Jenn wrote to me asking about how she can deal with the feelings of shame and embarrassment after her family has heard the details, and been the recipients of, her compulsive confession, reassurance seeking, and other compulsive behavior. She’s struggling with the shame that happens after years of compulsive vulnerability and wants to know how to p…

Kallie sent me a question that I’m sure every single person who has listened to this podcast has asked– “Why does OCD feel so real?!” She also asks why her specific subtype keeps showing up despite other subtypes coming and going, so there’s a little something for everyone. This is a tricky question to answer, but I discuss some of the tricks OCD p…

Today’s episode includes two questions and two answers, both having to do with memories. For the first question, the listener wants to know what can be done about false memories. So, we have to discuss False Memory OCD and Real Event OCD! The next question is from a listener who struggles with the fear of forgetting what just happened. Their obsess…

Max emailed me and asked a question that has never been asked on the FearCast before. He shares that he struggles with Intrusive Musical Imagery, or intrusive mental snippets of songs, and he wants to know how to deal with them. This is a great question that, even Max acknowledges, does not have a lot of information out there. But, I did some resea…

Today’s question comes from Rick and Emilie. Rick struggles with feeling terrible over the fact that he even has POCD related thoughts and worries they reflect something terrible about himself. Furthermore, he feels worse now that he doesn’t feel as bad as he did before! What could that mean?! Emilie is similarly struggling with guilt, but the kind…

Today’s main question comes from a listener who seems to be stuck in a memory from two life events and she cant seem to get herself out of, away from, or past them. She’s tried ERP, but nothing seems to work. But, what if ERP in this instance wasn’t the solution? A OCD Therapist not immediately suggesting ERP?! Outrageous! And yet, what if ERP wasn…

Today’s question is a fun one (for me). PotatoChipFiend emailed me asking me how they should deal with recurring thoughts about their childhood crushes and whether or not it is a form of POCD? In this episode I offer some guidance for exposures, ways to rethink the meaning of the story for him, how he can separate the fear into different parts that…

For this week’s question, Sisi emailed me asking about the best exposures for Sensorimotor OCD. So, while of course I offer some suggestions and ideas, I also use this as an opportunity to discuss Attention Training as a way to help build your skill to allowing distraction while intentionally, and non-compulsively, directing your attention. Trigger…

Maya messaged me recently with a question about her Real Event OCD. She decided to finally say “no” to a confession compulsion as part of her Real-Event cycle, but this has re-triggered the OCD theme! What should she do? Sometimes we are stuck in situations where there is no perfect outcome, so we have to do our best, make a choice, move forward, a…

Today I’m releasing an episode early in honor of Valentines Day! This question comes from Teddy who is in an open relationship and has a fear that he will be replaced by someone else. While it may not be the expected podcast content for Valentines day, there is actually a lot of overlap from Teddy’s question to others struggling with ROCD and other…

Mubeena Mirza, LCSW, joined me today to talk about Religious Scrupulosity within the Muslim community in anticipation of Ramadan. Ramadan is a month-long religious holiday celebrated by Muslims around the world, and for anyone who struggles with Religious Scrupulosity knows that major holidays can invite new obsessions, intensifying current obsessi…

Kelley Franke, MFT, joined me today to answer a listener question about parenting with OCD. Lots has been written about how to parent a kid with OCD, but how do you parent with OCD yourself? Today’s question comes from Kelly (a different one, I swear). She shares how she always wanted a second child, but the stress of her first, along with the nag …

MJ asks a great question, that I think a lot of people have too. She’s gone through treatment, which was pretty successful, but why is her brain still giving her these unwanted intrusive thoughts that sometimes catch her up into a swirl of anxiety again?! What gives? I offer MJ some ideas on why this is happening, and why she is still having these …

Adam messaged me recently with an audio question. He noticed that he recently has been obsessed with the smell of someone else. Memories of the smell when he inhales. Thoughts about the smell wherever he goes. He’s had Sensorimotor obsessions in the past, but what about this? This one isn’t about him, so how should he treat it differently? For more…

The FearCast is back in 2025! For today’s question, I answered Beth’s question about a mistake she made at the beginning of a fantastic relationship that has now turned into Real Event OCD and Moral Scrupulosity. She’s ruminating about all her past mistakes and beating herself up. What’s worse, she can’t apologize, or feels she can’t, because that …

Today I’m excited to share a conversation I had with Dr. Jonathan Abramowitz about his upcoming book Living Well With OCD. During our conversation, I was able to ask him about the inspiration for the book, who would benefit from reading the book, and how people living with OCD all along the recovery scale can find something useful in it. Along the …

Gabriela messaged me and wanted to know how other people seemingly know, “deep down,” that their obsessions aren’t true. Have you ever heard that phrase? It seems like Gabriela has too and is struggling to find this hidden knowledge (or reassurance) that the SO-OCD and ROCD she’s struggling with aren’t true. To answer this, I have to address what i…

For today’s podcast, we are ALL lucky to have Natalia Aiza, LPC, on to continue our conversation about using SPACE treatment with the High Dependent Adult Children, otherwise known as the “failure to launch” population. This was a wonderful, eye opening conversation about how to help those individuals who are struggling to gain independence, set th…

Today’s episode is a two-fer, but to answer one I need to answer the other. The first is from a listener who wonders why he assumes his thoughts are true about him, no matter what they are. I offer some insight into this process, and offer him guidance on how to turn this bug into a feature in his battle against them. The second comes from a listen…

Today’s episode comes from a listener who struggles with fainting at the sight of blood. To answer this, I discuss Vasovagal Syncope, a physiological event in which people sometimes faint in response to high emotion and feeling startled, including fainting at the sight of blood. I give a brief overview of what this is, how it works, and more import…

Today’s episode comes from Victor who’s having a tough time dealing with obsessions focused on whether or not he has Schizophrenia. Unfortunately, sometimes simply reading something, seeing a video on something, or just hearing an idea related to something can be enough for OCD to suggest, “Maybe that’s you. Now, maybe you should go to unreasonable…

Today’s audio questioner wants to know why the anxiety they experience from regular life and every-day triggers is worse than the anxiety they get when doing Exposures. They struggle to make their exposures as triggering as their regular anxiety, but can’t! But is that even necessary? The post #203- Why Is Real Life Anxiety Tougher Than My ERP Anxi…

To learn more about Harm OCD, check out this article from The California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center Today’s audio question comes from Aaron who asked about a situation he has not heard much about, so he’s looking for some guidance. He’s noticing he has some Relationship OCD (no big deal, right), but he also notices a flair up of Harm related …

Today’s episode is all about SPACE Treatment! Natalia Aiza, LPC, joined me to talk about her expertise using SPACE, or Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions, to help adolescents and parents better address anxiety and OCD. Natalia went through the treatment method, discusses how it differs from traditional Exposure and Response Prevent…

Today is so special, I thought I’d answer two listener questions! The first comes from a listener who is questing themselves as they notice they have the urge to Google someone they admire or look up to. Are they being wildly creepy, or is OCD accusing them of being a terrible person? Next comes an audio question from Cynthia who asks about how she…

Today’s audio question comes from Spiritual Overthinker who has won the lottery with a wonderful guy with whom she clicks with on a deep, spiritual level. But, as it happens sometimes, OCD suddenly is showing up and making her question the relationship, herself, and their future together! What is she to do? I offer her some suggestions, guidance, a…

Today’s audio question comes in from Doubting Debbie who asks a great question: is this thought she’s having legitimate and worth investigating, or is it just an obsession and nonsense manifestation of her OCD? While a great question, sometimes with ROCD, SO-OCD, or pretty much any obsession, there can be many things going on work acknowledging, ch…

Today’s question comes from Overthinker. She asks the question about how to beat her SO-OCD. She’s confident she’s narrowed down the core fear, she’s in therapy, she’s working on exposures and taking all the right steps, but she’s missing an important step that I try to highlight. This was a longer question, and unfortunately I didn’t realize there…

Today’s audio question comes from Frank. He wants to know whether Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy can be helpful to someone who is actually in denial of their sexuality. Frank identifies as a cis-gay male, but obsesses about whether or not he is actually trans. So, is Frank actually trans and in denial, or is he obsessing about being…

Today’s audio question comes from a listener who wants to know whether or not OCD can make them feel depressed, or if they just have depression, or if they have depression and OCD. Either way, Ab, the questioner, shares her deep struggle with feeling overwhelmed by a sense of depression alongside her other obsessions. This question gets a little pe…

Today’s episode is a timely one. I had the privilege of speaking with Elena Fasan, LCSW, about anxiety in kids, teens, and adolescents as they return to school. This was a fun conversation that addresses concerns for kids and parents from elementary school to college and touches on subjects of college pressure, perfectionism, social anxiety, OCD, a…

Today’s question comes from Tom. He messaged me and asked these questions three. How can he deal with the guilt and shame of having his particular taboo obsession and testing it compulsively? Should he tell his girlfriend about them? And finally, what if his obsession is no obsession at all, but what he actually wants? I hear questions like this al…

For today’s episode, I answer two listener questions. The first question is about whether people with Scrupulosity tend to exaggerate their reassurance questions. I answer broadly about reassurance tendencies and address how someone struggling with this type of compulsion can work to reduce it. Next, I answer a question from someone struggling with…

In today’s episode, I go over a question from James. He’s struggling with an obsession focused on items being contaminated simply by their association with another contaminated item and he wants to know what to do about it. I offer various examples of how to apply Exposure to it, Response Prevention, and using the Mastery Model to address the issue…

For today’s episode, I answer two questions from listeners. The first listener wants to know how they can best deal with the possibility of relapse when they are in a good spot in their recovery. Is there a way to keep it away, and what to do when their partner is often their trigger! The next listener is struggling with the isolation of their Real…

Today’s episode is a continuation of the Faith and Doubt Series. I am joined by Claire Breedlove, LCSW, who specializes in treating Religious Scrupulosity and working with members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints. Claire was kind enough to share her passion with the LDS community and how she works to help the LDS community living w…

Today’s audio question comes from Worry Wart who asked about life after OCD begins and whether one can get back to the happy place they were in before OCD began. To answer this, I asked Lauren Rosen, MFT, to join me. Lauren offers insights into her experience as someone who knows what the questioner feels and has come to a wonderful place in her ow…

Today’s audio question comes from Liam who notices that he becomes upset when it seems like people keep disagreeing with him, or making it seem like he’s not being heard. Others seem to discount or disagree with his opinions which triggers something in him. So, is this is OCD acting up again, or is it something else? Also, regardless of what it is,…

Today, Issy reached out with an audio question. She shared her story about diagnosis with OCD and her success with POCD, but wanted to know how to deal with issues related to SO-OCD. She has two main questions. The first is how to help her parents understand what ERP is and why she should do it (and why they should pay for it). The second is about …

Today’s episode is a mash up of a few emailed questions. First, a listener notices their obsessions about their thoughts increases physical pain and they don’t know how to handle it. Next, a listener asks whether they should start therapy again with their various ups and downs of ROCD and SO-OCD. Finally, I answer a question (or, a couple of questi…

For today’s audio question, I answer Hannah’s question about her Sensorimotor/ Hyperawarness obsession. She shares that she’s had a few other obsessions in this theme, but lately it’s turned into being stuck between doing something or not, and both being problem! The good old “lose-lose” from OCD, and she feels stuck. I discuss her question and giv…

For today’s audio question, Chris Trondsen, MFT, was kind enough to join me to discuss Panicasaurus’s question. The question is very layered and has a lot of aspects to consider, but the main question is whether they are truly in doubt of their sexual orientation, or whether they are just struggling with their SO-OCD. Chris and I go through this qu…

Today’s audio question comes from Overthinking Queen who wants to know whether her obsessions are coming from some unresolved or unaddressed issues in her life. She also struggles with her fear that she might be slowly abandoning her faith due to thoughts about sex, relationships, and SO-OCD obsessions. She also shares some fears about starting the…

For today’s episode, I answer a few emailed questions! I’m going over two listener questions. The first one from someone struggling with driving and feeling overwhelmed, self-critical, and fearful. I offer them some advice on how they can embrace the good with the bad, and discuss how compassion can boost her self confidence! With the second questi…

Return FearCast audio question submitter questions whether or not they are happy. Like, a lot. In their relationship, with their friends, with their hobbies. Even worse, they notice their rumination about their happiness and daydreaming pulls their attention away from reality. Oh, and maybe it’s not even OCD, wait, or is it… the rumination is ever …

Today’s audio question comes from a listener who’s trying to help her partner who seems to be struggling with some type of OCD. In the episode, we discuss the listener’s questions about Relationship Focused OCD (ROCD), False Memory OCD, and Pure-O. There’s a lot to the question and I do my best to offer some ideas on how the questioner can reach ou…

Today’s episode features Dr. Ran Littman, PhD, who joins me to discuss everything there is to know about Relationship OCD (ROCD). Dr. Littman is a researcher, therapist, and writer who has a particular interest in helping people overcome the impact of ROCD on their life and pursue more effective and vibrant relationships. He offers great advice and…

Today is a continuation in the Faith and Doubt series where I highlight people working to help people overcome Religious Scrupulosity, the OCD subtype focusing on one’s religious life. I was joined by Mubeena Mira, LCSW, who shared her wisdom about Religious Scrupulosity within the Muslim community. This was a fantastic conversation. Mubeena was ab…

Today’s audio question comes from a listener who previously, er… currently, is struggling with SO-OCD. They previously struggled with their obsession daily, but that has calmed. But, now they are triggered to the memory of the obsession, which triggers the obsession. If they aren’t currently overwhelmed by the obsession, why did they have the obses…

For today’s episode, I was able to have on Dr. Josh Spitalnick and Michael Stier, LPCC, to discuss health anxiety. They recently released the book “The Complete Guide To Overcoming Health Anxiety” and were kind enough to join me to talk about their book and how to face down health anxiety in a doable, and I dare say enjoyable, way. They offer some …