The OCD Whisperer Podcast with Kristina Orlova

167. Understanding OCD Beyond ERP: Obsessional Doubt, I-CBT, and Real Recovery

🧠What If OCD Isn’t About Uncertainty—But About Doubting the Wrong Things?
 
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova, LMFT shares her personal journey living with OCD and how her understanding of treatment has evolved over time. Drawing from both lived experience and nearly a decade of clinical work with OCD, Kristina breaks down ERP, ICBT, ACT, and why learning how OCD actually works mattered more than chasing themes or subtypes.
 
This conversation dives into:
• Living with relationship OCD, morality OCD, and “feeling off” OCD
• Why rumination was her most powerful (and invisible) compulsion
• How ERP—especially imaginal exposures—changed her relationship with intrusive thoughts
• What it really meant to reach recovery and live without being ruled by OCD
 
Kristina shares how learning to spot rumination, tolerate uncomfortable body sensations, and stop feeding imaginary stories helped her step out of OCD’s internal world and back into real life.
 
Whether you’re living with OCD, supporting someone who is, or trying to decide which treatment approach is right for you, this episode offers clarity, compassion, and practical insight into what recovery can actually look like.
 
✂️ TIMESTAMPS:
[00:00] – I Didn’t Know I Had OCD (Even as a Therapist)[02:52] – Why Understanding OCD Matters More Than Knowing Your “Subtype”[05:17] – Why ERP Helped Me (And What People Get Wrong About It)[07:32] – The Compulsion No One Talks About: Rumination[09:52] – When Your Brain Starts Searching for Problems That Don’t Exist[12:07] – Exposure to Feelings: Letting Anxiety Exist Without Fixing It[14:32] – The Breakthrough I Had With I-CBT[16:55] – Obsessional Doubt vs Real-Life Uncertainty[20:27] – The Moment I Stopped Believing Every Story My Mind Created[22:42] – How to Tell When You’re Doubting Normally vs Obsessionally[24:42] – Why There Is No “One Right” Way to Treat OCD[27:32] – Recovery Is Possible (And What I Want You to Take From This)
 
✅ Free Resources & Links
🎁 Free OCD Survival Kit & Classes → www.shorturl.at/KcTxM
📖 OCD CBT Journal → www.shorturl.at/7pUxB
🌐 Website → www.korresults.com/
✍️ OCD Academy→ www.ocdacademy.thinkific.com/
 
📲 Stay Connected
Facebook: www.facebook.com/korresults
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ocdwhisperer/
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@ocdwhisperer
Twitter (X): www.x.com/korresults
Website: www.korresults.com/
 
📩 Business Inquiries: info@theocdwhisperer.com
 
✅ About OCD Whisperer
Welcome to OCD Whisperer! Each episode shares tools and insights for OCD recovery, managing intrusive thoughts, ERP therapy, CBT techniques, anxiety relief, and mindfulness practices. Join me for expert interviews and personal insights into overcoming OCD. Subscribe to find support, strategies, and hope for your OCD journey.
 
⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note while the host is a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in OCD and anxiety disorders in the state of California, this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for therapy.
 
🔑 SEO Keywords
OCD recovery relationship OCD ERP therapy for OCD ICBT for OCD rumination OCD obsessional doubt intrusive thoughts OCD living with OCD OCD treatment options
 
© OCD Whisperer

166. Therapist Explains: The Subtle Signs of Childhood OCD Parents Overlook

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦Is your child’s OCD hiding behind good behavior and perfectionism?
 
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Katherine Schooland, LMFT, founder and director of Raising Brave Kids, a multi-state practice specializing in child and teen anxiety and OCD. Together, they explore how childhood OCD can quietly hide in high-functioning, compliant, and “well-behaved” kids — and why it’s so often missed.
Katherine shares deep clinical insight into how OCD actually shows up in children, especially when it doesn’t look anxious, disruptive, or obvious.
 
Katherine breaks down:
• How childhood OCD can hide behind reassurance-seeking, perfectionism, and compliance
• Why mental compulsions and rumination are so hard for parents to spot
• The difference between normal developmental worries and OCD “stickiness”
• How ERP-informed parenting can interrupt the OCD cycle early
• What happens when childhood OCD goes unrecognized into adolescence and adulthood
 
Whether you’re parenting a child with OCD, suspect something deeper than “just anxiety,” or supporting a family navigating uncertainty, this episode offers clarity, hope, and concrete tools to help kids — and parents — move forward.
 
📲 About Katherine (guest):
• LMFT, founder and director of Raising Brave Kids
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raisingbrave.kids
• Raising Brave Kids: https://www.raisingbravekids.com/
 
✂️ TIMESTAMPS:
[00:00] – When OCD Hides in “Good Kids”[01:36] – The Reassurance Trap Parents Don’t Realize They’re In[04:10] – When Perfectionism Isn’t a Strength Anymore[06:02] – Avoidance That Doesn’t Look Like Avoidance[07:01] – The Mental Rituals No One Sees[09:17] – How Loving Parents Accidentally Feed OCD[10:47] – Supporting Your Child Without Becoming the Anxiety Regulator[13:23] – Why Parents Must Regulate Themselves First[14:16] – What Happens When Childhood OCD Is Missed[16:49] – Why Early Skills Change Everything[17:40] – The Biggest Gaps in OCD Treatment Today[20:09] – You’re Not Failing—There Is a Way Forward
 
✅ Free Resources & Links
🎁 Free OCD Survival Kit & Classes → www.shorturl.at/KcTxM
📖 OCD CBT Journal → www.shorturl.at/7pUxB
🌐 Website → www.korresults.com/
✍️ OCD Academy→ www.ocdacademy.thinkific.com/
 
📲 Stay Connected
Facebook: www.facebook.com/korresults
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ocdwhisperer/
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@ocdwhisperer
Twitter (X): www.x.com/korresults
Website: www.korresults.com/
 
📩 Business Inquiries: info@theocdwhisperer.com
 
✅ About OCD Whisperer
Welcome to OCD Whisperer! Each episode shares tools and insights for OCD recovery, managing intrusive thoughts, ERP therapy, CBT techniques, anxiety relief, and mindfulness practices. Join me for expert interviews and personal insights into overcoming OCD. Subscribe to find support, strategies, and hope for your OCD journey.
 
⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note while the host is a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in OCD and anxiety disorders in the state of California, this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for therapy.
 
🔑 SEO Keywords
childhood OCD OCD in children parenting a child with OCD reassurance seeking OCD mental compulsions ERP for kids family accommodation OCD anxiety vs OCD in children
 
© OCD Whisperer

165. Perinatal OCD vs Normal Parental Anxiety: How to Tell the Difference

🤰These Thoughts Don’t Mean You Want to Harm Your Baby
 
In this second of two episodes about perinatal OCD on The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova is joined again by Betty Flores, LCSW, a perinatal mental health specialist and founder of Perinatal Wellness, for an honest and deeply needed conversation about perinatal OCD, intrusive thoughts, pregnancy, and postpartum mental health.
Betty shares her own lived experience with undiagnosed perinatal OCD—including how both she and her therapist initially missed the signs—and how that journey ultimately led her to specialize in helping parents who feel terrified by thoughts they don’t understand.
 
Betty opens up about:
• Experiencing intrusive thoughts during postpartum that were misunderstood as “normal worry”
• Why perinatal OCD is often missed or minimized—even by trained professionals
• Taboo intrusive thoughts involving harm and why they don’t reflect intent
• How reassurance, checking, and mental review quietly fuel the OCD cycle
• Why ERP therapy and proper education changed everything
 
Whether you’re pregnant, postpartum, supporting a loved one, or trying to understand intrusive thoughts, this conversation offers clarity, education, and relief—without minimizing how real and painful this experience can be.
 
📲 About Betty Flores (guest):
• Certified in Perinatal Mental Health | EMDR | ERP
• Perinatal OCD/Anxiety, Reproductive Trauma, Grief & Loss
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perinatal_wellness/
• Perinatal Wellness: https://www.perinatal-wellness.com/
 
✂️ TIMESTAMPS:
[00:00] – When the Expert Misses OCD in Herself: A Therapist’s Undiagnosed Perinatal OCD[03:19] – Why Perinatal OCD Is So Often Misdiagnosed (Even by Professionals)[05:40] – Normal Parent Worry vs OCD: The One Difference That Changes Everything[07:25] – OCD Is the Doubting Disease: How “What If” Thoughts Take Over[08:15] – Can You Control OCD During Pregnancy? What Actually Helps[09:25] – What Postpartum OCD Really Looks Like (Thoughts, Urges, and Checking)[10:37] – Responsibility, Parenthood, and OCD’s Biggest Trap[13:20] – How Common Is Perinatal OCD (And Why Parents Stay Silent)[14:59] – Can Postpartum OCD Turn Into Psychosis? Clearing Up a Common Fear[16:58] – Baby Blues vs Postpartum Depression: The Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore
 
✅ Free Resources & Links
🎁 Free OCD Survival Kit & Classes → www.shorturl.at/KcTxM
📖 OCD CBT Journal → www.shorturl.at/7pUxB
🌐 Website → www.korresults.com/
✍️ OCD Academy→ www.ocdacademy.thinkific.com/
 
📲 Stay Connected
Facebook: www.facebook.com/korresults
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ocdwhisperer/
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@ocdwhisperer
Twitter (X): www.x.com/korresults
Website: www.korresults.com/
 
📩 Business Inquiries: info@theocdwhisperer.com
 
✅ About OCD Whisperer
Welcome to OCD Whisperer! Each episode shares tools and insights for OCD recovery, managing intrusive thoughts, ERP therapy, CBT techniques, anxiety relief, and mindfulness practices. Join me for expert interviews and personal insights into overcoming OCD. Subscribe to find support, strategies, and hope for your OCD journey.
 
⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note while the host is a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in OCD and anxiety disorders in the state of California, this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for therapy.
 
🔑 SEO Keywords
perinatal OCD postpartum OCD intrusive thoughts pregnancy harm OCD parents ERP therapy for OCD postpartum anxiety vs OCD OCD intrusive thoughts baby maternal mental health
 
© OCD Whisperer

164. Perinatal OCD Explained: When Protective Instincts Turn Into Intrusive Fear

🤰Are these protective instincts… or is it postpartum OCD?
 
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Betty Flores, LCSW, a perinatal mental health specialist from Perinatal Wellness. Together, they explore how postpartum and pregnancy OCD show up, why intrusive thoughts feel so convincing during this stage of life, and how parents can tell the difference between normal worry and an OCD-driven threat response.
 
Betty breaks down:
• What intrusive thoughts in pregnancy and postpartum actually look like
• How perinatal OCD disguises itself as “being a good parent”
• The difference between normal protective instincts and OCD-driven urgency
• Why reassurance-seeking, checking, and mental reviewing fuel the cycle
 
If you’re pregnant, postpartum, trying to conceive, or supporting someone who is — and struggling with frightening thoughts that don’t match who you are — this episode offers clarity, normalization, and hope. You are not broken, dangerous, or failing as a parent. And help is available.
 
📲 About Betty Flores (guest):
• Certified in Perinatal Mental Health | EMDR | ERP
• Perinatal OCD/Anxiety, Reproductive Trauma, Grief & Loss
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perinatal_wellness/
 
✂️ TIMESTAMPS:
[00:00] – Normal Protective Instinct or OCD? Why This Question Confuses Almost Every Parent[02:32] – The “What If” Spiral: Intrusive Thoughts in Pregnancy & Postpartum Explained[05:02] – Why Mental Compulsions Are Harder to Spot Than Physical Ones[05:52] – “If I Say This, Will I Be Reported?” Why Parents Stay Silent About Intrusive Thoughts[07:42] – Do These Thoughts Mean I Want to Harm My Baby? How to Tell the Difference[09:45] – What OBs, Midwives, and Doctors Often Get Wrong About Perinatal OCD[11:00] – Why Perinatal OCD Is So Often Misdiagnosed as “Just Anxiety”[12:26] – Does Perinatal OCD Ever Go Away? What Actually Helps[14:02] – ERP in Pregnancy & Postpartum: Why It Works (And Why People Fear It)[14:34] – Final Takeaway: You’re Not Dangerous — You’re Stuck in an OCD Loop
 
✅ Free Resources & Links
🎁 Free OCD Survival Kit & Classes → www.shorturl.at/KcTxM
📖 OCD CBT Journal → www.shorturl.at/7pUxB
🌐 Website → www.korresults.com/
✍️ OCD Academy→ www.ocdacademy.thinkific.com/
 
📲 Stay Connected
Facebook: www.facebook.com/korresults
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ocdwhisperer/
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@ocdwhisperer
Twitter (X): www.x.com/korresults
Website: www.korresults.com/
 
📩 Business Inquiries: info@theocdwhisperer.com
 
✅ About OCD Whisperer
Welcome to OCD Whisperer! Each episode shares tools and insights for OCD recovery, managing intrusive thoughts, ERP therapy, CBT techniques, anxiety relief, and mindfulness practices. Join me for expert interviews and personal insights into overcoming OCD. Subscribe to find support, strategies, and hope for your OCD journey.
 
⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note while the host is a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in OCD and anxiety disorders in the state of California, this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for therapy.
 
🔑 SEO Keywords
postpartum OCD perinatal OCD intrusive thoughts postpartum pregnancy anxiety vs OCD ERP for postpartum OCD intrusive thoughts about baby maternal mental health
 
© OCD Whisperer

163. Relationship OCD, Shame, and Recovery: Learning to Live With Uncertainty

💔Can OCD convince you that you’re incapable of love?
 
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Zack Tucker, OCD advocate and creator of OCDestigmatize. Together, they explore relationship OCD, health anxiety, shame, and what real recovery actually looks like when OCD never fully disappears—but stops controlling your life.
 
Zack opens up about:
• Relationship OCD and the fear of “not really loving” partners
• How intrusive thoughts destroyed past relationships and self-esteem
• Promiscuity, avoidance, and using control to cope with emotional pain
• ERP, exposure, and redefining what recovery truly means
• Living with OCD long-term while still building love, confidence, and meaning
 
Whether you’re navigating OCD yourself or supporting someone who is, this episode offers hope, perspective, and reassurance that you can live fully—even with uncertainty.
 
📲 About Zack Tucker (guest):
• popular mental health Instagram page owner
• OCD survivor
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ocdestigmatize/
 
✂️ TIMESTAMPS:
[00:00] – Meet Zach & Why He Started Speaking Publicly About OCD[01:22] – Relationship OCD: Believing You’re Incapable of Love[02:42] – How OCD Destroys Relationships Without Anyone Seeing It[04:22] – Real Doubt vs OCD Doubt: Why Relationship OCD Feels So Convincing[05:57] – The First Breakup That Wasn’t Caused by OCD[08:17] – What Recovery Actually Looks Like (Thoughts Still Exist)[10:12] – From POCD to Health OCD: When Themes Shift but Fear Stays[12:12] – Living With Real Risk: Health OCD, Rabies, and Uncertainty[15:32] – Vietnam as Exposure Therapy: Facing Every Fear at Once[17:42] – Why Recovery Isn’t Cold Turkey (And Why Self-Compassion Matters)[20:07] – Ending Shame by Putting OCD on the Internet[22:02] – What He’d Tell His Younger Self About OCD and Recovery
 
✅ Free Resources & Links
🎁 Free OCD Survival Kit & Classes → www.shorturl.at/KcTxM
📖 OCD CBT Journal → www.shorturl.at/7pUxB
🌐 Website → www.korresults.com/
✍️ OCD Academy→ www.ocdacademy.thinkific.com/
 
📲 Stay Connected
Facebook: www.facebook.com/korresults
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ocdwhisperer/
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@ocdwhisperer
Twitter (X): www.x.com/korresults
Website: www.korresults.com/
 
📩 Business Inquiries: info@theocdwhisperer.com
 
✅ About OCD Whisperer
Welcome to OCD Whisperer! Each episode shares tools and insights for OCD recovery, managing intrusive thoughts, ERP therapy, CBT techniques, anxiety relief, and mindfulness practices. Join me for expert interviews and personal insights into overcoming OCD. Subscribe to find support, strategies, and hope for your OCD journey.
 
⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note while the host is a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in OCD and anxiety disorders in the state of California, this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for therapy.
 
🔑 SEO Keywords
relationship OCD OCD recovery intrusive thoughts ERP therapy for OCD health anxiety OCD living with OCD managing OCD long-term OCD and relationships
 
© OCD Whisperer

162. Social Media Is Making Your OCD Worse — Here’s Why

🧠Can social media trigger your OCD without you even realizing it?
 
In this solo episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova explores how social media interacts with OCD, compulsions, and obsessive thoughts. She shares strategies for scrolling with intention, not on autopilot, and how to reclaim control over your digital habits.
 
Kristina opens up about:
• How a quick scroll can spark OCD spirals and leave you feeling anxious or empty
• The sneaky ways social media hijacks compulsions and triggers obsessions
• Why intention-focused use is more effective than avoidance
• Simple, actionable steps to reclaim control over your scrolling habits
 
Whether you’re navigating OCD yourself or supporting someone, this episode offers practical strategies, awareness tools, and encouragement to transform your social media use into a value-driven practice.
 
💪Listener Challenge: Before bed tonight, pause and screenshot your home screen. Circle the app you reach for first when you feel triggered and post it (or save privately). Then write: “I’m choosing intention — not autopilot.” Let’s show social media who’s really in charge.
 
📲 About Krista Reed (guest):
• OCD/BDD/BFRB Specialist in KS
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristaruthreed/?hl=en
• Breathe Between Battles: A Daily Reflection Journal: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSL41QCR?ref=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_SKM3AA2QVVQ5B5MHYS9Q&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_SKM3AA2QVVQ5B5MHYS9Q&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_SKM3AA2QVVQ5B5MHYS9Q&bestFormat=true
 
✂️ TIMESTAMPS:
[00:00] – What happens when social media feels like a drug?[00:28] – Why can a “quick scroll” leave us anxious and empty?[02:02] – How do endless scrolling and notifications hijack our attention?[02:37] – Can heavy social media use harm our mental health?[04:04] – How does OCD interact with compulsions and comparison triggers online?[05:02] – Why does a quick glance spiral into self-critique and rumination?[07:16] – How are OCD symptoms evolving with technology?[08:09] – What’s the difference between intentional use and avoidance?[09:02] – How can we use social media with awareness and intention?[09:50] – How can small actions help reclaim control over our mind?[10:49] – Listener Challenge — you MUST try this[12:07] – How can community support help in taking back social media?
 
📚 Research Sources Mentioned in This Episode:
• Primack et al. (2017). Social media use across multiple platforms linked to higher depressive symptoms. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4853817/
• Keles et al. (2020). Social media associated with anxiety, depression, loneliness, and lower well-being. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7785056/
• Giraldo-Luque et al. (2023). Excessive social media use connected to stress, poor sleep, and emotional distress. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10129173/
• Lin et al. (2017). Using more social media platforms predicts higher anxiety/depression. https://psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.pn.2017.1b16
• Hunt et al. (UPenn). Cutting social media to 30 min/day reduces anxiety, depression, loneliness. (summary) https://www.news.iastate.edu/news/cutting-back-social-media-reduces-anxiety-depression-loneliness
• Dalvi-Esfahani et al. (2022). Compulsive social media use positively correlated with OCD symptoms. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9407245/
• Garcia & Thibedeau (2018). OCD symptoms increasingly include digital compulsions. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6120640/
• Frontiers Review (2022). Problematic social media use linked to OCD, ADHD, anxiety. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1106004/full
 
✅ Free Resources & Links
🎁 Free OCD Survival Kit & Classes → www.shorturl.at/KcTxM
📖 OCD CBT Journal → www.shorturl.at/7pUxB
🌐 Website → www.korresults.com/
✍️ OCD Academy→ www.ocdacademy.thinkific.com/
 
📲 Stay Connected
Facebook: www.facebook.com/korresults
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ocdwhisperer/
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@ocdwhisperer
Twitter (X): www.x.com/korresults
Website: www.korresults.com/
 
📩 Business Inquiries: info@theocdwhisperer.com
 
✅ About OCD Whisperer
Welcome to OCD Whisperer! Each episode shares tools and insights for OCD recovery, managing intrusive thoughts, ERP therapy, CBT techniques, anxiety relief, and mindfulness practices. Join me for expert interviews and personal insights into overcoming OCD. Subscribe to find support, strategies, and hope for your OCD journey.
 
⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note while the host is a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in OCD and anxiety disorders in the state of California, this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for therapy.
 
🔑 SEO Keywords
social media and OCD living with OCD managing compulsions mindful social media use OCD awareness strategies intentional scrolling OCD recovery tips
 
© OCD Whisperer

161. How Sex and Intimacy Can Help You Move Through Grief

🧠 Can grief and OCD completely change your sex drive, intimacy, and connection with your partner?
 
In this powerful episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Krista Reed, licensed therapist and trauma specialist, about how grief, trauma, cortisol, and the nervous system directly affect sexuality, desire, and emotional intimacy in people with OCD.
 
❤️This episode explores:
• Why grief and OCD can shut down desire — or make it feel overwhelming
• How cortisol and chronic stress disrupt arousal and connection
• The role of sex, intimacy, and orgasm in nervous system regulation
• Why shame around desire is so common in OCD
• How trauma stored in the body blocks emotional and sexual safety
 
This is one of the most honest conversations we’ve had about OCD, grief, and sex — and how to begin healing at the nervous system level.
 
📲 About Krista Reed (guest):
• OCD/BDD/BFRB Specialist in KS
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristaruthreed/?hl=en
• Breathe Between Battles: A Daily Reflection Journal: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSL41QCR?ref=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_SKM3AA2QVVQ5B5MHYS9Q&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_SKM3AA2QVVQ5B5MHYS9Q&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_SKM3AA2QVVQ5B5MHYS9Q&bestFormat=true
 
✂️ TIMESTAMPS:[00:00] – Why Grief and OCD Can Completely Disrupt Desire[00:42] – Lowering Cortisol: The Foundation of Emotional and Sexual Regulation[01:53] – What Chronic Stress Does to Libido and Arousal[02:39] – Journaling the Thoughts You’re Too Ashamed to Say Out Loud[03:28] – When Your Mind Is Loud but Your Body Feels Numb[05:02] – Creativity, Fantasy, and Sexual Energy as Emotional Escape[06:08] – Discipline vs Avoidance in Mental and Sexual Health[07:41] – Showing Up for Your Body Even When You Don’t Want To[08:36] – Mood Swings, Hormones, and Emotional Intimacy[09:24] – Burnout, Attraction, and Feeling Disconnected From Pleasure[10:34] – The Body’s Natural Drive for Physical Release[11:28] – Sex as Stress Relief: When It Helps and When It Becomes Escape[11:57] – The Nervous System, Orgasms, and Temporary Calm[12:32] – Shame, Desire, and Wanting Comfort at the Same Time[13:20] – Using Sex for Safety After Emotional Loss[14:43] – Physical Connection as a Shortcut to Feeling Alive[15:36] – When Pleasure Becomes Regulation, Not Destruction[16:12] – Emotional Regulation Through Touch, Not Self-Punishment[17:37] – There Is No “Wrong” Way to Feel Arousal During Grief[18:49] – Alcohol, Hookups, and Numbing Emotional Pain[19:56] – Dopamine, Sex, and the Trap of Chasing Relief[20:44] – Cultural Shame Around Grief, Desire, and Coping[22:08] – When Sex Feels Like Healing but Turns Into Avoidance[24:12] – The Line Between Connection and Self-Destruction[26:12] – OCD’s Role in Sexual Intrusive Thoughts and Guilt[26:54] – Letting Arousal Exist Without Turning It Into Compulsion[27:40] – Harm Reduction in Sex, Dating, and Emotional Coping[29:16] – Why Control Feels Safer Than Surrender[30:33] – Writing About Sex, Loss, and Shame Without Censoring Yourself[31:43] – What Sexual Self-Compassion Actually Means[32:56] – Forgiveness, Healing, and Reclaiming Desire[33:45] – Boundaries in Intimacy and Emotional Safety[34:38] – You’re Not Broken for Wanting Relief Through Your Body[35:42] – Final Reflections on Grief, OCD, Sex, and the Nervous System
 
✅ Free Resources & Links
🎁 Free OCD Survival Kit & Classes → www.shorturl.at/KcTxM
📖 OCD CBT Journal → www.shorturl.at/7pUxB
🌐 Website → www.korresults.com/
✍️ OCD Academy→ www.ocdacademy.thinkific.com/
 
📲 Stay Connected
Facebook: www.facebook.com/korresults
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ocdwhisperer/
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@ocdwhisperer
Twitter (X): www.x.com/korresults
Website: www.korresults.com/
 
📩 Business Inquiries: info@theocdwhisperer.com
 
✅ About OCD Whisperer
Welcome to OCD Whisperer! Each episode shares tools and insights for OCD recovery, managing intrusive thoughts, ERP therapy, CBT techniques, anxiety relief, and mindfulness practices. Join me for expert interviews and personal insights into overcoming OCD. Subscribe to find support, strategies, and hope for your OCD journey.
 
⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note while the host is a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in OCD and anxiety disorders in the state of California, this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for therapy.
 
🔑 SEO Keywords
OCD and sex intimacy and OCD grief and sex drive trauma and desire nervous system and arousal OCD relationships sexual shame and OCD
 
© OCD Whisperer

160. OCD & Grief: How Trauma Hijacks Your Mind | Real Stories & Coping Tips

🧠 Can you grieve “correctly” when you have OCD?
 
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Krista Reed, clinical social worker and specialist in OCD, BFRBs, and Body Dysmorphic Disorder. Together, they explore how grief, loss, and real-life emotional pain interact with OCD — and how deeply the experience can impact identity, relationships, and recovery.
 
❤️Krista opens up about:
• The childhood loss that first ignited her OCD
• How witnessing traumatic events shaped her fears
• The return of old compulsions — and the arrival of new ones — after recent family deaths
• The struggle of balancing caregiving, parenting, and severe OCD during her father’s hospitalization
 
Whether you’re navigating OCD yourself or supporting someone who is, this episode offers compassion, insight, and the reminder that there is no right or wrong way to grieve.
 
📲 About Krista Reed (guest):
• OCD/BDD/BFRB Specialist in KS
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristaruthreed/?hl=en
• Breathe Between Battles: A Daily Reflection Journal: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSL41QCR?ref=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_SKM3AA2QVVQ5B5MHYS9Q&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_SKM3AA2QVVQ5B5MHYS9Q&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_SKM3AA2QVVQ5B5MHYS9Q&bestFormat=true
 
✂️ TIMESTAMPS:[00:00] – Krista’s Story: Becoming an OCD Specialist Because She Had No Choice[00:40] – Why We’re Talking: Real-Life Grief Colliding With OCD[02:19] – The Moment It All Started: A Childhood Death That Changed Everything[04:42] – Misunderstood Trauma: When a Small-Town Tragedy Sparks Lifelong OCD[07:48] – The Hospital Nightmare: Krista’s Dad Nearly Dies and OCD Explodes[08:17] – “What If I Want Him to Die?” The Darkest OCD Thoughts No One Talks About[10:39] – The Heartbreaking Moment: Her Dad Wakes Up and Doesn’t Know Who She Is[13:15] – Masking While Falling Apart: Parenting Through an OCD Spiral[14:25] – Pre-Grief, Fear, and the Reality of Being in the Unknown[15:55] – When OCD Comes Back After New Losses: Two Deaths in Two Weeks[18:22] – “Your Food Is Contaminated”: New Compulsions That Come Out of Nowhere[20:19] – Grieving Wrong? How OCD Makes You Doubt Your Own Emotions[21:30] – Conflicting Feelings: Relief, Sadness, Gratitude, and Guilt All at Once[24:20] – When Two Family Members Die but the Pain Feels Different Each Time[28:09] – Kristina’s Story: Losing Her Mom and Feeling Everything at Once[31:36] – Being Told You’re “Too Much”: The Hidden Shame of Deep Feelers[34:18] – Why People With OCD Often Feel Grief More Deeply Than Others[37:21] – The Empathy Factor: Why Some People Cry for Strangers and Feel Everything[37:39] – What Grief Really Triggers in People With OCD[39:23] – What to Do When OCD Hijacks Your Grief[39:45] – When Old Traumas Return Out of Nowhere: OCD Has No Timeline[42:01] – The 2020 Spiral: OCD Convinces Krista Her Dad Will Die Again[43:00] – Planning a Funeral That Isn’t Happening: OCD’s Wildest Curveball[43:13] – Breaking the Spell: How Krista Finally Called OCD’s Bluff[44:01] – Even Clinicians Get Stuck: Why This Disorder Is So Relentless[44:20] – Final Thoughts: Normalizing Your Grief, Your Feelings, and Your Journey
 
✅ Free Resources & Links
🎁 Free OCD Survival Kit & Classes → www.shorturl.at/KcTxM
📖 OCD CBT Journal → www.shorturl.at/7pUxB
🌐 Website → www.korresults.com/
✍️ OCD Academy→ www.ocdacademy.thinkific.com/
 
📲 Stay Connected
Facebook: www.facebook.com/korresults
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ocdwhisperer/
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@ocdwhisperer
Twitter (X): www.x.com/korresults
Website: www.korresults.com/
 
📩 Business Inquiries: info@theocdwhisperer.com
 
✅ About OCD Whisperer
Welcome to OCD Whisperer! Each episode shares tools and insights for OCD recovery, managing intrusive thoughts, ERP therapy, CBT techniques, anxiety relief, and mindfulness practices. Join me for expert interviews and personal insights into overcoming OCD. Subscribe to find support, strategies, and hope for your OCD journey.
 
⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note while the host is a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in OCD and anxiety disorders in the state of California, this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for therapy.
 
🔑 SEO Keywords
OCD and grief intrusive thoughts during grief managing OCD during loss anticipatory grief OCD emotional intensity and OCD grief processing with OCD OCD recovery stories
 
© OCD Whisperer

159. How One Man Turned OCD Pain Into 60,000 Followers

🧠 *Can self-compassion really help you recover from OCD?*
 
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Lukasz, known online as Intrusive OCD Memes. Together, they explore how humor, community, and self-awareness play a role in managing OCD, and how sharing personal experiences can help both yourself and others.
 
Lucas opens up about:
• First symptoms of OCD as a child and struggles with contamination fears
• How intrusive thoughts and mental compulsions impacted his relationships
• His journey toward seeking therapy after years of coping alone
• Using humor and memes as a form of self-therapy and community support
 
Whether you’re navigating OCD yourself or supporting someone else, this episode offers hope, insight, and tools to show that connection, humor, and community can make a real difference.
 
📲 About Lukasz Czajkowski (guest):
• IOCDF Advocate with OCD/ROCD
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intrusiveocdmemes?igsh=dDFyOGl6eXNyNmVz
• YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@intrusiveocdmemes
 
✂️ TIMESTAMPS:[00:00] – Meet Lucas: The Man Behind Intrusive OCD Memes[00:40] – How a Meme Account Became a Lifeline for OCD[02:11] – Why He Waited YEARS to Get an OCD Diagnosis[04:38] – The Dark Side of Air OCD and Pandemic Struggles[06:56] – OCD Almost Destroyed His Relationship… Here’s What Happened[08:55] – Shocking OCD Symptoms From His Childhood[10:01] – Living With OCD in Poland: The Cultural Reality[12:45] – Stigma, Misunderstandings, and Why Most People Don’t Get OCD[15:34] – How Memes Are Actually Helping People With OCD[17:13] – Bringing OCD Awareness to Thousands at Work[19:33] – Mental Health Is Not Linear: Prepare for Setbacks[21:05] – Reading the Recipe vs. Making the Apple Pie: OCD Therapy Explained[22:37] – Panic in a New City: Why Environment Matters[23:53] – Self-Compassion and Patience: The Secret Weapons for OCD[25:15] – Hidden Cultural Pressures You Didn’t Know About[26:04] – You’re Not Alone: Finding Community When Struggling[27:47] – Follow Lucas Online for Memes and OCD Resources
 
✅ Free Resources & Links
🎁 Free OCD Survival Kit & Classes → www.shorturl.at/KcTxM
📖 OCD CBT Journal → www.shorturl.at/7pUxB
🌐 Website → www.korresults.com/
✍️ OCD Academy→ www.ocdacademy.thinkific.com/
 
📲 Stay Connected
Facebook: www.facebook.com/korresults
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ocdwhisperer/
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@ocdwhisperer
Twitter (X): www.x.com/korresults
Website: www.korresults.com/
 
📩 Business Inquiries: info@theocdwhisperer.com
 
✅ About OCD Whisperer
Welcome to OCD Whisperer! Each episode shares tools and insights for OCD recovery, managing intrusive thoughts, ERP therapy, CBT techniques, anxiety relief, and mindfulness practices. Join me for expert interviews and personal insights into overcoming OCD. Subscribe to find support, strategies, and hope for your OCD journey.
 
⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note while the host is a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in OCD and anxiety disorders in the state of California, this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for therapy.
 
🔑 SEO Keywords
self-compassion and OCD OCD recovery tools mindfulness for OCD CBT for OCD intrusive thoughts and self-kindness reducing OCD suffering Kimberley Quinlan OCD OCD Whisperer Podcast
 
© OCD Whisperer

158. Self-Compassion & OCD: The Secret Habit Making Your Anxiety Worse

🧠 Can self-compassion really help you recover from OCD?
 
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, host Kristina Orlova speaks with Kimberley Quinlan, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, creator of CBT School, and author of The Self-Compassion Workbook for OCD. Together, they explore how learning to treat yourself with kindness can transform your relationship with OCD and emotional suffering.
 
Kimberley opens up about:
• Why self-compassion is not weakness or self-indulgence
• How criticizing yourself actually increases stress hormones
• What it means to “be a safe place” for your own emotions
• Simple ways to start practicing compassion without triggering compulsions
 
Whether you’re living with OCD or supporting someone who is, this episode offers real strategies to reduce suffering, calm your nervous system, and heal with compassion.
 
📲 About Kimberley Quinlan (guest):
• Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/youranxietytoolkit/
• YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@youranxietytoolkit
• CBT school: https://www.cbtschool.com/
 
✂️ TIMESTAMPS:[00:00] Meet Kimberley Quinlan — Therapist, Author, and OCD Expert[01:18] What “Self-Compassion for OCD” Really Means (and Why People Get It Wrong)[03:00] Why Being Kind to Yourself Isn’t Weak — It’s Actually Science[04:40] The Stress Hormone Secret: How Self-Criticism Fuels OCD Suffering[07:25] Real Compassion vs. Compulsions — The Long-Term You Strategy[08:55] Becoming a Safe Place for Yourself: Handling Guilt, Shame & Emotions[11:05] The Surprising Power of Doing Nothing With Your Emotions[13:10] Why People Struggle to Accept Themselves (Even When They “Know” How)[16:25] When OCD Tricks You Into Thinking Self-Kindness Is Dangerous[19:00] Step-by-Step: The Self-Compassion Break That Calms Intense Feelings[21:30] “You’re Not Alone” — The Humanity Behind Anxiety & Intrusive Thoughts[23:10] Gentle Self-Kindness vs. “Screw You, Anxiety!” — Finding Your Style[25:30] The Fear of Feeling Itself — Breaking the Cycle of Emotional Avoidance[28:10] The Real Goal: Becoming a Safe Space for Every Emotion[30:05] Where to Find Kimberley — “Your Anxiety Toolkit” Resources
 
✅ Free Resources & Links
🎁 Free OCD Survival Kit & Classes → www.shorturl.at/KcTxM
📖 OCD CBT Journal → www.shorturl.at/7pUxB
🌐 Website → www.korresults.com/
✍️ OCD Academy→ www.ocdacademy.thinkific.com/
 
📲 Stay Connected
Facebook: www.facebook.com/korresults
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ocdwhisperer/
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@ocdwhisperer
Twitter (X): www.x.com/korresults
Website: www.korresults.com/
 
📩 Business Inquiries: info@theocdwhisperer.com
 
✅ About OCD Whisperer
Welcome to OCD Whisperer! Each episode shares tools and insights for OCD recovery, managing intrusive thoughts, ERP therapy, CBT techniques, anxiety relief, and mindfulness practices. Join me for expert interviews and personal insights into overcoming OCD. Subscribe to find support, strategies, and hope for your OCD journey.
 
⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note while the host is a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in OCD and anxiety disorders in the state of California, this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for therapy.
 
🔑 SEO Keywords
self-compassion and OCD OCD recovery tools mindfulness for OCD CBT for OCD intrusive thoughts and self-kindness reducing OCD suffering Kimberley Quinlan OCD OCD Whisperer Podcast
 
© OCD Whisperer