

The OCD Stories
Stuart Ralph
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.
Disclaimer - this podcast is not a replacement for therapy. Please seek treatment from a licensed mental health professional.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 31, 2024 • 3min
A big thank you as the podcast goes into its 10th year!
Thank you for all the support in 2024. I appreciate you! https://theocdstories.com/ The podcast is made possible by NOCD: https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories The integrative centre for OCD Therapy: https://www.integrativecentreforocd.co.uk/

Dec 29, 2024 • 49min
Jack: Understanding and practicing ACT skills (Client's perspective - part 1) (#466)
In episode 466 I chat with Jack who came back on to talk about his approach to learning ACT skills and practising them between his therapy sessions. We discuss his therapy including exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and compassion focused therapy (CFT), his approach to doing home practice and practicing skills outside of session, Jack recaps some of the ACT skills he learned, the importance of practising often, repetition and consistency, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/jack-466 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 22, 2024 • 54min
Molly Schiffer: Using cognitive processing therapy for trauma that interferes with OCD therapy (#465)
In episode 465 I chat with Molly Schiffer (LCPC). Molly is a therapist and associate director at The Center for OCD and Anxiety at Sheppard Pratt. We discuss her therapy story, cognitive processing therapy (CPT), trauma and OCD, CPT for trauma (PTSD & CPTSD), how trauma can fuel the OCD, CPT helping exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), Molly shares a clinical case example of CPT in action, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/molly-465 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 15, 2024 • 1h 2min
Story: Carey Marie (magical thinking, BDD, existential OCD) (#464)
In episode 464 I chat with Carey who has kindly agreed to share her OCD story with us. We discuss her OCD story, magical thinking, body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), fears around medication, feelings of shame, existential OCD, feeling suicidal, going into a psychiatric unit, doing exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), words of hope, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/carey-464 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 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


