Show Notes
Ever watched someone you love spiral and had no idea what to do — so you just… answered the question? Yeah. This week we're talking directly to the OCD support squad: partners, parents, siblings, and anyone else who's been accidentally colluding with OCD while trying to be a good human. We cover why OCD feels the way it does (brain spam, basically), the sneaky reassurance traps even the most well-meaning loved ones fall into, what to actually say instead, and how to look after yourself in all of this. Warm, honest, occasionally chaotic, and featuring Laura's chunky rims and some words that made Jess blush.
Podcast by Laura Mole, Adv. Dip, MBACP OCD specialist therapist and Jessica Hayes, Msc PGDip, BABCP Accred OCD and perinatal specialist therapist Edited by Christian Nickson
Time stamps: 00:40 Introductions and chunky rims 02:30 What we are covering and upcoming episodes 03:50 Brain spam 07:20 Recap of the OCD cycle 10:15 How OCD feels to someone with it 13:46 An example of what OCD is like for the person 18:00 Example of the impact of OCD on their loved one 20:02 Family accommodation and reinforcing the OCD 22:15 Reducing reassurance in a gradual and supportive way 26:42 Expectations and time frames for dropping reassurance 27:45 The reassurance trap and sneaky reassurance 30:30 Phrases to use instead of reassurance 31:15 The reassurance book 33:42 Validating the emotion, not the thoughts 34:30 Reassuring the person, not the OCD phrases 35:45 Managing the shame of a 'failed' exposure 36:40 Balancing care vs colliding with OCD when you need to manage your own emotions 39:07 Attending a therapy session 41:19 How to support exposures or behavioural experiments 47:18 Helping to advocate for a loved one with OCD 49:50 Neurodivergent considerations 52:10 Support for the supporter 54:00 What if the loved one doesn't want help? 57:18 What people with OCD want you to know 1:00:15 Do's and dont's 1:02:48 OCD Wins of the Week 1:04:13 Exposure Lab 1:06:15 Goodbye!
Get in Touch: Got intrusive thoughts to share or questions for us: Email us at [email protected] Follow us on Instagram and Tiktok: @justcheckingpod For our individual OCD pages, you can find Laura on Tiktok and Instagram as @ocdtherapylaura and Jess as @jess_helps_your_ocd
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Content Warnings: We do reference some thoughts that people may find distressing so please listen with caution if this is you, and take a break if you need to.
Disclaimer This podcast provides educational content only and is not a substitute for professional mental health support, please contact a mental health professional for advice and support.
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