PSP 473: Is Your Child’s “Defiance” Actually Caused by OCD?
In this episode, child therapist Natasha Daniels explains how behaviors that seem like defiance or oppositionalism in kids often stem from OCD rather than willful disobedience. She outlines how avoidance compulsions, contamination fears, and rigid rituals can masquerade as difficult behavior, using examples like refusing chores, specific seating preferences, and laundry avoidance. Daniels emphasizes the importance of distinguishing OCD-driven actions from typical boundary‑testing so parents can respond with exposure‑based strategies and supportive scaffolding instead of punitive discipline. She also highlights that not all challenging behaviors are OCD‑related—some arise from executive‑function deficits or normal developmental push‑back—requiring tailored approaches.
PSP 470: Helping Kids with Just Right OCD
In this episode of the AT Parenting Survival Podcast, child therapist Natasha Daniels explains the often‑overlooked "Just Right" subtype of OCD, emphasizing that it is driven by a feeling of incompleteness rather than fear. She outlines how this theme can...
PSP 468: The 3 Stages Parents Go Through When Learning to Handle OCD (and Where You Might Be Stuck)
In this episode, child therapist Natasha Daniels outlines the three stages parents typically experience when learning to support a child with OCD: awareness (recognizing the diagnosis and grieving the loss of expectations), education (learning the counterintuitive nature of OCD and...
Why Adjusting Expectations Matters When Parenting a Child with Anxiety or OCD
In this episode, child therapist Natasha Daniels discusses why parents of children with anxiety or OCD need to regularly reassess their expectations. She outlines signs that unrealistic expectations are causing parental burnout and harming the child’s self‑esteem, such as constant...
The Power of the Pause in Your Child’s Anxiety and OCD
In this episode, child therapist Natasha Daniels explores the "power of the pause" when parenting children, teens, or young adults with anxiety, OCD, or related disorders. She explains how parental urgency—driven by the child's crisis feelings—can unintentionally reinforce anxiety cycles,...
An Important Difference Between Anxiety vs OCD Reassurance
In this episode, child therapist Natasha Daniels explains the crucial distinction between anxiety‑based reassurance and OCD‑based reassurance, showing how each serves different functions and can reinforce distinct patterns in children. She outlines why anxiety reassurance often creates dependency and undermines...
ARFID: Is It OCD, Anxiety, or an Eating Disorder?
In this episode, child therapist Natasha Daniels unpacks Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), clarifying its DSM‑5 criteria, the five sub‑types (avoidant, aversive, restrictive, mixed, and ARFID‑plus), and how they intersect with anxiety, OCD, and sensory processing issues. She shares...
OCD Compulsions Parents Don’t See
In this episode, child therapist Natasha Daniels explains that many OCD compulsions in children are hidden or subtle, such as mental rituals, reassurance‑seeking, and neutralizing thoughts, which parents often overlook. She outlines the two‑part OCD loop—intrusive thoughts or feelings followed...