Podcasts by OCD Straight Talk

You Gotta Go to Therapy, Pillar 1 from 2023-12-08T15:00

Chris tackles the first of the Five Pillars, showing that generally OCDers generally don't make a lot of progress without structured, expert help.

Feel free to reach out with any ques...

What is My Role in Getting Better? from 2023-11-28T18:08:31

Chris launches a new series on the role of the patient or the listener in the process of getting better. He reviews a document, forged from clinical experience, and written for his patients that...

When OCD Turns Itself Inside-Out and Backward from 2023-11-20T19:04:44

Chris discusses a couple of cases that illustrate that idea that sometimes OCD and anxiety disorders flip the script on you, and completely change the behaviors that feed them. All of the sudden...

You Need Both Will and Strategy from 2023-11-07T15:00

"Life's a fight!" Chris discusses a personal slogan and explains what that means in the context of OCD. Fighting means both the will to win and a strategy to succeed. In the fight against OCD, you ...

Everybody's Pure-O ... Sometimes from 2023-10-27T19:08:47

Chris responds to a listener's question about the ever-popular topic, Pure-O. He highlights the concept of identifying compulsions; as Pure-Oers do compulsions, they just don't properly ...

Mistakes You're Probably Making in Exposure Therapy from 2023-10-17T17:06:32

Building off of the last two episodes, Chris discusses common errors made in exposure-work. These concepts aren't new to the podcast; but they are ... common mistakes. What that means is tha...

Chris Conducts an Imaginal Exposure ... on Himself from 2023-10-12T20:26:55

In this episode, Chris faces his relationship-OCD and does what's called, an imaginal exposure.

Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com. Listen

The Four Bosom Buddies of Good Exposure Therapy from 2023-10-02T17:08:31

Chris talks through a few erroneous but common ideas of exposure therapy. These are mistakes made by both consumers and inexperienced therapists. He then explains four components of good exposur...

When OCD Says "This" Means "That" from 2023-09-22T14:03:07

Chris discusses fears and case-examples that involve physical symptoms and environmental experiences, and that the OCD says "this" is evidence of, or means "that." These can ...

Is My Anxiety Interfering with My Sex Life? from 2023-09-18T18:33:41

Chris discusses some literature and case-examples relative to how anxiety- and OCD-symptoms can interfere with individuals' sex life. Most notably, he shows that most common forms of sexual ...

Kimberley Quinlan, LMFT of Your Anxiety Toolkit from 2023-09-05T17:27:59

Chris sits down with Kimberley Quinlan of the great podcast, Your Anxiety Toolkit. They discuss various topics from the history of their careers and supervisors who were pivotal in shaping who t...

2 Rules of Thumb: the Difference between OCD and Skin Picking Disorder from 2023-08-28T16:43:30

Chris responds to a listener's question about the difference between OCD and excoriation disorder. This is an important question, because many OCDers report that they pick at their skin &quo...

The Chain is Only as Strong as its Weakest Link from 2023-08-16T19:20:47

Chris finishes the series on SCAMP and the Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors. In this episode, he focuses on the last two trigger-categories (Movement and Place) represented in the acronym. This...

Manage Feelings; but F*** Anxiety from 2023-08-09T19:24

Chris continues to series on OCD-Related disorders, this time talking through the "A" (for Affect) in the acronym SCAMP. The important idea is effectively manage triggers, to include f...

Talking Back to Thoughts in Hair-Pulling and Skin-Picking Disorders from 2023-08-04T13:00:57

Chris continues the series on skin picking and hair-pulling habits, focusing on Charlie Mansueto's SCAMP concept: Successful treatment of excoriation disorder and trichotillomania is not so much ab...

You Play Offense for OCD. You Play Defense for Skin-Picking and Hair Pulling Disorders from 2023-07-26T19:14:54

In this episode, Chris starts off by re-emphasizing the importance of identifying and preventing relevant behaviors when dealing with a number of common mental health conditions. And he continue...

Got Triggered? What Now? from 2023-07-19T19:33:50

Chris discusses evidence-based strategies for dealing with triggers relative to the anxiety-related disorders, like PTSD, OCD, Specific Phobia, etc., and other conditions like trichotillomania a...

What Do I Do When I Don't REALIZE I'm Doing Compulsions? from 2023-07-12T20:18:07

Chris poses a question of what OCDers are to do when they are engaging such habitual and routine compulsions that they can't stop doing them?

Feel free to reach out to chrisleins04@g...

It's about Tolerating the Itch and Stopping the Scratching Response from 2023-07-05T22:40:07

Chris discusses the idea that a lot of people tolerate the scratching behavior with the hope of getting rid of the itch. But success in the fight against OCD is about tolerating the tho...

Grit & Resilience in Your Fight Against OCD from 2023-06-28T18:25:05

Chris discusses patients who demonstrate grit and resilience in the therapeutic journey. Being willing and able to tolerate psychoemotive distress is ESSENTIAL to stopping compulsions. And resis...

It's Easier to Act Yourself into a New Way of Thinking Than It Is to Think Yourself into a New Way of Acting from 2023-06-20T19:20:29

Chris discusses a general principle that applies not just to the management of OCD and anxiety-related symptoms, but to problems and conditions that people commonly face.

Feel free to re...

Why Do I Have These Intrusive Thoughts? from 2023-06-08T19:11

Chris discusses the question of why individuals experience certain intrusive thoughts? In this context, he also presents the value of embracing uncertainty.

Feel free to reach out with a...

What's the Difference between Facts and Fears? from 2023-06-01T22:38:26

Chris discusses intrusive images and urges, noting that often they elicit anxiety because of what we think they mean. The question, of course, becomes, Do they REALLY mean that?

Feel free...

Compulsions Make the Thoughts Real from 2023-05-25T19:16:50

Chris talks through the idea that compulsive responses give credibility to the obsessional anxiety. The question becomes, What does it look like for you to not respond?

Feel fre...

Can You Imagine Anxiety-Producing Thoughts That Don't Produce Anxiety? from 2023-05-10T18:05:58

Building on the last few episodes, and referring to the idea of the system and its parts, Chris explains what OCD looks like when it's no longer clinically significant. The answer might surprise yo...

Introducing Dr. B: A Follow-Up on the System and Its Parts from 2023-05-03T18:05:59

Chris has a conversation with Dr. B, his wife, about the OCD-system and how it works. Enjoy.

Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.com.

If ...

The System is Made Up of Parts from 2023-04-27T00:20:15

Chris discusses the OCD-system, the pieces and parts that make up the whole. And he identifies the common reaction of making "feeling better" the end goal for most OCDers. But the minu...

Your Compulsions Hide in Your Assumptions about What is NOT a Compulsion from 2023-04-05T18:18:47

Chris explains the thinking and assumptions of many people and patients about what "compulsions" are, and are not. Often, it's the assumptions we make about such behaviors that all...

The 2 Primary Reasons OCDers Don't Tend to Make Much Progress from 2023-03-28T15:06:46

Chris discusses common patterns across years of cases. Many patients struggle to make progress early in treatment (or because they are not in it to start with) for one or both of two reasons. Ma...

Mark McMinn, Ph.D. from 2023-03-27T16:01:02

Chris sits down with Dr. Mark McMinn to discuss scrupulosity and religious scrupulosity. The two talk through various issues, though, the simple issue. They also talk about spiritualty and psych...

What Does That Thought Mean? from 2023-03-15T17:48:06

Chris discusses the idea of meta-cognitions: the thoughts we have about the thoughts we have; and he answers a listener's question about intrusive images. He points not to the images or thoughts...

To Panic or Not to Panic: That is the Question from 2023-03-02T21:47:14

Chris grapples with the questions of 1. What constitutes a panic attack? and What are the common triggers or reasons that individuals might experience them? He then tackles the whole matter of what...

Act Better First; Feel Better Next. from 2023-02-22T20:01:47

Chris tackles a listener's question about Mental Contamination, and provides clarity on two points: the first priority in making therapeutic progress, and the aim of exposure therapy. Feel free to ...

Focus on What You Can Control! from 2023-02-09T13:07:01

Chris discusses the idea of overriding your urge to manage your thoughts and feelings. This isn't easy; and nobody (at least nobody who knows what he or she is talking about) is saying it is. Bu...

What Disorders Are Truly "Related" to OCD? from 2023-01-30T17:11:41

Chris takes on the question of the degree to which OCD is unlike the anxiety disorders and more like Trichotillomania and Excoriation Disorder. It comes down to emotionality and what specificall...

How Informal Is Too Informal in Exposure Therapy? from 2023-01-09T16:15:07

Chris tackles a good question relative to exposure therapy: How informal is too informal? Many of us walk into exposure-work with the idea that it has look a certain way; and that way is often a...

The Anxiety's A Good Indicator from 2022-12-14T22:15:33

Chris provides a bird's eye view of the process-landscape. One of your questions at this point might be, Am I doing my exposures right? And that's a good question. Chris explains a few concepts ...

Is It A Compulsion Or Just An Anxious Behavior? from 2022-12-13T22:47:53

Chris asks listeners a question about the possibility of live-meetings, and invites feedback.

And he takes on the question of whether differentiating between so-called anxious behaviors a...

"I Think It's More Nuanced Than That" from 2022-12-06T21:08:15

Chris reflects on a conversation he recently had with a respected colleague. They discussed the resistance some patients/OCDers appear to have toward doing exposure therapy on their own (that is...

"Watch the Anxiety Manage Itself" from 2022-12-01T17:03:32

Chris discusses a therapeutic conversation he had recently with a new patient. They work through a few basic concepts, and how those concepts fit together in real-time.

Feel free to reach...

What's the Difference between Overthinking and Rumination from 2022-11-22T20:02:30

Chris responds to a listener: Are these symptoms even related to OCD? Following a confusing meeting with a mental health professional, she further inquires as to the difference between overthink...

Take the Next Step with OCD Straight Talk from 2022-11-01T21:10:55

We've all learned real skills from watching YouTube videos and listening to podcasts. Some of us have earned college, and even graduate degrees in asynchronous university programs, in which we'v...

"Pure-O" & Mental Contamination from 2022-10-31T12:30:52

MAJOR OCD STRAIGHT TALK ANNOUNCEMENT coming tomorrow.

Chris responds to a listener's question, and discusses the concepts of distinguishing between obsessional and ruminitive ...

Is One Compulsion Better than Another? from 2022-10-17T14:00:45

Chris responds to a patient's question, Is one compulsion better than another? Good question. The short answer is, No; but the long answer is, Yes. 

Feel free to reach out with any q...

After That, What Do I Do with My Thoughts? from 2022-10-04T15:00

**Major OCD Straight Talk announcement coming November 1, 2022.

Chris discusses the question of, After I stop compulsions and m...

Is Arguing with My Thoughts A Compulsion? from 2022-09-27T14:00:34

*** Big OCD Straight Talk Announcement coming November 1, 2022.

Chris discusses a really common response OCDers have to their intrusive thoughts. The conversations we have wit...

I Have Anxiety, Not OCD: What Do I Do? from 2022-09-13T19:22:51

Chris deals with a common question in therapy: What do I do: I have anxiety, not OCD. The Cognitive Model provides a useful roadmap for understanding anxiety-related symptoms; and it offers a pr...

"Just-Right OCD": Can't Stop This Feeling from 2022-08-29T14:47:48

Chris responds to a listener's question about how to manage "just right"-OCD. It's important, first and foremost, to remember that OCD is OCD; and although OCD often appears in so-called "subtyp...

Two Cases, One Lesson from 2022-04-20T19:53:34

Chris shares two clinical experiences that he says helped shape him as an OCD therapist. Bottom line, "It's not my job to get you better," he says. He ties therapeutic skills and strategies to t...

Thanatophobia and Meta-Cognitions within OCD from 2022-04-06T20:31:31

Chris answers a question about Thanatophobia (fear of death), and highlights the concept of meta-cognition (thoughts we have about thoughts we have) with OCD and the anxiety disorders.  Feel free t...

Real Event OCD from 2022-03-28T17:52:02

Chris responds to a question about a so-called subtype of OCD known as Real Event OCD. This is a unique presentation among OCD symptoms in the sense that it emerges in the context of intact memo...

How Are Obsessions & Compulsions Interconnected? from 2022-03-01T18:43:13

How you ever dissected your OCD to see how it works? In this episode, Chris discusses both the difference between, and the mutual connection of the symptom-dimensions of OCD. 

Feel f...

Robert Hindman, Ph.D. from 2022-02-21T16:57:32

Chris sits down with Dr. Robert Hindman, a trainer at the widely respected Beck Institute, and specialist in the treatment of clinically significant anxiety problems. Chris and Dr. Hindman discu...

Uncertainty is Your Friend; I'll Prove It from 2022-02-16T15:56:18

Chris grapples with the question of uncertainty. Is it your enemy, like many OCDers tend to think, or is it actually your friend? Good question. Let's talk through it. But where does accepting u...

Why Is My OCD Not Getting Better? from 2022-02-01T22:09:11

Chris tackles a very common question among OCD-ers internationally - Why is it that my OCD didn't get better in psychotherapy? It is a complicated issue. But at the end of the day, there's only ...

What's the Difference between CBT and Ex/RP? from 2022-01-17T18:22:54

Chris discusses subtle difference between classical Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Exposure and Ritual Prevention (Ex/RP) in the treatment of OCD. The two have a good deal in common, as Ex...

Knowing is Half the Battle from 2021-12-23T00:30:12

Chris discusses a summary-comment that a patient made at the "finish line" of treatment: "When you can tell the difference between the obsessions and the compulsions, you're halfway there." ...

David H. Barlow, Ph.D., ABPP from 2021-12-21T21:18

Chris talks with Dr. David Barlow, one of the world's foremost experts on the treatment of psychopathology, and leading experts in the area of disordered anxiety. Chris and Dr. Barlow discuss hi...

Jon Abramowitz, Ph.D. from 2021-12-08T22:41

Chris sits down with Dr. Jon Abramowitz, one of the world's foremost experts of the understanding and effective treatment of OCD. They discuss topics from cognitive therapy and exposure and resp...

Jon Abramowitz, Ph.D., ABPP from 2021-12-08T22:41

Chris sits down with Dr. Jon Abramowitz, one of the world's foremost experts of the understanding and effective treatment of OCD. They discuss topics from cognitive therapy and exposure and respons...

The Mosquito Bite Analogy from 2021-12-07T00:30:10

At the request of a listener, Chris revisits the mosquito analogy, and explains "the moral of the story." Punchline is: you can tolerate more discomfort (in the context of OCD, more anxiety) tha...

Getting Started with Exposure Therapy from 2021-11-12T14:18:53

Chris moves past the theoretical skills "out there," and discusses getting started with exposure therapy. The key phrase is, "start small." Grow in experience and confidence. 

Feel f...

Jason Adams from 2021-10-26T20:35:27

Chris sits down with Jason Adams to discuss the complexities of parenting young children while simultaneously dealing with OCD. Chris and Jason talk about finding resources and encountering trea...

Common Errors Made in Exposure Therapy for OCD from 2021-10-22T15:38:18

Chris takes on the question of, Why does exposure therapy work for some people, but not for me? It's a common question; and, in many cases, the answer is actually pretty simple. Adequate exposur...

What is Exposure Therapy - Exactly? from 2021-10-06T21:22:01

Chris discusses a study published in the early 1980s the results of which have gone on to confirm the most effective treatment available for OCD - Exposure with Response Prevention. Response pre...

How Bad Is My OCD? from 2021-09-24T21:15:07

Chris administers the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale-II (YBOCS-II) Severity Items on the podcast. Listeners can measure their own symptom-severity on this validated 0-50 scale. He then go...

Tell Me, "Do I Have OCD?" from 2021-09-08T16:34:56

Chris responds to a listener's questions about whether he can confirm an OCD-diagnosis for a listener, commenting on presentation and history of symptoms. Further, he discusses the nature of com...

Eric Storch, Ph.D. from 2021-08-27T20:00:23

Chris talks with Dr. Eric Storch, a leading OCD-treatment specialist, and one of the psychological scientists who developed the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (YBOCS), the gold-standard t...

What Do You Mean, Compulsions Drive Obsessions? from 2021-07-29T20:25:24

Chris responds to a question about the link that connects, not obsessions and compulsions, but compulsions and obsessions. 

Consider rating OCD Straight Talk, and passing th...

OCD & The 2nd Law of Thermodynamics from 2021-07-27T20:51:40

Chris discusses the concepts of Trace Decay Theory (of psychology) and Entropy (of physics), explaining - without apology - the necessity of repeatedly explaining important strategies. ...

The Difference between Rumination and Reflection from 2021-07-23T22:52:44

Thanks for the question - very good one. Chris responds to a listener and defines compulsions from a couple of vantage points. 

Feel free to reach out with any question you might hav...

On Weakening the Connection between Thoughts, Behaviors, and Feelings from 2021-07-02T23:54:24

Chris discusses CBT-theory, which is based on "the Cognitive Model," and raises the question of how we can methodologically weaken the strong and habitual connection between these triangulated, and...

True or False: If You Think It's Your OCD, It Is from 2021-06-30T21:10:48

Chris responds to a listener's question - A follow up on our series on uncertainty. So, true or false? Or, is it a trick question?

Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have...

EMDR vs. Prolonged Exposure for PTSD from 2021-06-23T03:29:56

Chris discusses the prevailing treatments for PTSD, and the weird animus that tends to stand between them.

Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chrisleins04@gmail.c...

Is Uncertainty Your Friend or Your Enemy? from 2021-06-17T15:44:28

Chris breaks down the reality of uncertainty, and explains how we can either work with uncertainty, or against it. 

Feel free to reach out with any questions you might to chrisleins0...

What, Essentially, Is OCD? from 2021-06-15T13:58:17

Chris talks behind and beyond all the technical language and diagnostic criteria of OCD. The condition, whatever it is, centers on a life-dimension common to humanity. But some people just don't...

Understanding Obsessions and Compulsions in Existential OCD from 2021-06-07T20:45:14

Chris responds to a listener and explains the importance of identifying compulsions, and distinguishing them from obsessions in existential OCD. 

Feel free to reach out with any ques...

Macro-, and Micro-Compulsions: A Very Important Idea from 2021-05-27T14:58:22

Chris discusses a concept that is practical to cracking the code of OCD. Many of us approach OCD with stereotypes and assumptions. Part of what that means is that we think of compulsions as limi...

Common Pitfalls on the Road to Therapeutic Progress from 2021-05-26T22:13:31

Chris discusses several common mistakes individuals tend to make in relation to their OCD, often whether in therapy or not. This episode works to dissect the OCD and the treatment-process to sho...

Another Technique for Letting Go of Intrusive Thoughts from 2021-05-25T16:07:46

Chris revisits his conversation with Michael May, MA, LPCC, an ACT therapist and OCD treatment-specialist. He discusses the "I'm having the thought that..." strategy. Tried (by you, the consumer...

A Discussion with Mr. Michael May, LPCC about ACT for OCD from 2021-05-21T20:24:58

Chris discusses the Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) protocol with Michael May, MA, LPCC, an ACT trainer and clinical expert. They talk therapeutic "shop," and delve into treatment stra...

More Details on Stopping Mental Compulsions: Another Episode by Popular Request from 2021-05-20T22:34

Chris discusses two cases in which stopping rumination was an important part of the therapeutic process. Remember, if "nobody's home" to do the work of rumination, then that compulsive "work" do...

Why Does Psychotherapy for Clinically Significant Anxiety Sometimes Not Work? from 2021-05-17T20:29:17

Chris discusses a complex set of dynamics in modern psychotherapy that serve to offer an explanation to an otherwise puzzling problem: Why do people suffering from clinically significant anxiety...

A Discussion about PTSD with Dr. Joseph Birli from 2021-05-10T20:03:22

Chris discusses trauma symptoms, and their corresponding treatments with a trauma expert, Dr. Joseph Birli. A wonderfully competent, and seasoned therapist, Dr. Birli brings many years of experi...

Is There a Connection between Obsessions and Outcomes - Association OCD from 2021-05-07T14:41:14

Chris responds to a listener's question about "Association OCD," pointing to the "heart beat" of this symptom-dimension. 

Chris also sets-up Monday's episode: he and a guest will dis...

To Choose or Not to Choose: That is the Question from 2021-05-06T20:50:55

Chris discusses the notion that 'you are not your thoughts," and your anxiety, even when it's really, really bad, can't hurt you - unless you let it. Our compulsions make our thoughts "real." So...

Gonna Tell You A Bit about Myself from 2021-04-30T17:00:18

Chris discloses some of his specific OCD-presentation, and what it looks like in real time. He also responds to a listener's question/email. Thanks for checking out the podcast. 

Fee...

When I'm Loving Someone with OCD from 2021-04-29T17:03:12

Chris discusses a common familial scenario: family members of OCDers want to know how to be helpful. This is a frequently asked question in the therapeutic process. That said, his responses are ...

Weed-Smoking, Psychotropic Medications, and OCD from 2021-04-20T20:30:57

Chris responds to a listener's question about meds, supplements. In the process, he discusses other substances that are commonly inquired about in treatment. 

Feel free to reach out ...

The Cognitive Model: How You Can Force Symptomatological Change from 2021-04-15T18:40:17

Chris discusses two kinds of patients: one comes to the game to watch from the sideline while the others fight the battle, the other comes to fight through the stages of adversity to win with hi...

The Various Faces of Existential OCD from 2021-04-14T01:25:10

Chris responds to a listener's request for a subtype-description. Like some others, this listener requested that the response be made on the podcast, rather than via email. Thanks to the listene...

What's the Difference between Rational Thinking and Rumination? from 2021-04-12T18:35:05

Chris responds to a listener who requests clarity as to the difference between thinking "rationally" about obsessions for the purpose of disputing them, and ruminating about them. Great question...

This Makes A Behavior A Compulsion from 2021-03-30T15:42:38

Chris explains three important elements that, cumulatively, help to identify a behavior as a compulsion. Not every behavior is a compulsion; but compulsions often seem to be just another behavio...

What Makes A Behavior A Compulsion? from 2021-03-29T18:18:44

Chris rambles about behaviors v. compulsions. If compulsions are always behaviors - and more than that, choices, then this opens a wide array of possibilities. How do we find compulsions in an o...

Here's My Situation, Tell Me What to Do: A (Second) Case Discussion from 2021-03-18T17:57:28

Chris responds to a listener's questions about a specific symptom-dimension of OCD: anxiety relative to the possibility of speaking or behaving inappropriately on a public platform. Thank you to...

Here's My Situation, Tell Me What to Do: A Case Discussion from 2021-03-12T22:34:20

Chris reads, and responds to an email about a listener's symptoms, and OCD-system (with his/her permission). During this episode, we leave the discussion of theoretical strategies and techniques, a...

OCD-101 vs. Advanced Techniques from 2021-03-12T00:02:51

Chris discusses the difference between two kinds of thoughts: obsessions and compulsions. It is an advanced skill to differentiate between intrusive thoughts and rumination - not easy, but often...

What Causes OCD?: The Theory That Will Never Die from 2021-03-04T18:42:44

Chris discusses old theories and new ones regarding why OCD happens - a (very) cursory history of OCD research. But the real question is not, Why does OCD happen? It's, What do we do when it doe...

Chasing Certainty from 2021-03-03T19:52:03

So often, OCD-sufferers speak of obsessions as being "irrational." Many have long-been told that. But are they? Chris discusses the irrationality of compulsions, centering this monologue on the ...

How Long Will It Take for Me to Get Better? from 2021-02-23T21:37:56

Chris discusses a - the most - frequently asked question at the top of a case: How long is this gonna take? The answer is about four months; but there are important variables to conside...

How Can I Better Find Compulsions? from 2021-02-18T22:55:34

Chris discusses the "Compulsions Decision Tree" - not technical language - in order to better identify compulsions. The purpose of these 3 questions is to increase the likelihood that listeners ...

When OCD Causes Depression from 2021-02-16T18:42

Chris discusses a common problem among individuals suffering from OCD and clinically significant anxiety - secondary depression. What do you do when your OCD results in a comorbid (or co-occurri...

What Compulsions Go with Which Obsessional Themes? from 2021-02-02T16:50:21

Chris responds to an email regarding lists of compulsions that tend to travel in packs (or subtypes). But the answer isn't what you think. The fact is that there are as many compulsion-lists as ...

How Do I Tell the Difference between Obsessions & Compulsions? from 2021-01-25T21:36:11

Chris discusses OCD 101, How do we tell the difference between OCD-components in order bring to a grinding halt our OCD-systems? 

Feel free to reach out with questions to chrisleins0...

Compulsions Breed Compulsions from 2021-01-20T21:02:03

Chris Discusses attitude. It comes down to decision and follow through. Sure, it's a little more complex than that. Sometimes we're doing compulsions that we don't quite realize are compulsions....

What Do I Do When I Can't Stop My Compulsions? from 2021-01-08T21:47:04

Chris discusses an oft-posed question in therapy, and gives an honest and empowering answer. 

Thanks for tuning into the podcast. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might ...

Relationship OCD, What is It? from 2020-12-30T20:36:08

Chris discusses yet another symptom dimension of OCD. The truth of the matter, though, is that there is no piece of information more important in this general context than the necessity of stopp...

POCD, What Is It? from 2020-12-16T20:51:05

Chris responds to a listener's request for a discussion on OCD-subtypes. The topic of the next few episodes will be "kinds," or subtypes of OCD. Some subtypes will not get covered; others will b...

Harm OCD, What Is It? from 2020-12-14T20:59:55

Chris responds to a listener's request to discuss OCD-subtypes. The topic of the next few episodes will be "kinds," or subtypes of OCD. Some subtypes will not get covered; others will be discuss...

You're Why I Podcast from 2020-12-09T19:41:11

Thanks for listening. Chris discusses the regrettable fact that many people struggle with OCD symptoms, and often get access to misleading, or even straight erroneous information. Chris also dis...

How Do I Let Go of My Intrusive Thoughts (Part 2) from 2020-11-30T21:53

Chris discusses a technique he encountered under the clinical supervision of Dr. Monnica Williams. The technique is aimed at dismissing intrusive thoughts. Exposure Statements are not "curative"...

How Do I Let Go of My Intrusive Thoughts? (Part 1) from 2020-10-23T19:41:16

Chris explains the nature of intrusive thoughts within OCD, and employs a technique that is used to begin to dismiss them, or let them go.  This is not a technique for reducing anxiety - Listen

How Do I Stop Ruminating? from 2020-10-16T17:53:27

In this episode, Chris distinguishes intrusive thoughts (also called obsessions) from rumination (mental compulsions, DSM-5).  They're both cognitive activities; so telling the difference i...

You're Not Doing Exposure Therapy If You're Also Doing Compulsions from 2020-10-01T20:53:37

This is a simple, simple reality. OCD runs on compulsions. In this episode, Chris talks about habituation, and the difference between exposure therapy with compulsions versus that witho...

The Most Important Question in the Treatment of OCD from 2020-09-21T20:24

Chris discusses the most important question in the effective treatment of OCD: What are your compulsions and how do you find them? The skill of finding compulsions and the determination to preve...

Getting Better Matters Less Than Learning How to Get Better from 2020-09-10T23:32:16

Chris discusses the art of identifying compulsive patterns. Safety behaviors aren't just turning on and off light switches. Compulsive patterns are different for everyone. The question is, What are...

I Feel Better; Therefore I ... Am Better? from 2020-07-22T20:14:18

Chris discusses the concept of therapeutic progress - how do we define it? If you are to judge the efficacy of your therapeutic work on the degree to which you make progress, then the next logic...

How Do I Know When My Therapist Doesn't Know What They're Doing? from 2020-07-11T18:06:40

Chris answers the question, How do I know when my therapist doesn't really know how to treat an anxiety-related disorder? Bottom line is, if you've been in treatment for a little while and haven...

Tomato, Tomahto: Is there a Real Difference between Anxiety-Related Disorders from 2020-06-09T23:23:01

Chris gripes about the treatment-system, and thinks out-loud about the industry-implications of myriad treatment protocols across so many (apparently) different conditions.  

The Big "Why?" Of All This from 2020-06-04T17:25:33

Chris revisits the reasons and convictions behind the OCD Straight Talk podcast, and bears witness to a distinction between generalists and specialists in the field of psychotherapy. --- Support...

The YBOCS Cheat Sheet from 2020-06-01T19:20:46

Chris discusses the specifics of how OCD and the anxiety related disorders function comparative to the YBOCS-II, a gold-standard psychometric for measuring OCD. It all hinges on forcibly stopping s...

0% vs. 100%: Certainty is a Mirage from 2020-05-27T20:48:06

Chris discusses the ineffectiveness of striving after certainty in the context of intrusive thoughts and disordered anxiety. --- Support this podcast: Listen

Not So Certain about Being Certain from 2020-05-26T15:51:24

Chris discusses certainty as a fact life with or without an anxiety related disorders. It's not our intrusive thoughts or worries that are irrational but the behaviors we engage to regulate them th...

Am I Doing the Thinking or is the Thinking Doing Me? from 2020-05-05T19:17:48

Chris discusses mental rituals and how to decipher between mental rituals and intrusive thinking. --- Support this podcast: https:/...

Where's Waldo? from 2020-04-29T21:47:38

In this episode, Chris discusses not only the clinical importance of stopping all compulsions, but of finding them. Safety-behaviors (or compulsions) don't scream and shout, saying "Hey, I'm a comp...

Habituate, Don't Fluctuate from 2020-04-13T23:53:49

Chris deals with an important element of exposure therapy, technically called Habituation. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor...

Cracking the Code from 2020-04-08T23:45:19

Chris discusses cognitive therapy and cognitive-behavior therapy with the exposure-component as treatment-modalities for the anxiety-related disorders. Tune in for this educational talk on symptoms...

Your Anxiety Disorder's Not Happening to You, but You're Happening to your Anxiety Disorder. from 2020-04-02T01:39:20

Victor Meyer's 1966 study points us in the direction of the evidence-based protocol. Chris explains the basic symptom-dynamic and -functionality of the anxiety-related disorders. --- Support thi...

Anxiety & OCD treatment specialist introduces a new podcast on a troubling theme. from 2020-03-13T21:34:34

In this brief podcast Intro, Chris mentions a treatment theme of individuals not making sufficient therapeutic progress by way of conventional treatments, and launches a new podcast that seeks to i...