
The OCD Stories
Welcome to The OCD Stories, hosted by Stuart Ralph. The podcast has been heard over 7million times globally. Check out your first episode from our existing hundreds of episodes featuring experts, and people experiencing symptoms just like you today. If you do, you may just feel understood, heard and possibly help you identify your next step in your own personal journey to healing.
Disclaimer - this podcast is not a replacement for therapy. Please seek treatment from a licensed mental health professional.
Latest episodes

Dec 8, 2024 • 58min
Jonny Say: Dealing with low insight in OCD (#463)
In episode 463 I chat with Jonny Say. Jonny is a UK based therapist and co-director at The Integrative Centre for OCD Therapy. We discuss an update on Jonny, what is insight in OCD, how it affects OCD, the 4 things Jonny sees in clients with low insight: when mental compulsions go up insight goes down, the intensity of the symptoms, low insight and shame go hand in hand, the beliefs that we carry about thoughts and feelings, words of hope, and much more. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/jonny-463 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 Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcast

Dec 1, 2024 • 36min
Story: Nick (pOCD, ERP, and advocacy) (#462)
In episode 462 I chat with Nick who has kindly agreed to share his OCD story with us. We discuss his story, pOCD, exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), advocacy, how his sexuality and OCD got entangled, his place of work questioning some of his OCD writings, and more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/nick-462 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 Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcast

Nov 24, 2024 • 51min
Dr Michael Alcée: The Upside of OCD (#461)
In episode 461 I chat with Dr Michael Alcée. Michael is a clinical psychologist (Ph.D.). We discuss his therapy story, how Michael works with OCD, the existential story, exposure to feelings, 3 upsides of OCD, his book, some nuances of OCD, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/michael-461 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 Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcast

Nov 17, 2024 • 53min
Story: Lou (harm and self-harm themed OCD, The OCD Camp, creativity) (#460)
In episode 460 I chat with Lou who has kindly agreed to share her OCD story with us. We discuss her OCD story, harm themed OCD around her family, self-harm themed OCD, exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), her experiences at The OCD Camp, creativity, words of hope, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/lou-460 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 Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcast

Nov 10, 2024 • 50min
Nicole Morris: Inference-Based CBT and Exposure & Response Prevention Therapy for OCD (#459)
In episode 459 I chat with Nicole Morris, LMFT. Nicole is a therapist and host of the OCD Family podcast. We discuss her therapy story, her view of OCD, Inference-Based CBT (I-CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy (ERP), her podcast and favourite guests, words of hope and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/nicole-459 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 Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcast

Nov 3, 2024 • 54min
Story: Hannah (pOCD, harm, religious, and sexual orientation OCD) (#458)
In episode 458 I chat with Hannah who has kindly agreed to share her OCD story with us. In this episode we discuss how OCD manifested for her in childhood including: a fear of rabies, worries around swallowing, worries around her heart stopping, as well as harm, religious, and sexual orientation themes of OCD. We discuss other themes such as pOCD, and doing exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), starting a support group, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/hannah-458 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 Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcast

Oct 27, 2024 • 55min
Jon Hershfield: Residential treatment for OCD (#457)
In episode 457 I chat with Jon Hershfield, MFT. Jon is the director of Sheppard Pratt’s The Center for OCD and Anxiety. In this episode we discuss what is a residential treatment center, who can benefit from residential treatment, what a day in the life in residential looks like, the duration of a residential stay, therapy at residential centers, art therapy, yoga, mindfulness, having a team around you, the use of family therapy, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/jon-457 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 Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcast

Oct 20, 2024 • 40min
Dr Marisa Mazza: Shame around OCD, and self-compassion (#456)
In episode 456 I chat with Dr. Marisa T. Mazza. Marisa is a licensed clinical psychologist and founder of choicetherapy psychological services. We discuss her book, what is shame, how shame manifests in OCD, how shame can interfere with exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), the inner critic, self-compassion, loving kindness, why we all deserve self-compassion, how to integrate self-compassion into ERP, fears blocks and resistances to self-compassion, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/marisa-456 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 Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcast

Oct 13, 2024 • 1h 1min
Elena Fasan: OCD in children (plus her OCD story) (#455)
In episode 455 I chat with Elena Fasan. Elena is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) and founder of the Children’s OCD & Anxiety Collective. We discuss her OCD story, how OCD can effect a child’s development, getting creative with kids in OCD therapy, working with parents, supporting siblings, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/elena-455 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 Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcast

Oct 6, 2024 • 53min
Story: Katie Marrotte (I-CBT) (#454)
In episode 454 I chat with Katie Marrotte. Katie is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW). Katie kindly agreed to share her OCD story with us. We discuss her story, harm themed OCD, magical thinking, worries around natural disasters, sexual orientation themed OCD, worries around her dog, exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), we discuss inference-based cognitive behavioural therapy (I-CBT) in detail, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/katie-454 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 Thanks to all our patrons for supporting our work. To sign up to our Patreon and to check out the benefits you’ll receive as a Patron, visit: https://www.patreon.com/theocdstoriespodcast
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