Dr Michele Bechor and Dr Ciana Mickolus: A team approach to OCD treatment

In this midweek special episode I chat with licensed psychologists Dr Michele Bechor and Dr Ciana Mickolus of the Neurobehavioral Institute (NBI) in Florida. 

We discuss their stories, a team approach to OCD treatment, what’s it like working in a big multidisciplinary team, the benefits for clients and for staff, a day in the life at NBI, and much more. Hope it helps.  

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/nbi-7 

The midweek special episodes which go out at the end of the month on a Wednesday are made possible by and in partnership with the Neurobehavioral Institute (NBI) in Florida. I will be interviewing different members of their clinical team on a range of topics. NBI specialise in treatment and programs for anxiety, OCD, comorbidities, and complex cases. They also offer an intensive outpatient program, and a residential program called the NBI Ranch: A supportive living experience that complements intensive treatment for Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Related Disorders.

To find out more about their intensive outpatient services, or the NBI ranch, as well as to read some of their free information online about OCD via their blog, click here to find out more: https://www.nbiweston.com/

Dr Jesse Spiegel and Dr Sarah Haider: Troubleshooting ERP when it’s not working (#396)

In episode 396 I chat with Dr Jesse Spiegel and Dr Sarah A. Haider. Jesse and Sarah are licensed clinical psychologists working with OCD. 

We discuss their therapy stories, why exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP) doesn’t work sometimes, including intensity, frequency, and duration. We also cover asking clients to tell on themselves, psychoeducation, checking for small compulsions that interrupt ERP, mental compulsions, how much homework is ideal, uncertainty, reassurance, and much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/jesse-and-sarah-396

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

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 

Story: Hannah (#395)

In episode 395 I chat with Hannah who has kindly agreed to share her OCD story with us. 

We discuss harm worries around her children, hit and run themed OCD, finding a therapist who is an specialist in OCD, her core fears, doing exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), doing ERP while raising kids, medication, support groups, OCD and faith, and much more. Hope it helps.  

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/hannah-395 

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

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 

Story: Will (#394)

In episode 394 I chat with Will who has kindly agreed to share his OCD story with us. 

We have been shortlisted for mental health podcast of the year at the Mental Health Blog Awards. Please vote for the podcast if you get time. Please skip through until you get to the ‘podcast of the year’ category, and select my the podcast: https://s.surveyplanet.com/18rbm4yd Thanks

We discuss his story, growing up in a toxic environment, intrusive thoughts, confessing as a compulsion, perfectionism, being active duty in the US military, identity struggles, a bad relationship with alcohol, pOCD, relationship themed OCD, sexual orientation themed OCD, suicidal themed OCD, harm themed OCD, a fear of crossing bridges, health anxiety, being hyper-fixated on sleep, his journey to finding suitable therapy, peer support, intensive outpatient therapy program, masculinity, developing self-compassion, and much more. Hope it helps. 

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/will-394 

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

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 

Jonny Say: Overcoming barriers to OCD recovery (#393)

In episode 393 I chat with Jonny Say. Jonny is a UK based therapist and co-director at The Integrative Centre for OCD Therapy. 

We discuss our new OCD centre, we talk about 9 barriers to OCD recovery, including using exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP) with the agenda of controlling symptoms, automatic compulsions, secondary spikes, intense feelings, difficulties with urge surfing, shame, unworkable beliefs, core fears, and systemic issues. But more importantly some ideas on how to overcome these barriers. Hope it helps. 

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/jonny-say-393 

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 conversation with an OCD Support group, featuring Dr Lauren Wadsworth (#392)

In episode 392 I chat with 6 members of an OCD support group. The support group members on the show were Bri, Bridget, Cassie, Joe, Kim, Steve, and Dr Lauren Wadsworth. 

We discuss what is the group about, what’s it like being in an OCD support group, the benefits of being in an OCD support group, they share some nice memories of being in the group, setting goals within the group, managing challenges in the group, and much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/ocd-support-group-392 

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

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 

Ethan Smith and Dr Jonathan Hoffman: Aha moments

In this midweek special episode I chat with Ethan Smith, and Dr Jonathan Hoffman of the Neurobehavioral Institute (NBI) in Florida. 

We discuss aha moments, Ethan’s story and aha moment, aha moments of all kinds, pseudo aha moments, the catalysts for an aha moment, whether people need them, and much more. Hope it helps.  

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/nbi-6 

The midweek special episodes which go out at the end of the month on a Wednesday are made possible by and in partnership with the Neurobehavioral Institute (NBI) in Florida. I will be interviewing different members of their clinical team on a range of topics. NBI specialise in treatment and programs for anxiety, OCD, comorbidities, and complex cases. They also offer an intensive outpatient program, and a residential program called the NBI Ranch: A supportive living experience that complements intensive treatment for Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Related Disorders.

To find out more about their intensive outpatient services, or the NBI ranch, as well as to read some of their free information online about OCD via their blog, click here to find out more: https://www.nbiweston.com/

Story: Katryna (#391)

In episode 391 I chat with Katryna who has kindly agreed to share her story with us.

We discuss her OCD story, masking symptoms, self harm, OCD themes including: harm, symmetry, existential, suicidal, relationship. We talk about compulsively tapping and blinking, panic, her dog Oliver who helped her a lot, how taking mind altering substances triggered an OCD theme, a traumatic event (attempted kidnapping) triggering harm OCD, the use of humour in therapy, doing intensive outpatient therapy, NOCD, group therapy, depersonalisation and derealisation, and much more.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/katryna-391

The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD are celebrating three years of partnering with The OCD Stories podcast. In honour of this anniversary, we have a special opportunity for people in the UK (as I am a UK citizen). They’re offering new members in the UK a reduced rate of $32 USD (about £25) per 60-minute session, if you start therapy before 31 July 2023. You’ll be able to continue treatment at this discounted rate for 2 months. To access this reduced rate, schedule a free call with their team and mention the code “OCD STORIES.”: https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories

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 

Kevin Ashworth: Helping parents help children (and teens) with OCD (#390)

In episode 390 I chat with Kevin Ashworth. Kevin is the clinical director & senior clinician at the Northwest Anxiety Institute. 

We discuss his therapy story, helping parents help kids and teens with OCD, helping with parental shame and guilt, psychoeducating parents on OCD, reducing accommodations, the therapeutic program SPACE which stands for supportive parenting for anxious childhood emotions, having Mum, Dad or care giver in the therapy room, dealing with conflict between child and parent, how much should parents remind kids of therapy homework, the importance of humour, learning to be miserable on purpose, and much more. Hope it helps. 

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/kevin-390 

The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD are celebrating three years of partnering with The OCD Stories podcast. In honour of this anniversary, we have a special opportunity for people in the UK (as I am a UK citizen). They’re offering new members in the UK a reduced rate of $32 USD (about £25) per 60-minute session, if you start therapy before 31 July 2023. You’ll be able to continue treatment at this discounted rate for 2 months. To access this reduced rate, schedule a free call with their team and mention the code “OCD STORIES.”: https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories

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 

Lauren Rosen: Mindfulness and OCD (#389)

In episode 389 I chat with Lauren Rosen. Lauren is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and founder of The Center for the Obsessive Mind.

We discuss her OCD story, what is mindfulness, some benefits of mindfulness, learning to let go of the question, making space for and accepting the presence of feelings, techniques and practices of mindfulness, and much more. Hope it helps. 

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/lauren-389 

The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD are celebrating three years of partnering with The OCD Stories podcast. In honour of this anniversary, we have a special opportunity for people in the UK (as I am a UK citizen). They’re offering new members in the UK a reduced rate of $32 USD (about £25) per 60-minute session, if you start therapy before 31 July 2023. You’ll be able to continue treatment at this discounted rate for 2 months. To access this reduced rate, schedule a free call with their team and mention the code “OCD STORIES.”: https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories

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