Dr Steven Phillipson and Sean: 'Sarnos' And Sean's Story (#533)
In this episode, clinical psychologist Dr. Steven Phillipson and his patient Sean discuss Sean’s experience with OCD, focusing on the concept of "Sarnos"—psychosomatic symptoms that arise from obsessive worries. Dr. Phillipson explains how exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the brain voice versus the gatekeeper voice, and confronting the urge to brag about symptoms can help break the cycle. Sean shares his personal challenges, including difficulty bragging and the anxiety that Sarnos provoke, illustrating how these strategies work in real life. The conversation offers practical insights into CBT techniques for managing OCD and somatic concerns.
Dr Sorcha O'Connor: The PsilOCD Study Investigating Low-Dose Psilocybin for OCD (#532)
In this episode, host Stuart Ralph talks with Dr. Saoirse O'Connor, a neuroscientist who led the PsilOCD study—the first controlled European trial of low‑dose psilocybin for obsessive‑compulsive disorder. The conversation covers the science of psilocybin, the study design (a 10 mg...
Story: Alex (Suicidal OCD, Existential OCD, Health Anxiety, I-CBT) (#531)
In this episode, host Stuart Ralph speaks with Alex, who shares his lived experience of severe OCD manifesting as suicidal, existential, health‑anxiety, and pedophilic intrusive thoughts. Alex explains how inference‑based CBT (I‑CBT) and medication, combined with support from his wife...
Story: Amy (Relationship OCD, Harm OCD, Contamination OCD) (#530)
In this episode, host Stuart Ralph talks with Amy about her lived experience with multiple forms of OCD, including relationship (ROCD), harm, and contamination obsessions that escalated into severe compulsions and disordered eating. Amy describes how the symptoms began subtly,...
Dr Jon Hoffman: Rethinking Mental Rituals: A Philosophical Conversation (#529)
In this episode, Dr. Jonathan Hoffman and host Stuart Ralph explore the concept of mental rituals—often called mental compulsions—in OCD, tracing their historical roots from early behaviorist ideas to modern clinical practice. Hoffman challenges the assumption that thoughts function as...
Jeff Bell: Lessons that OCD and Its Treatment Have Taught Jeff About Navigating Parkinson's (#528)
Jeff Bell, longtime OCD advocate and author, discusses how the strategies he honed treating OCD have helped him cope with a recent Parkinson’s disease diagnosis. In episode 528 of The OCD Stories, he explores the intersection of obsessive‑compulsive disorder, stoic...
Ethan Tuccienza: Exposure to Emotions (#527)
Licensed clinical social worker Ethan Tuccienza joins The OCD Stories podcast to discuss therapeutic approaches for managing intense emotions. He explains how dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and exposure and response prevention (ERP) can be applied to trauma, shame, and guilt,...