OCD Straight Talk
160 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 16 hours ago -Become a Paid Subscriber: https://anchor.fm/chris-leins/subscribe
An anxiety and OCD treatment-specialist explains how these debilitating conditions are effectively treated, why sometimes they're not, and how anxiety sufferers tend to keep themselves symptomatic. This podcast is designed both for those who suffer from anxiety disorders, and OCD and related disorders, and those who seek to treat this population with greater efficacy.
Subscribe at: https://anchor.fm/chris-leins/subscribe
Homepage Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
Act Better First; Feel Better Next.
February 22, 2023 20:01 - 14 minutes - 13.1 MBChris 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 reach out with any questions you might have to [email protected]. If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider giving it a 5-star rating or subscribing to the podcast for more structured help for your anxiety-symptoms.
Focus on What You Can Control!
February 09, 2023 13:07 - 20 minutes - 18.9 MBChris 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. But it certainly is possible. To further unpack this, Chris gives the example of behavior-change within the context of depressive episodes, and explains its longitudinal effect. He then shows how behavior-change within the context of clinical anxiety or OCD is not only a similar concept but also enjoys ...
What Disorders Are Truly "Related" to OCD?
January 30, 2023 17:11 - 23 minutes - 21.4 MBChris 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 specifically to focus on managing. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to [email protected]; and consider subscribing for more structured help with your anxiety.
How Informal Is Too Informal in Exposure Therapy?
January 09, 2023 16:15 - 12 minutes - 11.8 MBChris 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 accompanied by some preconceived notions. Some of these are good and accurate. Some of them are not. Well, which notions or "parameters" are actually helpful, according to the literature? Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to [email protected]; and consider subscribing to O...
The Anxiety's A Good Indicator
December 14, 2022 22:15 - 17 minutes - 16.4 MBChris 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 and then connects them in such a way that will help you answer that question.
Is It A Compulsion Or Just An Anxious Behavior?
December 13, 2022 22:47 - 11 minutes - 10.8 MBChris 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 and objective compulsions is truly helpful; and he provides a clinical principle that orients individuals in the clinical process. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to [email protected], and subscribe to OCD Straight Talk for more structured help with your anxiety symptoms.
"I Think It's More Nuanced Than That"
December 06, 2022 21:08 - 13 minutes - 12.3 MBChris 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, without the direct or immediate support of a therapist). Chris believes that under the right conditions, people may be willing to do exposure therapy despite not being in traditional treatment. The question is: If he's right, what conditions might those be? Feel free to reach out with any questions...
"Watch the Anxiety Manage Itself"
December 01, 2022 17:03 - 14 minutes - 13 MBChris 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 out with any questions you might have, [email protected]; and to subscribe to OCD Straight Talk for further help with your anxiety-related disorder.
What's the Difference between Overthinking and Rumination
November 22, 2022 20:02 - 14 minutes - 13.4 MBChris 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 overthinking and rumination. If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, feel free to give us a 5-star rating, and subscribe to the podcast for further help with your anxiety-related symptoms.
Take the Next Step with OCD Straight Talk
November 01, 2022 21:10 - 3 minutes - 3.21 MBWe'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've read and wrote and watched prerecorded lectures. The idea of DIY-learning is not new. What if there were a way for you to learn a structured process and formal, therapeutic skills? What if you could be your own behavior-therapist and treat your own OCD or anxiety-symptoms? OCD Straight Talk is launc...
"Pure-O" & Mental Contamination
October 31, 2022 12:30 - 13 minutes - 12.2 MBMAJOR OCD STRAIGHT TALK ANNOUNCEMENT coming tomorrow. Chris responds to a listener's question, and discusses the concepts of distinguishing between obsessional and ruminitive thinking in so-called "pure-o OCD, and of mental contamination. feel free to reach out with any questions you have to [email protected].
Is One Compulsion Better than Another?
October 17, 2022 14:00 - 15 minutes - 14.5 MBChris 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 questions you might have to [email protected]. If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider giving us a 5-star rating, and supporting the podcast to help us produce more content.
After That, What Do I Do with My Thoughts?
October 04, 2022 15:00 - 11 minutes - 10.8 MB**Major OCD Straight Talk announcement coming November 1, 2022. Chris discusses the question of, After I stop compulsions and mental rituals (e.g., ruminating), and I stop arguing with my thoughts, what I am supposed to do with them? The answer is not easy but simple. He ultimately presents a hard truth: the unabated acceptance of the future's uncertainty. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to [email protected] If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, conside...
Is Arguing with My Thoughts A Compulsion?
September 27, 2022 14:00 - 14 minutes - 13.9 MB*** 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 with ourselves can often happen almost outside of our conscious awareness. Certain responses can be instinctive or reflexive. But does that mean that they're not compulsive? But wait, does it mean they are? These are important questions, as arguing with our compulsions can be a very common response to the experience of ob...
I Have Anxiety, Not OCD: What Do I Do?
September 13, 2022 19:22 - 20 minutes - 18.7 MBChris 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 practical, step-by-step guide for beginning to change their severity. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have. [email protected] If you found OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider giving us a 5-star rating and supporting the podcast to help us produce more content.
"Just-Right OCD": Can't Stop This Feeling
August 29, 2022 14:47 - 13 minutes - 12.2 MBChris 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 "subtypes," the condition is largely treated the same way. Chris explains how just right-OCD is distinct from other subtypes, and discusses managing the "feeling" of "just right." Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have. If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider giving us a 5-st...
How Do I Stop Ruminating?
August 19, 2022 14:00 - 17 minutes - 16.5 MBAt the request of a listener, Chris returns to the question of, How do I stop ruminating? He provides a specific technique, but explains the importance of first distinguishing between different kinds of thinking. It is a compulsion to block intrusive thoughts; but it is not a compulsion to stop a compulsion (e.g., rumination). Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have. [email protected]; @ocdstraighttalk. If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider giving us a ...
The Fear behind the Fear: The Core of the OCD
August 12, 2022 14:00 - 21 minutes - 19.8 MBChris responds to a question regarding perceived memory loss and obsessional distress, and incorporates various clinical observations and explanation into his response. Feel free to reach out with any question you might have to [email protected], or @ocdstraighttalk. If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider giving us a 5-star rating, and supporting the podcast to help us produce more content.
You Can't or You Won't?
August 05, 2022 20:30 - 13 minutes - 12.5 MBChris discusses his understanding of the dreaded phrase, "I can't" in relation to the resistance of compulsions, and discloses his battle with OCD. But an important difference is to be highlighted between the notion that you can't and the empowering idea that you won't. One points to power and therefore the possibility of a different tomorrow. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to [email protected], or @ocdstraighttalk. If you've found OCDST helpful, consider gi...
Just Trying Harder is a Step in the Right Direction
July 29, 2022 14:14 - 12 minutes - 11.7 MBChris discusses the Cognitive Model and how it applies to depressive and anxious symptoms. Distinguishing between symptoms that we can directly control and symptoms that we can't is an essential first step to making progress. The questions become, Where do you have control? and, What are you doing to feed the bear? Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to [email protected]; or message Chris on Instagram @ocdstraighttalk. If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, c...
Kathleen Rupertus, Psy.D.
July 15, 2022 22:04 - 26 minutes - 24.5 MBChris sits down with Dr. Kathleen Rupertus, Clinical Director of the Anxiety & OCD Treatment Center in Wilmington, DE, and coauthor of the acclaimed Loving Someone with OCD. Together they discuss a range of topics, from the difference between OCD thoughts and real-world concerns, the so-called "disconfirmation of beliefs" in the treatment of OCD versus the concept of accepting uncertainty; and how family members can love and support their symptomatic loved ones without participating in their...
OCD - the "C" = EX/RP
July 01, 2022 17:00 - 15 minutes - 14.1 MBChris is on Instagram (@ocdstraighttalk)! On this episode, Chris explains the idea that we're not really doing exposure therapy if we're also doing compulsions (or OCD minus the "C" equals Exposure and Response Prevention), and presents the concept from a few points of view. But some people get stuck on the idea of stopping compulsions. Afterall, certain things are easier said than done. So he provides two pointers. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chrisleins04@...
Edna Foa, Ph.D.
June 20, 2022 14:01 - 29 minutes - 27 MBChris sits down with Dr. Edna Foa, a psychological scientist who needs no real introduction. To those who are even somewhat familiar with the literature relative to the treatment of OCD, the anxiety disorders, and posttraumatic stress disorder, Dr. Foa is internationally recognizable as one of the great contributors to evidence-based psychotherapy. She is among those who will go down in psychological history as one of the greats. Two schools of thought are apparent among OCD- and anxiety d...
You're Doing One at the Expense of the Other or the Other at the Expense of the One
June 17, 2022 20:16 - 15 minutes - 14.2 MBChris discusses the symptomatologic reality that individuals can't manage their anxiety and manage their compulsions: they're either working to keep their anxiety in check, and in so doing they're engaging compulsions; or they're identifying, resisting, and preventing compulsions when they feel anxious, and facing the anxiety head-on. They can't do both; and neither can you. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to [email protected]. And view my recent interview with...
The Banana Peel Effect
June 09, 2022 17:59 - 11 minutes - 10.3 MBChris discusses a phenomenon that he calls, The Banana Peel Effect that changes the power individuals report feeling over resisting and stopping compulsions. The idea is that the more individuals engage their compulsions, the less ability they feel they have to resist and stop them. Or, the more we engage the OCD, the more the power differential shifts to favor it.
Heart and Skill is a Powerful Combination
June 02, 2022 21:24 - 13 minutes - 12.2 MBChris discusses the idea of coupling your fight to get better with strategic no-how. Being determined to stop compulsions without the skill of identifying them is like swinging at the baseball with a blindfold on. Reach out with any questions you might have to [email protected].
Is It Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Or Is It OCD?
May 20, 2022 21:21 - 12 minutes - 11.7 MBChris discusses a central distinction between symptoms indicative of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD and those indicative of OCD. The punchline is: you can't have trauma without trauma; but you can have OCD. In other words, trauma is a past-oriented system of here-and-now symptoms, while OCD is very typically a future-oriented anxiety-construct. Beyond these distinctions, however, you might say that they actually have a lot in common - from their symptom-dynamics at 30,000 feet to the...
Is It Panic Disorder or Is It OCD?
May 17, 2022 14:50 - 19 minutes - 18.3 MBChris discusses the differences in symptom-presentation and evidence-based intervention between two common, anxiety-related disorders: Panic Disorder and OCD. Fundamentally, you might say, they're the same thing. But be careful, you're only right to a certain point. Important differences characterize these conditions. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to [email protected]. If you've found OCDST helpful, consider giving us a 5-star review, and supporting the pod...
An Overview of Skills in Successful Treatment
May 06, 2022 03:14 - 10 minutes - 9.52 MBChris puts several pieces together and discusses significant challenges in the process of treatment. A different life is possible; but you've got to fight for it. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to [email protected]. If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, feel free to give us a 5-star rating, and support the podcast to help us produce more content.
Two Cases, One Lesson
April 20, 2022 19:53 - 25 minutes - 24 MBChris 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 the empirical truth that control and responsibility cannot be separated; they travel together. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to [email protected]. If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, feel free to give us a 5-star rating, and support the podcast to help us produc...
Thanatophobia and Meta-Cognitions within OCD
April 06, 2022 20:31 - 13 minutes - 12.1 MBChris 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 to reach out with any questions you might have, [email protected] If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, feel free to give us a 5-star rating, and support the podcast to help us produce more content.
Real Event OCD
March 28, 2022 17:52 - 17 minutes - 15.7 MBChris 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 memories. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to [email protected]. If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, feel free to give us a 5-star rating, and support the podcast to help us produce more content.
How Are Obsessions & Compulsions Interconnected?
March 01, 2022 18:43 - 13 minutes - 12.7 MBHow 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 free to reach out with any questions you might have to [email protected]. If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider giving us a 5-Star review, or supporting the podcast to help us produce more content.
Robert Hindman, Ph.D.
February 21, 2022 16:57 - 28 minutes - 26.8 MBChris 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 discuss issues spanning from the concept of the Cognitive Model to the application of that model to beating your OCD-system. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to [email protected]. If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider giving the podcast a 5-star review or suppo...
Uncertainty is Your Friend; I'll Prove It
February 16, 2022 15:56 - 16 minutes - 15.3 MBChris 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 uncertainty end? Another good question. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to [email protected]. If you've OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider giving us a 5-star review, and supporting the podcast to help us produce more content.
Why Is My OCD Not Getting Better?
February 01, 2022 22:09 - 21 minutes - 19.5 MBChris 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 so many reasons why this might happen, despite the fact that the phenomenon is common. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have. [email protected]. If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, feel free to give us a 5-star rating; or consider supporting the podcast to help us pro...
What's the Difference between CBT and Ex/RP?
January 17, 2022 18:22 - 21 minutes - 19.5 MBChris 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/RP is really the "grandchild" of CBT; and both are based upon the cognitive model. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have. [email protected]. If you have found OCD Straight Talk helpful, feel free to give us a 5-star rating, or support the podcast to help us to produce more ...
Knowing is Half the Battle
December 23, 2021 00:30 - 21 minutes - 20.3 MBChris 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." Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to [email protected]. If you have found OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider giving us a 5-Star rating, and supporting the podcast to help us produce more content.
David H. Barlow, Ph.D., ABPP
December 21, 2021 21:18 - 50 minutes - 47.2 MBChris 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 his Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders, along with both the overlap of the anxiety disorders and their effective treatments. The all-important emphasis on behavior-change takes center stage as they talk about the Unified Protocol, and evidence-based psychotherapy. Fe...
Jon Abramowitz, Ph.D., ABPP
December 08, 2021 22:41 - 42 minutes - 39.6 MBChris 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 response prevention, to the kind of learning that naturally occurs when individuals tolerate both uncertainty and anxiety, but without engaging compulsions. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to [email protected]. If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, feel free to give us a...
Jon Abramowitz, Ph.D.
December 08, 2021 22:41 - 42 minutes - 39.6 MBChris 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 response prevention, to the kind of learning that naturally occurs when individuals tolerate both uncertainty and anxiety, but without engaging compulsions. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to [email protected]. If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, feel free to give u...
The Mosquito Bite Analogy
December 07, 2021 00:30 - 16 minutes - 15 MBAt 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) than you give yourself credit for. The emphasis in the mosquito bite analogy is get rid of the itch by whatever means necessary. But it is the scratching-behavior that keeps the itching going. The real question is, How can you stop scratching? Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to ...
Getting Started with Exposure Therapy
November 12, 2021 14:18 - 19 minutes - 17.7 MBChris 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 free to reach out with any questions you might have to [email protected]. If you've found OCDST helpful, please consider giving it a 5-star review, and supporting the podcast to help us produce more content.
Jason Adams
October 26, 2021 20:35 - 30 minutes - 28.4 MBChris 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 treatment, and ultimately discuss Jason's new book, OC Dad: Leaning to be a Parent with a Mental Health Disorder. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to [email protected]. If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider giving us a 5-star rating and supporting the podcast ...
Common Errors Made in Exposure Therapy for OCD
October 22, 2021 15:38 - 23 minutes - 21.4 MBChris 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 exposure therapy includes prolonged and repetitive exposure to targeted, anxiety-produces objects and situations. And adequate exposure therapy means response prevention. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to [email protected]. If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider...
What is Exposure Therapy - Exactly?
October 06, 2021 21:22 - 19 minutes - 17.6 MBChris 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 prevention is the general topic of the podcast. But what is exposure therapy? Thanks for checking out the podcast. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to [email protected]. If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, feel free to give it a 5-star review; or consider supporting...
How Bad Is My OCD?
September 24, 2021 21:15 - 30 minutes - 28.1 MBChris 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 goes over the "YBOCS Cheat Sheet" to orient listeners to the most direct "route" to a subclinical score on YBOCS-II. Wanna a good score on YBOCS-II? The Cheat Sheet will help you get it. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to [email protected]. If you have found OCD Straight...
Tell Me, "Do I Have OCD?"
September 08, 2021 16:34 - 25 minutes - 23.6 MBChris 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 compulsive patterns and good treatment for OCD. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have, [email protected] Also, if you find OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider giving the podcast a 5-star rating, or supporting it with a monthly contribution.
Eric Storch, Ph.D.
August 27, 2021 20:00 - 21 minutes - 19.9 MBChris 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 tool for assessing OCD-symptoms. Chris and Dr. Storch discuss the concept of the "YBOCS Cheat Sheet," along with some of the processes that collectively form the Exposure and Response Prevention protocol. Thanks, Dr. Storch for sharing your time and expertise with us! Feel free to reach out with any ...
What Do You Mean, Compulsions Drive Obsessions?
July 29, 2021 20:25 - 19 minutes - 17.7 MBChris responds to a question about the link that connects, not obsessions and compulsions, but compulsions and obsessions. Consider rating OCD Straight Talk, and passing the podcast along to a friend. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have. [email protected]