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The OCD Stories

Welcome to The OCD Stories, hosted by Stuart Ralph. The podcast has been heard over 6 million 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.
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Now displaying: 2016
Apr 24, 2016

In episode 18 of The OCD Stories podcast I interviewed Katie d'Ath. Katie is an author and OCD therapist. We talk about CBT, sleep, diet and exercise as well as much much more. Enjoy... 

To your success,

Stuart and The OCD Stories team

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Apr 17, 2016

Disclaimer - this episode is for exploratory purposes only, and not medical advice. Please seek the advice of a licensed medical professional when considering any medical treatment.

In episode 17 of the podcast I interviewed Dr Courtney Paré. Courtney specialises in naturopathic medicine, and has had her own battles with OCD. She shares her advice for getting better form OCD naturally.  Enjoy... 

To your success,

Stuart and The OCD Stories team

Get exclusive podcasts and content by becoming a member of the podcast find out more here >> 

Apr 3, 2016

In episode 15 of the podcast I interviewed Elvis Gomes. Elvis is a singer songwriter and 2015 performed his song "Let me go" on Switzerland's Got Talent. We talk about his recovery, his song and the alternative recovery methods. Enjoy... 

To your success,

Stuart and The OCD Stories team

Get exclusive podcasts and content by becoming a member of the podcast find out more here >> 

Mar 27, 2016

In episode 14 of The OCD Stories podcast I interviewed Dr Joan Davidson. Joan is author of the book “Daring to challenge OCD: overcome your fear of treatment and take control of your life using ERP

Show notes: http://www.theocdstories.com/podcast/dr-joan-davidson-daring-to-challenge-ocd

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Mar 20, 2016

In episode 13 of The OCD Stories podcast I interviewed Dr Fred Penzel. Fred is a psychologist and founding member of the International OCD Foundation. He has authored a book on OCD and one on Trichotillomania.

Show notes: http://theocdstories.com/podcast/dr-fred-penzel-on-homosexual-ocd-bdd-zen

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Mar 13, 2016

In episode 12 of The OCD Stories podcast I interviewed Lily Bailey. Lily is a writer and model. She is the author of the book Because we are bad: OCD and a girl lost in thought

Show notes:

Lily's OCD story (1:25)

Lily's experiential approach to treatment and CBT (3:10)

Psychotherapy (7:00)

ACT for OCD (9:00)

Advice for those struggling with ERP (14:00)

Lily's OCD turning point (17:00)

Why Lily made lists (19:40)

Lily and religious OCD (22:00)

About the book Because we are bad (28:00)

Lily's one piece of advice (31:20)

What Lily would have on her billboard (32:40)

Find out more about Chris and Kelly:

Lily on Twitter - @LilyBaileyUK

Lily's book: Because we are bad: OCD and A Girl Lost In Thought (Amazon & Canbury Press)

Resources mentioned:

Ashley on Twitter

To your success,

Stuart and The OCD Stories team

Get exclusive podcasts and content by becoming a member of the podcast find out more here >>

 

Mar 6, 2016

In episode 11 of The OCD Stories podcast I interviewed Jeff Bell & Shala Nicely. Jeff and Shala have a personal and professional journey with OCD, and have come together to create Beyond The Doubt.

Show notes:

Shala & Jeff's OCD story (2:10)

What worked other then ERP/CBT? (14:20)

The importance of meaning (17:10)

Seeing the Universe as friendly (22:45)

Power of personal responsibility (26:30)

How to deal with dull looming anxiety (38:00)

“The only way to effectively manage uncertainty, is to embrace uncertainty?” (32:30)

Advice for conquering ERP (41:40)

The ultimate goal for OCD recovery (46:30)

Shala's advice for changing careers and becoming a therapist (49:20)

The purpose behind BeyondTheDoubt.com (56:30)

The one piece of advice (59:30)

What Jeff and Shala would have on their billboard (1:01:00)

Find out more about Chris and Kelly:

Beyond The Doubt - BeyondTheDoubt.com

Twitter: Jeff / Shala

Shala's website - ShalaNicely.com

Jeff's initiative - Adversity to Advocacy

Jeff's books: Rewind, replay, repeat (Amazon.co.uk/Amazon.com) & When in doubt, make belief (Amazon.co.uk/Amazon.com)

Resources mentioned:

Jon Hershfield

Viktor Frankl's book Man's search for meaning (Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com)

Tamar Chansky's book Freeing Your Child from Obsessive-compulsive Disorder (Amazom.co.uk/Amazon.com)

Steven Hayes' podcast episode

Get exclusive podcasts and content by becoming a member of the podcast find out more here >>

Mar 2, 2016

In episode 10 of The OCD Stories podcast I interviewed Kelly Anderson and Chris Baier. Chris and Kelly are creating the documentary called UNSTUCK: An OCD Kids Movie. A documentary featuring entirely a cast of children, showing the wisdom and bravely that youth brings.

Show notes:

Chris & Kelly’s OCD story (1:40)

Aim of the documentary (4:30)

Documentary structure (6:30)

How OCD affects the siblings (8:00)

The documentary will show anxiety is much a part of OCD as obsessions and compulsions (12:20)

The documentary is about describing the journey of recovery (13:35)

How Chris and Kelly’s kids got diagnosed (17:40)

Benefits of kids with OCD hanging out with other kids with OCD (24:00)

Why only kids will be in the film (32:30)

OCD in school (34:30)

Advice for parenting a kid with OCD (36:40)

The one piece of advice for the parent and the one piece of advice for the kid struggling with OCD (44:10)

What Chris and Kelly would write on their billboard (46:30)

Find out more about Chris and Kelly:

The film website and trailer: OCDKidsMovie.com

OCD Kids Movie Facebook

Twitter: Chris / Kelly

Resources mentioned:

Mount Sinai hospital OCD treatment

Project UROK

To your success,

Stuart and The OCD Stories team

Get exclusive podcasts and content by becoming a member of the podcast find out more here >> 

Feb 28, 2016

In episode 9 of The OCD Stories podcast I interviewed David Adam. David is an editor and author of the book "The man who couldn't stop".

Show notes:

David’s OCD story (2:10)

Medication (3:45)

What started David’s recovery (4:05)

Group therapy (5:40)

OCD and HIV obsessions. How the media can play a part in new obsessions (8:20)

How David Researched his book (11:15)

David’s ERP pyramid (14:20)

David’s advice for doing ERP (16:00)

Accepting uncertainty, and why you are already great at it! (22:40)

Relaxation and distraction (26:40)

“What would most people do?” phrase (29:40)

Advice for not reassurance seeking (32:50)

Ignorance that is pure, and how to deal with it (36:30)

How David describes OCD to someone (39:00)

The one piece of advice David would give to someone with OCD (41:10)

What David would have one his billboard (45:00)

Find out more about David:

David on Twitter @DavidNeilAdam

His book: The man who couldn’t stop: OCD and the true story of a life lost in thought (Amazon.co.uk/Amazon.com)

Resources mentioned:

David’s talk at the OCD Action conference

To your success,
Stuart and The OCD Stories team

Get exclusive podcasts and content by becoming a member of the podcast find out more here >>

 

Feb 14, 2016

In episode 8 of The OCD Stories podcast I interviewed Jack Pridmore. Jack was in the 2013 BBC documentary 'Extreme OCD Camp'. Jack is now focusing on getting his degree, and raising awareness for OCD.

The audio cuts out the recording a couple times for a few seconds. This was due to bad internet signal. If it goes silent for a few seconds please keep listening :-)

Show notes:

Jack’s OCD story (3:10)

Jack on contamination OCD and unplanned exposures (8:35)

Living alone and living with others (11:00)

Jack on ERP, therapy and group therapy for addiction (12:10)

The benefits of group therapy for OCD (13:30)

Jack on his attitude going into the ‘extreme OCD camp’ (17:15)

How group therapy removes the need to hide your OCD (18:20)

Jack on further OCD treatments and ACT (22:45)

Jack on Peter Weiss and Travis Osborne’s compassionate approach to therapy (30:00)

How Jack got on the documentary, and his thoughts on the TV show Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners (33:50)

Doing ERP while been filmed (40:35)

Doing therapy in nature (48:25)

Jack’s tips for doing ERP successfully (51:50)

Jack’s favourite moment from the trip (56:15)

Jack’s 2015 charity adventure (58:45)

Jack’s 2016 charity walk - I walked a mile in my shoes (1:11:00)

What just would say if he met someone with OCD (1:14:20)

What Jack would have on a billboard (1:15:00)

Jack’s future plans (1:16:00)

Find out more about Jack:

Jack’s Twitter - @JackJPridmore

ididmymile.co.uk

@ididmymile on Twitter

Resources:

OCD Action

OCD UK

Mind charity

To your success,
Stuart and The OCD Stories team

Get exclusive podcasts and content by becoming a member of the podcast find out more here >>

 

Feb 7, 2016

In episode 7 of The OCD Stories podcast I interviewed Peter Weiss. Pete is a therapist who works with people who have OCD, ADHD and Autism. He is the founder of Blue Compass Camps, and in 2013 the BBC did a documentary about one of his OCD camps.

Show notes:

  • Pete’s OCD Story (2:40)
  • What Pete thinks about the documentary (12:00)
  • What it was like doing therapy in front of a camera (15:30)
  • What inspired Pete to help people with OCD and why it’s common to have have mental health issues with OCD (19:00)
  • Why camping in the wild improves recovery times (26:40)
  • How to speak with people are are anxious (35:25)
  • The power of "Maybe" (38:00)
  • ERP is important, but it is only a tool (43:00)
  • The importance of assessing the ERP challenge before you attempt it (47:50)
  • How to boost self-esteem for OCD treatment (52:00)
  • How to not let anxiety get to you when you are helping someone who is anxious and parenting a child with OCD (1:01:20)
  • The challenges facing someone who has OCD and depression. Also Pete's advice (1:06:30)
  • The future of OCD Camps (1:09:45)
  • Pete's one piece of advice (1:13:40)
  • What Pete would have on their billboard (1:17:40)

Find out more about Peter:

Pete’s private practice - Seattle Child Therapy 

Blue Compass Camps 

Teen OCD Camp 

Resources mentioned:

Travis Osbourne

Extreme OCD Camp documentary - Part 1/Part 2     

Jeffrey Schwartz - Brain Lock (Amazon UK/Amazon US) & You Are Not Your Brain (Amazon UK/Amazon US)

The CBT article on The Guardian

Dr Steven Hayes

International OCD Foundation - IOCDF.org

To your success,
Stuart and The OCD Stories team

Get exclusive podcasts and content by becoming a member of the podcast find out more here >>

Jan 31, 2016

In episode 6 of The OCD Stories podcast I interviewed Jon Hershfield. Jon is the author of two books on OCD and a therapist who specialises in OCD treatment.

Show notes:

  • Jon’s OCD Story (1:30)
  • What Jon did before he retrained into therapy (7:10)
  • Risk and OCD (9:00)
  • What mindfulness is, and how can it be used to treat OCD (11:40)
  • Mindfulness and ACT (14:45)
  • Jon’s tips to stay on track with mindfulness training (16:15)
  • Using mindfulness for anger (22:00)
  • Good meditations for beginners (26:40)
  • How to meditate even though you are getting intrusive thoughts (31:50)
  • How mindfulness can work alongside ERP (39:20)
  • Jon’s tip for starting and sticking with ERP (44:20)
  • The acceptance script and how to use it (51:20)
  • Mental reviewing, scenario bending, mental rehearsal and mental hoarding (1:00:30)
  • The one bit of advice Jon would give if he only had 30 seconds (1:12:00)
  • Jon’s new book “When a family member has OCD” (1:14:15)
  • What Jon would have written on his billboard (1:16:40)

Find out more about Jon:

Resources mentioned:

To your success,
Stuart and The OCD Stories team

Get exclusive podcasts and content by becoming a member of the podcast find out more here >> 

Jan 25, 2016

In episode 5 of The OCD Stories podcast I interviewed Dr Guy Doron. Guy is one of the leading researchers in relationship OCD (rOCD), and along with his team he his uncovering important information about this subtype of OCD.

Show notes:

Guy’s OCD Story (1:00)
Finding rOCD in research (4:30)
How rOCD also covers relationship with God (6:40)
Type 1 vs Type 2 rOCD, and why someone would get one over the over (8:20)
New study: embarrassability and OCD (11:40)
Why an OCD sufferer seeks rightness in the relationship (12:50)
How rOCD can affect dating not just the relationship (15:05)
How distorted views of love affects relationships (19:50)
How someone tells if they have rOCD or a bad relationship? (24:20)
How rOCD can make relationships better (28:30)
How to explain to your partner that you are trying your best to deal with the OCD (31:30)
How ERP can be used to treat rOCD (35:20)
The one thing rOCD sufferers can do today to improve their lives (41:20)
Guy’s most astonishing finding from his research (44:45)
What guy would want written on his billboard (47:00)

Find out more about Dr Steven Hayes:

Guy’s site – ROCD.net

Resources mentioned:

Dr Danny Derby – www.dr-derby.com

Dr Steven Hayes

To your success,
Stuart and The OCD Stories team

Get exclusive podcasts and content by becoming a member of the podcast find out more here >> 

Jan 10, 2016

Show notes:

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) research depth (3:20)

ACT vs CBT in the research (4:40)

Steve’s OCD, anxiety and research story (6:00)

Why and how Steve came up with ACT (12:50)

Relational frame theory (RFT) (15:45)

How Eastern philosophy links with ACT (20:50)

The importance of using our minds without our minds using us (23:20)

Psychology within the media, marketing and technology (26:00)

Getting ACT into schools (28:45)

Tinnitus story to understand ACT (39:00)

Why you shouldn’t try to stop thoughts. Instead accept them (46:20)

Accept your emotions, not just your thoughts (47:20)

Can you beat OCD? (48:00)

Finding meaning in suffering (51:00)

ACT and Logotherapy (53:20)

How to accept your thoughts and defuse from them - including exercises (58:25)

Steve’s thoughts on meditation (1:12:50)

Using ACT to get rid of physical compulsions (1:20:30)

How ACT is gentler than ERP, and mental health vs illness (1:26:40)

Why you are one of the lucky ones (1:44:20)

Find out more about Dr Steven Hayes:

Steve’s site - http://www.stevenchayes.com

Steve’s books

Get out of your mind and into your life 

Resources mentioned:

Marianne Williamson quote -

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

The worry trap by Chad LeJeune

Man’s search for meaning by Viktor Frankl 

Increasing Willingness to Experience Obsessions: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as a Treatment for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder by Michael P. Twohig, Steven C. Hayes, Akihiko Masuda 

To your success,
Stuart and The OCD Stories team

Get exclusive podcasts and content by becoming a member of the podcast find out more here >> 

Jan 1, 2016

Show notes:

Kat’s OCD Story (1:50)

Mark Freeman’s air mattress effect (3:45)

Getting diagnosed (4:05)

Making intrusive thoughts worse (5:05)

Separating yourself from the thought (6:35)

Using script exposure for recovery (7:55)

Recording script exposure and playing it back (10:25)

How Pure O lead to other types of OCD? (12:00)

Struggling with Prayer (13:00)

Advice and strategies for praying without OCD (13:40)

Dealing with physical compulsions (15:00)

Using “Well, maybe it is” for acceptance (17:40)

Advice for opening up about sexual obsessions to your therapist (17:35)

How faith has helped recovery (22:35)

How the church has helped in recovery (25:10)

Opening up about OCD to inspire others (28:40)

Number 1 tip for beating OCD - “Accept your thoughts” (34:00)

Future plans (35:10)

Final words of wisdom (38:30)

What Kat would want written on a billboard for the world to see (40:55)

How to find out more about Kat (42:15)

Find out more about Kat:

YouTube channel - Shalom Aleichem

Blog - Do An Exposure

Tumblr - Do An Exposure

Twitter - @Thekatway

Snapchat - @Thekatway

Kat’s OCD Story on The OCD Stories

Resources mentioned: 

Mark Freeman on ACT and OCD recovery

Brene Brown Ted Talks on Vulnerability and Shame

 

To your success,
Stuart and The OCD Stories team

Get exclusive podcasts and content by becoming a member of the podcast find out more here >> 

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