Dr Steven Phillipson and Sean: ‘Sarnos’ and Sean’s story (#533)
The OCD Stories
In episode 533 I chat with Dr Steven Phillipson and his patient Sean. Steven is a licensed clinical psychologist who specialises in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for OCD. Steven is the Clinical Director at the Center for Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapy in New York. He is joined by one of his patients, Sean, who has kindly agreed to share his story. We discuss Sean’s OCD story, Steve discusses the idea of Sarnos (psychosomatic symptoms), Sean’s difficulty bragging and worrying about Sarnos, exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), the idea of the brain voice and the gatekeeper...
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Dr Sorcha O'Connor: The PsilOCD study investigating low-dose psilocybin for OCD (#532)
The OCD Stories
In episode 532 I chat with Dr Sorcha O'Connor. Sorcha is a neuroscientist and PhD graduate from Imperial College London, where she led the PsilOCD study investigating low-dose psilocybin for OCD. We discuss Sorcha’s background that led her to this work, what is psilocybin, the background to the study, what the actual study looked like for participants, the outcomes of the study, what’s happening in the brain during a dose of psilocybin, future studies, how psychedelics may improve learning, integration sessions with a therapist, what people with OCD can take from this study,...
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Story: Alex (suicidal OCD, existential OCD, health anxiety, I-CBT) (#531)
The OCD Stories
In episode 531 I chat with Alex who has kindly agreed to share his OCD story with us. We discuss his OCD story, suicidal themed OCD, inference-based cognitive behavioural therapy (I-CBT), worries of harming others, existential themed OCD, how his wife helped, meditation, low self worth, understanding the past, peadophile themed OCD, health anxiety, self compassion, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if...
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Story: Amy (relationship OCD, harm OCD, contamination OCD) (#530)
The OCD Stories
In episode 530 I chat with Amy who has kindly agreed to share her OCD story with us. We discuss relationship themed OCD, harm themed OCD, contamination themed OCD, realising that what was going on was OCD, compulsions, disordered eating, how her husband helped, finding the OCD community, doing exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), medication, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take...
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Dr Jon Hoffman: Rethinking Mental Rituals: A Philosophical Conversation (#529)
The OCD Stories
In episode 529 I chatted with Jonathan Hoffman. Jon is a licensed psychologist and Board Certified in Cognitive and Behavioral Psychology. He co-founded the NBI Ranch and the Neurobehavioral Institute (NBI), where he was Chief Clinical Officer, exiting these roles at the end of 2025 after many years of practice. We discuss an update on Jon, what are mental rituals/compulsions, the history of mental rituals/compulsions, are mental rituals/compulsions behaviours, we debate what is good science, how do we study mental rituals/compulsions, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: The...
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Jeff Bell: Lessons that OCD and its treatment have taught Jeff about navigating Parkinson’s (#528)
The OCD Stories
In episode 528 I chat with Jeff Bell, a past guest of the podcast. Jeff is a long time OCD advocate and is the author of “When in doubt, make belief” and “rewind, replay, repeat”. Jeff co-founded adversity to advocacy. We get a recap of his OCD story, the idea of greater good motivation, lessons OCD has taught him that helps him deal with other conditions such as his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis, we discuss stoicism, advocacy and service, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and...
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Ethan Tuccienza: Exposure to emotions (#527)
The OCD Stories
In episode 527 I chat with Ethan Tuccienza. Ethan is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) and clinical director of Behavioural Psych Studio’s LA office. We discuss his therapy story, dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), exposure to emotions, DBT-PTSD as an intervention, trauma, shame, tolerating emotions, he shares a couple DBT skills including willing hands and mindfulness of our emotions. We also discuss guilt, shutting down during exposures and what to do, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: The podcast is made possible by NOCD....
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Story: Mike (sexual orientation OCD, existential OCD, somatic OCD, harm OCD) (#526)
The OCD Stories
In episode 526 I chat with Mike who has kindly agreed to share his OCD story with us. We discuss sexual orientation themed OCD, existential themed OCD, somatic themed OCD, harm themed OCD, compulsing around the recovery process, getting therapy, working with Dr Steven Phillipson and Dr Michael Alcee, words of hope and much more. Show notes: (Episode includes explicit language) The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance...
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Story: Charlotte (harm and suicidal themed OCD, journaling, therapy) (#525)
The OCD Stories
In episode 525 I chat with Charlotte who has kindly agreed to share her OCD story with us. We discuss her story, worrying she was pregnant as a kid, realising it’s OCD, experiencing theme switches, harm themed OCD, mental health health anxiety, suicidal themed OCD, getting therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), acceptance, her joy journal, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about...
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Ray Kolke: Rumination by the Numbers (RBTN) as a tool for dealing with rumination (#524)
The OCD Stories
In episode 524 I chat with Ray Kolke. Ray is a licensed mental health counsellor (LMHC) who works with people affected by OCD and anxiety. We discuss his therapist background, why he doesn’t ask his clients how they are feeling at the start of the session, he discusses not focusing on feelings in more detail, rumination, his tool of rumination by the numbers (RBTN), he breaks down this tool, and much more. Hope it helps. Show notes: The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about...
info_outlineIn episode 499 I chat with Dr Ronald Nicholson. Ron is a clinical psychologist currently practicing as a post-doctoral fellow at Dr. Steven Phillipson's Center of Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapy.
We discuss humour in OCD therapy, why humour can help, finding the right balance between humour and seriousness, humour as a way of showing irrelevance, Dr Phillipson asks a few questions including what is the funniest thing that has happened in therapy. We discuss the science of laughter, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and much more. Hope it helps.
Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/ron-499
The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans and if they currently take your insurance head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories
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A live training by Dr Phillipson for therapists: https://www.integrativecentreforocd.co.uk/live-trainings-therapists/phillipson