Drinking Tea with Monsters: OCD, Mental Health, Pop Culture & Ghost Stories

Leela Dua
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Weekly

OCD is exhausting, isolating, and wildly misunderstood, so we made a podcast about it. Drinking Tea with Monsters is a weekly mental health podcast hosted by sisters Leela and Pri, where we get honest about what it's actually like to live with OCD and anxiety: the intrusive thoughts, the compulsions, the therapy wins, and the really hard days. But because OCD is heavy, we balance every episode with two other things we love: pop culture obsessions (think books, TV binges, viral trends, and celebrity deep-dives) and a true ghost story or paranormal tale to close things out. Because nothing quiets an anxious brain like a good scare. If you have OCD, love someone who does, or you've ever wondered whether your intrusive thoughts are unusual, this show is for you. New episodes every week. Topics covered: OCD subtypes, intrusive thoughts, ERP therapy, OCPD, dissociation, OCD in children, religious scrupulosity, relationship OCD, contamination OCD, ADHD, anxiety management, mental health support, how to get help, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 3d ago

    OCD, Community & True Crime Advocacy: Erika McCoy on the IOCDF, Mental Health & Whether Octopuses Are Bent on World Domination

    The octopuses are organizing. The IOCDF can help. Coincidence? Probably. This week on Drinking Tea with Monsters, the podcast about OCD and other less scary monsters, we open by diving deep, literally into the ocean to ask the question keeping us up at night: are octopuses plotting world domination? We investigate the evidence. It's not great. Then we're back with Erika McCoy, IOCDF advocate and artist, for part two of a conversation that just keeps giving. This week we go deeper into Erika's work with the International OCD Foundation, what the IOCDF actually does, how it can help you find community aligned to your special interests if you're living with OCD, and how you can get involved no matter where you are in your journey. Then Erika takes us somewhere unexpected: true crime advocacy, and the ways mental health is woven into that world more than most people realize. It's a perspective you won't hear anywhere else. No spooky story this week but fear not, we'll be back next week with more tea and more monsters. We promise. OCD IOCDF IOCDF Special Interest Groups IOCDF - Find a Therapist Not Alone Notes Vase Your Fears Erika McCoy FB: erika.mckenzie.391 IG: @creativitea_plus_mha TT: @creativitea_plus_mha OCD Resources IOCDF Psychology Today Looking for another cozy listen? 🎧 Check out Leela's other podcast, No Dating Till You're Married, an audiobook podcast. Gilmore Girls meets Crazy Rich Asians. Contact Us 📱 IG: @drinkingteawithmonsters 📧 EMAIL: drinkingteamwithmosters@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    36 min

  2. Jun 3

    OCD, Religious Scrupulosity & the Boy Meets World Breakup: Erika McCoy on Faith, Art & Healing

    OCD doesn't care that you loved Boy Meets World. Neither do we. This week on Drinking Tea with Monsters, the podcast about OCD and other less scary monsters, we open with the drama nobody asked for but everyone's talking about: Why did Ben Savage (Cory Matthews himself) ghost Danielle Fishel (Topanga), Rider Strong (Shawn), and Will Friedle (Eric)? We break down the Pod Meets World fallout, what it might mean, and yes, we're making it about mental health. Then we sit down with Erika McCoy, IOCDF advocate and artist, for a conversation that is equal parts raw and hopeful. Erika walks us through her personal OCD journey, including religious scrupulosity, the exhausting loop of reviewing, and how she found her way to healing through art. Whether you're newly diagnosed, years into recovery, or just OCD-curious, Erika is exactly the voice you need to hear. We close out with a deeply strange piece of internet history: a spooky story about soup, stretching from the early days of the web through YouTube and the rise of social media. You'll never look at a bowl of broth the same way. Bonus: We have Panera thoughts. Specifically broccoli cheddar soup thoughts. No notes. I'm totally obsessed with: Pod Meets World OCD IOCDF IOCDF Special Interest Groups IOCDF - Find a Therapist Not Alone Notes Vase Your Fears Erika McCoy FB: erika.mckenzie.391 IG: @creativitea_plus_mha TT: @creativitea_plus_mha OCD Resources IOCDF Psychology Today Looking for another cozy listen? 🎧 Check out Leela's other podcast, No Dating Till You're Married, an audiobook podcast. Gilmore Girls meets Crazy Rich Asians. Contact Us 📱 IG: @drinkingteawithmonsters 📧 EMAIL: drinkingteamwithmosters@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    50 min

  3. May 27

    OCD, Uncertainty & Intrusive Thoughts: Why Your Brain Won't Let Go (+ Garth Brooks Serial Killer Theory & a Virginia Ghost Story)

    This is a fan favourite episode, back by popular demand. OCD and uncertainty are a brutal combination, and this week we get into why. Leela unpacks what it actually feels like when your brain locks onto a thought and won't release it, how uncertainty fuels the OCD cycle, and the real strategies that help break it. Then things get chaotic in the best way. We investigate the viral theory that Garth Brooks might be a serial killer, and how comedian Tom Segura came to be a key witness. And we get into the social media algorithm and why it's making all of us a little more anxious than we need to be. We close with a ghost story: Pri tells the haunting tale of Mrs. Bagsby, the spectral resident of the Ubon Thai Victorian Restaurant and Inn in Staunton, Virginia. Unsettling, atmospheric, and absolutely worth staying for. For fans of true crime, paranormal stories, and honest mental health conversations. OCD Resources IOCDF Psychology Today Looking for another cozy listen? 🎧 Check out Leela's other podcast, No Dating Till You're Married, an audiobook podcast. Gilmore Girls meets Crazy Rich Asians. Contact Us 📱 IG: @drinkingteawithmonsters 📧 EMAIL: drinkingteamwithmosters@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 5m

  4. May 21

    The Devil Wears Prada 2, dissociation, and a haunted train

    In this episode of Drinking Tea With Monsters, the podcast about OCD and other, less scary monsters, we unpack the genius of Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway in the Devil Wears Prada 2. Then we take a page out of Lena Dunham's book, Famesick, and Pri walks us through dissociation. Pri and Leela both share their experiences. Leela takes us home with the haunting story of the Zanetti Train mystery. We're obsessed The Devil wears Prada 2 Yesteryear Letstalk.ocd's Post on the Devil Wears Prada and OCD The Cut The Carterhaugh School of Folklore and the Fantastic Manifest Resident Alien Remarkably Bright Creatures OCD IOCDF Looking for another cozy listen? 🎧 Check out Leela's other podcast, No Dating Till You're Married, an audiobook podcast. Gilmore Girls meets Crazy Rich Asians. Contact Us 📱 IG: @drinkingteawithmonsters 📧 EMAIL: drinkingteamwithmosters@gmail.com OCD Resources IOCDF Psychology Today Looking for another cozy listen? 🎧 Check out Leela's other podcast, No Dating Till You're Married, an audiobook podcast. Gilmore Girls meets Crazy Rich Asians. Contact Us 📱 IG: @drinkingteawithmonsters 📧 EMAIL: drinkingteamwithmosters@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    40 min

  5. May 14

    OCD Book Club: Famesick by Lena Dunham

    In this episode of Drinking Tea With Monsters, the podcast about OCD and other, less scary monsters, we dive into Famesick by Lena Dunham through the lens of OCD, What happens when ambition, anxiety, self-image, and obsession collide? We unpack the emotional undercurrents of fame culture, perfectionism, intrusive thoughts, the need to be seen, and the complicated relationship between authenticity and attention. This conversation moves beyond celebrity memoir discourse and into something more personal: the lengths we go to for approval, the stories we tell ourselves to stay in control, and the ways OCD can intertwine with creativity, shame, and visibility. Pour a cup of tea and join us for a thoughtful, messy, vulnerable discussion about obsession, art, and what it means to want connection while fearing exposure. Topics include: OCD, intrusive thoughts, fame culture, perfectionism, identity, anxiety, memoir writing, vulnerability, and compulsive behavior. Read... Famesick by Lena Dunham Watch... Tiny Furniture (HBO) Girls (HBO) Too Much (Netflix) OCD IOCDF Looking for another cozy listen? 🎧 Check out Leela's other podcast, No Dating Till You're Married, an audiobook podcast. Gilmore Girls meets Crazy Rich Asians. Contact Us 📱 IG: @drinkingteawithmonsters 📧 EMAIL: drinkingteamwithmosters@gmail.com OCD Resources IOCDF Psychology Today Looking for another cozy listen? 🎧 Check out Leela's other podcast, No Dating Till You're Married, an audiobook podcast. Gilmore Girls meets Crazy Rich Asians. Contact Us 📱 IG: @drinkingteawithmonsters 📧 EMAIL: drinkingteamwithmosters@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 13m

  6. May 6

    Big Mistakes, Better Days, and the Summerwind Mansion

    From the Kim and Kylie Kardashian, the Ross and Monica Geller, the David and Alexis Rose of OCD podcasting, in this week's Drinking Tea with Monsters, we’re catching up. From Dan Levy's Big Mistakes, to autobiographies we've read to the ones on our TBR. Leela share a surprisingly positive experience navigating OCD while traveling, where uncertainty didn’t win for once. And of course, no episode would be complete without a chilling tale: we’re diving into the eerie history of Summerwind Mansion, a place where reality feels just slightly… off. Pour yourself a cup and settle in, this one moves between fear, reflection, and a few ghosts that refuse to stay quiet. I'm Obsessed... Big Mistakes (Netflix) Deli Boys (Hulu) Mr. Blobby (Our nightmares) Autobiographies Ooh! What a Lovely Pair: Our Story by Ant and Dec Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick Famesick by Lena Dunham OCD IOCDF Looking for another cozy listen? 🎧 Check out Leela's other podcast, No Dating Till You're Married, an audiobook podcast. Gilmore Girls meets Crazy Rich Asians. Contact Us 📱 IG: @drinkingteawithmonsters 📧 EMAIL: drinkingteamwithmosters@gmail.com OCD Resources IOCDF Psychology Today Looking for another cozy listen? 🎧 Check out Leela's other podcast, No Dating Till You're Married, an audiobook podcast. Gilmore Girls meets Crazy Rich Asians. Contact Us 📱 IG: @drinkingteawithmonsters 📧 EMAIL: drinkingteamwithmosters@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 2m

  7. Apr 29

    Yoga With Snakes, Things I Didn’t Realize Were OCD, and Book Recommendations From a Ghost

    In this episode of Drinking Tea with Monsters, we dive into chaos with snake yoga, because apparently stretching is better when there are snakes involved… but is it actually relaxing? Of course, us being us, we take a few detours into the world of Australian soaps (Neighbors and Home and Away anyone?) and The OC, and the Jungle Book. It all makes sense when you listen, I promise! From there, we explore the subtle, often overlooked ways OCD can show up. The thoughts that slowly evolve so you don't realize they are OCD. What might feel like overthinking, could be something more. From repeating thoughts, feeling just right, to indecision, we talk about how to recognize the thoughts, and the recognizing the differences between regular overthinking and OCD.. We wrap things up with a chilling encounter with a ghost in a library, complete with eerie vibes and unexpected book recommendations. If you love weird wellness trends, mental health discussions, and spooky stories, this episode blends humor, curiosity, and the supernatural in true Drinking Tea with Monsters fashion. I'm Obsessed... Neighbors  Home and Away The OC The Jungle Book Book List Anxious People by Fredrik Backman A man called Ove by Fredrik Backman Beartown by Fredrik Backman My Friends by Fredrik Backman A Woman is No Man by Etaf Rum OCD IOCDF Looking for another cozy listen? 🎧 Check out Leela's other podcast, No Dating Till You're Married, an audiobook podcast. Gilmore Girls meets Crazy Rich Asians. Contact Us 📱 IG: @drinkingteawithmonsters 📧 EMAIL: drinkingteamwithmosters@gmail.com OCD Resources IOCDF Psychology Today Looking for another cozy listen? 🎧 Check out Leela's other podcast, No Dating Till You're Married, an audiobook podcast. Gilmore Girls meets Crazy Rich Asians. Contact Us 📱 IG: @drinkingteawithmonsters 📧 EMAIL: drinkingteamwithmosters@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    51 min

  8. Apr 22

    TV Comebacks, OCD Dread, and the Tragic Love of Pedro & Inês

    In this latest episode of Drinking Tea with Monsters, the podcast about OCD and other, less scary monsters, we dive into the newest TV shows, including Rooster, The Comeback, and Big Mistakes. That’s right: favorites Steve Carell, Lisa Kudrow, and Dan Levy are all back on our screens. Find out which series we’re most excited about in our TV watchlist preview. Then Pri and Leela take a deeper look at a point Elena Fasan mentioned in her interview, unpacking the unsettling theme of OCD dread and its parallels in horror media like Insidious and The Haunting of Hill House. This segment explores anxiety, intrusive thoughts, and the overlap between psychological horror and real-life OCD experiences. Finally, Pri brings us home as we “Drink Tea with Monsters,” exploring the haunting true love story of Pedro I of Portugal and Inês de Castro, a tragic historical romance filled with devotion, loss, and legend. Blending pop culture commentary, TV analysis, mental health themes, and dark history, this episode is perfect for fans of podcasts about TV shows, OCD, psychological horror, and tragic love stories. Tune in for the eerie vibes. TV Show Watchlist Rooster (HBO) The Comeback (HBO) Big Mistakes (Netflix) Deli Boys (Hulu) Shrinking (Apple TV) Scrubs Reboot (Hulu) Scrubs (Hulu) The Americans (Disney+ / Hulu) The Koreans (Coming in 2026/2027) Squid Games (Netflix) Insidious (HBO) The Haunting of Hill House (Netflix) Ghosts (CBS) OCD Elena Fasan is a licensed clinical social worker who treats children, adolescents, and emerging adults diagnosed with OCD, anxiety disorders, and OC spectrum disorders. She founded and is the director of the Children’s OCD & Anxiety Collective in Los Angeles and has worked as an adjunct professor teaching child development classes. She also has lived experience with OCD, depression, and skin picking. Children's OCD and Anxiety Collective Parenting OCD IOCDF IG: @parenting_ocd Looking for another cozy listen? 🎧 Check out Leela's other podcast, No Dating Till You're Married, an audiobook podcast. Gilmore Girls meets Crazy Rich Asians. Contact Us 📱 IG: @drinkingteawithmonsters 📧 EMAIL: drinkingteamwithmosters@gmail.com OCD Resources IOCDF Psychology Today Looking for another cozy listen? 🎧 Check out Leela's other podcast, No Dating Till You're Married, an audiobook podcast. Gilmore Girls meets Crazy Rich Asians. Contact Us 📱 IG: @drinkingteawithmonsters 📧 EMAIL: drinkingteamwithmosters@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 2m
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About

OCD is exhausting, isolating, and wildly misunderstood, so we made a podcast about it. Drinking Tea with Monsters is a weekly mental health podcast hosted by sisters Leela and Pri, where we get honest about what it's actually like to live with OCD and anxiety: the intrusive thoughts, the compulsions, the therapy wins, and the really hard days. But because OCD is heavy, we balance every episode with two other things we love: pop culture obsessions (think books, TV binges, viral trends, and celebrity deep-dives) and a true ghost story or paranormal tale to close things out. Because nothing quiets an anxious brain like a good scare. If you have OCD, love someone who does, or you've ever wondered whether your intrusive thoughts are unusual, this show is for you. New episodes every week. Topics covered: OCD subtypes, intrusive thoughts, ERP therapy, OCPD, dissociation, OCD in children, religious scrupulosity, relationship OCD, contamination OCD, ADHD, anxiety management, mental health support, how to get help, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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