FearCast Podcast

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 obsessions, and a struggle to keep compulsions at bay. Mubeena joined me to talk about what Muslims can do to make Ramadan more livable so they can enjoy the holiday and connect to their faith. For more on Religious Scrupulosity, please read this article from The California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center The post #215- Living Religious Scrupulosity Through Ramadan, With Mubeena Mirza appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

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 of OCD, is making her second guess her interest in more kids. So, Kelley Franke helps me tackle this question and discuss the realities of being a parent, the complication factor of OCD, and what Kelly (the questioner) can consider as she moves forward. The post #214- OCD Is Exhausting, So Are Kids. Do I Want Another One? Featuring Kelley Franke, MFT appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

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 thoughts. Lastly, I offer a few ideas on what may help her further her recovery. The post #213- I’ve gone through treatment, so why do I still get these intrusive thoughts? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

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 on Sensorimotor OCD and Hyperawareness OCD, check out this article from The California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center The post #212- Obsessed With Someone Else’s Smell. Is That Sensorimotor? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

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 may start a never-ending cycle of confession and apologizing compulsions! What can she do? For more on Real Event OCD, please see this article from the California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center The post #211- I’ve Made A Terrible Mistake And Can’t Stop Ruminating About It! appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

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 way, we got to speaking about therapeutic approaches, the changing landscape of treatment, and the joy we have in working in the OCD/ Anxiety space. The post #209- Living Well With OCD, Featuring Dr. Jonathan Abramowitz appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

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 it means to know something “deep down,” what I think people really mean when they say this, and go over a really common, albeit violent, example of one way to access your “deep down” knowledge. The post #208- How Do Others Know “Deep Down” Their Obsessions Aren’t True? appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

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 their own course, and take the leap into a brave new world. Natalia, as usual, does a beautiful job explaining the struggles these individuals and their family go through, the necessary steps to empowering them, and the ways therapists can help them achieve their goals. The post #207- SPACE With High Dependent Adult Children With Natalia Aíza, LPC appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

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 listener who’s struggling mightily with a memory from his past and needs to know what to do to deal with his Real-Event Obsession. For more on Real Event OCD, please check out this article from the California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center The post #206- Why Do I Assume I Am, And What If I Am, What My Thought Say?! appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

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 importantly how the listener (or you) can prevent it. I also answer the listener’s question about whether or not Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is OK to do if you have this type of response. The post #205- Vasovagal Syncope And A Fear Of Blood appeared first on FearCast Podcast.