Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson

OCD and Anxiety Disorders with Kimberley Quinlan

20 snips

Jun 2, 2025

Join Kimberley Quinlan, a licensed marriage and family therapist and founder of CBTschool.com, as she unpacks the complexities of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). She distinguishes between obsessions and compulsions, revealing how trauma can link to OCD. Kimberley shares insights on effective treatments like Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and the significance of self-compassion in recovery. She also addresses common stigmas that hinder treatment, and emphasizes the importance of personalized care and support for those battling OCD.

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ANECDOTE

Kimberley's OCD Diagnosis Story

Kimberley Quinlan was diagnosed with OCD after years of treating it in others and didn't initially catch it herself.
Her OCD symptoms followed a massive wave of PTSD, illustrating how conditions can dynamically interact.

INSIGHT

OCD Misunderstood as Quirk

OCD involves intrusive, unwanted obsessions and compulsions that take over daily functioning.
It is often misunderstood as a quirky behavior rather than a painful mental health condition.

ANECDOTE

Examples of OCD Themes

OCD obsessing can revolve around harm, morality, relationships, contamination, and even sexuality.
People experiencing OCD in these forms are often the kindest, contrary to their intrusive thoughts.

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Forrest is joined by therapist Kimberley Quinlan to explore one of the most misunderstood anxiety disorders: obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Drawing from her clinical and personal experience, Kimberley breaks down what OCD is, how it differs from general anxiety, and the ways it’s often mischaracterized.

They discuss the core features of obsessions and compulsions, and how these can manifest across a wide range of themes, including harm, contamination, morality, and relationships. Kimberley explains how Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) works, what makes an exposure “good,” and how to build tolerance for distress rather than trying to eliminate it. They also touch on self-compassion, the role of medication, and the stigmas that can keep people from getting help.

About our Guest: Kimberley Quinlan is a licensed marriage and family therapist, author, host of the popular Your Anxiety Toolkit podcast, and the founder of CBTschool.com.

Key Topics:

0:00: Introduction

1:19: Kimberley’s personal experience with OCD

3:36: What is OCD? Obsessions vs. compulsions

8:18: The relationship between trauma (PTSD) and OCD in Kimberley’s experience

11:12: ERP and approaches to treatment

17:14: Differences between clinical ERP and informal exposure practices

24:30: Imaginal exposures for fears that can’t be physically enacted

28:52: Resourcing for exposure

30:26: What if exposure goes poorly?

34:38: Role of self-compassion in OCD treatment

37:02: Considering medication: benefits, stigma, and SSRIs

42:52: Unhooking from intrusive thoughts: ACT, mindfulness, DBT

53:59: “How can I make this my bravest day?”

57:45: Recap

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