In episode 503 I chat with Samantha Faden and Dr Jenifer Cullen. Samantha is autistic and has lived experience with OCD. Sam is the client of Dr Cullen. Jenifer M. Cullen, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist at the McLean OCD Institute.

We discuss their therapy relationship as therapist and client, how Sam’s therapy journey has gone, what worked, how they learned together over time, getting an autism diagnosis, working out together where autism and OCD starts, ends or overlaps. We also discuss trichotillomania, adjusting exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP) for autistic clients, rupture and repair in the therapeutic relationship, adjusting for sensory sensitivities in ERP, having a sensory overload plan, rating anxiety during exposures through special interests, changing the pace of therapy, having more structure and clarity, changing the language used around autism, motivation in therapy, words of hope, and much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/sam-and-jen-503

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 

In episode 502 I chat with Christopher Weston. Chris is a therapist (LMFT) specialising in OCD.

We discuss his OCD story, his early life experiences that were challenging, panic attacks, somatic/sensorimotor OCD, body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and much more.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/chris-502

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 

In episode 501 I chat with Alexandra Reynolds. Alexandra is an OCD Advocate, Community Support Group Leader at NOCD, and is currently doing her graduate clinical training. 

We discuss her health anxiety story, stigma around the diagnosis, running her health anxiety support group, shame and guilt around having health anxiety and the compulsions, experiencing stigma or judgement from family and health care professionals, compassion, how family members can support their loved ones, and much more. Hope it helps. 

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/alexandra-501 

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 

In episode 500 I, Stuart Ralph, reflect on my journey with The OCD Stories podcast over the last nearly 10 years. To do this I took a hike in the Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales, UK.

Thanks for listening over the last 500 episodes!

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/500

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

Here is the form I mentioned for feedback on future episodes of the podcast: https://forms.gle/ZacGhmdxgqa2nUyS8

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 

In episode 499 I chat with Dr Ronald Nicholson. Ron is a clinical psychologist currently practicing as a post-doctoral fellow at Dr. Steven Phillipson’s Center of Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapy.

We discuss humour in OCD therapy, why humour can help, finding the right balance between humour and seriousness, humour as a way of showing irrelevance, Dr Phillipson asks a few questions including what is the funniest thing that has happened in therapy. We discuss the science of laughter, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/ron-499 

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 

A live training by Dr Phillipson for therapists: https://www.integrativecentreforocd.co.uk/live-trainings-therapists/phillipson

In episode 498 psychotherapist Jonny Say interviews Stuart. Stuart is the host and founder of The OCD Stories podcast. Stuart is a psychotherapist, and co-founder of The Integrative Centre for OCD Therapy.

In the build up to episode 500 Jonny interviews me (Stuart), we discuss the history of the podcast and some of my personal history, how the podcast helped me in the early days and which topics or guests helped in particular, and then how the podcast has helped me as a therapist, the evolution of the podcast, and much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/stuart-498

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 

A live training by Dr Phillipson for therapists: https://www.integrativecentreforocd.co.uk/live-trainings-therapists/phillipson

In episode 497 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 identity contamination as a theme of OCD, the amygdala, not buying into OCD themes, talking about OCD with people, Dr Phillipson’s Cancel Toku list – a list of irrational or maladaptive words and concepts and their more adaptive equivalents, some exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP) tools, and much more. Hope it helps. 

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/phillipson-497 

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

A live training by Dr Phillipson for therapists: https://www.integrativecentreforocd.co.uk/live-trainings-therapists/phillipson

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 

In episode 496 I chat with Riley who has kindly agreed to share her OCD story with us.

We discuss how OCD latched on to her sport (swimming), compulsive exercise, her different compulsions, obsessions around being strong, getting therapy, restricting foods, residential treatment, medication, finding joy in activities again, words of hope, and much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/riley-496

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 

In episode 495 I chat with Gina Abbondante. Gina is a psychotherapist and clinical director at Change of Mind counselling.

We discuss her OCD story, panic disorder – having a panic attack as early as kindergarten, blood injection injury phobia, when OCD started, suicidal themed OCD, exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), inference-based CBT (CBT), working with postpartum and postnatal parents, equine therapy, and much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/gina-495 

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 

In episode 494 I chat with Clare who has kindly agreed to share her OCD story with us.

We discuss intrusive thoughts, harm themed OCD, skin picking, her family, exposure and response prevention therapy, her research, words of hope, and much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/clare-494

Thanks to our podcast partners who make this podcast possible. 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