In episode 534 I chat with Rachel Kuchem Woodward (LCSW). Rachel is the owner of Re-Viving Lives Counseling, in Fort Worth. Rachel is a therapist holistically and clinically treating girls and women since 2019. Having her own 20+ year personal journey with OCD, Rachel is passionate about treating sufferers of OCD and educating faith circles on OCD, bridging the gap between biblical and clinical circles around this topic for clients, church leaders, and mental health leaders.

We discuss her therapy journey, how OCD can latch on to faith, telling the difference between a genuine faith based question and an OCD question, how pastors and churches can help, scripture and OCD, moving towards values, exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), addressing shame in therapy, bringing in family members, and much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/rachel-534

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

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In episode 533 I chat with Dr Steven Phillipson and his patient Sean. 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. He is joined by one of his patients, Sean, who has kindly agreed to share his story.

We discuss Sean's OCD story, Steve discusses the idea of Sarnos (psychosomatic symptoms), Sean's difficulty bragging and worrying about Sarnos, exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), the idea of the brain voice and the gatekeeper voice, and much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/steve-and-sean-533

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

In episode 532 I chat with Dr Sorcha O'Connor. Sorcha is a neuroscientist and PhD graduate from Imperial College London, where she led the PsilOCD study investigating low-dose psilocybin for OCD.

We discuss Sorcha's background that led her to this work, what is psilocybin, the background to the study, what the actual study looked like for participants, the outcomes of the study, what's happening in the brain during a dose of psilocybin, future studies, how psychedelics may improve learning, integration sessions with a therapist, what people with OCD can take from this study, limitations of the study, and much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/sorcha-532

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

In episode 531 I chat with Alex who has kindly agreed to share his OCD story with us.

We discuss his OCD story, suicidal themed OCD, inference-based cognitive behavioural therapy (I-CBT), worries of harming others, existential themed OCD, how his wife helped, meditation, low self worth, understanding the past, peadophile themed OCD, health anxiety, self compassion, and much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/alex-531

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

In episode 530 I chat with Amy who has kindly agreed to share her OCD story with us.

We discuss relationship themed OCD, harm themed OCD, contamination themed OCD, realising that what was going on was OCD, compulsions, disordered eating, how her husband helped, finding the OCD community, doing exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), medication, and much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/amy-530

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

In episode 529 I chatted with Jonathan Hoffman. Jon is a licensed psychologist and Board Certified in Cognitive and Behavioral Psychology. He co-founded the NBI Ranch and the Neurobehavioral Institute (NBI), where he was Chief Clinical Officer, exiting these roles at the end of 2025 after many years of practice.

We discuss an update on Jon, what are mental rituals/compulsions, the history of mental rituals/compulsions, are mental rituals/compulsions behaviours, we debate what is good science, how do we study mental rituals/compulsions, and much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/jon-529

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

In episode 528 I chat with Jeff Bell, a past guest of the podcast. Jeff is a long time OCD advocate and is the author of "When in doubt, make belief" and "rewind, replay, repeat". Jeff co-founded adversity to advocacy.

We get a recap of his OCD story, the idea of greater good motivation, lessons OCD has taught him that helps him deal with other conditions such as his Parkinson's disease diagnosis, we discuss stoicism, advocacy and service, and much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/jeff-528

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

In episode 527 I chat with Ethan Tuccienza. Ethan is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) and clinical director of Behavioural Psych Studio's LA office.

We discuss his therapy story, dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), exposure to emotions, DBT-PTSD as an intervention, trauma, shame, tolerating emotions, he shares a couple DBT skills including willing hands and mindfulness of our emotions. We also discuss guilt, shutting down during exposures and what to do, and much more. Hope it helps.

Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/ethan-527

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