It’s Not What You Think

We’re back with Season 4 of It’s Not What You Think! In this episode, Penny and Angie talk to comedian and radio host, Henry Bretz about his experience with OCD. You might know Henry for going viral for his satirical videos pretending to be Karl Stefanovic (OCD makes him soooo angry). We dive into: An amazing 'Obsession Confession' featuring Scooby Doo Being diagnosed as a young adult Mental compu...

For the last episode of season 3, Penny and Ange are joined by Alison Cosker. Together they discuss: What’s next for the podcast Why they decided to run an event in Melbourne and what happened when they did Whether they think stigma around mental illness, and OCD in particular, has lessened now that more and more people are talking about it Their favourite lesson or moment from this season  Links:...

There is a real buzz surrounding a treatment method originating in Norway. Clinical Psychologist and Founder of Melbourne Mindcare, Nathan Dowling joins Penny and Angie to talk about this intensive but gentle method, which is now being piloted in Australia. They discuss: What the Bergen 4 Day Treatment (B4DT) method is and how it differs from other methods of treatment The origins of the treatment...

Paediatrician Dr Leila Masson joins Penny and Angie to talk about PANS/PANDAS, a medical condition in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks brain cells and can lead to sudden, severe symptoms of OCD.  Doctors often mistake PANS/PANDAS for other conditions and it can be extremely difficult for parents to get a diagnosis for their kids.  Dr Masson, a medical doctor who also specialises i...

A few years ago, Jo’s OCD was so crippling that she needed to be hospitalised and completed two stints at The Melbourne Clinic. OCD had completely taken over her life in every way.  Jo joins Penny and Angie for a beautiful conversation about what she found the most helpful in her recovery and how she ended up turning her pain into a way to help so many others, through her counselling practice call...

Tess very generously talks to Penny and Angie about: when her hair pulling symptoms began her religious upbringing and the intense feelings of shame and perfectionism the various treatments she’s tried in order to stop pulling out her eyelashes accepting how life pans out (regardless of the condition) what she wishes people knew about trich what she'll do if her kids show signs

In this episode Penny and Ange are joined by young emerging performer and theatre-maker, Gryff Connah. He talks to them about how intrusive thoughts and compulsions have woven their way throughout his life and how his dad helped him to identify what was really going on. Together they discuss: the early signs of OCD as a young kid the obsessive thoughts intensifying during lockdown when Gryff was a...

Do you find it tough to parent whilst drowning in OCD overwhelm? Well, Penny and Ange do, so they sat down for a candid chat about it.  They talk about their own experiences as parents to young kids and read out anonymous comments that listeners sent in describing what parts they find the toughest. They also talk about some of the silver linings and include some practical tips for parents who migh...

Penny talks to acclaimed contemporary painter, Emily Ferretti about her experience with magical thinking OCD. Em talks so generously about:  - Some of her early OCD symptoms that arose when she was at primary school - Seeing a counsellor early on but not receiving the right treatment until she was an adult - Having certain obsessions triggered by specific life moments  - How OCD can wax and wane t...

Alison steps in for Angie today and joins Penny in welcoming back Dr Andrea Wallace to discuss EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing). EMDR is an evidence-backed therapy that uses bilateral stimulation (for example side to side eye movements) alongside the recollection of memories to help the brain reprocess memories of events or feelings. Penny and Alison discuss: How the body/mind...

Leading Australian TV producer, Chris Walker talks to Penny and Angie about the devastating intersection of OCD and childhood trauma.  When Chris was a young kid he witnessed a devastating event which left him and his family reeling. A few years later, Chris experienced OCD symptoms which started to take over his life.  In this very raw and honest episode, Chris talks so generously about: The role...

Award-winning ABC journalist and independent filmmaker, Adelaide Miller has a lot going on. Over the last five years she's been diagnosed with OCD, an eating disorder, mild tourettes and ADHD.    Adelaide talks to Penny and Alison about the symptoms she experienced as a child, the painful and awkward lengths she would go to, to make others feel happy and loved and how she's worked to unpack the di...

Season 3 is here! We're kicking things off with a relaxed catch-up between the girls-  chatting about Angie's recent ADHD diagnosis, Penny's honest account of an OCD relapse and Alison's mental gymnastics in the holidays. We also give you a little taste of the incredible guests we have lined up for the season ahead. 

OCD can take so much from people, and a devastating effect of this illness is that it can complicate friendships. In this last episode of season 2, Alison Cosker joins Penny and Ange again to talk about how and why this is the case. They touch on: - How hard it can be to tell friends about an OCD diagnosis  - The strain a mental illness, with no end-date can put on friendships - The boundaries tha...

  The guest this week is Monique Mitchelson, a neurodivergent clinical psychologist and co- host of the very popular Neurodivergent Woman podcast.    Monique very generously shares her story about growing up in Queensland as an undiagnosed autistic adhd’er with OCD and learning more about her brain (and her family’s brains) once she became a psychologist. In this ep the following subjects are disc...

Did you know that Tourette Syndrome (TS) and OCD frequently co-occur? Penny and Angie talk to Jason McCurry who has TS and OCD. Jason talks so generously about: - Experiencing both TS and OCD symptoms as a kid in a country town - How OCD and TS interrelate  - What actually happens physically when he starts ticking - How physically arduous constant ticking can be for someone with TS - His trepidati...

This week is all about perinatal OCD, and it’s a biggie. Penny and Ange chat to perinatal and reproductive psychiatrist Dr Edna Lekgabe and clinical psychologist Dr kit Casey. In the discussion they talk about: What perinatal OCD is How the brain fundamentally changes during matrescence Who gets perinatal OCD and why Some of the common ( and extremely difficult obsessions that come up with perinat...

This week Penny and Angie talk to Bailey MacDonald, an 18 year old who has OCD. Bailey has been suffering with OCD for many years, but it was a few years ago that a particular OCD theme entered Bailey’s life and completely upended it. Whilst Bailey isn’t comfortable to go into the content of the obsessions, she bravely talks to Penny and Angie about:  ⁃Her first encounter with the mental health sy...

This week Penny and Ange welcome their dear friend and unofficial producer, Alison Cosker, into the studio for a conversation about multiple diagnoses, doubting the doubt, and how grief can be impacted by OCD (and vice versa).    They also introduce the first Obsession Confession segment sent in by a dear listener.

From periods, pregnancy and beyond, hormones play a crucial role in your mental health. When you have OCD, you might notice that during certain times of the month, or throughout certain life stages, the OCD symptoms get significantly better or worse. Penny and Angie chat with Dr Louise Newson, GP and menopause specialist, to explore how natural hormone shifts interact with OCD and anxiety.    They...

Australian actor and writer Rick Davies joins us to talk candidly about living with OCD and his more recent diagnosis of ADHD. We chat about: How acting became a safe haven from the exhaustion of OCD The trepidation of talking so openly about mental illness as someone with a public profile How cathartic it is to hear other people talk about their ocd experiences The co morbidity of OCD and ADHD Fe...

We’re back for Season 2! In this return episode, Angie and Penny chat about : what they got up to over their holidays why OCD can get so much worse when the pressure is on to have a good time the complexities of ‘coming out’ with OCD.  Angie reveals how difficult it can be to talk about false memory OCD   Freedom From Obsessive Compulsive Disorder  by Jonathan Grayson

In the season finale of Season 1, we're joined once again by clinical psychologist Andrea Wallace for a powerful discussion on the role of self-compassion in healing shame, especially for people living with OCD. Andrea breaks down why shame and OCD so often go hand in hand, and how cultivating self-kindness can be a transformative part of the recovery process. We also explore:     •    Why shame f...

Yes, we have the same psychologist, and to us, she is an OCD wizard. In this special two-part episode, Dr Andrea Wallace shares some of her wisdom around what it REALLY feels like to have OCD, busts some common OCD myths and talks a bit about her own imposter syndrome (apparently even the wizards gets it). 

This week Penny and Angie are joined by pediatrican Dr Annie Moulden and clinical psychologist Lauren Wetheimer. They dive into topics including who can diagnose a child with OCD and how this process unfolds, how and why parents play such a big and important role in OCD recovery, the advantages of early diagnosis and the role of medication.  Finding a psychologist in Australia: OCD Bounce Director...