All The Hard Things

In this episode, I'm joined by Caryn Gill, a licensed professional counselor who specializes in the treatment of OCD, anxiety, and related conditions. We discuss.. - identifying values/motivating factors for treatment - thinking about the impact of not living in line with values on mental health in general - ACT techniques in OCD recovery - the role of spontaneity and play in mental health Car...

In this episode, I'm joined by Juliet Gustafson, a therapist who specializes in OCD treatment. We focused on relationship OCD and how to bring your partner into OCD treatment. We discuss.. - an overview of relationship OCD - ways in which relationship OCD can impact your partner - ways to bring your partner into treatment - resources for your partner to help cope and feel supported during this...

In this episode, I'm joined by Christina Ennabe, a therapist who specializes in OCD treatment as well as Inference Based CBT for OCD. We discuss.. - an overview of ICBT for OCD - what is inferential confusion? - what are some of the common cheats/tricks OCD plays - how ICBT is different (but not all that different) from ERP - how to learn more about ICBT Christina Ennabe is a licensed Anxiety,...

In this episode, I talk about how and why Exposure and Response Prevention works.  I discuss..  - an overview of Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) - the Habituation model - the Inhibitory Learning model - enhancing the effectiveness of ERP - and so much more  Head to my website at  www.jennaoverbaughlpc.com  to sign up for my free e-mail newsletter, grab your free "Imagine Your Recovered...

In this episode, I talk about the ways in which OCD and anxiety can make us misinterpret our thoughts as being significant.  I discuss..  - specific ways we can misinterpret thoughts in OCD and anxiety - common cognitive distortions in OCD and anxiety - how to practice mindfulness, acceptance, and general Exposure and Response Prevention related to these issues - overcoming fear and uncertainty  -...

In this episode, I talk about the difference between courage and confidence, as well as how to apply it to Exposure and Response Prevention for OCD and anxiety. I discuss..  - basic definitions of courage and confidence and highlights of their distinctions - Exposure and Response Prevention and how courage + confidence relate to facing fears - how to balance courage and confidence in OCD and anxie...

In this episode, I talk about the importance and benefits of social support in your OCD and anxiety recovery.  I discuss..  - the concept of social support and its significance in mental health recovery - the different types of support and which ones are best (and not so great) for OCD and anxiety - how to build and get the most out of a support network - overcoming challenges and stigma associate...

In this episode, I talk with OCD warrior and mental health advocate, Jessie Burnbaum, about her experience of living with OCD and a chronic illness.  Jessie co-founded the IOCDF Chronic Illness/Disability Speciality Interest Group and helps lead virtual meet-ups for the IOCDF Young Adult Special Interest Group. We discuss.. - the parallels of having a chronic illness and OCD - how OCD and anxiety...

In this episode, I discuss one of the most common rituals and safety behaviors in OCD and anxiety: mental review. While we all engage in the process of mentally reviewing old conversations and past events from time to time, when you have OCD and anxiety, this process can feel uncontrollable and lead to significant impairment and distress. I also talk about.. Examples of mental review and why givin...

Research shows that, up to 80% of the time, professionals will misdiagnose OCD when it is not a clear-cut, conventional subtype or manifestation (e.g., fear of germs, needing to have things be perfect). The frequency with which OCD is misdiagnosed has devastating and significant impacts. In this episode, I talk about why OCD gets misdiagnosed so often and what we can possibly do to reduce this iss...

In this episode, I talk about my opinions regarding what recovery looks like when you have OCD or anxiety. Specifically, I go over the chronic vs treatable debate, whether there is a "cure" for OCD/anxiety, and why, despite all of this, you can still live a beyond incredible life. I also talk about... What to expect out of your OCD and anxiety recovery journey, and where to stop wishful...

In this episode, I discuss depression as a common comorbidity of OCD. We chat about the realities of living with multiple mental health conditions and techniques for coping with both simultaneously. I also talk about.. Symptoms of OCD versus depression Behavioral action and why it's important when recovering from OCD and depression Incorporating behavioral action work into ERP Finding motivati...

In this episode, I discuss the importance of values in the manifestation and presentation of OCD and anxiety, including how OCD and anxiety can latch onto anything - typically what you value most. I also talk about.. Ways in which your values can help guide recovery goals How to identify your values in the first place Ways to leverage values work in your OCD and anxiety recovery to create better e...

In this episode, I share my thoughts and what you need to know about relationship OCD, or when a person struggles with obsessions and compulsions related to important relationships. Specifically, I cover... Common obsessions and compulsions associated with relationship OCD Non-conventional ways that relationship OCD can manifest, including with friends, family members, and coworkers What relations...

In this episode, I talk about how and why OCD can be so dang sneaky! I share my thoughts about the importance of identifying sneaky, subtle rituals you may be doing as well as what to do about them to make sure you’re getting the most out of your recovery. Specifically, I cover... Examples of common rituals you may be missing The importance of challenging avoidance Specific ways to challenge those...

In this episode, I discuss one of the recurring questions that I hear so many of my patients and followers asking. This also happens to be the one question I wish people wouldn't ask themselves during OCD and anxiety recovery. This question tends to be a distraction, an avoidance, and a broken compass on your treatment journey. What is normal? or, What would a normal person do? Specifically, I...

In this episode, I go over some of the things that someone could do in order to ensure that their OCD would get worse. In other words, we go over some surefire ways to ensure that OCD is winning (which we don't want!). But we also talk about what to do *instead*, so you can get the most out of your recovery. Specifically, we: - discussed some ways that are known to make the OCD cycle worse/str...

In honor of my upcoming focus group, “Journaling with Jenna”, I’m giving you all 5 journaling prompts along with my thoughts and responses to each of these topics.  These journaling prompts are aimed at helping you focus on your recovery so you can say hello to being present and centered in your recovery rather than focusing on getting from one compulsion to the next. Enjoy this sneak peek in...

In this episode, I share my thoughts about a journaling and whether it can be helpful or OCD and anxiety.  I talk about ways to tell whether you’re doing it in a way that’s helpful or not helpful for your recovery.  You'll learn .. - how to tell if journaling is great or not so great for YOUR recovery - some common elements of journaling that can turn compulsive - how to make your journa...

In this episode, I talk with Social Media Manager and Instagram Marketer, Sarah, about her experience with comparison, perfectionism, and mental health as it relates to social media.  We also talk about.. - her retirement from ballet and how perfectionism and comparison still come up in social media - how to take care of your mental health while still using social media for its many advantage...

In this episode, I talk with OCD warrior and mental health advocate, Morgan, about her experience with OCD, specifically "relationship OCD" and other themes. We also discuss.. - her history of being doubtful, even as a young girl and "always needing to know" - the difficulties that OCD gave her when it came to dating and forming intimate relationships, including getting engaged and planning h...

In this episode, I talk with author, advocate, and podcast host, Paris Prynkiewicz, about her experience with Bipolar Disorder.  We also discuss.. - how being a patient and employee in the behavioral health system showed her what needs to change  - the birth of Live Well Bipolar and the meaning behind the changes she made to prioritize her mental health - how you can get started with sup...

In this episode, I talked with Dr. Jesse Spiegel, a licensed clinical psychologist in California and New York who specializes in OCD, anxiety, and related conditions. Dr. Spiegel is also a clinical instructor in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. In this episode, we discuss.. - OCD and anxiety within the context of the family whe...

In this episode, I talked with Lauren, a mom who has been struggling with OCD since she was a young child.  She recently had an increase in OCD symptoms when she had her first baby.  We discuss.. - her symptoms of postpartum OCD as well as false memory OCD - her difficulty finding a therapist who can treat OCD and how she worked on helping herself with tools online - her advice to new mo...

In this episode, I talked with Robyn Stern, a licensed clinical social worker who specializes in treating Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD).  She was formally diagnosed with BDD when she was 22 years after several years of not knowing what was going on.  In this episode, we discuss.. - her misdiagnosis of anxiety and depression and how this often happens for people who have BDD - the ways i...