Phobias + OCD: Breaking The Stigma Around Mental Disorders with Dr. Lauren Cook

Dr. Lauren Cook is a therapist, keynote speaker, career coach, and author who specializes in supporting people with their life transitions and the corresponding anxiety that often comes along with this. She is the creator of the Find Your Why, Know Your Way course, which helps millennials make efficient and effective life decisions with confidence. She is also an author of two books: Name Your Story: How to Talk Openly About Mental Health and The Sunny Side Up: Celebrating Happiness.  

In this episode, we discuss what phobias are and the impact they have. Phobias are fears that debilitate your life in such a way that you will try to get out of it at all costs, even if it has a negative outcome for you. This can be the phobia of public speaking, heights, needles, etc. For Dr. Cook, this phobia is emetophobia— the extreme fear of vomiting, seeing vomit or watching other people vomit. This causes her to face internal suffering and impacts the decisions she makes. While someone would be excited to go to a bachelorette party or 21st birthday party, Lauren would dread it due to a high chance of vomit. 

Dr. Cook also talks about Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and hopes to break the stigma around it. OCD is more than just a fear of germs or a keen eye for organization, like most may think. It is excessive thoughts (obsessions) that lead to repetitive behaviors (compulsions) about anything the brain has internalized as bad or taboo. 

She encourages being who you are, showing up for your life wholeheartedly, and provides resources to do so!: “My tagline is helping people live what they believe and love who they are. I'm all about helping people identify their values and live out those values with intention. I'm about embracing the discomfort and challenging ourselves to live meaningful, purposeful lives.” - Dr. Lauren Cook.

We also talk about…

Life transitionsShameTherapySelf-diagnosisDecisions TreatmentExposure response preventionRelationships

Lauren’s Resources:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.laurencook/Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlaurencook/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/DrLaurenCook/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrLaurenCook/Sign Up for the Waitlist for Find Your Why, Know Your Way Course: https://www.drlaurencook.com/know-your-why-find-your-wayFreebie: The Top 10 Questions You Should Ask Yourself Before You Make a Life Change: https://dr-lauren-cook.ck.page/cff90ffa69The Sunny Side Up book: https://www.amazon.com/Sunny-Side-Up-Lauren-Cook/dp/1475981872/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+sunny+side+up+lauren+cook&qid=1600387758&sr=8-1Name Your Story: https://www.amazon.com/Name-Your-Story-Lauren-Cook/dp/1532018096/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=name+your+story+lauren+cook&qid=1600387801&sr=8-1Amare Wellness products: https://www.amare.com/66081/en-us/shop-all=

It's Hard Resources:

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