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The OCD Stories

Self Development

Welcome to The OCD Stories, hosted by Stuart Ralph. The podcast has been heard over 6million times globally. Check out your first episode from our existing hundreds of episodes featuring experts, and people experiencing symptoms just like you today. If you do, you may just feel understood, heard and possibly help you identify your next step in your own personal journey to healing. Disclaimer - this podcast is not a replacement for therapy. Please seek treatment from a licensed mental health professional.

Location:

United States

Description:

Welcome to The OCD Stories, hosted by Stuart Ralph. The podcast has been heard over 6million times globally. Check out your first episode from our existing hundreds of episodes featuring experts, and people experiencing symptoms just like you today. If you do, you may just feel understood, heard and possibly help you identify your next step in your own personal journey to healing. Disclaimer - this podcast is not a replacement for therapy. Please seek treatment from a licensed mental health professional.

Language:

English


Episodes
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Catherine Goldhouse: I-CBT, feared self, and understanding inferential confusion (#474)

2/23/2025
In episode 474 I chat with Catherine Goldhouse. Catherine is a licensed independent clinical social worker (LICSW) who specialises in anxiety, OCD, and relationships. We discuss Catherine’s OCD story, inference-based CBT (I-CBT), exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), reality sensing, the idea that I-CBT cares about the why, this concept of the feared self, understanding the concept of inferential confusion, the question of whether you can combine ERP and I-CBT, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/catherine-474 The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories Join many other listeners getting our weekly emails. Never miss a podcast episode or update: https://theocdstories.com/newsletter Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcast

Duration:00:57:47

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Stephen Smith share’s NOCD’s story (#473)

2/16/2025
In episode 473 I chat Stephen Smith. Stephen is the Cofounder and CEO of NOCD. Stephen shares his OCD story, the story of NOCD, the ups and downs of getting it to where it is today, the commitment from their team to improve access to OCD therapy, NOCD’s therapists and the rigorous training for them, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/stephen-smith-nocd-473 The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories Join many other listeners getting our weekly emails. Never miss a podcast episode or update: https://theocdstories.com/newsletter Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcast

Duration:01:13:44

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Stories: Nick Sireau & Margherita Zenoni (& OCD Orchard) (#472)

2/9/2025
In episode 472 I chat with Nick Sireau and Margherita Zenoni about their stories. Nick founded OCD Orchard a not-for-profit for advancing global OCD research, and Margherita manages the communication and fundraising for OCD Orchard and is doing her PhD at the University of Cambridge. We discuss their OCD stories, their work at OCD Orchard, the research they have supported and are a part of, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/nick-and-margherita-472 The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories Join many other listeners getting our weekly emails. Never miss a podcast episode or update: https://theocdstories.com/newsletter Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcast

Duration:00:56:02

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Story (and therapist): Bronwyn Shroyer (OCD, PTSD, EMDR, I-CBT) (#471)

2/2/2025
In episode 471 I chat with Bronwyn Shroyer. Bronwyn is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who specialises in two treatment areas: OCD and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Bronwyn has lived experience with both PTSD and OCD. We discuss her OCD story including PTSD, the interplay between trauma and OCD, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), inference-based CBT (I-CBT), inferential confusion, reality sensing, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/bronwyn-471 The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories Join many other listeners getting our weekly emails. Never miss a podcast episode or update: https://theocdstories.com/newsletter Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcast

Duration:00:49:57

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The OCD Camp 25

1/28/2025
Applications for the 2025 OCD camp close on Sunday 2nd February. To find out more and to apply visit: https://www.integrativecentreforocd.co.uk/the-ocd-camp Thanks for listening.

Duration:00:03:13

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Dr Steven Phillipson: The treatment of children and adolescents (9-25) with OCD (#470)

1/26/2025
In episode 470 I chat with Dr Steven Phillipson. Steven is a licensed clinical psychologist who specialises in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for OCD. Steven is the Clinical Director at the Center for Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapy in New York. We discuss the treatment of children and adolescents (9-25) with OCD, Steve breaks it down by age group, indications OCD is interfering in their lives, involving parents. How Steve explains OCD to kids, when to have parents in session, the idea of parental sabotage, when kids don’t want therapy, parents being on the same page in treatment, parental accommodation, medication, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/steve-470 The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories Join many other listeners getting our weekly emails. Never miss a podcast episode or update: https://theocdstories.com/newsletter Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcast

Duration:01:01:37

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Story: Rachael (harm OCD, postpartum OCD, fears of developing psychosis, health anxiety, existential OCD) (#469)

1/19/2025
In episode 469 I chat with Rachael who has kindly agreed to share her OCD story with us. We discuss OCD themes including harm, postnatal fears of developing psychosis, existential, religious, and health anxiety. We talk about exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), learnings from ERP, how her partner helped, shame and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/rachael-469 The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories Join many other listeners getting our weekly emails. Never miss a podcast episode or update: https://theocdstories.com/newsletter Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcast

Duration:00:40:00

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Emily Hemendinger: OCD and pets (#468)

1/12/2025
In episode 468 I chat with Emily Hemendinger. Emily is clinical director of the OCD Program at the University of Colorado Health Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic. We discuss what Emily has been up to, the positives of pets on mental health, how pets can trigger our OCD, how this plays out in various themes of OCD, how vets can play a role in reducing compulsions, exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/emily-468 The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories Join many other listeners getting our weekly emails. Never miss a podcast episode or update: https://theocdstories.com/newsletter Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcast

Duration:00:43:12

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Jonny Say: Understanding and practicing ACT skills (Therapist’s perspective – part 2) (#467)

1/5/2025
In episode 467 I chat with Jonny Say who offers the therapist’s perspective to Jack’s episode last week titled: Understanding and practicing ACT skills (Client’s perspective). Jonny is a therapist and co-founder of The Integrative Centre for OCD Therapy. We discuss Jonny’s perspective on Jack’s episode, Jonny shares some blocks and resistances to OCD skills practice, he also shares some interpersonal blocks that can occur, and other ideas that can help. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/jonny-467 The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories Join many other listeners getting our weekly emails. Never miss a podcast episode or update: https://theocdstories.com/newsletter Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcast

Duration:01:02:04

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A big thank you as the podcast goes into its 10th year!

12/31/2024
Thank you for all the support in 2024. I appreciate you! https://theocdstories.com/ The podcast is made possible by NOCD: https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories The integrative centre for OCD Therapy: https://www.integrativecentreforocd.co.uk/

Duration:00:03:12

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Jack: Understanding and practicing ACT skills (Client’s perspective - part 1) (#466)

12/29/2024
In episode 466 I chat with Jack who came back on to talk about his approach to learning ACT skills and practising them between his therapy sessions. We discuss his therapy including exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and compassion focused therapy (CFT), his approach to doing home practice and practicing skills outside of session, Jack recaps some of the ACT skills he learned, the importance of practising often, repetition and consistency, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/jack-466 The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories Join many other listeners getting our weekly emails. Never miss a podcast episode or update: https://theocdstories.com/newsletter Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcast

Duration:00:49:16

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Molly Schiffer: Using cognitive processing therapy for trauma that interferes with OCD therapy (#465)

12/22/2024
In episode 465 I chat with Molly Schiffer (LCPC). Molly is a therapist and associate director at The Center for OCD and Anxiety at Sheppard Pratt. We discuss her therapy story, cognitive processing therapy (CPT), trauma and OCD, CPT for trauma (PTSD & CPTSD), how trauma can fuel the OCD, CPT helping exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), Molly shares a clinical case example of CPT in action, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/molly-465 The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories Join many other listeners getting our weekly emails. Never miss a podcast episode or update: https://theocdstories.com/newsletter Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcast

Duration:00:54:12

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Story: Carey Marie (magical thinking, BDD, existential OCD) (#464)

12/15/2024
In episode 464 I chat with Carey who has kindly agreed to share her OCD story with us. We discuss her OCD story, magical thinking, body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), fears around medication, feelings of shame, existential OCD, feeling suicidal, going into a psychiatric unit, doing exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), words of hope, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/carey-464 The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories Join many other listeners getting our weekly emails. Never miss a podcast episode or update: https://theocdstories.com/newsletter Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcast

Duration:01:02:08

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Jonny Say: Dealing with low insight in OCD (#463)

12/8/2024
In episode 463 I chat with Jonny Say. Jonny is a UK based therapist and co-director at The Integrative Centre for OCD Therapy. We discuss an update on Jonny, what is insight in OCD, how it affects OCD, the 4 things Jonny sees in clients with low insight: when mental compulsions go up insight goes down, the intensity of the symptoms, low insight and shame go hand in hand, the beliefs that we carry about thoughts and feelings, words of hope, and much more. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/jonny-463 The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories Join many other listeners getting our weekly emails. Never miss a podcast episode or update: https://theocdstories.com/newsletter Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcast

Duration:00:57:49

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Story: Nick (pOCD, ERP, and advocacy) (#462)

12/1/2024
In episode 462 I chat with Nick who has kindly agreed to share his OCD story with us. We discuss his story, pOCD, exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), advocacy, how his sexuality and OCD got entangled, his place of work questioning some of his OCD writings, and more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/nick-462 The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories Join many other listeners getting our weekly emails. Never miss a podcast episode or update: https://theocdstories.com/newsletter Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcast

Duration:00:36:28

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Dr Michael Alcée: The Upside of OCD (#461)

11/24/2024
In episode 461 I chat with Dr Michael Alcée. Michael is a clinical psychologist (Ph.D.). We discuss his therapy story, how Michael works with OCD, the existential story, exposure to feelings, 3 upsides of OCD, his book, some nuances of OCD, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/michael-461 The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories Join many other listeners getting our weekly emails. Never miss a podcast episode or update: https://theocdstories.com/newsletter Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcast

Duration:00:50:48

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Story: Lou (harm and self-harm themed OCD, The OCD Camp, creativity) (#460)

11/17/2024
In episode 460 I chat with Lou who has kindly agreed to share her OCD story with us. We discuss her OCD story, harm themed OCD around her family, self-harm themed OCD, exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), her experiences at The OCD Camp, creativity, words of hope, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/lou-460 The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories Join many other listeners getting our weekly emails. Never miss a podcast episode or update: https://theocdstories.com/newsletter Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcast

Duration:00:53:12

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Nicole Morris: Inference-Based CBT and Exposure & Response Prevention Therapy for OCD (#459)

11/10/2024
In episode 459 I chat with Nicole Morris, LMFT. Nicole is a therapist and host of the OCD Family podcast. We discuss her therapy story, her view of OCD, Inference-Based CBT (I-CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy (ERP), her podcast and favourite guests, words of hope and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/nicole-459 The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories Join many other listeners getting our weekly emails. Never miss a podcast episode or update: https://theocdstories.com/newsletter Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcast

Duration:00:50:01

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Jon Hershfield: Residential treatment for OCD (#457)

10/27/2024
In episode 457 I chat with Jon Hershfield, MFT. Jon is the director of Sheppard Pratt’s The Center for OCD and Anxiety. In this episode we discuss what is a residential treatment center, who can benefit from residential treatment, what a day in the life in residential looks like, the duration of a residential stay, therapy at residential centers, art therapy, yoga, mindfulness, having a team around you, the use of family therapy, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/jon-457 The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories Join many other listeners getting our weekly emails. Never miss a podcast episode or update: https://theocdstories.com/newsletter Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcast

Duration:00:55:16

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Dr Marisa Mazza: Shame around OCD, and self-compassion (#456)

10/20/2024
In episode 456 I chat with Dr. Marisa T. Mazza. Marisa is a licensed clinical psychologist and founder of choicetherapy psychological services. We discuss her book, what is shame, how shame manifests in OCD, how shame can interfere with exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), the inner critic, self-compassion, loving kindness, why we all deserve self-compassion, how to integrate self-compassion into ERP, fears blocks and resistances to self-compassion, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/marisa-456 The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories Join many other listeners getting our weekly emails. Never miss a podcast episode or update: https://theocdstories.com/newsletter Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcast

Duration:00:40:25