The OCD Whisperer Podcast with Kristina Orlova

Learn all things OCD with the OCD Whisperer Podcast.   Today I cover 3 things you DO NOT want to do If You Love Someone With OCD.   Do not try to think your way out of OCD!  Using logic and rationale will only perpetuate the compulsive analysis cycle!   Instead remind the person it is OCD flaring up and what OCD is. Do not provide incessant reassurance!  This will give momentary relief only to reinforce the OCD cycle and more questions will come up, even anger and a more desperate attempt to have certainty that everything will be OK.   Instead lovingly and with warmth set limits of how much reassurance you will provide (we all do need reassurance sometimes). Do not accommodate OCD!  This will feed the cycle and make it last longer! Instead create a step by step plan to reduce accommodations. _____   @ocdwhisperer Resources for OCD  OCD Journal and Planner: CBT based tracker   _____ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes.  Though I am a licensed marriage and family therapist in California, this does not replace therapy.  See you in the next episode! Keep going.   *Episodes come out out bi-weekly.

Learn all things OCD with the OCD Whisperer Podcast.   Today I am answering some questions that got direct messaged to me on my Instagram account @ocdwhisperer. Unintentional thought suppression question and how to have acceptance. Comparing your OCD to Instagram posts to validate or invalidate your own experience question. Can someone with OCD find a friend or a partner who also has OCD and can there be positive benefits? Checking feelings for proof if the obsession is true or not or checking if feeling something and that leads to actually feeling something. _____   IG @ocdwhisperer Resources for OCD  OCD Journal and Planner: CBT based tracker   _____ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes.  Though I am a licensed marriage and family therapist in California, this does not replace therapy.  See you in the next episode! Keep going in the meantime. *Episodes come out out bi-weekly.

Learn all things OCD with the OCD Whisperer Podcast. Today we are talking about Mindset work. What are you paying attention to?  Consciously direct your attention! What meaning you assign to your anxiety experience does influence how you feel about it.  (Is anxiety a threat?  Did you assign meaning to it that you cannot handle it?) What you choose to do in response to your anxiety will either feed it or break it.   Compulsively neutralizing it strengthens it. Maybe OCD is an opportunity for growth? Everyday is an opportunity to practice. _____   IG @ocdwhisperer   Resources for OCD  OCD Journal and Planner: CBT based tracker   _____ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes.  Though I am a licensed marriage and family therapist in California, this does not replace therapy.  See you in the next episode! Keep going in the meantime.   *Episodes will be coming out bi-weekly.

Learn all things OCD with the OCD Whisperer Podcast. Today we are talking about Compulsions! Themes of different compulsive behaviors: Avoidance Compulsive crying (other OCD influenced emotions) Self reassurance (sneaking them in sometimes) Decontamination Checking Magical compulsions Perfectionistic compulsions Counting Tracing Touching/ tapping Mental compulsions (there is an episode just on this) Protective compulsions Body focused Self-mutilating (cutting, burning) Hair pulling/ skin picking (this may or may not be due to OCD, it may be due to trichotillomania mean hair pulling or excoriation-means skin picking) _____   IG @ocdwhisperer Resources for OCD  OCD Journal and Planner: CBT based tracker   ____ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes.  Though I am a licensed marriage and family therapist in California, this does not replace therapy.  See you in the next episode! Keep going.   *Episodes will be coming out bi-weekly.

Learn all things OCD with the OCD Whisperer Podcast. Today we are talking about Motivation: it is an on-going dynamic process. Take away strategies are: Break your ERP exercises or any goals down into small steps that you can do right NOW.  Focus on the present- what can you do NOW to start? Set limits with distractions- say no to them. Watch for your rationalizations of all the "should's" and not doing anything and then your inner critic coming out to judge yourself and feel bad like guilt, shame, embarrassment.  This cycle feeds onto itself. Catch it and tell yourself maybe I should have done x,y,z- but right NOW I will do x and focus on the here and now and start. Reflect on even small accomplishments because then you focus on your success and that will feed your confidence and you may feel motivated to do the next ERP exercise and build on it and take action.  _____   OCD Journal and Planner: CBT based tracker IG @ocdwhisperer Resources for OCD   _____ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes.  Though I am a licensed marriage and family therapist in California, this does not replace therapy.  See you in the next episode! Keep going.   *Episodes will be coming out bi-weekly.

Learn all things OCD with the OCD Whisperer Podcast. Today we are covering compulsive rumination: what it is, why people rationalize why it is important to keep ruminating, and simple strategies to try today. Strategies discussed are: Catch yourself in the act!  Increase your awareness of how much of this behavior you engage in. Set firm boundaries with no ifs buts or anything else!  Example: I will parking lot thinking about this for 24 hrs. Talk back using strategies that foster non-engagement with the content.  For example: I have thought about x for so long and have not gotten any more clear on anything.  This mental processing is not yielding results and I will no longer do this especially when I am anxious and feel a sense of urgency or need. _____   IG @ocdwhisperer Resources for OCD  OCD Journal and Planner: CBT based tracker _____ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes.  Though I am a licensed marriage and family therapist in California, this does not replace therapy.  See you in the next episode! Keep going.   *Episodes will be coming out bi-weekly.

Learn all things OCD with the OCD Whisperer Podcast. Today we will touch on the second part of OCD Subtypes.  These two episodes, episode 3 and 4 are to give you an idea of the different ways OCD can present itself. Subtypes discussed are: Sexual Obsessions OCD Relationship OCD Superstitious / Magical OCD Aggressive Obsessions OCD Emotional Contamination OCD Perinatal/ Postpartum OCD Rumination OCD Hyperawareness  & Sensorimotor OCD Real life event(s) OCD   IG @ocdwhisperer Resources for OCD  OCD Journal and Planner: CBT based tracker _____ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes.  Though I am a licensed marriage and family therapist in California, this does not replace therapy.  See you in the next episode! Keep going.  *Episodes will be coming out bi-weekly.

Learn all things OCD with the OCD Whisperer Podcast. Today we will discuss the first half of various OCD Subtypes. Subtypes discussed are: Symmetry/Perfectionism OCD Contamination OCD Fear doing something wrong OCD Harm OCD                                           Hypochondria/ health OCD Pure “O” OCD  Scrupulosity OCD-morality, being good or evil  Just Right OCD  Need to know/ remember OCD  Pedophilia OCD       _____ IG @ocdwhisperer Resources for OCD  OCD Journal and Planner: CBT based tracker   _____ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes.  Though I am a licensed marriage and family therapist in California, this does not replace therapy.    See you in the next episode!   Keep going.  *Due to the amount of information, there is a bonus episode out next week. *Episodes will be coming out bi-weekly.

Learn all things OCD with the OCD Whisperer Podcast. Today we will discuss the art of Exposure & Response Prevention as the first line treatment for OCD. Principles discussed are: Variability Defuse and create a little space between you and OCD Opposite Action Be here NOW Tripple A: acknowledge, agree, and accept _____ OCD Journal and Planner: CBT based tracker IG @ocdwhisperer Resources for OCD    _____ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes.  Though I am a licensed marriage and family therapist in California, this does not replace therapy.  See you in the next episode! Keep going.   *Episodes will be coming out bi-weekly.

Learn all things OCD with the OCD Whisperer Podcast.   Today we will discuss what OCD actually is-a doubting disease.   A great resource is also the International OCD Foundation www.iocdf.org  _____ OCD Journal and Planner: CBT based tracker IG @ocdwhisperer Resources for OCD  ______ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes.  Though I am a licensed marriage and family therapist in California, this does not replace therapy.    See you in the next episode! _ _ _ Keep going.  Keep growing.  Keep glowing. *Episodes will be coming out bi-weekly on Mondays.