Show Notes
In this episode of Breaking the Rules, we record from an unusual location — the bathroom floor of a public restroom — as we explore an increasingly popular social media trend: “clean girl culture.”
Across platforms like TikTok and Instagram, the clean girl aesthetic promotes a polished, minimalist lifestyle — natural makeup, tidy wardrobes, “clean” eating, and curated routines that appear effortless and healthy.
But when does a healthy routine become rigidity, anxiety, or compulsive behavior?
In this conversation we unpack how trends like clean girl culture can blur the line between wellbeing and preoccupation, and how certain aspects of the aesthetic can overlap with OCD patterns, particularly around contamination, checking, perfectionism, and the need for control.
We also explore the broader question clinicians and individuals often face: how do we know when something has gone too far?
In this episode we discuss:
What “clean girl culture” is and why it’s trending on social media The appeal of curated lifestyles and polished aesthetics When healthy habits start becoming rigid or anxiety-driven Parallels with orthorexia and other wellness trends How social media trends can reinforce perfectionism and control When checking, reassurance seeking, and contamination fears creep in How compulsive behaviours can sometimes hide behind socially rewarded habits The importance of flexibility, connection, and values when evaluating lifestyle choices Questions clinicians can ask when assessing whether a habit has become unhealthy
Ultimately, this episode isn’t about criticising trends — it’s about helping people reflect on the “why” behind their behaviours and recognizing when something that started as self-care begins to shrink a person’s life instead of expanding it.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
More from Breaking the Rules: A Clinician's Guide to Treating OCD
This one's for the parents. In this episode of Breaking the Rules, Dr Celin Gelgec and Dr Tori Miller tackle one of the most common questions they hear from families - I think my child might have OCD. Where do I even start?
OCD or Anxiety? It's Not a Black and White Question
ERP is the gold standard for OCD. But what happens when it's not enough on its own? In this episode of Breaking the Rules, Dr Celin Gelgec and Dr Tori Miller explore one of the most important — and least talked about — questions in OCD treatment: when and how to bring in other therapeutic modalities, and how to do it without abandoning the principles that make ERP work. Tori shares what traditional manualized ERP actually looked like in the early days of her career — rate your SUDS, watch the clock, wait for the anxiety to come down — and how the field has shifted since the inhibitory learning model changed the way we think about exposure. Celin reflects on her experience of always working in an integrated way, and why the principles of ACT have always felt like ERP to her — because they are. They also get honest about the moments when ERP becomes a battle. When the exposure menu turns into a war. When a client has every reason in the world not to engage — and what to do instead. Whether you're a clinician looking to expand your toolkit or someone living with OCD who's wondered why their therapist keeps talking about values and mindfulness - this episode will change how you think about what treatment can look like.
Four years in, and we're going back to basics. In this episode of Breaking the Rules, Celin and Tori walk through the full OCD assessment process from the ground up - because with new listeners joining and so much focus on treatment in recent episodes, it felt like the right time to start at the beginning.
When Therapists Spiral Too: What OCD Taught Us About Ourselves