FearCast Podcast

Today I had the pleasure of having on repeat guest, Natalia Aiza, LPC, to talk about her upcoming book for self guided EMDR. Natalia has been on the podcast before to talk about SPACE for children and adults, and her recent book on EMDR outlines what this treatment method looks like, how it works, and how people can utilize some of the trauma focused techniques in a self guided way. Natalia is a great communicator and her passion for helping people is evident in this episode. The post #285- Self Guided EMDR with Natalia Aiza, LPC appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Today I had the privilege to speak with Dr. Alec Pollard, PhD, and to pick his brain about Treatment Interfering Behaviors, or TIBs. Dr. Pollard is a well known researcher, speaker, and clinician who has a particular interest in helping people who struggle with the treatment process. We discuss four key TIBs (Beliefs, Skills Deficits, Incentive Deficits, and Motivation Deficits) and how they create obstacles in the way of recovery. Dr. Pollard discusses how clinicians and treatment seekers identify and work through their TIBs so they can get back on track toward recovery. The post #284- Treatment Interfering Behaviors (TIBs) with Alec Pollard, PhD appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Today’s audio question comes from Joey. They ask a question that represents the middle ground between genuine relationship concerns and Relationship focused OCD (ROCD). In their call they note their obsession toward their partner and struggle with fears that their partner will leave or cheat. But, they also point out that their partner is spending a lot of time with other people which is triggering their insecurity. The post #283- ROCD Makes Me Think My Partner Will Leave Or Cheat appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Today’s question comes from Ann who asked a question that I’ve never been asked before. Ann shared that she has been diagnosed with POCD by her psychiatrist, but she questions this diagnosis because she is interested in a niche anime style that portrays young looking, or child coded, characters in sexually explicit ways. First, how can she come to terms with the diagnosis and deal with the obsession that it is wrong. Secondly, how can she think about her interest in Lolicon anime? Is it compatible with diagnosis, or is the interest in it enough to make the thoughts ego-syntonic, thereby nullifying the POCD diagnosis? I offer some thoughts and some considerations while offering encouragement and guidance for treatment to discuss with her treatment team. For more about POCD, check out this article from the California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center The post #282- Can I Have POCD And Be Into Lolicon Anime? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Broken Record sent in an audio question about her struggle with ROCD and SO-OCD. She is struggling with a dilemma; is she actually not attracted to her female partner, or is she more attracted to the male body shape? Did I mention she identifies as Bi-sexual? Either way, she wants to know how to love her partner best and stop her rumination about the possibility that she dislikes her partner’s body and would rather have something entirely different! The post #279- Is ROCD Making Me More Attracted To Men? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

For today, I’m going to answer two questions! The first comes from Alex who wants to know whether his routine of checking his groin for potential arousal, and how it all started, is a normal process for someone with POCD. The next question comes from Salt & Pepper. They want to know whether OCD can give them thoughts about self harm, or are they actually having self harm thoughts? The post #278- Habitually Checking My Groin, and OCD Causing Self Harm Thoughts appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Pick Me reached out to me to ask a question about picking (every pun intended) the right treatment for their Rhinotillexomania, or compulsive nose picking. I discuss the differences between OCD treatment and the treatment approaches for Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors, or BFRBs. I share a ton of ideas for competing behaviors and behavioral blockers, and if you watch the YouTube video, you will see a bunch of fidget examples, or you can hear me describe them. For more about treatment for Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors, or BFRBs, check out this article from the California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center The post #277- Rhinotillexomania And Picking The Right Treatment appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Marianne reached out with her question about some academic rumination that’s been plaguing her lately. She’s fixated on her time in college and whether or not she was dishonest in her academic performance. But, things aren’t so easy sometimes. The question flips between whether there was anything genuine that happened that brings her to this obsession, or whether it is just an obsession about whether something happened but really didn’t. It’s an obsession as old as time. So, I try to handle it from both angles and offer her some ideas on how to consider the obsession and how to tackle it through acceptance, compassion, and exposure. For more on Real Event OCD, check out this four-part blog series from The California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center The post #276- Academic Real Event OCD, Or Maybe Just False Guilt? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Eve from the UK sent in her question in the hopes of trying to figure out what kind of obsession she has and what she can do about it. It seems to hover between the fear of whether or not her reality is real, whether she’s going crazy, whether others will think she’s crazy, or if she’s disconnecting from reality. She’s pretty aware of how obsessions work and how OCD can be a tricky liar, but better safe than sorry, right? I offer her some things to think about and ways to re-consider how to approach her obsession, and uncertainty, in a grounded, mindful, and values based manner. For more on Existential OCD, check out this article from the California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center The post 275- Existential? Derealization? Schizophrenia? What’s The Fear? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

For today’s questions, I give a short answer to a long question, and a long answer to a short question. The first one has to do with the listener’s curiosity about their current and last hanging-on obsession. They want to know if it’s weird, and if other people deal with it. The next question is a great one and gets a fundamental question about how we build exposures. Can they do good exposures to the idea of dishonesty without actually having to tell white lies? The post 274- Is This Last Trigger Weird, And Dishonesty ERP Without White Lies? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Frank reached out recently with a follow up audio question. This time he wanted to know how you know whether it’s OCD thinking, or his rational and reasonable thinking. Simple enough question, right? But, how do you know? Can you know for sure? How much is you and how much is OCD? And is it a compulsion to figure it out? I try to help give Frank, and all you other listeners, some other ways to consider this as you move forward. The post #273- If I Know It’s An OCD Thought, Then I Know I’m Not Trans, Right? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

For today’s episode, I was joined by the one and only Jenna Overbaugh, LPC, to talk about what it means to get better from OCD and anxiety disorders, and how to stay better. We discuss the mindset and perspective shift necessary to meaningfully engage in CBT and ERP treatment, face your fears, and build a new relationship with anxiety that lasts! This was a really fun conversation and Jenna has such a wealth of knowledge and experience to share. The post #272- Getting Better and Staying Better, with Jenna Overbaugh, LPC appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Today’s question was a bit of a tricky one, and deserves a tricky answer. There seems to be a mix of responses across the internet about whether you are what you fear. Some people saying, “No, you are not your fear and your fear is evidence of it not being you because obsessions are ego-dystonic.” Whereas some people say, “Yes, the obsession could be you,” and even fewer saying “Yes, you are what your fear says you are.” But what if the content of the obsession did not even matter, and trying to answer the question conclusively was a waste of time, and was actually the problem in the first place? The post #271- Am I, Or Am I Not, What My Obsession Says I am? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Cheesecake Destroyer, no that is not their real name (probably), messaged me a question that is more complicated than it seems. They want to know whether their use of porn is causing them to be creepy toward women. They acknowledge they have had this obsession for while, but does that mean they need to quit porn? Is this really a question, or are they looking for permission? Are they hoping I’ll say, “It’s all OK, and you’re OK”? Can exposures help with this? How can someone work toward being a better person while also recognizing their OCD is wrapped up with the concern about being better (or being creepy)? Learn more about Moral Scrupulosity! Check out this article from the California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center The post #269- Is My Porn Use Causing Me Become A Creepy Person? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

To answer today’s audio question, I had on TWO experts on child development and OCD. The questioner who is in the middle of the delicate balance of supporting her daughter’s best moral development while not feeding the Moral Scrupulosity OCD beast. To answer the question I have on Elena Fasan, LCSW, an expert on child and adolescent OCD treatment, and Jenny Foss, MA, child development professor. We talk about how parents can support kids going through the trials of adolescence and how to help raise good, thoughtful, and honest kids while taking into account the ways OCD wants to take over development and the parent/ child relationship. For more on Moral and Religious Scrupulosity OCD, check out this article from the California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center The post #268- Supporting Good Kids With Moral Scrup, With Elena Fasan, LCSW, and Jenny Foss, MA appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Anthony sent in an audio question where he shared that he’s having trouble with some thoughts about his girlfriend. He keeps wondering whether or not she’s unattractive, like really unattractive, and not his type. What’s worse is that they are planning on moving in together soon! Is he wasting her time by pretending to be into her? Sure, he has some moments of clarity when he thinks she really is attractive, maybe even MORE attractive than he ever thought, but those thoughts are fleeting. What is he to do? The post #267- Is Anthony’s Girlfriend A Gargoyle, Or Is ROCD At It Again? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Lauren Rosen, MFT, joined me today to help answer Lemon’s question. Lemon wanted to know how she can move forward with her life, pursuing her values, etc., but what if her thoughts and values aren’t really her own? Lauren, the author of The Mental Compulsions Workbook for OCD was the perfect guest to help address this existential question. We discuss ways to identify her mental compulsions, the feared story the compulsions serve, and some ways she can find meaning (whether they are her own or not). For more on Existential OCD, check out this article from the California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center The post #265- What If My Values Aren’t Mine, Featuring Lauren Rosen, MFT appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Sophi sent in her audio question and had a question about how to best deal with this really unhelpful, bad-for-the-relationship, unwelcomed obstacle of ROCD and Paranoid Personality Disorder. This isn’t a common combination that we’ve talked about on the show but she reached out. She asked about what she can do to get a better handle on these two so it isn’t to ruin her relationships or any other relationships! The post #264- Paranoid Personality Disorder And ROCD Is Not Sophi’s Friend appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

This is a jam packed episode. I answer four questions from listeners across a wide range of topics. We discuss the differences between an obsession and an intrusive thought. Are they different, and if so, how, and is it important? Another listener wants to know whether someone identifying as gay/ lesbian can still have Sexual Orientation OCD, or is that just a straight people thing? One listener wants to know whether ERP is a good idea to help treat their disordered eating and/ or eating disorder. Finally, someone kinda shares a success story that ends up being a question about how to deal with Casadastraphobia. The post #263- ERP For Disordered Eating, What’s An Intrusive Thought, And More appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Toblerone Girl messaged me with an audio question recently. Unfortunately, she’s struggling with the dreaded overlap of ROCD and SO-OCD that seem to be made for one another. She notices some genuine feelings, but OCD jumps in and demands the all or nothing of it, and doesn’t take “I’m must be bisexual” as a reasonable label. I discuss some ways she can consider the situation and offer some exercises that may help her develop a new relationship with her thoughts. To learn more about Sexual Orientation OCD (SO-OCD), check out this article from the California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center The post #262- When “I’m Bisexual” Is Not Enough To Quiet ROCD/ SOOCD appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Today I answer a twofer from Katie; both of them Religious Scrupulosity related. The first question is about how can someone “cast their cares on the Lord” and ask God for healing from OCD in a non-compulsive way. She also wants to know how she can “do all things through Christ who strengthens me” while also exerting her own will on her OCD recovery. Is using her own willpower subverting God’s impact on her recovery, and is a true believer supposed to rely only on God and nothing else for recovery? I do my best to address this from a faith and mental health perspective in order to build her confidence that OCD treatment for Religious Scrup is an act of faith. For more on Religious Scrupulosity, check out this article from the California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center The post #261- Can I Do All Things Through Christ Who Strengthens Me? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Today we are holding off on the questions to dedicate our time to talking about all things medication for OCD and anxiety disorders. Lucky for us, Dr. Sanjaya Saxena, MD, graciously gave his time and expertise to go over an exhaustive amount of information. We talk about what medications are most effective, first line treatments, supplemental medication, how to best communicate with your doctor, and much more. He offered a wealth of information and I am so thankful for this new resource for listeners. The post #260- Medication For OCD And Anxiety With Dr. Sanjaya Saxena, MD appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

John sent in an audio question. He wants to know whether his attempts to control, and even mentally play with, his Sensorimotor OCD obsession is helpful because he was able to do it once and it felt so empowering! Tied in, he wants to know whether he has to resign himself to never feeling fully “OK.” Emma also sent in a message about how to deal with the idea of death and the impossibility of getting a conclusive, definitive answer to her questions. The post #259- Chasing Sensorimotor Relief, And It’s Impossible To Deal With Death appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

I’m answering two questions today. Why not. The first is a follow up audio question from Spiritual Overthinker. She shares how her struggles have deepened as she has started to explore the world of Twin Flames and how her anxiety is preventing her from having an enjoyable relationship with boyfriend, or whatever OCD wants her to call him. Next I answer Ella’s question about what she can do with her SO-OCD. She fears, well maybe believes, that she is actually in denial of her sexuality, and she’s pretty certain ERP therapy won’t work. These are two really difficult questions that I do my best to help offer some alternative perspectives and encouragement, albeit snarky at times. The post #258- Struggling With Her Twin Flame, and SO-OCD Or Denial? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

For this first episode of 2026, I am answering a Sensorimotor OCD question from Dave. However, as many FearCast questions go, this one also applies to a great many other people struggling with OCD. In addition to wanting to how he can manage his obsessions, he wants to know whether or not he should avoid others out of fear that he may take on their Sensorimotor obsession, or should he wait until he is more resilient. I offer him some suggestions on how to approach building his resiliency as he continues fighting his symptoms and discuss ways he can practice acceptance, redirection, and confidence building that applies to all struggling with anxiety. For more about Sensorimotor OCD, check out this article from the California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center. The post #257- Should We Avoid Others Or Face Taking On Their Obsessions? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

For the last episode of the year, I’m going to answer two, that’s right TWO, listener questions. These two questions from Rubi and Emily. They both share very personal obsessions that don’t get talked about a lot, so I’m really honored to have a chance to speak with them. First, Rubi shares her struggle with Self Harm OCD and whats to know some practical ways she can deal with them. After that, I address Emily’s question. She has noticed a rise of Limerence that has directed itself toward her therapist. How can she continue working with her therapist and making progress while battling this growing obsession? The post #256- Rubi’s Self Harm OCD and Emily’s Therapist Directed Limerence appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Ed recently sent in an audio question where he expressed a fear of being socially humiliated. This fear was triggered during a conversation with a group of friends where he feared that he would be humiliated later on. So, Ed did the most reasonable thing; ruminate, and later send me this question. I discuss this fear broadly as a worry that straddles the line between OCD and Social Anxiety while focusing on using CBT, Exposure and Response Prevention, and some mindfulness to help him deal with this fear. The post #255- Ed’s Fear Of Being Socially Humiliated appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Today’s episode is an exciting one! Kimberley Quinlan and Chris Trondsen joined me to talk about their new program focused on Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). These two experts on BDD, eating disorders, and OCD (and pretty much everything else, too) discuss the differences between treating OCD and BDD, and why specialized treatment for BDD is necessary in a way that is encouraging, positive, light, and direct. Together they share stories of people struggling with BDD and offer ideas on what treatment can look like for others struggling with their BDD. This was a fun conversation and I always come away learning so much myself. The post #254- BDD Treatment With Kimbely Quinlan, MFT, and Chris Trondsen, MFT appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Nathan Peterson, therapist, youtuber, educator, and now author, joined me on this episode to talk about his upcoming book and upcoming video program on Tics and Tourettes Syndrome. He was such a delightful guest who was kind enough to come on to share his thoughts on OCD treatment, making recovery feel achievable, and helping people looking for easy to use and understand resources. Nathan’s videos have helped untold amounts of people with his straightforward and encouraging messaging about how to face OCD and anxiety without feeling overwhelmed and pressured. The post #253- Your OCD And Tics Will Hate This Episode With Nathan Peterson appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Tina recently reached out to ask a question about what she thinks is Partner Focused ROCD. She struggles with obsessions about her partner and is looking for approval from her friends and others about the relationship. She also finds herself ruminating about her partner and various minutia of their appearance and mannerisms. I talk about a little about what Partner Focused ROCD is and offer her some guidance on what she could consider moving forward. The post #252- Tina’s Question About Partner Focused ROCD appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Melody sent me an audio question recently. She wants to know what she can do to best help her boyfriend who is struggling with health anxiety. He is just starting therapy, but she wants to know some best practices on what she can do to be a helpful partner. How great is that?! To answer this, I try to highlight the importance of communication between her and her boyfriend and working together to establish clear boundaries of what she can do and what she’s not willing to do to be supportive. I also discuss the importance of knowing about health anxiety so she isn’t surprised when anxiety tries to weasel its way into the relationship. For more on Hypochondria and Health Anxiety, check out this article from the California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center. The post #251- How Can Melody Help Her Hypochondriac Boyfriend? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

I got an audio question from Burrito John who wanted to know he can deal with a situation. He’s obsessing about whether he actually liked someone, or whether he was just obsessing and didn’t. He is worried he made it awkward with his co-worker and now wonders whether he and trust his intuition about whether he genuinely likes someone or whether OCD is just clouding his judgment. This question comes up in a lot of different ways so I’m glad John asked it. The post #250- How Do I Trust My Intuition Again After Awkwardness? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Jeffrey messaged me and wanted to know how to forgive himself for his obsessions and past choices so he can finally move on with his life past the grip of SO-OCD. His question has a lot going on, and includes elements of shame and guilt from his past behaviors, doubt and confusion about motivations for said actions, confusion about titles and identity, and a struggle with a sticky comment made by someone when young that served as the basis for his obsession. I do my best to address some of these issues and help him see how his obsession was created, how it persists, and how he can try to let himself off the hook and move on with his life. For more about Sexual Orientation OCD (SO-OCD), check out this article from the California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center The post #249- How Choices When Young Help SO-OCD Haunt You Later appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Dan reached out with an audio question to ask about what he can do when his interests and values happen to also be the focus of his obsession. Hijacking your values, hobbies, and interests is a really common tactic of OCD, but does that mean you have to give it all up to get better? What happens then if you value intimacy in a relationship? Is Dan doomed? I discuss what people can do to grow their awareness about their obsessions and how to short circuit the obsession/ compulsion cycle when it hits. However, I also discuss some other, broader, relationship considerations that may be at play. The post #248- When Obsessions Are Also Your Interests And Values- ROCD Edition appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Just in case the threats of the Rapture didn’t get you down (or amped up with anxiety) enough, GS comes along to ask the question about what to do, and how to move on with life, now that, apparently, science proves that we have no free will. So, GS struggles to know what to do with this information. Luckily, this isn’t my first rodeo, and I’ve got just the right chaps and spurs for this question. We talk about Existential OCD, what to do with scary information like this, how to challenge the thoughts, and how to live a meaningful life with the looming threat of meaninglessness. For more about Existential OCD, check out this article from the California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center. The post #247- Science Proves We Don’t Have Free Will… Now What?! appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

For today’s episode, I got a relatively simple question; what are the differences between the compulsions and other behaviors found in Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and how do they differ from those in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). While this was a pretty quick answer, it spun out into a comparison between OCD and GAD, how they differ diagnostically, and how they are really similar! You can have both, and sometimes it’s hard to see the differences between the two. For more on Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), check out this article from the California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center The post #246- Are Generalized Anxiety Compulsions Different Than OCD Compulsions? GAD vs OCD! appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Dr Jeremy Shuman, PsyD, joins me today to discuss OCD treatment for those on the Autism Spectrum. Dr. Shuman offers a wealth of knowledge, insights, and encouragement to clinicians, families, and individuals alike. We discuss some of the diagnostic complications with the overlap of OCD and Autism symptoms, obstacles in the way of using CBT and ERP, and ways to adapt common treatment methods for OCD to meet the unique needs of the Autism community. The post #245- OCD Treatment And The Autism Spectrum With Dr. Jeremy Shuman, PsyD appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Alan sent me a message asking me about how he can deal with a spike in Real-Event OCD themes. He’s a reporter who used AI to help with his grammar, but his anxiety latched on about violating AI policies at work. He struggles to let go of the obsession and get back to appreciating his craft again. We go over Real-Event OCD and how it differs from other obsessions, the use of AI in treatment, and some ways he can disconnect from his guilt through acceptance and compassionately making space for his anxiety. For more on Real Event OCD, check out this article from the California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center The post #244- Real-Event OCD: I Used AI And All I Got Was Guilt And Anxiety appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Annie reached out to me as a follow up to a previous question she had about her toenail fungus and her obsession about it. She noticed that after all her ERP treatment she continues to have an obsession because she continues to get infections! How frustrating!? I talk about the expectations of ERP and anxiety treatment, how we can deal with the possibility (and reality) that bad/ unwanted things happen no matter how much exposure we do, and how to practice acceptance with situations we really don’t want to accept. The post #243- Toenail Fungus Obsession… Again, and Still! appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

I recently got a follow up question from the Emotional Contamination episode (#240) asking about what to do if/ when someone actually believes their OCD fear is absolutely real. In Therapy-Land, we call this a high Fixity of Beliefs, or their thoughts are highly rigid or fixed. I know a word that doesnt sound like a word. I talk about what can be done when someone has high Fixity of Beliefs, what it looks like, and how treatment is the same and different than in typical OCD/ CBT/ ERP treatment. The post #242- What If You Actually Believe Your Obsessive Thoughts? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Today’s episode feature Dr. Caitlin Pinciotti, PhD, and Jon Hershfield, MFT in our discussion of the National OCD Survey. The goal of the National OCD Survey is to gather information about the demographic differences in OCD subtypes across the United States in alignment with identified cultural groupings within the United States. This was a really fun episode to record and is full of fascinating information about OCD and the way people experience it differently. The post #241- The National OCD Survey with Dr. Caitlin Pinciotti and Jon Hershfield appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Ellie reached out to ask about how to help her 14 year old who is struggling with a fear of becoming like other people. Emotional Contamination the name we often apply to the OCD subtype where someone is afraid they will take on the unwanted characteristics of other, or specific, people. To help, I discuss what Emotional Contamination is, how obsessions and compulsions sometimes present, and what Exposure and Response Prevention looks like in these cases. The post #240- Emotional Contamination For Ellie’s 14 Year Old appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Ward emailed me to share a struggle he’s going through related to his SO-OCD. He notes that he’s in therapy and making progress, but the anxiety is impacting his performance in the bedroom and his libido is much lower than he wants. Anxiety can have serious negative impacts on someone’s sexual life. I discuss how the expectations of sexual performance impacts performance, how health and lifestyle changes can help with overall anxiety and subsequently sexual performance, and some exposure ideas to help him along the way. For more about Sexual Orientation OCD (SO-OCD), check out this article from the California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center The post #239- SO-OCD Is Leading To Troubles In The Bedroom. Help! appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Payton reached out with a voice question on Instagram with a question that a lot of people who listen to this podcast can understand. She struggles with what she believes is Hyperawareness OCD/ Sensorimotor OCD and is fixated on the fact that she can see the tip of her nose. While it may seem harmless, like all other obsessions in the category, she agonizes over her awareness of it, when it will go away, and whether it will ruin her future. So, it’s hardly just about her nose being there, it’s about her future not being there. For more on Sensorimotor OCD and Hyperawareness OCD, check out this article from the California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center The post #238- Will Payton Ever Be Able To See Life Past Her Nose Again? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Alana messaged me recently and asked about how she can tackle her perfectionism. It’s stopping her from sending in assignments, writing papers, and even makes her write down all the words she hears to make sure she knows them. Perfectionism can be awful, time consuming, and shame inducing. To try to help, I discuss perfectionism, some things to think about when challenging the thoughts that support perfectionism, and offer some exposure ideas. The post #237- Alana’s Perfectionism Is Driving Her Nuts! appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Ever wonder what it’s like to be the partner of someone with Relationship OCD (ROCD)? Well, one listener did too, and they reached out to me and asked if I could have someone on to talk about their experience. So, Danielle Cohen, LMFT, joined me to talk about her experience with someone who struggles with ROCD. Danielle was kind enough to share her experience, her struggles, and her wins, which she shares with her husband, over ROCD’s efforts to derail them. The post #236- Being The Other Person In An ROCD Relationship With Danielle Cohen, LMFT appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Rick reached out to me recently to ask a very simple question with a not-so-simple answer. He wanted to know if it’s normal to have intrusive thoughts on purpose? It got me thinking about a lot of my clients who ask similar questions about their thoughts and why they have them and what their responsibility is to them. Did they want them, so they came? Now that they are there, are they really THEIR thoughts, or just a thought that have? Why do those thoughts go away when they are doing other things? So many questions, so I got into intrusive vs intentional thoughts, what they mean for us, and what we can do about them. The post #235- Is It Normal To Have Intrusive Thoughts On Purpose? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Abby reached out to me via Instagram to ask a question that starts off a little Harm OCD, but ends up a little Sensorimotor/ Hyperawareness OCD. She wants to know how to deal with her intrusive, looping thoughts that focuses on harm related thoughts toward a family member. She knows it’s her OCD, so she’s not doing compulsions, but she hates that they are even there. Does she need to do ERP, and if so how? I offer some ideas on how she can approach the situation with some Cognitive Behavioral Therapy skills, some ACT skills, and of course offer some ideas on exposures she can try. To Learn More About Harm OCD, Check Out This Article From The California OCD And Anxiety Treatment Center The post #234- How Do I Stop, And Do ERP With, These Looping Violent Thoughts appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

M messaged me recently to ask about a situation that is all too common. They struggle with POCD, but are terrified to go see a therapist for treatment because what if the therapist 1) doesn’t diagnose them with POCD but actually thinks they are their worst fear, and 2) they actually are their worst fear and they don’t fully and clearly communicate their symptoms and they mistakenly get diagnosed with POCD and not… you know… that other thing. Either way, it’s a fear of getting misdiagnosed, not getting the right treatment, and suffering needlessly. This happens with POCD as well as any number of other taboo subtypes, so it is very relatable across the board. For more about POCD, check out this article from The California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center The post #233- POCD: What If Therapist Actually Thinks I’m… You know?! appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

Struggling Artist emailed me with an admittedly long question. They want to become a full time artist but are struggling to take the leap because their Religious and Moral Scrupulosity OCD is trying to overtake their life. Obsessions about moral perfection are leading to checking compulsions, donating art sales profits, excessive confession, and mental rumination. Can they learn to work around it, or are they doomed to give up on their dream? For more about Moral Scrupulosity and Religious Scrupulosity, check out this article from The California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center The post #232- How Can I Be A Full Time Artist Without Scrupulosity Destroying Me? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.