Episodes

On this episode, I answer two questions that center around HOCD (Sexual Orientation OCD, i.e. SO-OCD), but ask different questions within these two themes. The first question (6:40) is about a woman suffering with ROCD about her boyfriend, but the ROCD is then compounded by obsessions about her sexuality and compulsions of avoidance and mental checking. The second question (23:27) is about a young man’s doubt about his own sexuality and his obsession’s insistence that several awkward and odd sit...

On this episode, I am joined by Kelley Franke, MFT, and Lauren Rosen, MFT, for a presentation we gave at the 2021 IOCDF conference. They were so kind to join me to discuss what you can do if and when your genuine interests, hobbies, or life responsibilities get hijacked by an obsession. This was a really fun talk and I always enjoy presenting with Lauren and Kelley; two of the smartest and funnest therapists out there. If you would like the handouts or slides of the presentation, please feel fr...

On this episode, I discuss Sensorimotor OCD, Self-Compassion, and SO-OCD (HOCD). More specifically, on my first question, I discuss someone’s fear about potentially losing their ability to blink in a natural manner, and how they should work with this fear. Next, I answer someone’s double question. Their first question is about how to apply a compassionate perspective to their Real-Event OCD, and their second question is about whether obsessions are at least partially true! To learn more about S...

I’m back again with an episode that is full of diverse topics and a host of information. First, I answer a question about Symmetry OCD (8:25) and discuss what it is, what it isn’t, and what can be done about it. Next, I talk about an article I wrote about OCD being a feeling problem, not a thinking problem (21:46). After this, I talk about what to do when people say not to work with a therapist who focuses on the past or past trauma in OCD treatment (25:52). Finally, I talk about “compulsive flo...

I’m back, and a little late. However, I’m here on this episode to answer several questions from one particular listener. Lynn. She asks a ton of great questions ranging from the effects of surgery on BDD, the brain structures that contribute to OCD and obsession, how to deal with the obsession in the moment, and a number of other thoughtful and relevant questions. If you have questions for the podcast, and want to send them over in audio form, go over to Instagram, or email them to kevin@calocd...

Here we are with another question and answer episode. On this jumble episode, I answer a question about soemone’s obsession about their voice and how to deal with tension around their vocal cords when it impacts their ability to perform (8:50). Next, I discuss how someone can, could, or should respond to their HOCD (SO-OCD) obsession (20:10). Finally, I answer a question about how to handle someone’s obsessions transferring over to an obsession about their partner (30:11). If anyone is going to...

Today we are talking about the addiction treatment model and how it overlaps with, influences, and takes places alongside OCD and anxiety treatment. For this episode, I was joined by Addiction and OCD specialist Elizabeth Bartholomew and she was able to offer an overview of what the AA model is, what treatment for OCD can look like for someone going through addiction recovery, and how some key elements of both can be used to gain recovery. The post Addiction Treatment and OCD Treatment with Eli...

On this episode, I was joined by Chris Trondsen who shared his knowledge of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). Chris shared with us his understanding of BDD, how it differs from OCD, some specific issues to be aware of when working with or dealing with BDD, and what treatment looks like. He was also kind enough to hang out and answer some listener questions with me about BDD. The post Body Dysmorphic Disorder with Chris Trondsen appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

This episode is a nice hodgepodge of questions, but all have a subtle theme of guilt. Fun, right?! The first question is about False Memory OCD and whether the ongoing feelings of anxiety reflect whether the event actually did happen (6:17). The next question is about whether expressing anger can be a compulsion (13:58). The last question is about what to do with the reality that they’ve done a bunch of exposures in treatment and they worry that others will judge them if they found out (24:26). ...

On this lovely episode I answer a question from someone about how they should deal with their obsessions about a real life health issue (5:48). Oddly enough, I also answer share feedback on the same subject from a previous listener who’s question was answered on a previous episode (31:51)! Lastly, I answer a question about whether someone should stop seeing a general therapist and start seeing a specialist to address their OCD (21:08). If you are interested in attending the SoCal OCD conference...

On this episode, I answer two listener questions that were sent in after listening to the Real-Event OCD episode. The first questions deals directly with the fear of being cancelled and how to proceed in their career with the real threat of being cancelled, and the second is from someone experiencing the rumination and emotional turmoil of Real-Event OCD. In case you have not listened to the aforementioned episode, check it out at the following link, or find it on iTunes, or wherever else you f...

I’m back, and late, for this next installment of the FearCast. On this episode, I batch two faith based questions from people asking about their Religious Scrupulosity. They are similar, but one discusses how to continue purusing one’s faith despite OCD and OCD treatment (4:10). The other question has to do with figuring out whether OCD can cause a sense feeling of an aversion to faith (28:20). As I mention in the episode, while these two are from a Christian background, the FearCast is very in...

For this episode, I was joined by Stuart Ralph of The OCD Stories Podcast. Stuart was gracious enough to join me to talk about his own OCD story, the experience he has gained by interviewing the biggest names in OCD research and treatment, and what he has learned after speaking to hundreds of people about their own OCD story. The post Stuart Ralph of The OCD Stories appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

For today’s episode, I was joined by Erin Ramachandran of the non-profit group Mental Health Strong. Erin and her husband, Keith, work with couples effected by mental health and addiction issues. Together, they offer groups and seminars to help couples re-unite with one another as they work together toward recovery. Erin was a wonderful guest and offers a ton of great insights and encouragement to individuals or couples struggling with mental health or addiction issues. For more information on ...

I’m finally back in the office and am recording fresh, new episodes. I answer a pretty wide variety of questions, ranging from Omega 3 supplement, TOCD, and Pure-0. I also discuss the ever present issue of our short-hand use of OCD terms and the issues we inevitably face when trying to find the best and right terms. They are good, but still not perfect. 7:57- Can Omega 3’s help anxiety? 11:47- What can I do to help my OCD from coming back after I effectively dealt with it in therapy? 22:11- I...

Hi everyone, so I’m off on parental leave, so I have this episode of questions I recorded weeks ago! Hopefully nothing catastrophic happened in the world in the meantime thereby making all my answers incredibly insensitive or overtly offensive. But, we all live in uncertainty. I have a good mix of questions for this episode! (5:07)The first questions is about TOCD (Transgender OCD), what it is, and what someone can do about it. (19:20) The next questions is about why exposures work with artif...

I’m out for parental leave this month, so I’m sharing an interview I had with a friend of mine, Officer Jordan. He is a police officer and former EMT who has special experience and extensive knowledge about survival, anticipating danger, and dealing with life threatening situations. He joined me to discuss his experience as a police officer, shares how he deals with anxiety, and offers his advice on how to deal with potentially life threatening situations. Note, this episode is a departure from...

For today’s interview, I was joined by Dr. Michael Greenberg who is leading the discussion on rumination’s role in maintaining OCD, and how eliminating the ruminative process can lead to profound changes in therapy. This is a humorous take on OCD therapy, but given the heavy discussion on resisting ruminative thoughts, I thought this video would help bring some levity. I know this does not reflect Dr Greenberg’s position on therapy… The post Rumination with Dr. Michael Greenberg appeared first...

I’m returning to the Faith and Doubt Series! I was lucky enough to be joined by Dr. Jedidiah Siev who publishes research and speaks on his clinical specialty of Religious Scrupulosity for Orthodox and Ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities. Dr. Siev covered a huge range of topics, including overall treatment for Scrupulosity, unique challenges facing the Orthodox community, specific issues effecting Jewish Scrupulosity sufferers, and ways to help loved ones find and access treatment. I learned a to...

After a long, unintended break, I return with an extra long episode that covers a lot of ground. As the theme lately, given the grouping of these types of questions, I answer questions about ROCD and HOCD, but I also talk about general themes of ego-dystonic vs ego- syntonic and how to deal with them when they become obsessions. Thank you all for your patience. I have a few really exciting things on the horizon that I’ll be announcing and releasing soon, so get ready! “I have trouble with the ...

On this episode, I answer a bunch of listener questions on a variety of topics. I also talk about my own effort to learn something new and rely on the FearCast community for encouragement and accountability. Lastly, I’m starting to list the question and the minutes for each episode below to help listeners focus in on the questions of interest. My therapist is moving on after two years. How can I find closure with this? (7:30) Does the type of porn that arouses you determine your sexuality? (15...

Mike Sizemore is an OCD sufferer, advocate, and admin/ contributor over at OCD Friends on Facebook. He recently spent some time with me discussing how Uncertainty and Resiliency played a role in his recovery, and how you can harness in your inner courage to make the choice against your OCD. Mike offered a lot of great tips and encouragement to people who are sick of their OCD and are ready to try ERP. The post Uncertainty and Resilience with Mike Sizemore appeared first on FearCast Podcast.

For the last episode of Phobia Phriday, I’m addressing Trypanophobia, or the fear of injections. I feel like this one is relevant to the times and something that is on everyone’s mind given the pandemic. So, for all of you out there who are afraid of needles and injections, this episode is for you. Thank you to everyone who has listened to Phobia Phriday. If you liked the series and would like more episodes dedicated to specific phobias, please let me know in the comments below, or by sending m...

This is the last FearCast Episode of this squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching year. So, I am doing another batched episode on the wonderful topic of ROCD. The questions run the gamut, as usual, but they reflect some common perspectives from the world of ROCD. Thank you all for listening. I hope 2021 is better for everyone, and that we can get back to our lives! The post More ROCD Listener Questions appeared first on FearCast Podcast.