Values, Paradox, and OCD: Finding Flexibility in the Tension
Breaking the Rules: A Clinician's Guide to Treating OCDShow Notes
In this thought-provoking episode of Breaking the Rules, the hosts explore how values and paradox show up in the therapy room—especially when working with clients who experience OCD. Drawing from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) principles, they discuss how being “fused” with one’s values can keep clients stuck in rigidity, perfectionism, and fear of imperfection. The conversation dives into the art of helping clients find flexibility between competing values—like control vs trust, safety vs freedom, and perfectionism vs growth—and how learning to hold both truths can open the door to meaningful change. They also unpack how clinicians can use values-based reflection, curiosity, and compassion to move clients beyond “sitting with uncertainty” toward truly living aligned, balanced lives.
💬 Key themes: • What it means to be fused with thoughts and values • Common paradoxes in OCD (purity vs imperfection, safety vs health, control vs trust) • Using values work to build insight and reduce rigidity • The connection between values, uncertainty, and acceptance • Why “sit with uncertainty” isn’t enough without context • Mapping paradoxes and value clashes in therapy • How building self-concept helps clients reclaim life beyond OCD
🔖 Chapters 00:00 Introduction: Values and Paradox in OCD 02:00 What It Means to Be Fused with Thoughts and Values 05:00 Why Clients Get Stuck in Rigidity 08:00 Common Paradoxes in OCD 11:00 The Cost of Perfectionism and Fear of Imperfection 14:00 Exploring Value Clashes in Therapy 17:00 Building Insight and Flexibility 20:00 Beyond “Sit with Uncertainty”: Context and Meaning 22:30 Rebuilding Self and Identity Outside OCD
#OCD #TherapyPodcast #AcceptanceAndCommitmentTherapy #MentalHealthMatters #ValuesBasedTherapy #ACT #BreakingTheRulesPodcast #ClinicianSupport #OCDRecovery #TherapyTalk #UncertaintyTolerance Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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