What does sexual orientation OCD (SO-OCD) actually look like, and how do we treat it? In this shorter vignette episode, Jess and Laura walk through the story of Lola, a heterosexual cis woman whose OCD has latched onto her sexual identity. We unpack what the fear is really about (spoiler: it's not homophobia), the compulsions that keep SO-OCD going, including checking for a "groinal response" (or as we call it, the sexy tingle), and why the line between psychoeducation and reassurance matters so much in therapy. We also cover where we'd start with Lola, worst-case-scenario experiments and the challenges of exposure work, how OCD shrinks your life, neurodivergent adaptations, and what we're actually aiming for in treatment. Plus, Jess breaks into song and there's a listener competition. Whether you're living with OCD, supporting someone who is, or you're a clinician wanting to feel more confident working with sexual orientation OCD, this one's for you. Topics: sexual orientation OCD, SO-OCD, relationship OCD, moral OCD, OCD and sexuality, intrusive thoughts, groinal response, OCD compulsions, ERP, CBT for OCD, reassurance seeking, neurodivergent OCD. 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: 01:00 Introduction and hello 03:20 What is a vignette 03:50 Why we picked a heterosexual cis woman 04:40 Overview of Lola' sexual orientation OCD 07:40 Homophobia fear 12:35 Jess breaks into song 13:40 The world is scary for trans people 14:25 Where would we start with Lola? 18:15 What compulsions we can see 20:00 What is a groinal response, or sexy tingle? 23:45 Psychoeducation vs reassurance 25:50 Listener competition 27:15 Worst case scenario experiment 30:00 General experiment challenges 34:20 OCD shrinks your life 37:10 We lose sight of things in therapy goals 43:10 Neurodivergent adaptions 45:00 General overview of working with SO OCD 48:20 What are we aiming for in therapy? 50:45 Feedback request 51:30 Thank you and goodbye Get in Touch: Got intrusive thoughts to share or questions for us: Email us at ocdcollectiveuk@gmail.com 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 Please check out our privacy policy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YJZ4Sdh4OpxjRR9twGY6dOMH9n55Mq6qTqLBxOtN3Fw/edit?usp=sharing 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.
