been the title of Mom. She is truly a chameleon of tease.   Episode links: NOCD.com : OCD is more than what you see on TV and in the movies. Imagine having unwanted thoughts about your sexuality stuck in your head all day no matter how hard you try to make them go away. Relationship OCD is an often overlooked subtypes of OCD that come with unrelenting intrusive images, thoughts and urges about your partner, loved one, or sexuality.   If you think you may be struggling with Relationship OCD, there's hope. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD.   With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists. It's affordable and they accept most major insurance plans.   Breaking the OCD cycle takes effective treatment.To get started, go to https://www.NOCD.com/ to book a free 15-minute call.   WORKSHOP:   'How to Be Fascinating: Dixie's Secret System for Brilliant Storytelling' is happening live and in-person. It's an all day workshop happening on Sunday, December 3rd in San Francisco, and there's just a couple of spots left… Join Dixie and a fun/small/open-minded group of storytellers-to-be, where you'll learn Dixie's incredibly easy (and super secret) method. Soon, you'll rock that job interview, excel at public speaking, feel more at ease on dates, learn to fully express yourself and yes, even stand onstage and deliver a standing-ovation worthy chapter from your life. You'll find my unique story method valuable because once you learn how, you'll know the secret of telling a great story forever. #LifeSkills #NotJustBawdy   How to Be Fascinating Workshop in San Francisco Date: Sunday, December 3rd (10 AM - 5 PM) Register now at https://tinyurl.com/HTBFWorkshopSFO Not in San Francisco? Contact me and we can work together, one on one! Just email Dixie at BawdyStorytelling@gmail.com and let's have a discovery call to talk about your hopes and dreams, storywise.   SUBSCRIBE: Want to be the first to know where Bawdy is headed to on our National Tour? I'm trying to bring Bawdy to YOUR city.   Subscribe to the Bawdy Storytelling email list at https://bawdystorytelling.com/subscribe   You'll be the first to see upcoming tour dates, get access to tickets, storytelling workshops, livestreams, podcasts, fan meetups and special events. I've been shadowbanned on Social Media and having my accounts deleted is probably next. The only sure way we can connect if that happens is for you to sign up for Bawdy's email newsletter. Please ask your friends to sign up, too. Let's be Friends!   Patreon: Bawdy still exists, Thanks to our Patreon supporters. But we're still in dire financial straits, and every dollar matters SO MUCH right now. I want to keep producing, archiving and sharing these exceptional, one-of-a-kind true stories for you for a long, long time - but I'm totally dependent on Bawdy's audience to continue. Would you please help?   Join Bawdy's Patreon now to get exclusive Patreon-only rewards, and my eternal gratitude. Become a Member now: https://www.patreon.com/Bawdy   Every dollar you send our way ensures that we will make it through this, so please, Help (before it's too late). Please consider a donation (of any amount) to our Patreon, or through a one-time donation below. I'd be so grateful!   Looking for another way to Keep Us Going? Our donation links are:   Venmo: Venmo.com/BawdyStorytelling Paypal: paypal.me/bawdystorytelling Zelle: BawdyStorytelling@gmail.com BuyMeACoffee: buymeacoff.ee/bawdy CashApp: $DixieDeLaTour And THANK YOU!   PRIVATE COACHING with Dixie: Want to work one-on-one with me? Right now I'm offering personal branding (your dating profile, website, etc), Storycoaching a nervous new keynote speaker, and I help develop documentaries, craft personal stories for the stage, and write their books - because storytelling is everywhere you wanna be. I can help you live the life that you've always dreamed about: communicate with clarity, help you land your dream job, and discover your own story … Whether it's getting onstage for the first time, writing your memoir, creating a podcast, or learning brand storytelling for your business, I can help. Email me at BawdyStorytelling@gmail.com and let's make it happen.   My upcoming Substack 'The Dixie Ramble' is at https://substack.com/profile/22550258-dixie-de-la-tour #Subscribe   What is Substack? Substack is an email newsletter platform (made up of text, audio, video, etc) known for its hands off approach to censorship. While there are still some publishing guidelines (no porn, hate speech or harassment, for example), the platform's lack of gatekeeping has attracted both ground-breaking journalists and some seriously controversial writers”. https://blog.hootsuite.com/what-is-substack/   Bawdy Got Me Laid perfume, Bawdy Butter & more: Dixie has created her own fragrance: You'll love #BawdyGotMeLaid perfume, scented with golden honey, amber, ylang ylang, and warm vanilla. There's also our (scented or unscented) creamy Bawdy Butter, Hair & Bawdy Oil, & more. Bawdy Got Me Laid Merchandise means you can deliver your own great smelling Motorboats while supporting Dixie and Bawdy. Get yours today at https://bawdystorytelling.com/merchandise   Check out our Bawdy Storytelling Fiends and Fans group on Facebook - it's a place to discuss the podcast's stories with the storytellers, share thoughts with your fellow listeners, & help Dixie make the podcast even better. Just answer 3 simple questions and you're IN! https://www.facebook.com/groups/360169851578316/   Thank you to the Team that makes this podcast possible! Team Bawdy is:   Podcast Producer: Roman Den houdijker Sound Engineer: David Grosof Storytelling support by Mosa Maxwell-Smith Dixie's Virtual Assistant is Roillan James Video & Livestream support from Donal Mooney Bawdy's Creator & Podcast Host is Dixie De La Tour & Thank you to Pleasure Podcasts. 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Ilyas Patanam is the Chief Growth Officer of NOCD, a group of like-minded individuals working together to help millions of people around the world with OCD regain their lives. NOCD's mission is to help people with OCD alleviate their struggles through better awareness and treatment. Ilyas' role in NOCD is centered on increasing awareness in OCD, while also working to destigmatize it. From there, his role switches to ensuring that they understand what effective treatment looks like and finding ways to make it accessible for all types of patients. In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ Discovery and awareness of OCD ◾️ The first steps in getting OCD treated ◾️ The long term recovery and management of having OCD and how NOCD can help achieve this Find Ilyas here:   treatmyocd.com Find Zach here : zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call.

Eric Kupers is the co-director of Dandelion Dancetheater and an Associate Professor of Dance at Cal State University East Bay. As an instructor of inclusive performance, he experiments vigorously all year-round with any kind of performances -- from dance, music, theater, spiritual practice, and social activism -- for people with and without disabilities and of diverse body identities and artistic backgrounds. He has struggled with OCD since he was a child but had only found out about CBT and ERP in his early 30's. His struggles lead him to sharing his story and wanting to help those who suffered the same and had no direction in their healing. His art is a testament to his advocacy of not letting anyone who suffers their silent battles feel alone, which is why the radical inclusion of all kinds of people is the basis of his curriculum. In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ Eric's personal background with his mental health ◾️ Spirituality and applying it to managing mental health ◾️ CBT, ERP, and performance and art in Eric's struggle with OCD Find Eric here:  dandeliondancetheater.org eric.ray.kupers@gmail.com Find Zach here : zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call.

Kristen is a psychotherapist who has been working in the industry for 15 years. She is also a survivor of perfectionism and anxiety, which later on developed into OCD and BDD. This fueled her passion of helping people who suffer the same things to a path of recovery, using her own experiences as a guide. In her practice, Kristen integrates a humanistic approach, integrating it into Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Self-compassion Focused Therapy when treating her patients. In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ Personal experiences that triggered her OCD ◾️ ERP, ACT, and CFT in OCD treatment ◾️ Kristen's personal struggles with mental health and how she deals with it today Find Kristen here:  kristenbaileycounselling.com Find Zach here : zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call.

Amy Diener is an artist that specializes in dot paintings. She had been struggling with OCD since her high school years, but has been utilizing her art to heal and deal with her mental health. She finds peace and zen in making her paintings made of dots and solely relied on art as an avenue for healing, but as she grew older, she learned of the many other ways to aid in her healing from OCD, such as ERP. She now has a deeper understanding of the mental illness and has developed to live without fear of having OCD. Today, she continues her passion for art and even donates a portion of proceeds in supporting the International OCD Foundation.   In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ Amy's personal journey with OCD ◾️ Her art and how it helped her with navigating her thoughts ◾️ Therapy, medication, and other technicalities of OCD Find Amy here:  amydiener.com Find Zach here : zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call.

Elliot Kallen is the founder of A Brighter Day, a non-profit charity aimed at spreading awareness about depression and suicide prevention for teens and parents. After losing their son who took his own life in 2016, Elliot and his wife, Tammy, put together the charity in hopes of supporting young adults in their transition to adulthood to prevent teen suicide.  In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ What is depression ◾️ Warning signs of suicidal ideation and how to prevent it ◾️ Communication and being present in difficult times for teens Find Elliot here: abrighterday.info Find Zach here : zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call.

Ben Eckstein is a licensed clinical social worker from Durham, North Carolina. He founded Bull City Anxiety in 2014, a private practice where a small group of other licensed therapists treat patients suffering from OCD and anxiety. He has worked in a variety of settings, including inpatient psychiatry, residential treatment, and outpatient clinics. Ben has treated many patients suffering from OCD and related disorders with a multitude of approaches, such as CBT, ERP, ACT, and more. In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Metacognitive Therapy, and other forms of treating OCD. ◾️ Obsessions and what makes OCD. ◾️ Steps to make to treat OCD. Find Ben here: bullcityanxiety.com @bullcityanxiety His book, Worrying Is Optional will also be available on November 1, 2023. Find Zach here : zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call.

In this week's episode, we welcome back the Founder and CEO of From Survivor to Thriver, Erik DaRosa. He still continues his work as a mental health advocate and speaker apart from his work at From Survivor to Thriver. Today, we take on a casual approach to discussing each other's experiences with mental health as it is Erik's goal to get rid of the stigma of mental health discourse and normalize it as a topic in daily conversation. In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ Each other's personal experiences with OCD and mental health ◾️ The importance of normalizing the topic of mental health in casual conversations ◾️ Knowing that we are never alone in our journey through mental health Find Erik here: @skisherpa fromsurvivortothriver.com/ Find Zach here : zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call.

Jenna Schloss is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker located in Illinois. She treats mainly clients suffering from OCD, but also tackles generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and other related illnesses. Her  approach to treating said disorders cover many grounds as she uses Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Acceptant and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). Although she may sound like your textbook psychotherapist, she believes that laughter is an essential part of life and mental health. This translates to how she tailor-makes her approach to each individual and their own personal goal. If you book a session with Jenna, don't forget to give her executive assistant, Maddie, a belly-rub (she's a dog).  In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ Anxiety and white knuckling  ◾️ Acceptance in therapy vs. acceptance in day-to-day life ◾️ The impact of the "pause" after acknowledging the presence of OCD Find Jenna here: @ocdchicago Find Zach here : zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call.

Stefan Batorjis is a qualified integrative psychotherapist and mountain leader, facilitating people in natural environments for over 20 years. He is the founder of Nature & Therapy UK , which was created as a response to the growing need to foster a spiritual and psychological connection to land. He also established the Ecotherapy Project in 2008 with the Plymouth NHS for people in need of mental health care. Apart from his ecotherapy projects, Stefan is an associate lecturer at Plymouth University, teaching the role of nature in mental health and recovery from trauma.  In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ The healing power of nature to our brains ◾️ How the brain is overstimulated and the need for its homeostasis and nature ◾️ The Human Givens approach Find Stefan here: stefan@natureandtherapy.co.uk Find Zach here : zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call.

Doctor Sean Sullivan is a licensed clinical psychologist and the CEO of OnePerfect, a platform focusing on wellness of mental health through "Shifts," which are personalized mindset "shifting" experiences. Doctor Sullivan's research is focused on applying technology to improve mental health, mostly with regards to helping his patients shift their state of mind on demand. Outside of Shift Therapy, he has written psychology books and produced digital psychology content and interventions, such as self-help book apps and a high-performance brain training program at 30-Day Brain and One Perfect Meditation. In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ What Shift Therapy is ◾️ Technology in treating mental health ◾️ Mindfulness and shifting Find Sean here: www.oneperfectshift.com Find Zach here : zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck   This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call.    

Paris had gone through a long bout with bipolar disorder through her life. After several years of misdiagnoses and being in and out of a psychiatric hospital, she is now able to manage her mental health. Paris spreads awareness about the disorder through hosting the Live Well Bipolar podcast. She is also the author of Crooked Illness : Lessons From Inside & Outside Hospital Walls where she shares her experiences as both a patient and as someone working in the behavioral health field. In this episode we talk about:  ◾️ An in depth look into bipolar disorder ◾️ Changing relationships and establishing a support system ◾️ Managing the disorder in day to day life Find Paris here: @livewellbipolar Find Zach here: zachwesterbeck.com @zach_westerbeck   This podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, affordable, and convenient OCD therapy. NOCD therapists are trained in Exposure Response Prevention, or ERP, therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. With NOCD, you can do virtual, live face-to-face video sessions with one of their licensed, specialty-trained therapists, and they accept most major insurance plans. If your insurance isn't covered, mention discount code ZACH100 for a special $100 rate for the next two months. To find out more about NOCD, visit zachwesterbeck.com/virtual-ocd-therapy/ to book a free 15-minute call.

In this deeply insightful and compassionate podcast episode, we focus on providing support and guidance to parents who have children diagnosed with anxiety. Join us as we delve into the challenges parents may face and offer practical strategies to foster a nurturing and understanding environment for both the child and the entire family. Through open and honest conversations, we address common concerns and misconceptions surrounding childhood anxiety. Our guest shares valuable insights on recognizing anxiety symptoms, understanding its triggers, and creating a supportive home environment that encourages emotional well-being. Join us as we foster a community of understanding, empathy, and empowerment for parents navigating the path of childhood anxiety. Together, let's provide a safe space for parents to share their concerns, gain practical insights, and learn from the experiences of others. This episode aims to offer valuable guidance, encouragement, and resources to parents as they embark on a journey of nurturing calm and emotional well-being for their anxious children. Let's empower parents with the knowledge and tools they need to create a loving and supportive environment where their children can thrive, despite the challenges of anxiety. About Dawn Dawn runs Child Anxiety Support, a membership program for parents of anxious children. Research shows that working with parents is the most effective way to treat child anxiety. Dawn's program gives parents the support and information they need to free their families from the trap of child anxiety.  Dawn's master's is in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of Dayton. She is trained in the SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) method and Exposure Response Prevention (the treatment of choice for OCD). She has post-grad certification in Infant-Toddler Mental Health from Arcadia University and completed the certification training for postpartum mood disorders through Postpartum Support International.Dawn's work is further informed by her time as a parent educator for the Oregon State Extension Services and as an instructor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at the Ohio State University. Learn more from Dawn at: https://childanxietysupport.com/ About Theresa Inman A wife and a mother to two children and grandmother, Theresa Alexander Inman is a Parenting Coach, Board Certified Behavior Analyst, and Infant Toddler Development Specialist. She was introduced to the field of behavior analysis in 2007 after working in many capacities in the juvenile justice system. Her goal is to improve the lives of children and families by helping them strategize child develop skills to prevent or reduce the effects of possible delays while having fun! Theresa is also an author, having published ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“How Can I Help My Child Communicate?”⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ in 2022. Connect with Theresa today! Instagram | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Theresa Inman⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Theresa Inman⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ BabyBoomer.org | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Theresa Inman⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Parenting with Confidence⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Tiktok | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Parenting Bytes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Spotify via Anchor.fm | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Parenting with Confidence ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ About Parenting with Confidence Parenting with Confidence with Theresa Alexander Inman presents you with answers if you are a tired and frustrated parent with a child diagnosed with a developmental delay. We aim to lift you up from the pressure of doing it right and provide you with the resources to set you and your child up for success! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theresa-alexander-inman/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theresa-alexander-inman/support

Learn #allthingsocd with the OCD Whisperer Channel.   OCD Survival Kit: get your free resource with podcasts, books, and bonus worksheets. Go to www.korresults.com/onlineresources *** Join me and our guest Paul McCarrol as we delve into the world of OCD, providing valuable insights and shedding light on how we can navigate our internal struggles with choice and empowerment.   In this episode, we tackle three essential questions: Why do people with OCD engage in compulsions? What are healthy alternatives to compulsions? The role of stress and exhaustion in OCD.   We aim to illustrate that we have the power to choose how we respond to our challenging internal experiences. Discover strategies for breaking free from the grip of OCD using Exposure Response Prevention, embracing healthier alternatives, and managing stress effectively. Subscribe now to embark on a journey of understanding, empowerment, and choice. Together, let's challenge the stigma surrounding OCD and inspire others to take control of their lives. Paul McCarrol can be found at: https://www.befreefromocd.com/ *** Please note, 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 bi-weekly 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!  

If your anxious kid has been going to therapy for a long time but it seems to be ineffective, then your kid might be suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and not anxiety. OCD and anxiety are two disorders that are closely tied to each other but at the same time, they're different and separate from each other. And thus, the need to distinguish between the two since there's not enough discussion about it when in fact, it's important.We have nowhere to go but upWhen someone comes in and gets diagnosed with OCD, I don't look at that problem negatively. Parents have to be reminded that we have nowhere to go but up instead of scaring them and labelling it as the worst case scenario.Although before starting Exposure Response Prevention, I felt like there was a better success rate with people having heroin addiction as compared to those diagnosed with OCD.Sometimes, neurofeedback and other therapies are just not enough to stop these intrusive thoughts that creep into the minds of people with OCD. Just imagine how this would significantly affect a kid with OCD who has been hijacked with fear. When we answer questions, we're reinforcing their irrational fearsWhat most parents don't know is that they've been feeding OCD whenever they entertain and answer questions. They have been unintentionally and unknowingly reinforcing irrational fears into the brain of their kid.There's no need to freak out because there's a solution for you besides neurofeedback and therapies, and that is Exposure and Response Prevention. We will also be releasing a supplement line for OCD which you might want to watch out for.The difference between OCD and anxietyMany miss the difference between OCD and anxiety in terms of understanding. While OCD often starts with a nexus of anxiety, anxiety has a real worry. In line with this, the basis of OCD is from a minor part of reality but generally, it is completely irrational whereas anxiety is the basis of reality. Obsessive compulsive disorder or what we've been calling as OCD stems from irrational fears or uncontrollable and intrusive thoughts. The obsessions are all in an effort to avoid something bad from happening.With anxiety, it's centred more on worries about things. And so, you can still have a brain that is looping and not turning off but it can be very real. There are many nuances to OCD thoughts which result in people seeking therapy. On the outside, particularly for kids, they might have worried questions, or they might be pulling back and be afraid of trying new things. There are many ways of identifying OCD.If you're unsure if your kid has OCD or anxiety, it's best to seek help from a licensed mental health professional who would be able to identify and assess your kid's mental health condition. Whatever you wish to do, make sure you seek help because both OCD and anxiety can be treatment resistant.Kids are afraid to share what their obsessions areTo reiterate and emphasize, people suffering from OCD have these uncontrollable and irrational fears and such intrusive thoughts are just too much to handle, especially for younger kids. Kids are afraid to share what their obsessions are, because they're often very dark and scary. Instead of sharing these obsessive thoughts, they usually say things to reject engaging in a conversation with their parents or they just ignore.Understanding is a vital part of getting your kids to talk to you about their obsessions. For some, it's going to be a tougher task to take but we all know parenting is hard and there are many ups and downs. But remember that no matter what is going on with your kid and family, whether it's anxiety, or OCD, it's gonna be okay. Just take one step toward a solution. Watch out for more episodes as we

Welcome back to The Deep Talk! In this episode, I'm joined by Jenna Overbaugh — licensed professional counselor specializing in OCD and anxiety. She uses evidence based treatments, namely Exposure and Response Prevention, to help people understand these conditions and feel more empowered to recover. In this episode, we'll talk about: Jenna's path to becoming a therapist & her why for specializing in OCD/anxiety  OCD vs anxiety  How OCD can show up in everyday life How we can overcome the ways OCD & anxiety show up & better tolerating uncertainty The benefits of Exposure & Response Prevention as treatment Resources/advice for getting support with OCD/anxiety If you liked this episode, share on your IG story and tag me @wellnessmads. I'd love to hear what you learned!  And, don't forget to hit that follow button so you never miss a future episode, and leave a review so I can reach more listeners just like you who are looking to connect deeper with themselves, cultivate authentic relationships, align their careers to their passions and overall, build a big, beautiful life.  CONNECT WITH MADISON: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wellnessmads/ Website: https://madisonbrandt.com/ Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@madison.brandt CONNECT WITH JENNA  Instagram: https://www.jennaoverbaugh.com/ Website: https://www.jennaoverbaugh.com/ Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-the-hard-things/id1526993843

In episode 163 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Shaun Flores. Shaun Flores a podcaster, presenter and mental health advocate. He is the host of ‘The Flower Hour' where he talks to people from all backgrounds about their journey through life. In this episode we discuss Shaun's lived experience of OCD and his diagnosis in April 2022, particularly ‘Pure-O' which is a severe form of the neurological condition and how it manifests itself in his thoughts and his day-to-day life. 2022 has also been an extremely difficult year for Shaun. He has had to deal with multiple periods of grief when his cousin was murdered aged 24 in Trinidad, his aunt on his mother's side died in October 2022 and his half-brother on his father's side aged 62 to bowel cancer. The grief that had the biggest impact on him was the loss of his dad when he was aged six on Christmas Day. We discuss how he adjusted to a new male figure when his step-dad entered his life and how a form of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) called Exposure Response Prevention has helped him massively with his recovery. We finish by discussing the journey he has gone on to become a mental health advocate for greater awareness around OCD, how he turned his negative experience into a positive and the stigmas that exist within the black community when it comes to mental health. As always, #itsokaytovent You can subscribe to 'The Flower Hour' on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/@ShaunFlores You can follow Shaun on social media below: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theshaunflores/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/theshaunflores Support Us: Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpuk GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-health Merchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shop Music: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk TRIGGER WARNING: This podcast contains deep and detailed discussions about suicide and suicidality, grief and OCD which some listeners may find distressing or upsetting, so please listen with caution.

Hello again and welcome back to Well, Not Perfect.    I had an absolute blast putting on my clinical hat with our guest today.    Dr. McGrath currently serves as the Chief Clinical Officer for NOCD, an app-based platform for the treatment of OCD. He leads their teletherapy services across the world. He is also a Lead Psychologist at Ascension Illinois Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital, where he opened Intensive Outpatient, Partial Hospital, and Residential Treatment Programs for Anxiety Disorders, School Refusal, and OCD.    I've known Dr. McGrath for years and it was a privilege to get to pick his brain on this episode. He shares with us some of the exciting developments in the treatment of OCD and other anxiety disorders as well as some of the most interesting cases he's dealt with in his career.    There was an empowering golden thread throughout our conversation that I think is important for every listener to hear: that we as humans really are more capable of overcoming our fears than we may think.   In today's episode you will learn:  The evolution of therapeutic treatments, including Exposure Response Prevention; Strategies for supporting a loved one who struggles with an anxiety disorder; and Why it's crucial for us to be okay with short term emotional discomfort in order to benefit in the long term   Welcome to another episode of Well, Not Perfect.   To connect with Dr. McGrath & NOCD, you can find him at:  Website: www.nocd.com Books: “Don't Try Harder, Try Different” & “The OCD Answer Book” LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-mcgrath-37b981/ Study on the Effectiveness of Virtual ERP: https://www.treatmyocd.com/blog/could-virtual-erp-be-the-new-standard-of-treatment-for-ocd

Dawn has been working with, writing about, and supporting families for more than thirty years. Her experience as a family case manager, parent educator, and clinical counselor informs her work today supporting parents of anxious children. Dawn runs Child Anxiety Support, a membership program for parents of anxious children. Research shows that working with parents is the most effective way to treat child anxiety. Dawn's program gives parents the support and information they need to free their families from the trap of child anxiety.Dawn's masters is in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of Dayton. She is trained in the SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) method and Exposure Response Prevention (the treatment of choice for OCD). She has post-grad certification in Infant-Toddler Mental Health from Arcadia University, and completed the certification training for postpartum mood disorders through Postpartum Support International.For more great information and to contact Dawn for assistance, please visit:https://childanxietysupport.com/For more information and other valuable resources, make sure to subscribe, follow and visit our sites.Website: www.thevoiceofmany.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theevoiceofmany/?hl=enTwitter: https://twitter.com/TheVoiceofMany3Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Voice-of-ManyLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/the-voice-of-many-podcast-1417a81b7Support the show

Finding the Thing is a podcast about living as your best most authentic self, embracing difficulties, uncertainty and finding love and happiness within. If you love Brene Brown, or Glennon Doyle's We Can Do Hard Things, give us a listen. Think of our show like Ted Talks Daily but with Shannon and Emily weekly. Shannon attends the Behavior Therapy Training institute BTTI for Pediatric OCD through the International OCD Foundation IOCDF in Cleveland, Ohio. Shannon gets to learn from some of the best in the field including Eric Storch Baylor College of Medicine , Brad Riemann from Rogers Behavioral Health, Aureen Wagner author of The Worry Hill, and Dr Stephanie Eken. Shannon and Emily discuss this experience and how important it is to keep learning. Shannon discusses reinforcement of the habituation model for OCD treatment. #feelthefear #anxiety #cbt #ocdtherapist #erp #worryhill https://www.anxietywellness.com https://www.bcm.edu/people-search/eric-storch-31196 https://rogersbh.org https://www.thisiscleveland.com

SUMMARY:  In this weeks podcast, we have my dearest friend Shala Nicely talking about how she manages mental compulsions.  In this episode, Shala shares her lived experience with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and how she overcomes mental rituals. In This Episode: How to reduce mental compulsions for OCD and GAD. How to use Flooding Techniques with Mental Compulsions Magical Thinking and Mental Compulsions BDD and Mental Compulsions Links To Things I Talk About: Shalanicely.com Book: Is Fred in the Refridgerator? Book: Everyday Mindfulness for OCD ERP School: https://www.cbtschool.com/erp-school-lp Episode Sponsor: This episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit is brought to you by CBTschool.com.  CBTschool.com is a psychoeducation platform that provides courses and other online resources for people with anxiety, OCD, and Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors.  Go to cbtschool.com to learn more. Spread the love! Everyone needs tools for anxiety... If you like Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast, visit YOUR ANXIETY TOOLKIT PODCAST to subscribe free and you'll never miss an episode. And if you really like Your Anxiety Toolkit, I'd appreciate you telling a friend (maybe even two). EPISODE TRANSCRIPTION This is Your Anxiety Toolkit - Episode 284. Welcome back, everybody. We are on the third video or the third part of this six-part series on how to manage mental compulsions. Last week's episode with Jon Hershfield was bomb, like so good. And I will say that we, this week, have Shala Nicely, and she goes for it as well. So, I am so honored to have these amazing experts talking about mental compulsions, talking about what specific tools they use.  So, I'm not going to take too much time of the intro this time, because I know you just want to get to the content. Again, I just want to put a disclaimer. This should not replace professional mental health care. This series is for educational purposes only. My job at CBT School is to give you as much education as I can, knowing that you may or may not have access to care or treatment in your own home. So, I'm hoping that this fills in a gap that maybe we've missed in the past in terms of we have ERP School, that's an online course teaching you everything about ERP to get you started if you're doing that on your own. But this is a bigger topic. This is an area that I'd need to make a complete new course. But instead of making a course, I'm bringing these experts to you for free, hopefully giving you the tools that you need.  If you're wanting additional information about ERP School, please go to CBTSchool.com. With that being said, let's go straight over to this episode with Shala Nicely.  Kimberley: Welcome, Shala. I am so happy to have you here. Shala: I am so happy to be here. Thank you for having me. Kimberley: Okay. So, I have heard a little bit of your views on this, but I am actually so excited now to get into the juicy details of how you address mental compulsions or mental rituals. First, I want to check in with you, do you call them mental compulsions, rituals, rumination? How do you address them? Shala: Yeah. All those things. I also sometimes call it mental gymnastics up in your head, it's all sorts of things you're doing in your head to try to get some relief from anxiety. Kimberley: Right. So, if you had a patient or a client who really was struggling with mental compulsions, whether or not they were doing other compulsions as well, how might you address that particular part of their symptomology? Shala: So, let me answer that by stepping back a little bit and telling you about my own experience with this, because a lot of the way I do it is based on what I learned, trying to manage my own mental rituals. I've had OCD probably since I was five or six, untreated until I was 39. Stumbled upon the right treatment when I went to the IOCDF Conference and started doing exposure mostly on my own. I went to Reid Wilson's two-day group, where I learned how to do it. But the rest of the time, I was implementing on my own. And even though I had quite a few physical compulsions, I would've considered myself a primary mental ritualizer, meaning if we look at the majority, my compulsions were up in my head. And the way I think about this is I think that sometimes if you have OCD for long enough, and you've got to go out and keep functioning in the world and you can't do all these rituals so that people could see, because then people will be like, “What's wrong with you? What are you doing?” you take them inward. And some mental compulsions can take the place of physical compulsions that you're not able to do for whatever reason because you're trying to function. And I'd had untreated OCD for so long that most of my rituals were up in my head, not all, but the great majority of them.  Exposure & Response Prevention for Mental Compulsions So, when I started to do exposure, what I found was I could do exposure therapy, straight up going and facing my fears, like going and being around things that might be triggering all I wanted, but I wasn't necessarily getting better because I wasn't addressing the mental rituals. So, basically, I'm doing exposure without response prevention or exposure with partial response prevention, which can make things either worse or just neutralize your efforts. So, what I did was I figured out how to be in the presence of triggers and not be up in my head, trying to do analyzing, justifying, figuring it out, replaying the situation with a different ending, all the sorts of things that I would do over and over in my head. And the way I did this was I took something I learned from Jonathan Grayson and his book, Freedom From OCD. I know you're having him on for this series too. And he talked about doing all this ERP scripting, where you basically write out the worst-case scenario, what you think your OCD thinks is going to happen and you write it in either a worst-case way or an uncertainty-focused way. And what I did was after reading his book, I took that concept and I just shortened it down, and anything that my OCD was afraid of, I would just wrap may or may not surround it.  So, for instance, an example that I use in Is Fred in the Refrigerator?, my memoir, Taming OCD and Reclaiming My Life was that I used to-- when I was walking through stores like Target, if I saw one of those little plastic price tags that had fallen on the ground, if I didn't pick it up and put it out of harm's way, I was afraid somebody was going to slip and fall and break their neck. And it would be on some security camera that I just walked on past it and didn't do anything. So, a typical scrupulosity obsession. And so, going shopping was really hard because I'm cleaning up the store as I'm shopping. And so, what I would do is I would either go to Target, walk past the price tag. And then as I'm just passing the price tag, I would say things. And in Target, I obviously couldn't do this really out loud, mumble it out loud as best, but I may or may not cause somebody to kill themselves by they're going to slip and fall on that price tag because I didn't pick it up. I may or may not be an awful, terrible rotten human being. They may or may not catch me and throw me into jail. I may or may not rot in prison. People may or may not find out what a really bad person I really am. This may or may not be OCD, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.  And that would allow me to be present with the obsessions, all the what-ifs – those are basically what-ifs turned into ‘may or may nots' – without compulsing with them, without doing anything that would artificially lower my anxiety. So, it allowed me to be in the presence of those obsessive thoughts while interrupting the pattern of the mental rituals. And that's really how I use ‘may or may nots' and how I teach my clients to use ‘may or may nots' today is using them to really be mindfully present of what the OCD is worried about while not interacting with that content in a way that's going to make things worse. So, that's how I developed it for myself. And I think that-- and that is a tool that I would say is an intermediary tool. So, I use that now in my own recovery. I don't have to use 'may or may nots'. It's very often at all. If I get super triggered, which doesn't happen too terribly often, but if I get super triggered and I cannot get out of my head, I'll use 'may or may nots'.  But I think the continuum is that you try to do something to interrupt the mental rituals, which for me is the 'may or may nots'. You can also-- people can write down the scripts, they can do a worst-case scenario. But eventually, what you're trying to get to is you're trying to be able to hear the OCD, what-ifs in your head and completely ignore it. And I call that my shoulders back, the way of thinking about things. Just put your shoulders back and you move on with your day. You don't acknowledge it.  What I'll do with clients, I'll say, “If you had the thought of Blue Martian is going to land on my head, I mean, you wouldn't even do anything with that thought. That thought would just go in and go out and wouldn't get any of your attention.” That's the way we want to treat OCD, is just thoughts can be there. I'm not going to say, “Oh, that's my OCD.” I'm not going to say, “OCD, I'm not talking to you.” I'm not going to acknowledge it at all. I'm just going to treat it like any other weird thought that we have during the day and move on.  Your question was, how would you help somebody who comes in with mental rituals? Well, first, I want to understand where are they in their OCD recovery? How long have they been doing these mental rituals? What percentage of their compulsions are mental versus physical? What are the kind of things that their OCD is afraid of? Basically, make a list or a hierarchy of everything they're afraid of. And then we start working on exposure therapy. And when I have them do exposures, the first exposure I do with people, we'll find something that's-- I start in the middle of the hierarchy. You don't have to, but I try. And I will have them face the fear. But then I'll immediately ask them, what is your OCD saying right now? And they'll tell me, and I'll say, “I want you to repeat after me.” I have them do this, and everyone that I see hates this, but I have them do it. Standing up with their shoulders back like Wonder Woman, because this type of power pose helps them. It changes the chemistry of your body and helps you feel more powerful.  OCD thinks it's very powerful. So, I want my clients to feel as powerful as they can. So, I have them stand like Wonder Woman and they repeat after me. Somebody could-- let's just say we are standing near something red on the floor. And I'll say, “Well, what is your OCD saying right now?” And they'll say, “Well, that's blood and it could have AIDS in it, and I'm going to get sick.” I'll say, “Well, that may or may not be a spot of blood on the floor. I may or may not get sick and I may or may not get AIDS, but I want to do this. I'm going to stay here. OCD, I want to be anxious, so bring it on.”  And that's how we do the exposure, is I ask them what's in their head. I have them repeat it to me until they understand what the process is. And then I'm having them be in the presence of this and just script, script, script away. That's what I call it scripting, so that they are in the presence of whatever's bothering them, but they're not up in their head. And anytime something comes in their head, I teach them to pull it down into the script. Never let something be circulating in your head without saying it out loud and pulling it into the script.  I will work on this technique with clients as we're working on exposures, because eventually what we'll want to do is instead of going all over the place, “That may or may not be blood, I may or may not get AIDS, I may or may not get sick,” I'll say, “Okay, of all the things you've just said, what does your OCD-- what is your OCD scared of the most? Let's focus on that.” And so, “I may or may not get AIDS. I may or may not get AIDS. I may or may not have HIV. I may or may not get AIDS,” over again until people start to say, “Oh, okay. I guess I don't have any control over this,” because what we're trying to do is help the OCD habituate to the uncertainty. Habituate, I know that'd be a confusing word. You don't have to habituate in order for exposure to work due to the theory of inhibitory learning, but we're trying to help your brain get used to the uncertainty here. Kimberley: And break into a different cycle instead of doing the old rumination cycle.  Shala: Yes. And so then, I'll teach people to just find their scariest fear. They say that over and over and over again. Then let's hit the next one. “Well, my family may or may not survive if I die because if I get a fatal disease and I die and my family may or may not be left destitute,” and then over and over. “My family may or may not be left destitute. My family may or may not be left destitute, whatever,” until we're hitting all the things that could be circulating in your head.  Now, some people really don't need to do that scripting because they're not up in their head that much. But that's the minority of people. I think most people with OCD are doing something in their head. And a lot of people aren't aware of what they're doing because these mental rituals are incredibly subtle at times. And so, as people, as my clients go out and work on these exposures, I'll have them tell me how it's going. I have people fill out forms on my website each day as they're doing exposures so I can see what's going on. And if they're not really up in their head and they don't really need to do the ‘may or may nots', great. That's better. In fact, just go do the exposure and go on with your life. If they're up in their head, then I have them do the 'may or may nots'. And so, that's how I would start with somebody.  And so, what I'm trying to do is I'm giving them what I call a bridge tool. Because people who have been mental ritualizing for a long time, I have found it's virtually impossible to just stop because that's what your mind is used to doing. And so, what I'm doing is I'm giving them a competing response. And I'm saying here, instead of mental ritualizing, I'd like you to say a bunch of 'may or may nots' statements while standing up and say them out loud while looking like Wonder Woman. Everybody rolls their eyes like, “Really?” But that's what we do as a bridge tool. And so, they've lifted enough mental weights, so to speak, with this technique that they can hear the OCD and start to disengage and not interact with it at all. Then we move to that technique. Flooding Techniques for Mental Rumination Kimberley: Is there a reason why-- and for some of the listeners, they may have learned this before, but is there a reason why you use 'may or may nots' instead of worst-case scenarios? Shala: For me, for my personal OCD recovery journey, what I found with worst-case scenario is I got too lost in the content. I remember doing-- I had had a mammogram, it had come back with some abnormal findings. I spent the whole weekend trying to do scripting about what could happen, and I was using worst-case scenario. Well, I end up in the hospital, I end up with breast cancer, I end up dead. And by the end of the weekend, I was completely demoralized. And I'm like, “Well, I don't bother because I'm going to be dead, because I have breast cancer.” That's where my mind took it because I've had OCD long enough that if I get a really scary and I start and I play around in the content, I'm going to start losing insight and I'm going to start doing depression as a compulsion, which is the blog we did talk about, where you start acting depressed because you're believing what the OCD says like, “Oh, well, I might as well just give up, I have breast cancer,” and then becoming depressed, and then acting like it's true. And then that's reinforcing the whole cycle.  So, for me, worst-case scenario scripting made things worse. So, when I stayed in the uncertainty realm, the ‘may or may nots' that helped because I was trying to help my brain understand, “Well, I may or may not have breast cancer. And if I do, I mean, I'll go to the doctor, I'll do what I need to do, but there's nothing I can do about it right now in my head other than what I'm doing.” Some people like worst-case scenario and it works fine for them. And I think that works too. I mostly use 'may or may nots' with clients unless they are unable through numbing that they might be doing. If they're unable to actually feel what they're saying, because they're used to turning it over in their head and pulling the anxiety down officially, and so I can't get a rise out of the OCD because there's a lot of really little subtle mental compulsions going on, then I'll insert some worst-case scenario to get the anxiety level up, to help them really feel the fear, and then pull back into 'may or may nots'. But there's nothing wrong with worst-case scenario. But for me, that was what happened. And I think if you are prone to depression, if you're prone to losing insight into your OCD when you've got a really big one, I think that's a risk factor for using that particular type of scripting.  Magical Thinking and Mental Compulsions  Kimberley: Right. And I found that they may or may not have worked just as well, except the one thing, and I'm actually curious on your opinion on this and I have not had this conversation, is I find that people who have a lot of magical thinking benefit by worst-case scenario, like their jinxing compulsions and so forth, like the fear of saying it means it will happen. So, saying the worst-case is the best exposure. Is that true for you? Shala: I have not had to use it much on my own magically. I certainly had a lot of magical thinking. Like, if I don't hit this green light, then somebody's going to die. But I think the worst-case scenario, I could actually work well in that, because if you use the worst-case scenario, it can make it seem so ridiculous that it helps people let go of it more easily. And I think you can do that with 'may or may nots' too. I'll try to encourage people to use the creativity that they have because everybody with OCD has a ton of creativity. And we know that because the OCD shares your brain and it's certainly the creative stuff And to one-up the OCD, you use the scripting to be like, “Gosh, I may or may not get some drug-disease and give it to my entire neighborhood. I may or may not kill off an entire section of my county. We may or may not infect the entire state of Georgia. The entire United States may or may not blow up because I got this one disease. So, they may or may not have to eject me off the earth and make me live on Mars because I'm such a bad person.” This ‘may or may not' is in all this crazy stuff too, because that's how to win, is to one up the OCD. It thinks that's scary, let's go even scarier. But the scary you get, it also gets a little bit ridiculous after a while. And then the whole thing seems to be a little bit ridiculous. So, I think you can still use that worst-case stuff with may or may not. Kimberley: Right. Okay. So, I mean, I will always sort of-- I know you really well. I've always held you so high in my mind in just how resilient and strong you are in doing this. How might you, or how do you help people who feel completely powerless at even addressing this? For you to say it, it sounds very like you're just doing it and it's so powerful. But for those who are really struggling with this idea of like, you said, coming out of your head, can you speak to how you address that in session if someone's really struggling to engage in 'may or may nots' and so forth? Shala: Yeah. Well, thank you for the kind words, first off. I think that it's really common for people with OCD by the time they get to a therapist to feel completely demoralized, especially if they've been to multiple therapists before they get to somebody who does ERP. And so, they feel like they're the victim at the hands of a very cruel abuser that they can't get away from. And so, they feel beaten down and they don't know how to get out of their heads. They feel like they're trapped in this mental prison. They can't get out. And if somebody is struggling like that, and they're doing the 'may or may nots' and the OCD is reacting, which of course, it will, and coming back at them stronger, which I always warn people, this is going to happen. When you start poking at this, the OCD is going to poke back and poke back even harder, because it wants to get you back in line so it can keep you prisoner.  So, what I'll often do in those situations, if I see somebody is really feeling like they have been so victimized, that they're never going to be able to get over this, is the type of script I have them do is more of an empowerment script, which could sound like this: “OCD, I'm not listening to you anymore. I'm not doing what you want. I am strong. I can do this.” And I might add some 'may or may nots' in there. “And I want to be anxious. Come on, bring it on. You think that's scary? Give me something else.”  I know you're having Reid Wilson on as part of this too. I learned all that “bring it on” type stuff and pushing for the anxiety from him. And I think helping people say that out loud can be really transformative. I've seen people just completely break down in tears of sort of, “Oh my gosh, I could do this,” like tears of empowerment from standing up and yelling at their OCD.  If people like swearing, I also just have them swear at it, like they would really swear at somebody who had been abusing them if they had a chance, because swearing actually can make you feel more powerful too, and I want to use all the tools we can. So, I think scripting comes in a number of forms. It's all about really taking what's in your head, turning it into a helpful self-talk and saying it out loud. And the reason out loud is important for any type of scripting is that if you're saying it in your head, it's going to get mixed up with all the jumble of mental ruminating that's going on. And saying it out loud makes it hard for you to ruminate. It's not impossible, but it's hard because you're saying it. Your brain really is only processing one thing at a time. And so, if you're talking and really paying attention to what you're saying, it's much harder to be up in your head spinning this around.  And so, adding these empowerment scripts in with the 'may or may nots' helps people both accept the uncertainty and feel like they can do this, feel like they can stand up to the OCD and say, “You've beaten me enough. No more. This is my life. I'm not letting you ruin it anymore. I am taking this back. I don't care how long it takes. I don't care what I have to do. I'm going to do this.” And that builds people up enough where they can feel like they can start approaching these exposures. Kimberley: I love that. I think that is such-- I've had that same experience of how powerful empowerment can be in switching that behavior. It's so important. Now, one thing I really want to ask you is, do you switch this method when you're dealing with other anxiety disorders – health anxiety, social anxiety, panic disorder? What is your approach? Is there a difference or would you say the tools are the same? Shala: There's a slight difference between disorders. I think health anxiety, I treat exactly like OCD. Even some of the examples I gave here were really health anxiety statements. With panic disorder-- and again, I learned this from Reid and you can ask him more about this when you interview him. But with pain disorder, it's all about, I want to feel more shorter breath, more like their elephant standing on my chest. I want my heart to be faster. But I'm doing this while I'm having people do exercises that would actually create those feelings, like breathing through a little bit of cocktail straw, jogging, turning up a space heater, and blowing it on themselves. So, we're trying to create those symptoms and then talk out loud and say, “Come on, I want more of this. I want to feel more anxious. Give me the worst panic attack you've ever had.” So, it's all about amping up the symptoms.  With social anxiety, it's a little bit different because with social anxiety, I would work on the cognitions first. Whereas with OCD, we don't work on the cognitions at all, other than I want you to have a different cognitive relationship with your disorder and your anxiety. I want you to want the anxiety. I want you to want the OCD to come and bother you because that gives you an opportunity to practice. That's the cognitive work with OCD. I do not work on the cognitive work on the content. I'm not going to say to somebody, “Well, the chance you're going to get AIDS from that little spot of blood is very small.” That's not going to be helpful  With social anxiety, we're actually working on those distorted cognitions at the beginning. And so, a lot of the work with social anxiety is going to be going out and testing those new cognitions, which really turns the exposures into what we call behavioral experiments. It's more of a cognitive method. We're going out and saying, “Gosh, my new belief, instead of everybody's judging me, is, well, everybody is probably thinking about themselves and I'm going to go do some things that my social anxiety wouldn't want me to do and test out that new belief.” I might have them use that new belief, but also if their anxiety gets really high and they're having a hard time saying, “Well, that person may or may not be judging me. They may or may not be looking at me funny. They may or may not go home and tell people about me.” But really, we're trying to do something a little bit different with social anxiety. Kimberley: And what about with generalized anxiety? With the mental, a lot of rumination there, do you have a little shift in how you respond? Shala: Yeah. So, it's funny that the talk that Michelle Massi and others gave at IOCDF-- I think it was at IOCDF this year about what's the difference between OCD and GAD is they're really aligned there. I mean, I treat GAD very similarly the way I treat OCD in that people are up in their heads trying to do things. They're also doing other types of safety behaviors, compulsive safety behaviors, but a lot of people GAD are just up in their head. They're just worried about more “real-life” things. But again, a lot of OCD stuff can be real-life things. I mean, look at COVID. That was real life. And people's OCD could wrap itself around that. So, I treat GAD and OCD quite similarly. There are some differences, but in terms of scripting, we call it “worry time” in GAD. It's got a different name, but it's basically the same thing. Kimberley: Right. Okay. Thank you for answering that because I know some folks here listening will be not having OCD and will be curious to see how it affects them. So, is that the practice for you or is there anything else you feel like people need to know going in, in terms of like, “Here is my strategy, here is my plan to target mental rituals”? What would you say? Shala: So, as I mentioned, I think the 'may or may nots' are bridge tool that are always available to you throughout your entire recovery. My goal with anybody that I'm working with is to help them get to the point where they can just use shoulders back. And the way that I think about this is what I call my “man in the park” metaphor. So, we've all probably been in a park where somebody is yelling typically about the end of the world and all that stuff. And even if you were to agree with some of the things that the person might say from a spiritual or religious standpoint, you don't run home and go, “Oh my gosh, we got to pack all our things up because it's the end of the world. We have to get with all of our relatives and be together because we're all going to die.” We don't do that. We hear what this guy's saying, and then we go on with our days, again, even if you might agree with some of the content. Now, why do we do that? We do that because it's not relevant in our life. We realize that person probably, unfortunately, has some problems. But it doesn't affect us. We hear it just like when we might hear birds in the background or a car honking, and we just go on with our day. That's how we want to treat OCD. What we do when we have untreated OCD is we run up to the man in the park and we say, “Oh my gosh, can I have a pamphlet? Let me read the pamphlet. Oh my gosh, you're right. Tell me more, tell me more.” And we're interacting with him, trying to get some reassurance that maybe he's wrong, that maybe he does really mean the end of the world is coming soon. Maybe it's going to be like in a hundred years. Eventually, we get to the point where we're handing out pamphlets for him. “Here, everybody, take one of these.” What we're doing with 'may or may nots' is we're learning how to walk by the man in the park and go, “The world may or may not be ending. The world may or may not be ending. I'm not taking a pamphlet. The world may or may not be ending.” So, we're trying to not interact with him. We're trying to take what he's saying and hold it in our heads without doing something compulsive that's going to make our anxiety higher. What we're trying to do is practice that enough till we can get to the point where we can be in the park with the guy and just go on with our day. We hear him speaking, but we're really-- it's just not relevant. It's just not part of our life. So, we just move on. And we're not trying to shove him away. It's just like any other noise or sound or activity that you would just-- it doesn't even register in your consciousness. That's what we're trying to do.  Now I think another way to think about this is if you think-- say you're in an art gallery. Art galleries are quiet and there are lots of people standing around, and there's somebody in there that you don't like or who doesn't like you or whatever. You're not going to walk up to that person and tap on their shoulder and say, “Excuse me, I'm going to ignore you.” You're just going to be like, “I know that person is there. I'm just going to do what I'm doing.” And I think that's-- I use that to help people understand this transition, because we're basically going from 'may or may nots' where we're saying, “OCD, I'm not letting you do this to me anymore,” so we are being really aggressive with it, to this being able to be in the same space with it, but we're not talking to it at all because we don't need to, because we can be in the presence with the intrusive thoughts that the OCD is reacting to, just like the presence of all the other thousands of thoughts we have each day without interacting with them. Kimberley: That's so interesting. I've never thought of it that way.  Shala: And so, that's where I'm trying to get people because that is the strongest, strongest recovery, is if you can go do the things that you want to do, be in the presence of the anxiety and not do compulsions physical or mental, you don't give anything for OCD to work with. I have a whole chapter in my memoir about this after I heard Reid say at one of the conferences, “We need to act as though what OCD is saying doesn't matter.” And that was revolutionary to me to hear that. And that's what we're trying to do both physically and mentally. Because if you can have an obsession and focus on what you want to focus on, do what you want to do, you're not giving OCD anything to work with. And typically, it'll just drain away. But this takes time. I mean, it has taken me years to learn how to do this, but I went untreated for 35 years too. It may not take you years, but it may. And that's okay. It's a process. And I think if you have trouble trying to do shoulders back, man in the park, use 'may or may nots'. You can use the combination. But I think we're trying to get to the point where you can just be with the OCD and hear it flipping out and just go on with your day. OCD, BDD, and Mental Rituals  Kimberley: In your book, you talk about the different voices. There is a BDD voice and an OCD voice. Was it harder or easier depending on the voice? Was that a component for you in that-- because the words and the voice sound a little different. I know in your memoir you give them different names and so forth, which if anyone hasn't read your memoir, they need to go right now and read it. Do you have any thoughts on that in terms of the different voices or the different ways in which the disorders interact? Shala: That's a really great question because yes, I think OCD does shift its voice and shift its persona based on how scared it is. So, if it's a little bit scared, it's probably going to speak to you. It's still going to be not a very nice voice. It might be urgent and pleading. But if it's super scared, I talk about mine being like the triad of hell, how my OCD will personify into different things based on how scared it is. And if it's super scared and it's going to get super big and it's going to get super loud in your head because it's trying desperately to help you understand you've got to save it because it thinks it's in danger. That's all its content. Then I think-- and if you have trouble ignoring it because it's screaming in your head, like the man in the park comes over with his megaphone, puts it right up against your ear and starts talking, that's hard to ignore. That's hard to act like that's not relevant because it hurts. There's so much noise.  That's when you might have to use a may or may not type approach because it's just so loud, you can't ignore it, because it's so scared. And that's okay. And again, sometimes I'll have to use that. Not too terribly often just because I've spent a long time working on how to use the shoulder's back, man in the park, but if I have to use it, I use it. And so, I think your thought about how do I interact with the OCD based on how aggressive it's being also plays into this. Kimberley: I love all this. I think this is really helpful in terms of being able to be flexible. I know sometimes we want just the one rule that's going to work in all situations, but I think you're right. I think that there needs to be different approaches. And would you say it depends on the person? Do you give them some autonomy over finding what works for them, or what would you say?  Shala: Absolutely. If people are up in their heads and they don't want to use 'may or may nots', I'll try to use some other things. If I really, really think that that's what we need right now, is we need scripting, I'll try to sell them on why. But at the end of the day, it's always my client's choice and I do it differently based on every client. For some clients, it might be just more empowering statements. For some clients where it's more panicky focused, it might be more about bringing on your anxiety. Sometimes it might be pulling self-compassion in and just saying the self-compassion statements out loud. So, it really does vary by person. There's no one-size-fits-all, but I think, I feel that people need to have something to replace the mental ritualizing with at the beginning that they've been doing it for a long time, just because otherwise, it's like, I'm giving them a bicycle, they've never ridden a bicycle before and I won't give them any training wheels. And that's really, really hard. Some people can do it. I mean, some people can just be like, “Oh, I'm to stop doing that in my head? Okay, well, I'll stop doing that in my head.” But most people need something to help them bridge that gap to get to the point where they can just be in the presence with it and not be talking to it in their heads. Kimberley: Amazing. All right. Any final statements from you as we get close to the end? Shala: I think that it's important to, as you're working on this, really think about what you're doing in your head that might be subtle, that could be making the OCD worse. And I think talking and being willing to talk about this to therapists about putting it all out there, “Hey, I'm saying this to myself in my head, is that helpful or harmful?” Because OCD therapy can be pretty straightforward. I mean, ERP, go out and face your fears, don't do rituals. It sounds pretty straightforward. But there is a lot of subtlety to this. And the more that you can root out these subtle mental rituals, the better that your recovery is going to be.  And know too that if you've had untreated OCD for a long time, you can uncover mental rituals, little bitty ones, for years after you get out of therapy. And that's okay. It doesn't mean you're not in recovery. It just means that you are getting more and more insightful and educated about what OCD is. And the more that you can pick those little things out, just the better your recovery will be. But we also don't want to be perfectionistic about that like, “I must eliminate every single mental ritual that I have or I'm not going to be in a good recovery.” That's approaching your ERP like OCD would do. And we don't want to do that. But we do want to be mindful about the subtleties and make sure to try to pull out as many of those subtle things that we might be doing in our heads as possible.  Kimberley: Amazing. Thank you. Tell us-- again, first, let me just say, such helpful information. And your personal experience, I think, is really validating and helpful to hear on those little nuances. Tell us where people can hear about you and the amazing projects you've got going on. Shala: You can go to ShalaNicely.com and I have lots of free blog posts I've written on this. So, there are two blog posts, two pretty extensive blog posts on 'may or may nots'. So, if you go on my website and just search may or may not, it'll bring up two blog posts about that. If you search on shoulders back or man in the park, you'll find two blog posts on how to do that technique. I also have a blog post I wrote in the last year or so called Shower Scripting, which is how to do ERP, like just some touch-up scripting in the shower, use that time. So, I would say go to my website and you can find all sorts of free resources. I've got two books. You can find on Amazon, Everyday Mindfulness for OCD, Jon Hershfield and I co-wrote. And we talk about ‘may or may nots' and shoulders back and some of the things in there just briefly. And then my memoir, Is Fred in the Refrigerator?: Taming OCD and Reclaiming My Life, is also on Amazon or bookstores, Audible, and that kind of thing.  Kimberley: I wonder too, if we could-- I'm going to put links to all these in the show note. I remember you having a word with your OCD, a video? Shala: Oh yes, that's true. Kimberley: Can we link that too? Shala: Yes. And that one I have under my COVID resources, because I'm so glad you brought that up. When the pandemic started, my OCD did not like it, as many people who have contamination OCD can relate to. And it was pretty scary all the time. And it was making me scared all the time. And eventually, I just wrote it a letter and I'm like, “Dude, we're not doing this anymore.” And I read it out loud and I recorded it out loud so that people could hear how I was talking to it.  Kimberley: It was so powerful. Shala: Well, thank you. And it's fun to do. I think the more that you can personify your OCD, the more you can think of it as an entity that is within you but is not you, and to recognize that your relationship with it will change over time. Sometimes you're going to be compassionate with it. “Gosh, OCD, I'm so sorry,” You're scared we're doing this anyway. Sometimes you're going to be aggressive with it. Sometimes you just ignore it. And that changes as you go through therapy, it changes through your life. And I think that recognizing that it's okay to have OCD and to have this little thing, I think of like an orange ball with big feet and sunglasses is how I think about it when it's behaving – it makes it less of an adversarial relationship over time and more like I have an annoying little sibling that, gosh, it's just not going to ever not be there, but it's fine. We can live together and live in this uncertainty and be happy anyway. Kimberley: I just love it. Thank you so much for being here and sharing your experience and your knowledge. It's so wonderful. Shala: Thank you so much for having me.

SUMMARY:  In this weeks podcast, we have my dearest friend Shala Nicely talking about how she manages mental compulsions.  In this episode, Shala shares her lived experience with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and how she overcomes mental rituals. In This Episode: How to reduce mental compulsions for OCD and GAD. How to use Flooding Techniques with Mental Compulsions Magical Thinking and Mental Compulsions BDD and Mental Compulsions Links To Things I Talk About: Shalanicely.com Book: Is Fred in the Refridgerator? Book: Everyday Mindfulness for OCD ERP School: https://www.cbtschool.com/erp-school-lp Episode Sponsor: This episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit is brought to you by CBTschool.com.  CBTschool.com is a psychoeducation platform that provides courses and other online resources for people with anxiety, OCD, and Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors.  Go to cbtschool.com to learn more. Spread the love! Everyone needs tools for anxiety... If you like Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast, visit YOUR ANXIETY TOOLKIT PODCAST to subscribe free and you'll never miss an episode. And if you really like Your Anxiety Toolkit, I'd appreciate you telling a friend (maybe even two). EPISODE TRANSCRIPTION This is Your Anxiety Toolkit - Episode 284. Welcome back, everybody. We are on the third video or the third part of this six-part series on how to manage mental compulsions. Last week's episode with Jon Hershfield was bomb, like so good. And I will say that we, this week, have Shala Nicely, and she goes for it as well. So, I am so honored to have these amazing experts talking about mental compulsions, talking about what specific tools they use.  So, I'm not going to take too much time of the intro this time, because I know you just want to get to the content. Again, I just want to put a disclaimer. This should not replace professional mental health care. This series is for educational purposes only. My job at CBT School is to give you as much education as I can, knowing that you may or may not have access to care or treatment in your own home. So, I'm hoping that this fills in a gap that maybe we've missed in the past in terms of we have ERP School, that's an online course teaching you everything about ERP to get you started if you're doing that on your own. But this is a bigger topic. This is an area that I'd need to make a complete new course. But instead of making a course, I'm bringing these experts to you for free, hopefully giving you the tools that you need.  If you're wanting additional information about ERP School, please go to CBTSchool.com. With that being said, let's go straight over to this episode with Shala Nicely.  Kimberley: Welcome, Shala. I am so happy to have you here. Shala: I am so happy to be here. Thank you for having me. Kimberley: Okay. So, I have heard a little bit of your views on this, but I am actually so excited now to get into the juicy details of how you address mental compulsions or mental rituals. First, I want to check in with you, do you call them mental compulsions, rituals, rumination? How do you address them? Shala: Yeah. All those things. I also sometimes call it mental gymnastics up in your head, it's all sorts of things you're doing in your head to try to get some relief from anxiety. Kimberley: Right. So, if you had a patient or a client who really was struggling with mental compulsions, whether or not they were doing other compulsions as well, how might you address that particular part of their symptomology? Shala: So, let me answer that by stepping back a little bit and telling you about my own experience with this, because a lot of the way I do it is based on what I learned, trying to manage my own mental rituals. I've had OCD probably since I was five or six, untreated until I was 39. Stumbled upon the right treatment when I went to the IOCDF Conference and started doing exposure mostly on my own. I went to Reid Wilson's two-day group, where I learned how to do it. But the rest of the time, I was implementing on my own. And even though I had quite a few physical compulsions, I would've considered myself a primary mental ritualizer, meaning if we look at the majority, my compulsions were up in my head. And the way I think about this is I think that sometimes if you have OCD for long enough, and you've got to go out and keep functioning in the world and you can't do all these rituals so that people could see, because then people will be like, “What's wrong with you? What are you doing?” you take them inward. And some mental compulsions can take the place of physical compulsions that you're not able to do for whatever reason because you're trying to function. And I'd had untreated OCD for so long that most of my rituals were up in my head, not all, but the great majority of them.  Exposure & Response Prevention for Mental Compulsions So, when I started to do exposure, what I found was I could do exposure therapy, straight up going and facing my fears, like going and being around things that might be triggering all I wanted, but I wasn't necessarily getting better because I wasn't addressing the mental rituals. So, basically, I'm doing exposure without response prevention or exposure with partial response prevention, which can make things either worse or just neutralize your efforts. So, what I did was I figured out how to be in the presence of triggers and not be up in my head, trying to do analyzing, justifying, figuring it out, replaying the situation with a different ending, all the sorts of things that I would do over and over in my head. And the way I did this was I took something I learned from Jonathan Grayson and his book, Freedom From OCD. I know you're having him on for this series too. And he talked about doing all this ERP scripting, where you basically write out the worst-case scenario, what you think your OCD thinks is going to happen and you write it in either a worst-case way or an uncertainty-focused way. And what I did was after reading his book, I took that concept and I just shortened it down, and anything that my OCD was afraid of, I would just wrap may or may not surround it.  So, for instance, an example that I use in Is Fred in the Refrigerator?, my memoir, Taming OCD and Reclaiming My Life was that I used to-- when I was walking through stores like Target, if I saw one of those little plastic price tags that had fallen on the ground, if I didn't pick it up and put it out of harm's way, I was afraid somebody was going to slip and fall and break their neck. And it would be on some security camera that I just walked on past it and didn't do anything. So, a typical scrupulosity obsession. And so, going shopping was really hard because I'm cleaning up the store as I'm shopping. And so, what I would do is I would either go to Target, walk past the price tag. And then as I'm just passing the price tag, I would say things. And in Target, I obviously couldn't do this really out loud, mumble it out loud as best, but I may or may not cause somebody to kill themselves by they're going to slip and fall on that price tag because I didn't pick it up. I may or may not be an awful, terrible rotten human being. They may or may not catch me and throw me into jail. I may or may not rot in prison. People may or may not find out what a really bad person I really am. This may or may not be OCD, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.  And that would allow me to be present with the obsessions, all the what-ifs – those are basically what-ifs turned into ‘may or may nots' – without compulsing with them, without doing anything that would artificially lower my anxiety. So, it allowed me to be in the presence of those obsessive thoughts while interrupting the pattern of the mental rituals. And that's really how I use ‘may or may nots' and how I teach my clients to use ‘may or may nots' today is using them to really be mindfully present of what the OCD is worried about while not interacting with that content in a way that's going to make things worse. So, that's how I developed it for myself. And I think that-- and that is a tool that I would say is an intermediary tool. So, I use that now in my own recovery. I don't have to use 'may or may nots'. It's very often at all. If I get super triggered, which doesn't happen too terribly often, but if I get super triggered and I cannot get out of my head, I'll use 'may or may nots'.  But I think the continuum is that you try to do something to interrupt the mental rituals, which for me is the 'may or may nots'. You can also-- people can write down the scripts, they can do a worst-case scenario. But eventually, what you're trying to get to is you're trying to be able to hear the OCD, what-ifs in your head and completely ignore it. And I call that my shoulders back, the way of thinking about things. Just put your shoulders back and you move on with your day. You don't acknowledge it.  What I'll do with clients, I'll say, “If you had the thought of Blue Martian is going to land on my head, I mean, you wouldn't even do anything with that thought. That thought would just go in and go out and wouldn't get any of your attention.” That's the way we want to treat OCD, is just thoughts can be there. I'm not going to say, “Oh, that's my OCD.” I'm not going to say, “OCD, I'm not talking to you.” I'm not going to acknowledge it at all. I'm just going to treat it like any other weird thought that we have during the day and move on.  Your question was, how would you help somebody who comes in with mental rituals? Well, first, I want to understand where are they in their OCD recovery? How long have they been doing these mental rituals? What percentage of their compulsions are mental versus physical? What are the kind of things that their OCD is afraid of? Basically, make a list or a hierarchy of everything they're afraid of. And then we start working on exposure therapy. And when I have them do exposures, the first exposure I do with people, we'll find something that's-- I start in the middle of the hierarchy. You don't have to, but I try. And I will have them face the fear. But then I'll immediately ask them, what is your OCD saying right now? And they'll tell me, and I'll say, “I want you to repeat after me.” I have them do this, and everyone that I see hates this, but I have them do it. Standing up with their shoulders back like Wonder Woman, because this type of power pose helps them. It changes the chemistry of your body and helps you feel more powerful.  OCD thinks it's very powerful. So, I want my clients to feel as powerful as they can. So, I have them stand like Wonder Woman and they repeat after me. Somebody could-- let's just say we are standing near something red on the floor. And I'll say, “Well, what is your OCD saying right now?” And they'll say, “Well, that's blood and it could have AIDS in it, and I'm going to get sick.” I'll say, “Well, that may or may not be a spot of blood on the floor. I may or may not get sick and I may or may not get AIDS, but I want to do this. I'm going to stay here. OCD, I want to be anxious, so bring it on.”  And that's how we do the exposure, is I ask them what's in their head. I have them repeat it to me until they understand what the process is. And then I'm having them be in the presence of this and just script, script, script away. That's what I call it scripting, so that they are in the presence of whatever's bothering them, but they're not up in their head. And anytime something comes in their head, I teach them to pull it down into the script. Never let something be circulating in your head without saying it out loud and pulling it into the script.  I will work on this technique with clients as we're working on exposures, because eventually what we'll want to do is instead of going all over the place, “That may or may not be blood, I may or may not get AIDS, I may or may not get sick,” I'll say, “Okay, of all the things you've just said, what does your OCD-- what is your OCD scared of the most? Let's focus on that.” And so, “I may or may not get AIDS. I may or may not get AIDS. I may or may not have HIV. I may or may not get AIDS,” over again until people start to say, “Oh, okay. I guess I don't have any control over this,” because what we're trying to do is help the OCD habituate to the uncertainty. Habituate, I know that'd be a confusing word. You don't have to habituate in order for exposure to work due to the theory of inhibitory learning, but we're trying to help your brain get used to the uncertainty here. Kimberley: And break into a different cycle instead of doing the old rumination cycle.  Shala: Yes. And so then, I'll teach people to just find their scariest fear. They say that over and over and over again. Then let's hit the next one. “Well, my family may or may not survive if I die because if I get a fatal disease and I die and my family may or may not be left destitute,” and then over and over. “My family may or may not be left destitute. My family may or may not be left destitute, whatever,” until we're hitting all the things that could be circulating in your head.  Now, some people really don't need to do that scripting because they're not up in their head that much. But that's the minority of people. I think most people with OCD are doing something in their head. And a lot of people aren't aware of what they're doing because these mental rituals are incredibly subtle at times. And so, as people, as my clients go out and work on these exposures, I'll have them tell me how it's going. I have people fill out forms on my website each day as they're doing exposures so I can see what's going on. And if they're not really up in their head and they don't really need to do the ‘may or may nots', great. That's better. In fact, just go do the exposure and go on with your life. If they're up in their head, then I have them do the 'may or may nots'. And so, that's how I would start with somebody.  And so, what I'm trying to do is I'm giving them what I call a bridge tool. Because people who have been mental ritualizing for a long time, I have found it's virtually impossible to just stop because that's what your mind is used to doing. And so, what I'm doing is I'm giving them a competing response. And I'm saying here, instead of mental ritualizing, I'd like you to say a bunch of 'may or may nots' statements while standing up and say them out loud while looking like Wonder Woman. Everybody rolls their eyes like, “Really?” But that's what we do as a bridge tool. And so, they've lifted enough mental weights, so to speak, with this technique that they can hear the OCD and start to disengage and not interact with it at all. Then we move to that technique. Flooding Techniques for Mental Rumination Kimberley: Is there a reason why-- and for some of the listeners, they may have learned this before, but is there a reason why you use 'may or may nots' instead of worst-case scenarios? Shala: For me, for my personal OCD recovery journey, what I found with worst-case scenario is I got too lost in the content. I remember doing-- I had had a mammogram, it had come back with some abnormal findings. I spent the whole weekend trying to do scripting about what could happen, and I was using worst-case scenario. Well, I end up in the hospital, I end up with breast cancer, I end up dead. And by the end of the weekend, I was completely demoralized. And I'm like, “Well, I don't bother because I'm going to be dead, because I have breast cancer.” That's where my mind took it because I've had OCD long enough that if I get a really scary and I start and I play around in the content, I'm going to start losing insight and I'm going to start doing depression as a compulsion, which is the blog we did talk about, where you start acting depressed because you're believing what the OCD says like, “Oh, well, I might as well just give up, I have breast cancer,” and then becoming depressed, and then acting like it's true. And then that's reinforcing the whole cycle.  So, for me, worst-case scenario scripting made things worse. So, when I stayed in the uncertainty realm, the ‘may or may nots' that helped because I was trying to help my brain understand, “Well, I may or may not have breast cancer. And if I do, I mean, I'll go to the doctor, I'll do what I need to do, but there's nothing I can do about it right now in my head other than what I'm doing.” Some people like worst-case scenario and it works fine for them. And I think that works too. I mostly use 'may or may nots' with clients unless they are unable through numbing that they might be doing. If they're unable to actually feel what they're saying, because they're used to turning it over in their head and pulling the anxiety down officially, and so I can't get a rise out of the OCD because there's a lot of really little subtle mental compulsions going on, then I'll insert some worst-case scenario to get the anxiety level up, to help them really feel the fear, and then pull back into 'may or may nots'. But there's nothing wrong with worst-case scenario. But for me, that was what happened. And I think if you are prone to depression, if you're prone to losing insight into your OCD when you've got a really big one, I think that's a risk factor for using that particular type of scripting.  Magical Thinking and Mental Compulsions  Kimberley: Right. And I found that they may or may not have worked just as well, except the one thing, and I'm actually curious on your opinion on this and I have not had this conversation, is I find that people who have a lot of magical thinking benefit by worst-case scenario, like their jinxing compulsions and so forth, like the fear of saying it means it will happen. So, saying the worst-case is the best exposure. Is that true for you? Shala: I have not had to use it much on my own magically. I certainly had a lot of magical thinking. Like, if I don't hit this green light, then somebody's going to die. But I think the worst-case scenario, I could actually work well in that, because if you use the worst-case scenario, it can make it seem so ridiculous that it helps people let go of it more easily. And I think you can do that with 'may or may nots' too. I'll try to encourage people to use the creativity that they have because everybody with OCD has a ton of creativity. And we know that because the OCD shares your brain and it's certainly the creative stuff And to one-up the OCD, you use the scripting to be like, “Gosh, I may or may not get some drug-disease and give it to my entire neighborhood. I may or may not kill off an entire section of my county. We may or may not infect the entire state of Georgia. The entire United States may or may not blow up because I got this one disease. So, they may or may not have to eject me off the earth and make me live on Mars because I'm such a bad person.” This ‘may or may not' is in all this crazy stuff too, because that's how to win, is to one up the OCD. It thinks that's scary, let's go even scarier. But the scary you get, it also gets a little bit ridiculous after a while. And then the whole thing seems to be a little bit ridiculous. So, I think you can still use that worst-case stuff with may or may not. Kimberley: Right. Okay. So, I mean, I will always sort of-- I know you really well. I've always held you so high in my mind in just how resilient and strong you are in doing this. How might you, or how do you help people who feel completely powerless at even addressing this? For you to say it, it sounds very like you're just doing it and it's so powerful. But for those who are really struggling with this idea of like, you said, coming out of your head, can you speak to how you address that in session if someone's really struggling to engage in 'may or may nots' and so forth? Shala: Yeah. Well, thank you for the kind words, first off. I think that it's really common for people with OCD by the time they get to a therapist to feel completely demoralized, especially if they've been to multiple therapists before they get to somebody who does ERP. And so, they feel like they're the victim at the hands of a very cruel abuser that they can't get away from. And so, they feel beaten down and they don't know how to get out of their heads. They feel like they're trapped in this mental prison. They can't get out. And if somebody is struggling like that, and they're doing the 'may or may nots' and the OCD is reacting, which of course, it will, and coming back at them stronger, which I always warn people, this is going to happen. When you start poking at this, the OCD is going to poke back and poke back even harder, because it wants to get you back in line so it can keep you prisoner.  So, what I'll often do in those situations, if I see somebody is really feeling like they have been so victimized, that they're never going to be able to get over this, is the type of script I have them do is more of an empowerment script, which could sound like this: “OCD, I'm not listening to you anymore. I'm not doing what you want. I am strong. I can do this.” And I might add some 'may or may nots' in there. “And I want to be anxious. Come on, bring it on. You think that's scary? Give me something else.”  I know you're having Reid Wilson on as part of this too. I learned all that “bring it on” type stuff and pushing for the anxiety from him. And I think helping people say that out loud can be really transformative. I've seen people just completely break down in tears of sort of, “Oh my gosh, I could do this,” like tears of empowerment from standing up and yelling at their OCD.  If people like swearing, I also just have them swear at it, like they would really swear at somebody who had been abusing them if they had a chance, because swearing actually can make you feel more powerful too, and I want to use all the tools we can. So, I think scripting comes in a number of forms. It's all about really taking what's in your head, turning it into a helpful self-talk and saying it out loud. And the reason out loud is important for any type of scripting is that if you're saying it in your head, it's going to get mixed up with all the jumble of mental ruminating that's going on. And saying it out loud makes it hard for you to ruminate. It's not impossible, but it's hard because you're saying it. Your brain really is only processing one thing at a time. And so, if you're talking and really paying attention to what you're saying, it's much harder to be up in your head spinning this around.  And so, adding these empowerment scripts in with the 'may or may nots' helps people both accept the uncertainty and feel like they can do this, feel like they can stand up to the OCD and say, “You've beaten me enough. No more. This is my life. I'm not letting you ruin it anymore. I am taking this back. I don't care how long it takes. I don't care what I have to do. I'm going to do this.” And that builds people up enough where they can feel like they can start approaching these exposures. Kimberley: I love that. I think that is such-- I've had that same experience of how powerful empowerment can be in switching that behavior. It's so important. Now, one thing I really want to ask you is, do you switch this method when you're dealing with other anxiety disorders – health anxiety, social anxiety, panic disorder? What is your approach? Is there a difference or would you say the tools are the same? Shala: There's a slight difference between disorders. I think health anxiety, I treat exactly like OCD. Even some of the examples I gave here were really health anxiety statements. With panic disorder-- and again, I learned this from Reid and you can ask him more about this when you interview him. But with pain disorder, it's all about, I want to feel more shorter breath, more like their elephant standing on my chest. I want my heart to be faster. But I'm doing this while I'm having people do exercises that would actually create those feelings, like breathing through a little bit of cocktail straw, jogging, turning up a space heater, and blowing it on themselves. So, we're trying to create those symptoms and then talk out loud and say, “Come on, I want more of this. I want to feel more anxious. Give me the worst panic attack you've ever had.” So, it's all about amping up the symptoms.  With social anxiety, it's a little bit different because with social anxiety, I would work on the cognitions first. Whereas with OCD, we don't work on the cognitions at all, other than I want you to have a different cognitive relationship with your disorder and your anxiety. I want you to want the anxiety. I want you to want the OCD to come and bother you because that gives you an opportunity to practice. That's the cognitive work with OCD. I do not work on the cognitive work on the content. I'm not going to say to somebody, “Well, the chance you're going to get AIDS from that little spot of blood is very small.” That's not going to be helpful  With social anxiety, we're actually working on those distorted cognitions at the beginning. And so, a lot of the work with social anxiety is going to be going out and testing those new cognitions, which really turns the exposures into what we call behavioral experiments. It's more of a cognitive method. We're going out and saying, “Gosh, my new belief, instead of everybody's judging me, is, well, everybody is probably thinking about themselves and I'm going to go do some things that my social anxiety wouldn't want me to do and test out that new belief.” I might have them use that new belief, but also if their anxiety gets really high and they're having a hard time saying, “Well, that person may or may not be judging me. They may or may not be looking at me funny. They may or may not go home and tell people about me.” But really, we're trying to do something a little bit different with social anxiety. Kimberley: And what about with generalized anxiety? With the mental, a lot of rumination there, do you have a little shift in how you respond? Shala: Yeah. So, it's funny that the talk that Michelle Massi and others gave at IOCDF-- I think it was at IOCDF this year about what's the difference between OCD and GAD is they're really aligned there. I mean, I treat GAD very similarly the way I treat OCD in that people are up in their heads trying to do things. They're also doing other types of safety behaviors, compulsive safety behaviors, but a lot of people GAD are just up in their head. They're just worried about more “real-life” things. But again, a lot of OCD stuff can be real-life things. I mean, look at COVID. That was real life. And people's OCD could wrap itself around that. So, I treat GAD and OCD quite similarly. There are some differences, but in terms of scripting, we call it “worry time” in GAD. It's got a different name, but it's basically the same thing. Kimberley: Right. Okay. Thank you for answering that because I know some folks here listening will be not having OCD and will be curious to see how it affects them. So, is that the practice for you or is there anything else you feel like people need to know going in, in terms of like, “Here is my strategy, here is my plan to target mental rituals”? What would you say? Shala: So, as I mentioned, I think the 'may or may nots' are bridge tool that are always available to you throughout your entire recovery. My goal with anybody that I'm working with is to help them get to the point where they can just use shoulders back. And the way that I think about this is what I call my “man in the park” metaphor. So, we've all probably been in a park where somebody is yelling typically about the end of the world and all that stuff. And even if you were to agree with some of the things that the person might say from a spiritual or religious standpoint, you don't run home and go, “Oh my gosh, we got to pack all our things up because it's the end of the world. We have to get with all of our relatives and be together because we're all going to die.” We don't do that. We hear what this guy's saying, and then we go on with our days, again, even if you might agree with some of the content. Now, why do we do that? We do that because it's not relevant in our life. We realize that person probably, unfortunately, has some problems. But it doesn't affect us. We hear it just like when we might hear birds in the background or a car honking, and we just go on with our day. That's how we want to treat OCD. What we do when we have untreated OCD is we run up to the man in the park and we say, “Oh my gosh, can I have a pamphlet? Let me read the pamphlet. Oh my gosh, you're right. Tell me more, tell me more.” And we're interacting with him, trying to get some reassurance that maybe he's wrong, that maybe he does really mean the end of the world is coming soon. Maybe it's going to be like in a hundred years. Eventually, we get to the point where we're handing out pamphlets for him. “Here, everybody, take one of these.” What we're doing with 'may or may nots' is we're learning how to walk by the man in the park and go, “The world may or may not be ending. The world may or may not be ending. I'm not taking a pamphlet. The world may or may not be ending.” So, we're trying to not interact with him. We're trying to take what he's saying and hold it in our heads without doing something compulsive that's going to make our anxiety higher. What we're trying to do is practice that enough till we can get to the point where we can be in the park with the guy and just go on with our day. We hear him speaking, but we're really-- it's just not relevant. It's just not part of our life. So, we just move on. And we're not trying to shove him away. It's just like any other noise or sound or activity that you would just-- it doesn't even register in your consciousness. That's what we're trying to do.  Now I think another way to think about this is if you think-- say you're in an art gallery. Art galleries are quiet and there are lots of people standing around, and there's somebody in there that you don't like or who doesn't like you or whatever. You're not going to walk up to that person and tap on their shoulder and say, “Excuse me, I'm going to ignore you.” You're just going to be like, “I know that person is there. I'm just going to do what I'm doing.” And I think that's-- I use that to help people understand this transition, because we're basically going from 'may or may nots' where we're saying, “OCD, I'm not letting you do this to me anymore,” so we are being really aggressive with it, to this being able to be in the same space with it, but we're not talking to it at all because we don't need to, because we can be in the presence with the intrusive thoughts that the OCD is reacting to, just like the presence of all the other thousands of thoughts we have each day without interacting with them. Kimberley: That's so interesting. I've never thought of it that way.  Shala: And so, that's where I'm trying to get people because that is the strongest, strongest recovery, is if you can go do the things that you want to do, be in the presence of the anxiety and not do compulsions physical or mental, you don't give anything for OCD to work with. I have a whole chapter in my memoir about this after I heard Reid say at one of the conferences, “We need to act as though what OCD is saying doesn't matter.” And that was revolutionary to me to hear that. And that's what we're trying to do both physically and mentally. Because if you can have an obsession and focus on what you want to focus on, do what you want to do, you're not giving OCD anything to work with. And typically, it'll just drain away. But this takes time. I mean, it has taken me years to learn how to do this, but I went untreated for 35 years too. It may not take you years, but it may. And that's okay. It's a process. And I think if you have trouble trying to do shoulders back, man in the park, use 'may or may nots'. You can use the combination. But I think we're trying to get to the point where you can just be with the OCD and hear it flipping out and just go on with your day. OCD, BDD, and Mental Rituals  Kimberley: In your book, you talk about the different voices. There is a BDD voice and an OCD voice. Was it harder or easier depending on the voice? Was that a component for you in that-- because the words and the voice sound a little different. I know in your memoir you give them different names and so forth, which if anyone hasn't read your memoir, they need to go right now and read it. Do you have any thoughts on that in terms of the different voices or the different ways in which the disorders interact? Shala: That's a really great question because yes, I think OCD does shift its voice and shift its persona based on how scared it is. So, if it's a little bit scared, it's probably going to speak to you. It's still going to be not a very nice voice. It might be urgent and pleading. But if it's super scared, I talk about mine being like the triad of hell, how my OCD will personify into different things based on how scared it is. And if it's super scared and it's going to get super big and it's going to get super loud in your head because it's trying desperately to help you understand you've got to save it because it thinks it's in danger. That's all its content. Then I think-- and if you have trouble ignoring it because it's screaming in your head, like the man in the park comes over with his megaphone, puts it right up against your ear and starts talking, that's hard to ignore. That's hard to act like that's not relevant because it hurts. There's so much noise.  That's when you might have to use a may or may not type approach because it's just so loud, you can't ignore it, because it's so scared. And that's okay. And again, sometimes I'll have to use that. Not too terribly often just because I've spent a long time working on how to use the shoulder's back, man in the park, but if I have to use it, I use it. And so, I think your thought about how do I interact with the OCD based on how aggressive it's being also plays into this. Kimberley: I love all this. I think this is really helpful in terms of being able to be flexible. I know sometimes we want just the one rule that's going to work in all situations, but I think you're right. I think that there needs to be different approaches. And would you say it depends on the person? Do you give them some autonomy over finding what works for them, or what would you say?  Shala: Absolutely. If people are up in their heads and they don't want to use 'may or may nots', I'll try to use some other things. If I really, really think that that's what we need right now, is we need scripting, I'll try to sell them on why. But at the end of the day, it's always my client's choice and I do it differently based on every client. For some clients, it might be just more empowering statements. For some clients where it's more panicky focused, it might be more about bringing on your anxiety. Sometimes it might be pulling self-compassion in and just saying the self-compassion statements out loud. So, it really does vary by person. There's no one-size-fits-all, but I think, I feel that people need to have something to replace the mental ritualizing with at the beginning that they've been doing it for a long time, just because otherwise, it's like, I'm giving them a bicycle, they've never ridden a bicycle before and I won't give them any training wheels. And that's really, really hard. Some people can do it. I mean, some people can just be like, “Oh, I'm to stop doing that in my head? Okay, well, I'll stop doing that in my head.” But most people need something to help them bridge that gap to get to the point where they can just be in the presence with it and not be talking to it in their heads. Kimberley: Amazing. All right. Any final statements from you as we get close to the end? Shala: I think that it's important to, as you're working on this, really think about what you're doing in your head that might be subtle, that could be making the OCD worse. And I think talking and being willing to talk about this to therapists about putting it all out there, “Hey, I'm saying this to myself in my head, is that helpful or harmful?” Because OCD therapy can be pretty straightforward. I mean, ERP, go out and face your fears, don't do rituals. It sounds pretty straightforward. But there is a lot of subtlety to this. And the more that you can root out these subtle mental rituals, the better that your recovery is going to be.  And know too that if you've had untreated OCD for a long time, you can uncover mental rituals, little bitty ones, for years after you get out of therapy. And that's okay. It doesn't mean you're not in recovery. It just means that you are getting more and more insightful and educated about what OCD is. And the more that you can pick those little things out, just the better your recovery will be. But we also don't want to be perfectionistic about that like, “I must eliminate every single mental ritual that I have or I'm not going to be in a good recovery.” That's approaching your ERP like OCD would do. And we don't want to do that. But we do want to be mindful about the subtleties and make sure to try to pull out as many of those subtle things that we might be doing in our heads as possible.  Kimberley: Amazing. Thank you. Tell us-- again, first, let me just say, such helpful information. And your personal experience, I think, is really validating and helpful to hear on those little nuances. Tell us where people can hear about you and the amazing projects you've got going on. Shala: You can go to ShalaNicely.com and I have lots of free blog posts I've written on this. So, there are two blog posts, two pretty extensive blog posts on 'may or may nots'. So, if you go on my website and just search may or may not, it'll bring up two blog posts about that. If you search on shoulders back or man in the park, you'll find two blog posts on how to do that technique. I also have a blog post I wrote in the last year or so called Shower Scripting, which is how to do ERP, like just some touch-up scripting in the shower, use that time. So, I would say go to my website and you can find all sorts of free resources. I've got two books. You can find on Amazon, Everyday Mindfulness for OCD, Jon Hershfield and I co-wrote. And we talk about ‘may or may nots' and shoulders back and some of the things in there just briefly. And then my memoir, Is Fred in the Refrigerator?: Taming OCD and Reclaiming My Life, is also on Amazon or bookstores, Audible, and that kind of thing.  Kimberley: I wonder too, if we could-- I'm going to put links to all these in the show note. I remember you having a word with your OCD, a video? Shala: Oh yes, that's true. Kimberley: Can we link that too? Shala: Yes. And that one I have under my COVID resources, because I'm so glad you brought that up. When the pandemic started, my OCD did not like it, as many people who have contamination OCD can relate to. And it was pretty scary all the time. And it was making me scared all the time. And eventually, I just wrote it a letter and I'm like, “Dude, we're not doing this anymore.” And I read it out loud and I recorded it out loud so that people could hear how I was talking to it.  Kimberley: It was so powerful. Shala: Well, thank you. And it's fun to do. I think the more that you can personify your OCD, the more you can think of it as an entity that is within you but is not you, and to recognize that your relationship with it will change over time. Sometimes you're going to be compassionate with it. “Gosh, OCD, I'm so sorry,” You're scared we're doing this anyway. Sometimes you're going to be aggressive with it. Sometimes you just ignore it. And that changes as you go through therapy, it changes through your life. And I think that recognizing that it's okay to have OCD and to have this little thing, I think of like an orange ball with big feet and sunglasses is how I think about it when it's behaving – it makes it less of an adversarial relationship over time and more like I have an annoying little sibling that, gosh, it's just not going to ever not be there, but it's fine. We can live together and live in this uncertainty and be happy anyway. Kimberley: I just love it. Thank you so much for being here and sharing your experience and your knowledge. It's so wonderful. Shala: Thank you so much for having me.

SUMMARY: Covered in This Episode: What is a Mental Compulsion?  What is the difference between Mental Rumination and Mental Compulsions?  How to use Mindfulness for Mental Compulsions How to “Label and Abandon” intrusive thoughts and mental compulsions  How to use Awareness logs to help reduce mental rituals and mental rumination  Links To Things I Talk About: Links to Jon's Books https://www.amazon.com/ Work with Jon https://www.sheppardpratt.org/care-finder/ocd-anxiety-center/ Episode Sponsor: This episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit is brought to you by CBTschool.com.  CBTschool.com is a psychoeducation platform that provides courses and other online resources for people with anxiety, OCD, and Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors.  Go to cbtschool.com to learn more.  To learn about our Online Course for OCD, visit https://www.cbtschool.com/erp-school-lp. Spread the love! Everyone needs tools for anxiety... If you like Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast, visit YOUR ANXIETY TOOLKIT PODCAST to subscribe free, and you'll never miss an episode. And if you really like Your Anxiety Toolkit, I'd appreciate you telling a friend (maybe even two). EPISODE TRANSCRIPTION I want you to go back and listen to that. That is where I walk you through Mental Compulsions 101. What is a mental compulsion, the types of mental compulsions, things to be looking out for. The reason I stress that you start there is there may be things you're doing that are mental compulsions and you didn't realize. So, you want to know those things before you go in and listen to the skills that you're about to receive. Oh my goodness. This is just so, so exciting. I'm mind-blown with how exciting this is all for me. First of all, let's introduce the guest for today. Today, we have the amazing Jon Hershfield. Jon has been on the episode before, even talking about mental compulsions. However, I wanted him to status off. He was so brave. He jumped in, and I wanted him to give his ideas around what is a mental compulsion, how he uses mental compulsion treatment with his clients, what skills he uses. Little thing to know here, he taught me something I myself didn't know and have now since implemented with our patients over at my clinic of people who struggle with mental compulsions. I've also uploaded that and added a little bit of that concept into ERP School, which is our course for OCD, called ERP School. You can get it at CBTSchool.com.  Jon is amazing. So, you're going to really feel solid moving into this. He gives some solid advice. Of course, he's always so lovely and wise. And so, I am just so excited to share this with you. Let's just get to the show because I know you're here to learn. This is episode two of the series. Next week we will be talking with Shala Nicely and she will be dropping major truth bombs and major skills as well, as will all of the people on the series. So, I am so, so excited.  One thing to know as you move into it is there will be some things that really work for you and some that won't. So, I'm going to say this in every episode intro. So, all of these skills are top-notch science-based skills. Each person is going to give their own specific nuanced way of managing it. So, I want you to go in knowing that you can take what you need. Some things will really be like, yes, that's exactly what I needed to hear. Some may not. So, I want you to go in with an open mind knowing that the whole purpose of this six-part series is to give you many different approaches so that you can try on what works for you. That's my main agenda here, is that you can feel like you've gotten all the ideas and then you can start to put together a plan for yourself. Let's go over to the show. I'm so happy you're here. ----- Kimberley: Welcome, Jon. I'm so happy to have you back. Jon: Hi, Kimberley. Thanks for having me back. Difference Between Mental Compulsions and Mental Rumination  Kimberley: Okay. So, you're first in line and I purposely had you first in line. I know we've had episodes similar to this in the past, but I just wanted to really get your view on how you're dealing with mental compulsions. First, I want to check in, do you call them “mental compulsions” or do you call it “mental rumination”? Do you want to clarify your own idea? Jon: Yeah. I say mental compulsions or mental rituals. I use the terms pretty interchangeably. It comes up at the first, usually in the assessment, if not then in the first post-assessment session, when I'm explaining how OCD works and I get to the part we say, and then there's this thing called compulsions. And what I do is I describe compulsions as anything that you do physically or mentally to reduce distress, and this is the important part, specifically by trying to increase certainty about the content of the obsession.  Why that's important is I think we need to get rid of this myth that sometimes shows up in the OCD community that when you do exposures or when you're triggered, you're just supposed to freak out and deal with it, and hopefully, it'll go away on its own. Actually, there are many things you can do to reduce distress that aren't compulsive, because what makes it compulsive is that it's acting on the content of the obsession. I mean, there might be some rare exceptions where your specific obsession has to do with an unwillingness to be anxious or something like that. But for the most part, meditation, breathing exercises, grounding exercises, DBT, certain forms of distraction, exercise – these can all reduce your physical experience of distress without saying anything in particular about whether or not the thought that triggered you is true or going to come. So, once I've described that, then hopefully, it opens people up to realize, well, it could really be anything and most of those things are going to be mental. So then, we go through, “Well, what are the different mental ways?” We know the physical ways through washing hands and checking locks and things like that. But what are all the things you're doing in your mind to convince yourself out of the distress, as opposed to actually working your way through the distress using a variety of distress tolerance skills, including acceptance? Kimberley: Right. Do you do the same for people with generalized anxiety or social anxiety or other anxiety disorders? Would you conceptualize it the same way? Mental Compulsions for General Anxiety Disorder vs OCD  Jon: Yeah. I think for the most part, I mean, I do meet people. Some people who I think are better understood as having generalized anxiety disorder than OCD, and identifying with that concept actually helps them approach this problem that they have of dealing with uncertainty and dealing with worry and dealing with anxiety on close to home, regular everyday issues like finance and work and health and relationships and things like that. And there's a subsection of that people who, if you treat it like OCD, it's really helpful. And there's a subsection if you treat it like OCD, they think, “Oh no, I have some other psychiatric problem I have to worry about right now.” I'm a fan of treating the individual that the diagnostic terms are there to help us. Fundamentally, the treatment will be the same. What are you doing that's sending the signal to your brain, that these ideas are threats as opposed to ideas, and how can we change that signal? Exposure & Response Prevention for Mental Compulsions  Kimberley: Right. I thank you for clarifying on that. So, after you've given that degree of psychoeducation, what do you personally do next? Do you want to share? Do you go more into an exposure option? Do you do more response prevention? Tell me a little bit about it, walk me through how you would do this with a client. Jon: The first thing I would usually do is ask them to educate me on what it's really like to be them. And so, that involves some thought tracking. So, we'll use a trigger and response log. So, I keep it very simple. What's setting you off and what are you doing? And I'll tell them in the beginning, don't try too hard to get better because I want to know what your life is really like, and I'll start to see the patterns. It seems every time you're triggered by this, you seem to do that. And that's where they'll start to reveal to me things like, “Well, I just thought about it for an hour and then it went away.” And that's how I know that they're engaging in mental review and rumination, other things like that. Or I was triggered by the thought that I could be sick and I repeated the word “healthy” 10 times. Okay. So, they're doing thought neutralization. Sometimes we'll expand on that. One of the clinicians in my practice took our thought records and repurposed them as a mental behavior log. So, it's what set you off. What did you do? What was the mental behavior that was happening at that time? And in some cases, what would've been more helpful? Again, I rely more on my patients to tell me what's going on than on me to tell them “Here's what's going on,” so you get the best information. Logging Mental Rituals  Kimberley: Right. I love that. I love the idea of having a log. You're really checking in for what's going on before dropping everything down. Does that increase their distress? How do they experience that? Jon: I think a lot of people find it very helpful because first of all, it's an act of mindfulness to write this stuff down because it's requiring you to put it in front of you and see it, which is different than having it hit you from inside your head. And so, that's helpful. They're seeing it as a thought process. And I think it also helps people come to terms with a certain reality about rumination that it's not a hundred percent compulsion in the sense that there's an element of rumination that's habitual. Your mind, like a puppy, is conditioned to respond automatically to certain things that it's been reinforced to do. And so, sometimes people just ruminate because they're alone or sitting in a particular chair. It's the same reason why people sometimes struggle with hair-pulling disorder, trichotillomania or skin picking. It's these environmental cues. And then the brain says, “Oh, we should do this now because this is what we do in this situation.” People give themselves a really hard time for ruminating because they've been told to stop, but they can't stop because they find themselves doing it.  So, what I try to help people understand is like, “Look, you can only control what you can control. And the more that you are aware of, the more you can control. So, this is where you can bring mindfulness into it.” So, maybe for this person, there's such a ruminator. They're constantly analyzing, figuring things out. It's part of their identity. They're very philosophical. They're not thinking of it as a compulsion, and many times they're not thinking of it at all. It's just happening. And then we increased their awareness, like, “Oh, okay. I got triggered. I left the building for a while. And then suddenly, I realized I was way down the rabbit hole, convinced myself that's something terrible. So, in that moment I realized I'm supposed to stop, but so much damage has been done because I just spent a really long time analyzing and compulsing and trying to figure it out.”  So, strategies that increase our awareness of what the mind is doing are extraordinarily helpful because imagine catching it five seconds into the process and being able to say, “Oh, I'm ruminating. Okay, I don't need to do that right now. I'm going to return my attention to what I was doing before I got distracted.” Kimberley: Right. I love the idea of this, the log for awareness, because a lot of people say, “Oh, maybe for half an hour a day.” Once they've logged it, they're like, “Wow, it's four hours a day.” I think it's helpful to actually recognize this, like how impactful it is on their life. So, I love that you're doing that piece. You can only control what you can control. What do you do with the stuff you can't control? Jon: Oh, you apply heavy doses of self-criticism until you hate yourself enough to never do it again. That's the other mental ritual that usually happens and people realize, “Oh, I've been ruminating,” and they're angry at themselves. “I should know better.” So, they're angry at themselves for something they didn't know they were doing, which is unfair. So, I use the term, I say, “label and abandon.” That's what you do with all mental rituals. The moment you see it, you give it a name and you drop it. You just drop it on the floor where you were, you don't finish it up real quick. You don't analyze too much about it and then drop it. You're just like, “Oh, I'm holding this thing I must not hold,” and you drop it. Label and abandon. What people tend to do is criticize then label, then criticize some more and then abandon. And the real problem with that is that the self-criticism is in and of itself another mental ritual. It's a strategy for reducing distress that's focused on increasing certainty about the content of the obsession. The obsession, in this case, is “I'm never going to get better.” Now I know I'm going to get better because I've told myself that I'm being fooled and that I'll never do that again. It's not true. But then you wash your hands. They aren't really clean either. So, none of our compulsions really work. Self-Compassion for Mental Compulsions  Kimberley: Doesn't have to make sense.  Jon: Yeah. So, I think bringing self-compassion in the moment to be able to recognize it and recognize the urge to self-criticize and really just say like, “Oh, I'm not going to do that. I caught myself ruminating. Well done.” Same thing we do when we meditate. Some people think that meditation has something to do with relaxation or something to do with controlling your mind. It's actually just a noticing exercise. Your mind wanders, you notice it. “Oh, look at that, I'm thinking.” Back to the breath. That's a good thing that you noticed that you wandered. Not, “Oh, I wandered, I can't focus. I'm bad at meditating.” So, it's really just changing the frame for how people are relating to what's going on inside.  One, eliminating self-criticism just makes life a lot easier. Two, eliminating the self-criticism and including that willingness to just label the thought pattern or the thought process and drop it right where it is. You can start to catch that earlier and earlier and earlier. So, you're reducing compulsions. And you'll see that the activity, the neutralizing, the figuring it out, the using your mental strength against yourself instead of in support of yourself, you could see how that's sending the signal to the brain. “Wait, this is very important. I need to keep pushing it to the forefront.” There's something to figure out here. This isn't a cold case in a box, on a shelf somewhere. This is an ongoing investigation and we have to figure it out. How do we know? Because they're still trying to figure it out. Kimberley: Right. How much do you think insight has to play here or how much of a role does it play? Jon: Insight plays a role in all forms of OCD. I mean, it plays a role in everything – insight into our relationships, insight into our career aspirations. I think one of the things I've noticed, and this is just anecdotal, is that the higher the distress and the poorer the distress regulation skills, often the lower the insight. Not necessarily the other way around. Some people have low insight and aren't particularly distressed by what's going on, but if the anxiety and the distress and the discomfort and disgust are so high that the brain goes into a brownout, I noticed that people switch from trying to get me to reassure them that their fears are untrue to trying to convince me that their fears are true. And to me, that represents an insight drop and I want to help them boost up their insight. And again, I think becoming more aware of your mental activity that is voluntary – I'm choosing to put my mind on this, I'm choosing to figure it out, it didn't just happen. But in this moment, I'm actually trying to complete the problem, the puzzle – becoming more aware that that's what you're doing, that's how you develop insight. And that actually helps with distress regulation. Kimberley: Right. Tell me, I love you're using this word. So, for someone who struggles with distress regulation, what kind of skills would you give a client or use for yourself? Jon: So, there are many different skills a person could use. And I hesitate to say, “Look, use this skill,” because sometimes if you're always relying on one skill and it's not working for you, you might be resistant to using a different skill. In DBT, they have something called tip skills. So, changing in-- drastic changes in temperature, intense exercise, progressive muscle relaxation, pace breathing. These are all ways of shifting your perspective. In a more global sense, I think the most important thing is dropping out of the intellectualization of what's happening and into the body. So, let's say the problem, the way you know that you're anxious is that your muscles are tense and there's heat in your body and your heart rate is elevated. But there are lots of circumstances in your life where your muscles would be tense and your heart rate will be up and you'll feel hot, and you might be exercising, for example.  So, that experience alone isn't threatening. It's that experience press plus the narrative that something bad is going to happen and it's because I'm triggered and it's because I can't handle the uncertainty and all this stuff. So, it's doing two things at once. It's dropping out of the thought process, which is fundamentally the same thing as labeling and abandoning the mental ritual, and then dropping into the body and saying, “What's happening now is my hands are sweaty,” and just paying attention to it. Okay, alright, sweaty hands. I can be with sweaty hands. Slowing things down and looking at things the way they are, which is not intellectual, as opposed to looking at things the way they could be, or should be, or might have been, which again is a mental ruminative process. Kimberley: Right. Do you find-- I have found recently actually with several clients that they have an obsession. They start to ruminate and then somewhere through there, it's hard to determine what's in control and what's not. So, we want to preface it with that. But things get really out of control once they start to catastrophize even more. So, would you call the catastrophization a mental rumination, or would you call it an intrusive thought? How would you conceptualize that with a client? They have the obsession, they start ruminating, and then they start going to the worst-case scenario and just staying there. Jon: Yeah. There's different ways to look at it. So, catastrophizing is predicting a negative future and assuming you can't cope with it, and it's a way of thinking about a situation. So, it's investing in a false project. The real project is there's something unknown about the future and it makes you uncomfortable and you don't like it. How do you deal with that? That's worth taking a look at. The false project is, my plane is going to crash and I need to figure out how to keep the plane from crashing. But that's how the OCD mind tends to work. So, one way of thinking about catastrophizing is it's a tone it's a way-- if you can step back far enough and be mindful of the fact that you're thinking, you can also be mindful of the fact that there is a way that you're thinking. And if the way that you're thinking is catastrophizing, you could say, “Yeah, that's catastrophizing. I don't need to do that right now.”  But I think to your point, it is also an act. It's something somebody is doing. It's like, I'm going to see this through to the end and the hopes that it doesn't end in catastrophe, but I'm also going to steer it into catastrophe because I just can't help myself. It's like a hot stove in your head that you just want to touch and you're like, “Ouch.” And in that case, I would say, yeah, that's a mental ritual. It's something that you're doing.  I like the concept of non-engagement responses. So, things that you can do to respond to the thought process that aren't engaging it directly, that are helping you launch off. Because like I said, before you label and abandon. But between the label and abandon, a lot of people feel like they need a little help. They need something to drive a wedge between them and the thought process. Simply dropping it just doesn't feel enough, or it's met with such distress because whenever you don't do a compulsion, it feels irresponsible, and they can't handle that distress. So, they need just a little boost.  What do we know about OCD? We know that the one thing you can't do effectively is defend yourself because then you're getting into an argument and you can't win an argument against somebody who doesn't care what the outcome of the argument is. The OCD just wants to argue. So, any argument, no matter how good it is, the OCD is like, “Great, now we're arguing again.” How to Manage Mental Compulsions  Kimberley: Yeah. “I got you.” Jon: Yeah. So, what are our options? What are our non-engagement response options? One, which I think is completely undersold, is ignoring it. Just ignoring it. Again, none of these you want to only focus on because they could all become compulsive. And then you're walking around going, “I'm ignoring it, I'm ignoring it.” And then you're just actually avoiding it. But it's completely okay to just choose not to take yourself seriously. You look at your email and it's things that you want. And then in there is a junk mail that just accidentally got filtered into the inbox instead of the spam box, and mostly what you do is ignore it. You don't even read the subject of it. You recognize that in the moment, it's spam and you move on as if it wasn't even there. Then there's being mindful of it. Mindful noting. Just acknowledging it. You take that extra beat to be like, “Oh yeah, there's that thought.” In act, they would call this diffusion. I'm having a thought that something terrible is going to happen. And then you're dropping it. So, you're just stepping back and be like, “Oh, I see what's going on here. Okay, cool. But I'm not going to respond to it.” And then as we get into more ERP territory, we also have the option of agreeing with the uncertainty that maybe, maybe not. “What do I know? Okay. Maybe the plane is going to crash. I can't be bothered with this.” But you have to do it with attitude because if you get too involved in the linguistics of it, then it's like, well, what's the potential that it'll happen? And you can't play that game, the probability game.  But it is objectively true that any statement that begins with the word “maybe” has something to it. Maybe in the middle of this call, this computer is going to explode or something like that. It would be very silly for me to worry about that, but you can't deny that the statement is true because it's possible. It's maybe. So, just acknowledging that, be like, “Okay, fine. Maybe.” And then dropping it the way you would if you had some thought that you didn't find triggering and yet was still objectively true.  And then the last one, which can be a lot of fun, can also be overdone, can also become compulsive, but if done well can make life a little bit more fun, is agreeing with the thought in an exaggerated humorous, sarcastic way. Just blowing it up. So, you're out doing the OCD. The OCD is very creative, but you're more creative than the OCD. Kimberley: Can you give me examples? Jon: Well, the OCD says your plane is going to crash. He said, your plane is going to crash into a school. Just be done with it, right? And that kind of shock where the bully is expecting you to defend yourself and instead, you just punched yourself in the face. He's like, “Yeah, you're weird. I'm not going to bother you anymore.” That's the relationship one wants with their OCD. Kimberley: That's true. I remember in a previous episode we had with, I think it was when you had brought out your team book about saying “Good one bro,” or “brah.” Jon: “Cool story, brah.” Yeah.  Kimberley: Cool story brah. And I've had many of my patients say that that was also really helpful, is there's a degree of attitude that goes with that, right? Jon: Yeah. And because again, it's just a glitch in the system that, of course, you're conditioned to respond to it like it's serious. But once you realize it is, once you get the hint that it's OCD, you have to shift out of that, “Oh, this is very important, very serious,” and into this like, “This is junk mail.” And if you actually look at your junk mail, none of it is serious. It sounds serious. It sounds like I just inherited a billion dollars from some prince in Nigeria. That sounds very important. I Kimberley: I get that email every day pretty much.  Jon: Yeah. But I look at it and immediately I know that it's not serious, even though the words in it sound very important.  Kimberley: Yeah. So, for somebody, I'm sitting in the mind of someone who has OCD and is listening right now, and I'm guessing, to those who are listening, you're nodding and “Yes, this is so helpful. This is so helpful.” And then we may finish the episode and then the realization that “This is really hard” comes. How much coaching, how much encouragement? How do you walk someone through treatment who is finding this incredibly difficult? Jon: I want to live in your mind. In my mind, let that same audience member is like, “This guy sucks.” Kimberley: My mind isn't so funny after we start the recording. So, you're cool. Jon: Who is this clown? Again, it's back to self-compassion. I'm sure people are tired of hearing about it, but it's simply more objective. It is hard. And if you're acting like it shouldn't be hard or you're doing something wrong as a function, it's hard because you're doing something wrong, you're really confused. How could that be? You could not have known better than to end up here. Everything that brought you here was some other thought or some other feeling, and you're just responding to your environment. The question is right now where you have some control, what are you going to do with your attention? Right now, you're noticing, “Oh man, it's really hard to resist mental rituals. It's hard to catch them. It's hard to let go of them. It's hard to deal with the anxiety of thinking because I didn't finish the mental ritual. Maybe I missed something and somebody's going to get hurt or something like that because I didn't figure it out.”  It is really hard. I don't think we should pretend that it's easy. We should acknowledge that it's hard. And then we should ask, “Okay, well, I made a decision that I'm going to do this. I'm going to treat my OCD and it looks like the treatment for OCD is I'm going to confront this uncertainty and not do compulsions. So, I have to figure out what to do with the fact that it's hard.” And then it's back to the body. How do you know that it's hard? “Well, I could feel the tension here and I could feel my heart rate and my breath.” So, let's work with that. How can I relate to that experience that's coming up in a way that's actually helpful? The thing that I've been thinking about a lot lately is this idea that the brain is quick to learn that something is dangerous. Something happens and it hurts, and your brain is like, “Yeah, let's not do that again.” And you might conclude later that that thing really wasn't as dangerous as you thought. And so, you want to re-engage with it. And you might find that's really hard to do, which is why exposure therapy is really hard because it's not like a one-and-done thing. You have to practice it because the brain is very slow to learn that something is safe, especially after it's been taught that it's dangerous.  But that's not a bad thing. You want a brain that does that. You don't want a brain that's like, “Yeah, well, I got bit by one dog, but who cares? Let's go back in the kennel.” You want a brain that's like, “Hold on. Are you sure about this?” That whole process of overcoming your fears, I think people, again, they're way too hard on themselves. It should take some time and it should be slow and sluggish. You look like you're getting better, and then you slip back a little bit, because it's really just your brain saying, “Listen, I'm here to keep you safe, and I learned that you weren't, and you are not following rules. So, I'm pulling you back.” That's where that is coming from. So, that's the hard feeling. That's the hard feeling right there. It's your brain really trying to get you to say, “No, go back to doing compulsions. Compulsions are keeping you safe.” You have to override that circuit and say, “I appreciate your help. But I think I know something that you don't. So, I'm going to keep doing this.” And then you can relate to that hard feeling with like, “Good, my brain works. My brain is slow and sluggish to change, but not totally resistant. Over time, I'm going to bend it to my will and it will eventually let go, and either say this isn't scary anymore or say like, ‘Well, it's still scary, but I'm not going to keep you from doing it.'” Kimberley: Right. I had a client at the beginning of COVID I think, and the biggest struggle-- and this was true for a lot of people, I think, is they would notice the thought, notice they're engaging in compulsions and drop it, to use your language, and then go, “Yay, I did that.” And then they would notice another thought in the next 12 seconds or half a second, and then they would go, “Okay, notice it and drop it.” And then they'd do it again. And by number 14, they're like, “No, this is--” or it would either be like, “This is too hard,” or “This isn't working.” So, I'm wondering if you could speak to-- we've talked about it being “too hard.” Can you speak to your ideas around “this isn't working”? Jon: Yeah. That's a painful thought. I think that a lot of times, people, when they say it isn't working, I ask them to be more specific because their definition of working often involves things like, “I was expecting not to have more intrusive thoughts,” or “I was expecting for those thoughts to not make me anxious.” And when you let go of those expectations, which isn't lowering them at all, it's just shifting them, asking, well, what is it that you really want to do in your limited time on this earth? You're offline for billions of years. Now you're online for, I don't know, 70 to 100 if you're lucky, and then you're offline again. So, this is the time you have. So, what do you want to do with your attention? And if it's going to be completely focused on your mental health, well, that's a bummer. You need to be able to yes, notice the thought, yes, notice the ritual, yes, drop them both, and then return to something.  In this crazy world we're living in now where we're just constantly surrounded by things to stimulate us and trigger us and make us think, we have lots of things to turn to that aren't necessarily healthy, but they're not all unhealthy either. So, it's not hard to turn your attention away from something and into a YouTube video or something like that. It is more challenging to shift your attention away from something scary and then bring it to the flavor of your tea. That's a mindfulness issue. That's all that is. Why is one thing easier than the other? It's because you don't think the flavor of your tea is important. Why? Because you're just not stimulated by the firing off of neurons in your tongue and the fact that we're alive on earth and that we've evolved over a million years to be able to make and taste tea. That's not as interesting as somebody dancing to a rap song. I get that, but it could be if you're paying a different kind of attention. So, it's just something to consider when you're like, “Well, I can't return to the present because it doesn't engage me in there.” Something to consider, what would really engage you and what is it about the present that you find so uninteresting? Maybe you should take another look. Kimberley: Right. For me, I'm just still so shocked that gravity works. Whenever I'm really stuck, I will admit, my rumination isn't so anxiety-based. I think it's more when I'm angry, I get into a ruminative place. We can do that similar behavior. So, when I'm feeling that, I have to just be like, “Okay, drop away from, that's not helpful. Be aware and then drop it.” And then for me, it's just like, “Wow, the gravity is pulling me down. It just keeps blowing my mind.” Jon: Yeah. That's probably a better use of your thought process than continuing to ruminate. But you bring up another point. I think this speaks more closely to your question about when people say it's not working. I'm probably going to go to OCD jail for this, but I think to some extent, when you get knocked off track by an OCD trigger, because you made me think of it when you're talking about anger. Like, someone says something to you and makes you angry and you're ruminating about it. But it's the same thing in OCD. Something happens. Something triggers you to think like, “I'm going to lose my job. I'm a terrible parent,” or something like that. You're just triggered. This isn't just like a little thought, you're like, “Oh, that's my OCD.” You can feel it in your bones. It got you. It really got you.  Now, you can put off ruminating as best you can, but you're going to be carrying that pain in your bones for a while. It could be an hour, could be a day, could be a couple of days. Now, if it's more than a couple of days, you have to take ownership of the fact that you are playing a big role in keeping this thing going and you need to change if you want different results. But if it's less than a couple of days and you have OCD, sometimes all you can do is just own it. “All right, I'm just going to be ruminating a lot right now.” And I'm not saying like, hey, sit there and really try to ruminate. But it's back to that thing before, like your brain is conditioned to take this seriously, and no matter how much you tell yourself it's not serious, your brain is going to do what your brain is going to do. And so, can you get your work done? Try to show up for your family, try to laugh when something funny happens on TV, even while there's this elephant sitting on your chest. And every second that you're not distracted, your mind is like, “Why did they say that? Why did I do that? What's going to happen next?” And really just step back from it and say like, “You know what, it's just going to have to be like this for now.” What I see people do a lot is really undersell how much that is living with OCD. “I'm not getting better.” I had this happen actually just earlier today. Somebody was telling me, walking me through this story that was just full of OCD minds that they kept stepping on and they kept exploding and they were distressed and everything. And yet, throughout the whole process, the only problem was they were having OCD and they were upset. But they weren't avoiding the situation. They weren't asking for reassurance and they weren't harming themselves in any way. They were just having a rough time because they just had their buttons pushed. It was frustrating because they wouldn't acknowledge that that is a kind of progress that is living with this disorder, which necessarily involves having symptoms.  I don't want people to get confused here and say like, “This is as good as it gets,” or “You should give up hope for getting better.” It's not about that. Part of getting better is really owning that this is how you show up in the world. You have your assets and your liabilities, and sometimes the best thing to do is just accept what's going on and work through it in a more self-compassionate way. Kimberley: Right. I really resonate with that too. I've had to practice that a lot lately too of accepting my humanness. Because I think there are times where you catch yourself and you're like, “No, I should be performing way up higher.” And then you're like, “No, let's just accept these next few days are going to be rough.” I like that. I think that that's actually more realistic in terms of what recovery really might look like. This is going to be a rough couple of days or a rough couple of hours or whatever it may be. Jon: Yeah. If you get punched hard enough in the stomach and knock the wind out of you, that takes a certain period of time before you catch your breath. And if you get punched in the OCD brain, it takes a certain amount of time before you catch your breath. So, hang on. It will get better. And again, this isn't me saying, just do as many compulsions as you want. It's just, you're going to do some, especially rumination and taking ownership of that, “Oh man, it's really loud in there. I've been ruminating a lot today. I'll just do the best I can.” That's going to be a better approach than like, “I'm going to sit and track every single thought and I'm going to burn it to the ground. I'm going to do it every five seconds.” Really, you're just going to end up ruminating more that way. Kimberley: Right. And probably beating yourself up more. Jon: Exactly. Kimberley: Right. Okay. I feel like that is an amazing place for us to end. Before we do, is there anything you feel like we've missed that you just want people to know before we finish up? Jon: I guess what's really important to know since we're talking about mental compulsions is that it's not separate from the rest of OCD and it's not harder to treat. People have this idea that, well, if you're a compulsive hand-washer, you can just stop washing your hands or you can just remove the sink or something like that. But if you're a compulsive ruminator about whether or not you're going to harm someone or you're a good person or any of that stuff, somehow that's harder to treat. I've not found this to be the case. Anecdotally, I haven't seen any evidence that this is really the case in terms of research. You might be harder on yourself in some ways, and that might make your symptoms seem more severe, but that's got nothing to do with how hard you are to treat or the likelihood of you getting better. Most physical rituals are really just efforts to get done what your mental rituals are not doing for you. So, many people who are doing physical rituals are also doing mental rituals and those who aren't doing physical rituals. Again, some people wash their hands. Some people wash their minds. Many people do both. A lot of this stuff, it has to do with like, “I expect my mind to be one way, and it's another.” And that thing that's making it another is a contaminant, “I hate it and I want to go away and I'm going to try to get it to go away.” And that's how this disorder works. Kimberley: Right. It's really, really wonderful advice. I think that it's actually really great that you covered that because I think a lot of people ask that question of, does that mean that I'm going to only have half the recovery of someone who does physical compulsions or just Googles or just seeks reassurance? So, I think it's really important. Do you feel like someone can overcome OCD if their predominant compulsion is mental? Jon: Absolutely. They may even have assets that they are unaware of that makes them even more treatable. I mean, only one way to find out. Kimberley: Yeah. I'm so grateful to you. Thank you for coming on. This is just filling my heart so much. Thank you. Jon: Thank you. I always love speaking with you. Kimberley: Do you want to share where people can find you and all your amazing books and what you're doing? Jon: My hub is OCDBaltimore.com. That's the website for the Center for OCD and Anxiety at Sheppard Pratt, and also the OCD program at The Retreat at Sheppard Pratt. And I'm on Instagram at OCDBaltimore, Twitter at OCDBaltimore. I don't know what my Facebook page is, but it's out there somewhere. I'm not hard to find. Falling behind a little bit on my meme game, I haven't found anything quite funny or inspiring enough. I think I've toured through all of my favorite movies and TV shows. And so, I'm waiting for some show that I'm into to inspire me. But someone asked me the other day, “Wait, you stopped with the memes.” Kimberley: They're like, nothing's funny anymore. Jon: I try not to get into that headspace. Sometimes I do think that way, but yeah, the memes find me. I don't find them. Kimberley: I love it. And your books are all on Amazon or wherever you can buy books, I'm imagining. Jon: Yes. The OCD Workbook For Teens is my most recent one and the second edition of the Mindfulness Workbook for OCD is also a relatively recent one. Kimberley: Amazing. You're amazing. Thank you so much. Jon: Thank you.

In this episode, I want to discuss ERP and the difference between reacting and responding. It is important to understand the difference when it comes to highly emotional situations. Would you like the exact guide I give to my individual clients? Click the link below and you can download it 100% FREE - https://www.restoredminds.com/free-guide Want to watch our episodes on YouTube? and even join us for our next live? You're just one click away from doing so! Click here to follow us on youtube https://www.youtube.com/restoredminds?sub_confirmation=1 Your feedback and support matter, so please help us out by writing a review on iTunes! All you have to do is click the link below. Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-restored-minds-podcast/id1485758572 If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @mattcodde_lcsw Thank you for your support of this show! Don't forget to connect with us via social media - we got daily motivation quotes to motivate you daily! https://www.facebook.com/ocdsupportcommunity https://instagram.com/mattcodde_lcsw

Dr. Z, or Patrícia E Zurita Ona, is a psychologist specializing in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Exposure Response Prevention. She is the author of "Acceptance and Commitment Skills for Perfectionism and High-Achieving Behavior," and the Playing-it-Safe newsletter. Dr. Z on Twitter Dr. Z's newsletter

Dr. Raghu Kiran Appasani is an Integrative Psychiatrist, Neuroscientist, and Social Entrepreneur focused on bridging the gap between western and eastern practices to create a wholesome society by taking a proactive approach to health. He was born and raised in the Boston area, living in rural India with his grandparents for two formative years when he was young. His father, a biochemist at Harvard Medical School, opened up his labs for him to do research before going to Wesleyan to study neuroscience. He graduated from The University of Massachusetts with his Medical Doctorate in 2018, where he received the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award.  He is currently the Chief Resident of Integrated Care Services at LA County + USC Medical Center and in private practice taking a holistic integrative approach to care. Dr. Appasani is the Chief Medical Officer at PYM Health, which stands for Prepare Your Mind. Partnering with Robin Williams' son, Zak Williams, PYM is the first neurotransmitter company focused on nutritional psychiatry through mood chews that target the body's neurotransmitter and amino acid levels to decrease anxiety and stress.   Dr. Appasani is CEO of The MINDS Foundation, a mental health nonprofit he founded that has been globally recognized. Through his extensive scientific research, he's published over 35 peer-reviewed articles, edited five books, and is a sought-after speaker and writer on mental health, entrepreneurship, global health, and consciousness. Throughout his medical career, he's focused on the impact of mental health in physicians, developing initiatives at medical institutions to combat suicide and build resilience, working extensively with Graduate Medical Education leadership.    Clinically, Dr. Appasani is trained in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy for Trauma, Motivational Interviewing, Group Therapy, and Exposure Response Prevention. He's currently a Health Equity Scholar in the MAPS MDMA Psychotherapy Program. His clinical interests lie in mood disorders (depression, bipolar), addiction, anxiety disorders, OCD spectrum, eating disorders, trauma, and personality spectrum conditions.    His passion lies at the intersection of mental health literacy, consciousness, global psychiatry, mindfulness, digital health, personalized medicine, psychedelics, wellness, and social entrepreneurship. Dr. Appasani believes that we all have mental health and therefore believes that healing occurs through the integration of psychotherapy, medication management, supplementation with natural sources, nutrition, and physical fitness. Above all else, he believes building community is very important in his own and everyone's healing journey.   SHOW NOTE LINKS: MINDS Foundation  PYM- Mood Chews Dr. Raghu Appasani on Instagram Dr. Raghu Appasani on Facebook CONNECT WITH US! *Dear Family, Podcast Page *Write Now Rachel Website *Rachel's Blog @Medium *Rachel's Twitter *Facebook *Instagram   PLEASE JOIN: *Dear Family Members, the Private Facebook Group     WAYS TO HELP THE PODCAST: *PLEASE Leave a 5-Star Review and Subscribe! Thank you! Your support means the world to me. Wishing you love, happiness, and good mental health always.      

F is for…Fantasy suites, get your head out of the gutter. While Michelle took her three contestants into overnight dates, Liv and Jenna discuss intimacy in relationships, distress tolerance, radical acceptance and Exposure Response Prevention. And boy, it gets steamy!

If you plan on having a baby or building a family, sometimes, you find yourself in a big bubble of bliss as you daydream about the day you finally become a parent. But what happens if that day comes and you don't feel anything like you imagined? If you're not aware that this can be a very common feeling, this can be very heartbreaking. In this episode, Dr. Alice Pickering talks about the impact of negative thoughts and intrusive thoughts and how we can overcome them. She also touches on postpartum depression and anxiety, cognitive distortions, her own experience with early parenthood. She teaches us about Exposure Response Prevention and how talking about issues and experiences as well as getting support helps destroy stigmas.   Listen to the reason why not automatically loving your baby shouldn't be shamed in this episode of the Mamas in Training Podcast with Dr. Alice Pickering!   FOLLOW on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mamasintrainingpod/ JOIN our Facebook Community: https://urlgeni.us/facebook/mamasintrainingpod   Click HERE for the Full Show Notes ___________________________________________________

On today's podcast I chat with Alessio Rizzo and Robert Fox about having hope when treating and living with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Alessio is a fully accredited Gestalt psychotherapist in the UK and a psychotherapy lecturer. He is a Level 3 IFS therapist and has been a PA for Derek Scott on the Stepping Out Program. He is working towards his IFS certification. Rob is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who practices in Woburn, Massachusetts. He is a IFS level 3 trained and Certified and an EMDR Certified Therapist. He presented at the 2018 IFS Conference on the topic of treating OCD with IFS Therapy. He was a guest on the IFS Talks podcast about his own personal challenges with OCD and what helped him.  Listen to the episode here: A Talk with Robert Fox on OCD type Parts | IFS (internalfamilysystems.pt) Here is an outline of this episode- all times are ish: - 11 - Their stories and their passion for OCD -18 - Other tx modalities (ERP is Exposure Response Prevention) - 24- Trauma and suffering as an invisible and consistent occurrence - 26-  Rob's personal story and Alessio's metaphor (Drop of water on a hard rock) - 35- Frederick Penzel OCD workbook. - 37- Recognizing patterns for OCD: repressed anger, a lot of shame, no witnessing adult, shame about OCD. *OCD parts need to be a powerful enough distraction to keep you away from intense shame 39- Their upcoming workshop (link below- November 27, 2021) 45- Lack of availability of OCD therapists and treatment, Stigma of OCD 51- HOPE -- To sign up for the OCD workshop: IFS & Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) - Sistemas de la Familia Interna (institutoifs.com) To connect with Alessio: Therapy with Alessio To connect with Robert: Home: Family Therapy | Couples Therapy | Woburn, MA 01801 (jobstresssolutions.com) To connect with me: Home - The One Inside-by Tammy Sollenberger Enjoy!

"It's almost having a peace that I have anxiety. I am at peace that I have worry. It is not always that I have peace completely, but I understand that this is part of who I am." Dr. Curtis Hsia--OC Anxiety Center Is there hope for healing from Anxiety and OCD? Dr. Curtis Hsia shares about how he uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Exposure Response Prevention to treat children and adults with severe Anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Website: https://ocanxietycenter.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ocanxietyc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ocanxietycenter/ --- For support, giveaways, and to participate in the #MomentumChallenge, join the Faith Hope Love Women's Community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/faithhopelovecommunity Music: "The Joy" by John Stratton (given permission to use) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yds65yDX0B8 Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/moorefaithhopelove Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moore.faith.hope.love/ Website: https://www.moorefaithhopelove.com #anxiety #anxietyawareness #OCD #ocdawareness #therapy #CBT #GAD #panicdisorder #cognitivebehavioraltherapy #ERP #intrusivethoughts #OCDlife #ocdrecovery #anxietyrecovery #endthestigmaofmentalhealth #podcast #faith #hope #peace This episode was #madeonzencastr

In today's episode, I welcome Beth Brawley, an LPC based in St. Louis, Missouri, to the podcast to talk about the best treatments for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (focusing on the gold standard treatment, Exposure and Response Prevention therapy). Beth specializes in the treatment of OCD in her private practice as well as being an adjunct faculty member at Washington University, where she teaches graduate students about ERP therapy. Here are two resources Beth recommends for learning more about ERP and finding help: https://www.treatmyocd.com/ https://iocdf.org/

In this episode, Mimi and Alegra talk about the basics of obsessive compulsive disorder, what it looks like to treat the very disorder she suffered from, and social justice from a therapist's perspective. Alegra is an Associate Marriage & Family Therapist who received my Master's degree in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University.  She currently practices in Los Angeles, CA, specializing in the treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Anxiety Disorders, Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, and Eating Disorders. Her clinical work focuses on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Exposure & Response Prevention, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, and mindfulness skills training for adults, adolescents, and children. Prior to her work in private practice, Alegra worked as a psychotherapist at The OCD Center of Los Angeles specializing in the treatment of OCD, BRFB's and anxiety disorders across the life span. She also trained extensively in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, with an emphasis on Exposure & Response Prevention, at the UCLA Adult OCD Intensive Outpatient Program, where she assisted in providing hands-on ERP with clients experiencing moderate to severe OCD. Additional clinical experience includes Alegra's work as a counselor at The Maple Counseling Center in Beverly Hills, where she provided individual therapy and couples therapy for clients struggling with anxiety disorders, depression, grief, and complex trauma. In addition to clinical experience, Alegra has a lifetime of experience as a human being.  Her passion for OCD treatment, education, and advocacy comes from her own personal experience with the disorder.  She understands firsthand the relentlessness of the disorder and how painfully it holds one's life captive.  Alegra also understands that relief and recovery are real with a large dose of evidence-based treatment and an equally large dose of willingness.

The focus for this weeks episode is harm OCD. This can be a particuarly hard OCD theme and people often really struggle with their thioughts. The fact of the matter is though that people with harm OCD are normally some of the kindest people in the world, which is why thoughts about harm are so disturbing for them. Paradoxically this revulsion to such thoughts also creates more of them. What we forcefully try and push away, often comes back to us and this creates the OCD cycle. Harm OCD then is no different from any other OCD and we can deal with it the same, through acceptance of the thoughts and standing up to our fears about them.   In todays episode I interview the OCD therapist Kelley Frank AMFT about how we can learn to manage harm OCD more effectively. Kelley Franke is Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist at the OCD Center of Los Angeles where she specializes in CBT, with a focus on Exposure & Response Prevention, in adults, adolescents, and children suffering from OCD, and other Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders, including body-focused repetitive behaviors. Kelley completed her Masters in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University. Prior to completing her graduate work she trained as a behavioral assistant at the OCD Center of Los Angeles. Additionally, she completed training in DBT from Behavioral Tech Research through The Linehan Institute and integrates many DBT based skills in her work with clients.   To find out more about Kelley, you can go to her website: www.mindfullyanxious.com   To find out more about me and my coaching services & to get the Free Mini Course for OCD and Anxiety you can check out my website www.robertjamescoaching.com Or you can find me on Instagram @robertjamescoachinguk Disclaimer: Robert James Pizey (of Robert James Coaching) is not a medical professional and is also not providing therapy or medical treatment. Robert James Pizey recommends that anyone experiencing anxiety or OCD to seek professional medical help straight away to get a medical opinion and rule out other conditions or illnesses. The comments and opinions as written on this site are simply that and are not to be taken as professional medical opinions. Robert James Pizey provides coaching, education, accountability and peer support around Anxiety through his own personal experiences.  

Learn all things OCD with the OCD Whisperer Podcast. Today we will discuss the art of Exposure & Response Prevention as the first line treatment for OCD. Principles discussed are: Variability Defuse and create a little space between you and OCD Opposite Action Be here NOW Tripple A: acknowledge, agree, and accept _____ eBook- Your Guide to Compulsive Rumination +30 day journal IG @ocdwhisperer Resources for OCD    _____ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes.  Though I am a licensed marriage and family therapist in California, this does not replace therapy.  See you in the next episode! Keep going.   *Episodes will be coming out bi-weekly.

This week’s episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit is called “Watch your mouth” and I mean that in the kindest possible way. I know we usually hear the phrase “Watch your mouth” as a phrase of discipline and can often be shocked or intimidated by such a statement. In this episode, we talk all about the words we use in daily life.  We address how we often say things that simply are not true, or are quite unkind. Because we often unconsciously believe what we tell ourselves, we have be careful not to address ourselves in ways that are unhelpful. Take a quick look at the below examples: • “I NEVER do anything right” • “I am so BAD for having this thought” • “You ALWAYS make me anxious”  Here are a few examples of ways in which we say things that are untrue and unhelpful. When we do this, we not only feed ourselves stories that are unhelpful but we also create an environment where negativity exists. I can make the assumption that these negative statements are not helpful for you. In this episode, we hope to inspire you to “watch your mouth” carefully and take note when you are speaking in a way that might exacerbate your anxiety.  ALSO, We also have fabulous news! Exposure & Response Prevention School is BACK! ERP School was carefully created to cover the most important components of Exposure & Response Prevention. The ERP School includes the following modules:  1. The Science behind Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP) 2. Identifying YOUR Obsessions and Compulsions 3. Different Approaches to Practicing Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP) 1. Gradual Exposure & Response Prevention 2. Scripting and Flooding. 3. Opposite Action Skills 4. Interoceptive ERP 5. Let's Get Creative with ERP 4. Managing Uncertainty and Discomfort with Mindfulness 5. Troubleshooting Common Issues and Concerns 6. BONUS Material: OCD Sub-types and Themes We like to keep the courses super affordable so that everyone gets a chance to learn the tools needed to manage anxiety, obsessions, and compulsions. Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP) School is $197.   Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP) School includes 18 videos, supplemental PDF's and handouts to help you apply the content to your obsessions and compulsions, as well as a BONUS 7 videos on applying ERP to the common OCD Sub-types. In total, the course is almost 5 hours of the same ERP information and skills I teach my face-to-face clients. CBT School is committed to supporting you throughout this process. If you have any questions, Kimberley meets bi-monthly on Facebook and Instagram for her LIVE MAGIC MONDAY Q&A hour (every second and fourth Monday at 12 pm PST) where she answers questions and troubleshoots any concerns you may have. Once you have purchased the course, you will have unlimited access to the videos. Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP) School is available for purchase just a few times per year. The cart for ERP School will open again September 20th, 2019 so get excited! For more information on the course and to purchase, click HERE.

People will try to treat OCD with many different approaches. Treatment of OCD can include the use of talk therapy, play therapy, biofeedback or EMDR. But the truth of the matter is, OCD will not improve significantly without ERP, Exposure Response Prevention.So what is ERP and how does it work? I invited Dr. Martin Hsia, the Clinical Director at the Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center of Southern California, to sit down with me to have a chat all about ERP in kids. To learn more about CBTSoCal go to www.CBTsocal.com****This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the guidance of a qualified professional.Visit my website at www.ATparentingSurvival.comInterested in my AT Parenting Community Membership? Click below to join us!http://www.atparentingcommunity.comSign up for my weekly email newsletter:https://pages.convertkit.com/740ba8cd83/92109b7172Take one of my online classes:To view the entire online school library, go to:http://anxioustoddlers.teachable.comClasses include:How to Crush Social Anxietyhttp://anxioustoddlers.teachable.com/p/crush-social-anxietyParenting Kids with OCDhttp://anxioustoddlers.teachable.com/p/child-ocdCrush Moral OCD in Kidshttp://anxioustoddlers.teachable.com/p/moral-ocdTeaching Kids to Crush Anxietyhttp://anxioustoddlers.teachable.com/p/crush-anxiety Helping Kids with Anxiety or OCD Through Difficult Behaviorshttp://anxioustoddlers.teachable.com/p/difficult-behaviorsHelping Kids Who are Scared to Sleephttp://anxioustoddlers.teachable.com/p/scared-to-sleepHandling Sensory-Based Anxietyhttp://anxioustoddlers.teachable.com/p/sensory-anxietyLibrary of Live Anxiety and OCD Classes (20 hours of class replays)http://anxioustoddlers.teachable.com/p/libraryUltimate list of helpful anxiety products:https://www.anxioustoddlers.com/reduce-child-anxiety/To join my private Facebook group visit:https://www.facebook.com/groups/ATparentinganxiouskids/For a list of my books visit:https://www.amazon.com/Natasha-Daniels/e/B011K5IIWAJoin the fun on my YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/c/anxioustoddlers78Other social places I hang out:http://www.facebook.com/anxioustoddlershttp://www.pinterest.com/anxioustoddlershttp://www.twitter.com/anxioustoddlershttp://www.instagram.com/anxioustoddlers** See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Welcome back to another episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit.  You are going to LOVE this week's podcast interview with Dr. Reid Wilson.  For those who don’t know Dr. Reid Wilson, he is a world-class specialist in the area of Anxiety Disorders.  Dr. Reid Wilson is the Director of the Anxiety Disorders Treatment Center in Chapel Hill and Durham, NC, and is Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. Dr. Reid Wilson is the author of the amazing book for Panic Disorder, called Don’t Panic, and the co-author of wonderful books such as Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents, Stop Obsessing! and Playing with Anxiety. Dr. Reid Wilson is a Founding Clinical Fellow of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America and a Fellow of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies.  So, I am sure you are wowed already, but wait for it! This episode will blow your mind even more.   In this week’s episode, I talk with Dr. Reid Wilson about a perspective change and an attitude change from one where we do not want anxiety to one where we WANT anxiety.   I know this may seem strange, but believe me, this will change your whole game when it comes to the treatment of anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and other anxiety disorders.    In this episode, we address the following topics.  Why do we want anxiety?  What is going on in our brains when we have anxiety and when we face our fears  How to get a client to do Exposure & Response Prevention  How to Engage the Ambivalent or resistant OCD Client A different approach to the ERP hierarchy?  How to have a complete Attitude change about fear and anxiety.   Please consult Reid’s other site, Anxieties.com, for additional information, videos, resources, and treatment options. Before we go, I have a few exciting events to tell you about!  I’ll be speaking at both the OCD SoCal Conference and OCDeconstruct. On Saturday, March 30, I will be speaking at the OCD Southern California 4thAnnual Conference alongside other OCD specialists and advocates.  I’ll be speaking during the breakout session titled Managing OCD Roadblocks: Creative and Effective Tools to Tackle ERP. For registration information, visit ocdsocal.org or click HERE. OCDeconstruct is a free online conference designed to give those with OCD, and their loved ones, the information needed to understand key concepts related to the disorder so they can get a productive start on treatment. During the conference, six therapists will present on topics including intrusive thoughts, ERP, family dynamics, medicine and more. OCDeconstruct happens on Saturday, April 13 and will run about 4 hours.  To sign up directly, click HERE. Do you want to get weekly free content from us, right to your inbox?  SIGN UP HERE FOR OUR NEW WEEKLY NEWSLETTER! The weekly newsletter includes free mental health tips and tools, information about upcoming events with Kimberley. and free coupons for CBT School products.  

The Science of Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) Welcome back to another episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast.   Today we are talking about the science behind Exposure and Response Prevention.  I know a lot of you have a lot of questions about why we would ever put ourselves in a position to be MORE anxious and MOST uncertain.   But, there are many reasons why and today we are going to dive into The Science of Exposure and Response Prevention . To put it simply, we instinctually we run from fear.  We go into fight, flight and freeze when we are faced with serious, dangerous events. In emergency situations, this is the most sophisticated human response.  We are so lucky we have this response, as it keeps up alive and well.   However, in our era, we are often bombarded by THOUGHTS of serious, dangerous events and this causes our brain to make mistakes about the imminence of danger.  We experience the thought as if it were an imminent threat - right here, danger in close quarters, etc.  The problem is that we react to this thought or sensation or urge as if it IS an imminent threat.  We run away, we fight it or we freeze.   What happens when we do this is that we reinforce that the thought IS dangerous and, because we responded in this way, a cycle that is created.  Fear --> avoidance response --> fear….and the cycle continues.  So, what can we do instead of fight, flight or freeze? We can stare our fear right in the face.  We do this by performing Exposure and Response Prevention.  Exposure and Response Prevention includes changing our behavior, or response, to the original thought or obsession and exposing ourselves to our feared consequence.  Now, if you hate the idea of this, you are not alone.    In this week's podcast, we address the science behind Exposure & Response Prevention to help motivate and inform you of WHY ERP is so important and HOW it changes our brains.  If you need help with this, now is the time to act.   ERP School, our online course that teaches you all the most important components of ERP for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, is BACK, but act fast because it is only available until February 14th, 2019!    Exposure and Response Prevention School (ERP School)  is an online course that teaches you the tools and skills I teach my clients in my office.  Let me tell you a little bit about it.    The course is a video-based course that includes modules on  The science behind ERP  Identifying YOUR obsessions and your compulsions  The different approaches and types of ERP, including gradual exposure, writing scripts, interoceptive exposures and how to get creative with ERP  Mindfulness tools to help you manage anxiety, panic, and uncertainty  Troubleshoot common questions and concerns  BONUS 6 videos of the most common subtypes of OCD The course also includes many downloadable PDF’s and activities to help you navigate how to best apply ERP to your specific obsessions and compulsions.   We are so excited to finally share ERP with you and would love to have you join us and the CBT School Community.  It's a beautiful day to do hard things!  If you are worried about doing it alone, please don’t fear.  We meet bi-monthly on the FB group and on IG to talk about questions you may have.  Click HERE to sign up.   

How To Do HARD THINGS...It's A Beautiful Day For It!! Welcome back to another Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast episode!  This week’s episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit is all about How to do Hard Things. I know I say “Its a beautiful day to do hard things” all the time, and sometimes people message me or email and ask me, “How do I do hard things?”  Even friends and loved ones might call to ask, “Can you teach me how to do hard things?”  These hard things might be doing Exposure & Response Prevention (doing something that scares you), taking a test, going to a doctor visit, traveling long distances, feeling intense feelings such as sadness or grief, delivering a speech, experiencing pain or any other event that scares the pants off you.  :) A little note on this before we move on; Doing a Hard Thing is doing the thing that scares YOU, even if it doesn’t scare others.  If it is hard for you, it is hard.  Try not to judge yourself or compare yourself to what is hard for you vs. others. After talking with a dear, loved one this week about an upcoming “hard thing” they were preparing to do, I decided to write them a letter.  My hope was they could read it as they prepared to stare their hard thing in the face (take that hard thing!).  After sending it, I wondered if maybe you needed a similar letter. So, here we go.  Here is the letter I sent my friend.  I hope you find it helpful in understanding how to do hard things.   "Hi my love,  Here are the most important things to remember when dealing with fear, dread, and panic. Just because your brain is telling you there is "danger,” doesn't make it true or real or correct. Our brain misfires (and make mistakes) ALL the time and it is our job to help direct it back to more reasonable reactions. If we react with resistance, we keep training it to misfire. Our job is to just allow the anxiety, without reacting to it. We gently allow it to be present and allow it to rise and fall on its own. With this practice, we not only re-train our brain, but we learn that beyond this moment of discomfort is freedom. Just a few minutes beyond this discomfort is our opportunity to do whatever the fuck we want with our lives. Fear doesn't get to make our decisions. Our values and hopes and dreams do. You are strong, but you don't have to be stronger than fear. It's not a fight, so don't fight it. Slow everything down and gently say to it, "its ok, fear. I am just going to allow you to be here while I do the thing I love to do. You don't get to control me. Love, Kimberley"   Also, CBT School is also excited to share that our lovely friend Stuart Ralph is offering The OCD Summit, an online summit specifically for OCD therapists.  The OCD Summit will be a 6-week webinar series where Stuart Ralph, host of The OCD Stories podcast, will interview some incredible scientists and clinicians in the OCD field, with you the therapist as the audience.   Kimberley is honored to be selected to be one of the panelists for this exciting event.  Registration will include 6 topics curated for your continued development as an OCD therapist, where you can ask questions and network with other therapists in the private FB group community.  Click here to join. Lastly, OCD Awareness Week is coming up: October 7-13!  OCD SoCal will celebration OCD Awareness Week on October 7 from 1:00 pm-5:00 pm in Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego.  Go to IOCDF.org or search your local area for events.

ERP Is the Coolest Thing! If you have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or any other mental health struggle, you are going to LOVE this episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit.   This week we have Nathalie Maragoni, an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist who not only treats Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and other anxiety disorders, but also knows exactly what it is like the experience the terror of intrusive thoughts, panic attacks and brutal compulsions.   She said it best herself: “ERP is the coolest thing!” In this episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit, Nathalie talks with us about how she struggles finding the correct therapy for her Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and how she drove for over 1.5 hours to get a treatment specialist who used Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP).  Nathalie also talks about her struggle with different types of obsessions and compulsions.   She says, “Willingness is the key to managing OCD” and she could not be more correct about this.  We just loved how she shared her love for Exposure & Response Prevention and how “ERP is the coolest thing!” Nathalie shares the importance of continuing ERP after treatment. She found that getting the proper treatment alone (ERP) was not enough to help her live a full and thriving life with OCD.  She discusses the importance of applying Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and how this helps her live a value-based life where she can just allow thoughts to be there, instead of fusing with them.  For more information about Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, click HERE.   Nathalie talks about how she is using the book The Happiness Trap to help her understand that “Every experience comes with a good feeling and a bad feeling.” In other news, Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP) school is HERE.  Exposure and Response Prevention School is an online course that teaches you the tools and skills I teach my clients in my office.  Just like Nathalie says, ERP is the coolest thing! Let me tell you a little bit about it.   The course is a video-based course that includes modules on: The science behind ERP Identifying YOUR obsessions and your compulsions The different approaches and types of ERP, including gradual exposure, writing scripts, interoceptive exposures and how to get creative with ERP Mindfulness tools to help you manage anxiety, panic and uncertainty Troubleshooting common questions and concerns BONUS videos explaining the most common subtypes of OCD and how to apply ERP to these obsessions and compulsions. The course also includes many downloadable PDF’s and activities to help you navigate how to best apply ERP to your specific obsessions and compulsions. We are so excited to finally share ERP with you and would love to have you join us and the CBT School community.  Its a beautiful day to do hard things! If you are worried about doing it alone, please don’t fear.  We meet bi-monthly on the FB group and on IG to talk about questions you may have.   Nathalie Maragoni is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist at OCDSpecialists.com.  They now have offices in Bakersfeild and Los Angeles under Supervisor, Stacey Kuhl Wochner.  Nathalie can be found on Instagram at @mindonfire_ocd.

My IOCDF Conference Key Takeaways One of the biggest honors I have as a therapist who treats anxiety disorders is to present at the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) annual conference.  I just adore these conferences, mostly because they provide a mix of both treatment presentations and support groups for those who struggle with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and for therapist who provide evidence based treatment for those who have OCD.   Another amazing thing about these conferences is that they also provide support groups and presentations on Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRB’s) such as Trichotillomania (Hail Pulling) and Excoriation Disorder (Skin Picking) and Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) and also co-occuring Eating Disorders and Substance Abuse. In this episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit, I wanted to share with you some of my reflections from running several support groups and attending some amazing presentations by some of the top treatment providers in the world.   The IOCDF.org put on such an amazing event and I have to admit, this one was by far my favorite. At this years conference, I was honored to co-facilitate a new support group called the Compassion Collective with a dear friend and colleague, Michelle Massi.  Michelle and I gathered every morning at 7AM (yes, it was VERY early) to meet with attendees who wanted support with self-compassion.  Each morning we provided a new compassion tool to help those who are struggling with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).  This was such an beautiful experience, as we got to really see inside the minds of the attendees and hear what is getting the way of them practicing self-compassion.  Interestingly, perfectionism and fear of failure were two of the key components or self-compassion sabotage (which I speak a lot about in this weeks podcast episode). I was also honored to be a part of a presentation called “Let’s Talk about Sex Baby!”  This presentation was a question and answer formatted presentation where attendees asked very intimate questions about how OCD and anxiety can impact sex.  One of the most interesting themes of these presentation was just how uncomfortable people were about discussing sex with their therapist.  We had a very OPEN and HONEST dialog with attendees about sex and normalized it. Finally, I was lucky enough to get to run the Co-existing OCD and Eating Disorder group this year with Beth Brawly.  Beth and I have ran this group several times and I love it SOOOO much.   There is a fine line where OCD and Eating Disorders combine and we met to help attendees break down faulty views of body, health, body size, food and body image.    It was so wonderful to see some very brave families join together to support their family members who are struggling. Fore more information on the IOCDF, click here. Lastly, this is a friendly reminder that ERP School (our online course for Exposure & Response Prevention for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and other Anxiety Disorders) is COMING SOON, so stay tuned.  Sign up HERE to be on the waitlist and be alerted as soon as it is available.

“You are right where you need to be” with Cami Julaine Well folks! Welcome back to another episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit.  Today, we have another amazing guest interview as a part of our “We can do hard things” series.    I am so excited to share with you an amazing interview with Cami Julaine, an avid mental health advocate, blogger, singer, actor and all-around wonderful person.    In this week's episode, Cami shares her journey through Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, an Eating Disorder, Trichotillomania, Panic Attacks and Trauma. One of the things I love the most about Cami is that she is so authentic and open.  I know we all struggle with finding the motivation to keep moving forward sometimes, as managing Anxiety Disorders such as Panic Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Social Anxiety, Phobias, Health Anxiety can be very difficult.  Cami shares with us a inspiring story of how she went from rock bottom to taking bold steps towards her recovery.  Cami shares her story of being supported by family members and close friends (ahem, Paula Abdul) who urged her to get help. This is an incredibly interesting and informative interview, as Cami shares how she had to blend many types of tools (and therapy) to get her to where she is today.   Cami shares some wonderful mindfulness tools to help manage Panic Disorder and Panic Attacks.  You will really love these tools, as they are very similar to ones we have discussed in previous episodes of Your Anxiety Toolkit, with a little Cami Juliane-twist. :)   Cami also talks about her experience with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). Finally, Cami shares with us how she has integrated spirituality with her recovery and how she practices self-care and self-compassion as a part of that practice.  This is a topic that I have’t touched upon much at all and I am sure you will find it inspirational and validating. You can find Cami Julaine on Instagram @camijulaine and more information on her website here. One thing before we say goodbye.  GET READY...because ERP School (our online course for Exposure & Response Prevention for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and other Anxiety Disorders) is COMING SOON, so stay tuned.  Sign up HERE to be on the waitlist and be alerted as soon as it is available.   PS: The first 20 people to sign up get a free, exclusive “We Can Do Hard Things Meditation” that you can download and use as often as you like.  YES!

Because this therapy is so important to the recovery of OCD, I am repeating this treatment for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder to put it back in sequence to the running of this series. ERP Therapy is the best treatment for OCD and I take it to another level using Emotional Freedom Techniques EFT to speed of the recovery time. Learn more now...

Kevin received his Bachelor’s in Psychology from Washington State University, before completing his Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology at Pacific University. His focus remained on anxiety and models for working with children, which led to completing anxiety focused training during his tenure at Pacific University. During this time, he authored three publications on anxiety and completed his dissertation on the effectiveness of Collaborative Problem Solving. Kevin has earned certification in treating OCD and Hoarding Disorder from the International Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Foundation (IOCDF) Behavior Therapy Training Institute (BTTI). Though he has presented at local and national conferences, he has found his true calling with public speaking on the topic of anxiety, often being recruited for providing lectures and workshops in the Portland community. ​ Kevin aims to provide effective, evidence-based treatment to individuals struggling with anxiety disorders using humor, kindness, and compassion. He believes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is effective when he is able to help clients shift their relationship with anxiety while not taking themselves too seriously. Kevin likes to empower his clients by saying (in regards to Exposure Response Prevention) “you’re already miserable, you may as well be miserable on purpose.” In This Episode We Discuss Defining anxiety accurately “Am I doing the action based on fear or preference?” How to not be crippled by uncertainty Relationship between anxiety and depression Exposure therapy and evidence-based strategies used in practice Focused on the past: feelings of guilt, shame, perhaps depression. How do we prevent ruminating on things that happened in the past?

The topic for our first episode is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. We’ll hear from Dr. Alexa Bagnell and Dr. Ann Marie Joyce from the IWK Health Centre who will provide an intro to OCD treatment and discuss Exposure Response Prevention. We’ll also hear a case study to provide a real-world example of how this method is applied in practice. Learn about Capitalize for Kids: https://www.capitalizeforkids.org/ Learn about IWK: http://www.iwk.nshealth.ca/

Fear Exposure is the most effective method in psychology to reduce anxiety In this episode of Self-Help Sat Nav, your host, Jim Lucas, talks about how to use exposure to reduce your anxiety. Whether you are struggling with obsessive thoughts / intrusions, physical sensations, intense emotions that won t turn off or traumatising memories of past […] The post #23 How to reduce your anxiety using the most effective method known to humankind appeared first on Openforwards: Counselling Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) Birmingham.

ERP Therapy is the gold standard for treatment of OCD. It is a method and ultimately successful process from taking someone out of the suffering of OCD. This podcast talks about ERP and if affect on OCD.