The OCD Whisperer Podcast with Kristina Orlova

Kristina Orlova
  • 4.7 (81)
  • Mental Health
  • Weekly

If your mind keeps looping, second-guessing, or making things feel too real — this podcast is for you. The OCD Whisperer Podcast explores OCD, anxiety, and the patterns that keep us stuck — including perfectionism, overthinking, fear, and self-doubt. Through honest conversations and personal stories, the show looks at how these experiences shape our lives and how people begin to relate to them differently. Hosted by Kristina Orlova, a licensed therapist with lived experience of OCD, the podcast brings together clinicians, creatives, athletes, and everyday people. Episodes are reflective, human, and grounded in approaches that are known to help — while still making space for nuance, curiosity, and real-life complexity. This is a space for anyone who has questioned themselves, felt overwhelmed, or wondered what’s actually happening beneath the surface — and how to move forward without feeling trapped in your own mind.

  1. 5d ago

    206. Why You Can't Stop Overthinking Every Decision (Optimization OCD)

    Why does looking for the best option leave you more stuck than when you started?   In this solo episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova, LMFT, an OCD and anxiety specialist, breaks down what people are calling optimization OCD: when a choice can't be just good enough, it has to be the best. If you're overthinking every decision, rechecking choices you've already made, or stuck in decision paralysis, this episode explains why the checking keeps going and what to practice instead.   This episode dives into: • Why optimization OCD isn't an official diagnosis, and where the term came from (OCD therapist Shala Nicely) • Why it's usually not fear of a mistake, but "What if there's a better option I haven't found yet?" • What it can look like: a trip, a $20 purchase, your breakfast, your routine, your whole Saturday • Compulsions that look reasonable: researching, comparing, ranking, spreadsheets, and asking for reassurance • How to tell the difference between being thorough and being stuck • Why checking makes you less sure, not more (the 2003 virtual gas stove study) • Why the list of things you need to be sure about gets longer, not shorter • What research on "maximizers" says about regret, happiness, and OCD tendencies • Why the best choice usually can't be known ahead of time, and why relief never lasts • 3 things to practice: notice the "one more," choose good enough on purpose, and let it stay decided • What progress looks like, and when to reach out to a clinician trained in OCD and ERP   Whether you're struggling with perfectionism, overthinking, reassurance seeking, or decision paralysis, this episode offers a practical way to make a choice and let it be good enough.   Good enough isn't giving up on your life. A lot of the time, it's how you get it back.   🔎 Find an OCD specialist (IOCDF Resource Directory): https://iocdf.org/find-help/ 🎧 Listen next: Episode 202, "Why OCD Makes You Think Your Thoughts Mean Something" → https://ocdwhisperer.podbean.com/e/202-why-ocd-makes-you-think-your-thoughts-mean-something/ 💬 Tell me in the comments: what do you get stuck optimizing?   ✂️ TIMESTAMPS: [00:00] – Why Can't You Stop Looking for a Better Option? [01:11] – What Is Optimization OCD? [01:56] – Is It Fear of a Mistake, or Fear of Missing the Best? [02:12] – What Can Optimization OCD Look Like? [02:58] – What Do Optimization OCD Compulsions Look Like? [03:36] – Are You Being Thorough or Stuck? [04:23] – Why Does Checking Make You Less Sure? [05:36] – What Does Research Say About Maximizers? [06:16] – Why Can't You Know the Best Choice Ahead of Time? [06:56] – Step 1: How Do You Notice the "One More"? [07:18] – Step 2: How Do You Choose Good Enough on Purpose? [07:54] – Step 3: How Do You Let a Decision Stay Decided? [08:32] – What Does Progress Look Like? [08:52] – When Should You Get Help From an OCD Specialist?   ✅ Resources & Links 🎁 Free OCD Survival Kit & Weekly Newsletter → https://subscribepage.io/korresults 🧥 The "you are more than your thoughts" hoodie → https://ocd-whisperer-shop.fourthwall.com 📖 OCD CBT Journal → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DTTWJDKB 🌐 Website → https://www.korresults.com/   📲 Stay Connected Facebook: www.facebook.com/korresults Instagram: www.instagram.com/ocdwhisperer/ TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@ocdwhisperer Twitter (X): www.x.com/korresults Website: https://www.korresults.com/ Website podcast: www.theocdwhisperer.com   📩 Business Inquiries: info@theocdwhisperer.com   ✅ About OCD Whisperer Welcome to OCD Whisperer! Each episode shares tools and insights for OCD recovery, managing intrusive thoughts, ERP therapy, CBT techniques, anxiety relief, and mindfulness practices. Join me for expert interviews and personal insights into overcoming OCD. Subscribe to find support, strategies, and hope for your OCD journey.   ⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note while the host is a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in OCD and anxiety disorders in the state of California, this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for therapy.   🔑 SEO Keywords optimization OCD, overthinking decisions, how to stop overthinking, decision paralysis, analysis paralysis, perfectionism OCD, OCD checking, checking compulsions, reassurance seeking, maximizer vs satisficer, fear of making the wrong decision, good enough, ERP therapy, OCD treatment, OCD recovery, Shala Nicely, OCD Whisperer   © OCD Whisperer

    206. Why You Can't Stop Overthinking Every Decision (Optimization OCD)

  2. Oct 24

    205. Why You Can't Stop Your Intrusive Thoughts

    Why does trying harder to stop an intrusive thought only make it louder?   In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Dr. Reid Wilson, director of the Anxiety Disorders Treatment Center in Chapel Hill, NC, and author of the new book Quiet Your OCD Brain. Together, they explore why fighting intrusive thoughts keeps OCD going, and why recovery is about working smarter, not harder.   This conversation dives into: • How Dr. Wilson started treating anxiety and OCD • Why you can know a thought is irrational and still not be able to stop thinking about it • Why OCD works from the “top down” and doesn’t care which topic it picks • The question to ask when a thought grabs you: “Do I want this, or am I being told to do this?” • Why awareness alone isn’t enough, and what your counter-move should be • What to do when relationship, harm, or morality fears feel real and personal • What to do in the moment when you’re replaying a conversation in your head • What it means to treat a worry “as nothing,” even when it doesn’t feel like nothing • Why your amygdala won’t simply believe “it’s nothing,” and why repetition matters • How postponing your worry for a few hours turns into practice, and sometimes into forgetting about it • How metacognitive therapy, ERP, and CBT differ, and why Dr. Wilson says all therapy is exposure   Whether you’re struggling with intrusive thoughts, rumination, relationship OCD, harm OCD, or scrupulosity, this episode offers a practical way to stop fighting the content of your thoughts and start changing how you respond. You don’t have to work harder at it. You just have to work a little smarter.   📲 About Dr. Reid Wilson (guest): • Author, Quiet Your OCD Brain: A Game-Changing Metacognitive Workbook to Defeat Obsessions & Compulsions • Webpage: https://anxieties.com/ • Facebook: www.facebook.com/anxietiesdotcom • Instagram: www.instagram.com/rreidwilson/ • YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCy8zkj7l_XADYW3pKumSuvA • Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1648486800   ✂️ TIMESTAMPS: [00:00] – Why Can't You Stop Your Intrusive Thoughts? [00:40] – How Did Dr. Reid Wilson Start Treating Anxiety and OCD? [05:04] – Why Does Fighting Intrusive Thoughts Make OCD Worse? [06:12] – Why Doesn't OCD Care What Topic It Picks? [08:11] – Do I Want This, or Am I Being Told to Do This? [10:32] – Why Isn't Awareness Enough to Break the OCD Cycle? [11:10] – What Is Your Counter-Move When OCD Shows Up? [12:51] – What If Your Intrusive Thoughts Feel Real and Personal? [15:31] – How Do You Stop Replaying a Conversation in Your Head? [16:49] – Why Treat the Worry as Nothing? [20:36] – Why Does OCD Recovery Take So Much Repetition? [22:43] – How Does Postponing Your Worry Help With OCD? [24:52] – Metacognitive Therapy vs. ERP vs. CBT: What's the Difference? [29:16] – Where to Find Dr. Wilson and His New OCD Workbook   ✅ Resources & Links 🎁 Free OCD Survival Kit & Weekly Newsletter → https://subscribepage.io/korresults 🧥 The "you are more than your thoughts" hoodie → https://ocd-whisperer-shop.fourthwall.com 📖 OCD CBT Journal → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DTTWJDKB 🌐 Website → https://www.korresults.com/   📲 Stay Connected Facebook: www.facebook.com/korresults Instagram: www.instagram.com/ocdwhisperer/ TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@ocdwhisperer Twitter (X): www.x.com/korresults Website: https://www.korresults.com/ Website podcast: www.theocdwhisperer.com   📩 Business Inquiries: info@theocdwhisperer.com   ✅ About OCD Whisperer Welcome to OCD Whisperer! Each episode shares tools and insights for OCD recovery, managing intrusive thoughts, ERP therapy, CBT techniques, anxiety relief, and mindfulness practices. Join me for expert interviews and personal insights into overcoming OCD. Subscribe to find support, strategies, and hope for your OCD journey.   ⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note while the host is a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in OCD and anxiety disorders in the state of California, this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for therapy.   🔑 SEO Keywords intrusive thoughts, how to stop intrusive thoughts, why can't I stop intrusive thoughts, intrusive thoughts OCD, stop fighting intrusive thoughts, metacognitive therapy for OCD, Reid Wilson OCD, Quiet Your OCD Brain, ERP therapy, OCD treatment, OCD recovery, OCD rumination, replaying conversations OCD, relationship OCD, harm OCD, scrupulosity OCD, OCD Whisperer   © OCD Whisperer

    205. Why You Can't Stop Your Intrusive Thoughts

  3. Oct 17

    204. Why You Have to Stop Checking Your OCD Thoughts

    Why do you know it's just a thought, but still feel the need to check what it means?   In this episode, Kristina explores: • Why OCD can make an intrusive thought feel urgent, real, and impossible to ignore • How repeatedly checking your thoughts, feelings, and memories can become a mental compulsion • Why you might feel better after checking, only to find yourself questioning everything again • How OCD turns an ordinary doubt into something you feel you must resolve before moving on • Why rereading messages, reviewing conversations, and checking your reactions can keep the OCD cycle going • How sexual intrusive thoughts can lead to mentally testing your feelings and reactions • Why trying to prove what a thought means can keep you trapped in a cycle of doubt • How to recognize mental compulsions that may be happening without you even realizing it • What response prevention looks like in everyday situations, including leaving a message alone while uncertainty remains • Why having a thought is different from actively analyzing and investigating it • How repeatedly searching online, replaying information, or asking AI for reassurance can become part of the OCD cycle • How to return to everyday activities without first needing to feel completely certain or make an intrusive thought disappear • Why progress can mean spending less time checking, even when uncomfortable thoughts are still present   If OCD keeps convincing you that you need to check one more time, replay a memory, test your feelings, or find the perfect explanation before you can move on, this episode can help you recognize the pattern and understand how to start responding differently. You don't have to make a thought disappear before you return to your life.   ✂️ TIMESTAMPS: [00:00] – Why Does an OCD Thought Feel So Real? [02:57] – How to Respond When You Doubt Something You Said or Did [03:32] – Sexual Intrusive Thoughts: Why You Keep Checking Your Reactions [04:53] – Three Steps to Practice OCD Response Prevention [06:02] – How to Let an Intrusive Thought Be There Without Engaging With It [06:47] – Why You Don't Have to Make a Thought Disappear [07:45] – When Searching Online or Asking AI Becomes Reassurance Seeking [08:44] – How to Recognize Progress in OCD Recovery [09:35] – When to Seek Professional Help for OCD Checking   ✅ Resources & Links 🎁 Free OCD Survival Kit & Weekly Newsletter → https://subscribepage.io/korresults 🧥 The "you are more than your thoughts" hoodie → https://ocd-whisperer-shop.fourthwall.com 📖 OCD CBT Journal → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DTTWJDKB 🌐 Website → https://www.korresults.com/   📲 Stay Connected Facebook: www.facebook.com/korresults Instagram: www.instagram.com/ocdwhisperer/ TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@ocdwhisperer Twitter (X): www.x.com/korresults Website: https://www.korresults.com/ Website podcast: www.theocdwhisperer.com   📩 Business Inquiries: info@theocdwhisperer.com   ✅ About OCD Whisperer Welcome to OCD Whisperer! Each episode shares tools and insights for OCD recovery, managing intrusive thoughts, ERP therapy, CBT techniques, anxiety relief, and mindfulness practices. Join me for expert interviews and personal insights into overcoming OCD. Subscribe to find support, strategies, and hope for your OCD journey.   ⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note while the host is a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in OCD and anxiety disorders in the state of California, this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for therapy.   🔑 SEO Keywords OCD, intrusive thoughts OCD, OCD intrusive thoughts, OCD checking, OCD mental compulsions, OCD rumination, OCD reassurance seeking, response prevention, ERP therapy, exposure and response prevention, how to stop OCD checking, sexual intrusive thoughts OCD, sexual obsessions OCD, checking feelings OCD, mental rituals OCD, OCD thought loops, OCD overthinking, how to stop analyzing thoughts, intrusive thoughts feel real, OCD anxiety, uncertainty OCD, OCD treatment, OCD recovery, OCD self doubt, compulsive checking, reassurance seeking OCD, how to manage intrusive thoughts, OCD specialist, OCD Whisperer   © OCD Whisperer

    204. Why You Have to Stop Checking Your OCD Thoughts

  4. Oct 3

    203. Why OCD Makes You Think You Need to Figure It Out

    What if the thing you think is helping your OCD is actually making it stronger?   In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Connor Stout, who was diagnosed with OCD at age 10 and now uses his lived experience to help others navigate OCD and mental health challenges.   In this episode, Connor opens up about: • Why asking for help felt like a sign of weakness • How stigma around men and vulnerability affected his willingness to speak up • Why he sometimes believed talking about his OCD thoughts could make them come true • What it was like carrying OCD and difficult emotions silently for months • How staying silent actually made his OCD and depressive feelings stronger • How his OCD changed from visible compulsions into mental compulsions and rumination • Why rumination can feel like you're genuinely solving a problem • How rumination can provide short-term relief while making OCD stronger in the long run • Why it's sometimes difficult to tell “Is this OCD or is this me?” • How learning to identify and label rumination helped Connor recognize the OCD cycle • Why falling back into rumination doesn't mean you've lost your recovery progress • How knowledge and awareness helped him recognize his mental compulsions   Whether you're struggling with OCD, intrusive thoughts, rumination, anxiety, or asking for help, Connor's story is a reminder that you don't have to figure everything out alone. Sometimes the first step isn't solving the thought. It's recognizing what your brain is doing... and letting someone else into the conversation.   📲 About Connor Stout (guest): • Mental Health Advocate • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stillgood_wellness/   ✂️ TIMESTAMPS: [00:00] – Connor’s OCD Story: Why Asking for Help Was So Difficult [03:15] – Why Did He Think Talking About OCD Could Make His Thoughts Come True? [04:47] – How Social Expectations Around Men Can Make It Hard to Ask for Help [06:15] – What Is the Cost of Staying Silent About OCD? [08:27] – What Does Rumination Actually Feel Like? [10:37] – Why Does Rumination Feel Like Problem-Solving? [12:10] – Why Does Rumination Give Short-Term Relief but Make OCD Worse? [13:41] – How Can You Start Stepping Away From OCD Rumination? [15:29] – What Would Connor Tell His Younger Self About OCD? [17:13] – What Should Men Hear If They’re Struggling but Afraid to Ask for Help? [18:17] – Why Opening Up Can Help You Realize You’re Not Alone [19:32] – Why You Should Check In on the People You Love [21:02] – Where to Find Connor and Learn More About His OCD Journey   ✅ Resources & Links 🎁 Free OCD Survival Kit & Weekly Newsletter → https://subscribepage.io/korresults 🧥 The "you are more than your thoughts" hoodie → https://ocd-whisperer-shop.fourthwall.com 📖 OCD CBT Journal → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DTTWJDKB 🌐 Website → https://www.korresults.com/   📲 Stay Connected Facebook: www.facebook.com/korresults Instagram: www.instagram.com/ocdwhisperer/ TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@ocdwhisperer Twitter (X): www.x.com/korresults Website: https://www.korresults.com/ Website podcast: www.theocdwhisperer.com   📩 Business Inquiries: info@theocdwhisperer.com   ✅ About OCD Whisperer Welcome to OCD Whisperer! Each episode shares tools and insights for OCD recovery, managing intrusive thoughts, ERP therapy, CBT techniques, anxiety relief, and mindfulness practices. Join me for expert interviews and personal insights into overcoming OCD. Subscribe to find support, strategies, and hope for your OCD journey.   ⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note while the host is a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in OCD and anxiety disorders in the state of California, this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for therapy.   🔑 SEO Keywords OCD rumination, OCD rumination explained, rumination OCD, mental compulsions OCD, OCD intrusive thoughts, intrusive thoughts, OCD recovery, OCD anxiety, OCD compulsions, hidden OCD compulsions, mental compulsions, how to stop rumination, OCD overthinking, obsessive thoughts, OCD thought loops, OCD treatment, ERP therapy, exposure response prevention, asking for help OCD, OCD support, living with OCD, men and mental health, men asking for help, OCD stigma, OCD awareness, anxiety and OCD, OCD mental health, OCD recovery journey, OCD Whisperer   © OCD Whisperer

    203. Why OCD Makes You Think You Need to Figure It Out

  5. Sep 26

    202. Why OCD Makes You Think Your Thoughts Mean Something

    What if your OCD thoughts actually mean something about who you are?   In this episode, Kristina explores: • Why OCD can make an intrusive thought feel like evidence • Why feeling convinced does not mean something is true • How anxiety, urgency, discomfort, doubt, and conviction can all feel incredibly convincing • Why mentally analyzing a thought can become a compulsion • How OCD turns ordinary thoughts into something that feels like a problem you must solve • Why trying to prove whether a thought is true or false can keep the OCD cycle going • The difference between having a thought and treating that thought as a message • Why some thoughts suddenly feel more important than thousands of other thoughts you have every day • How to start focusing on the OCD process instead of endlessly debating the content of the thought • Why recovery involves learning not to measure reality by how convinced you feel   If OCD keeps convincing you that you need to understand, analyze, prove, or decode a thought before you can move on, this conversation may help you recognize what is actually keeping the cycle alive.   ✂️ TIMESTAMPS: [00:00] – What If My OCD Thoughts Actually Mean Something About Me? [01:38] – Why Does OCD Make Certain Thoughts Feel So Important and Meaningful? [03:00] – Why Can an OCD Thought Feel Completely True When It Isn’t? [04:06] – Why Does Feeling Convincing Become “Evidence” in OCD? [04:37] – How Does Trying to Figure Out a Thought Keep OCD Going? [06:08] – Why Does OCD Make You Treat One Thought Differently From Everything Else? [07:07] – What Question Should You Ask Instead of “What If This Thought Means Something?” [07:52] – How Do You Stop Treating Every Disturbing Thought Like a Message?   ✅ Resources & Links 🎁 Free OCD Survival Kit & Weekly Newsletter → https://subscribepage.io/korresults 🧥 The "you are more than your thoughts" hoodie → https://ocd-whisperer-shop.fourthwall.com 📖 OCD CBT Journal → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DTTWJDKB 🌐 Website → https://www.korresults.com/   📲 Stay Connected Facebook: www.facebook.com/korresults Instagram: www.instagram.com/ocdwhisperer/ TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@ocdwhisperer Twitter (X): www.x.com/korresults Website: https://www.korresults.com/ Website podcast: www.theocdwhisperer.com   📩 Business Inquiries: info@theocdwhisperer.com   ✅ About OCD Whisperer Welcome to OCD Whisperer! Each episode shares tools and insights for OCD recovery, managing intrusive thoughts, ERP therapy, CBT techniques, anxiety relief, and mindfulness practices. Join me for expert interviews and personal insights into overcoming OCD. Subscribe to find support, strategies, and hope for your OCD journey.   ⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note while the host is a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in OCD and anxiety disorders in the state of California, this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for therapy.   🔑 SEO Keywords OCD thoughts, intrusive thoughts OCD, OCD intrusive thoughts, what if thoughts OCD, OCD thoughts meaning, why OCD thoughts feel real, OCD rumination, OCD compulsions, OCD reassurance seeking, OCD anxiety, obsessive thoughts, unwanted thoughts, disturbing thoughts OCD, how to stop analyzing thoughts, OCD overthinking, OCD thought loops, OCD recovery, ERP therapy, exposure response prevention, OCD treatment, trusting yourself with OCD, uncertainty OCD, OCD mental compulsions, mental compulsions, OCD self doubt, OCD false beliefs, OCD thought meaning, OCD specialist, OCD Whisperer   © OCD Whisperer

    202. Why OCD Makes You Think Your Thoughts Mean Something

  6. Sep 19

    201. Why You Can’t Stop Comparing Yourself to Your Partner’s Ex (OCD)

    Can’t stop thinking about your partner’s ex? You might be caught in the OCD cycle of retroactive jealousy.   In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Danielle Jhiani of My OCD Coach, an anxiety and OCD recovery coach with lived experience of OCD. Together, they explore retroactive jealousy, relationship OCD, intrusive thoughts, compulsive reassurance seeking, and the exhausting search for certainty about a partner’s past.   Danielle opens up about: • Her own experience with OCD across multiple different themes and how that led her to become an OCD recovery coach • Why the brain can become obsessed with a partner’s past relationships, exes, sexual experiences, appearance, and history • The hidden compulsions that can keep retroactive jealousy and relationship OCD going • How learning to recognize and stop compulsions became an important part of her own recovery   Whether you’re struggling with retroactive jealousy, relationship OCD, intrusive thoughts about your partner’s past, reassurance seeking, or obsessive comparison, this episode offers practical insight into recognizing the cycle, responding differently to uncertainty, and building a healthier relationship with your thoughts.    📲 About Danielle Jhiani (guest): • OCD and anxiety recovery coach • Webpage: https://www.myocdcoach.com/ • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/my_ocd_coach/   ✂️ TIMESTAMPS: [00:00] – What Is Retroactive Jealousy and Why Does the Mind Get Stuck on a Partner’s Past? [04:02] – What Are the Most Common Obsessions in Retroactive Jealousy? [06:19] – What Compulsions Keep Retroactive Jealousy and Relationship OCD Going? [10:17] – Why Do We Analyze Our Partner’s Reactions and Responses? [11:28] – Why Doesn’t Getting One More Detail Ever Give You Enough Certainty? [13:24] – What’s the Difference Between Healthy Curiosity and Retroactive Jealousy? [15:55] – What Should You Do When Intrusive Thoughts or Images About Your Partner’s Ex Won’t Go Away? [19:12] – How Do You Get Unstuck When OCD Keeps Replaying Your Partner’s Past? [22:26] – What Does Recovery From Retroactive Jealousy Actually Look Like? [25:18] – Why Did Danielle Choose OCD Coaching Instead of Becoming a Therapist? [28:20] – How Can Tracking Compulsions Help With OCD Recovery? [29:52] – How Can You Recognize When OCD Is Starting to Creep Back In? [32:37] – Why Can Lived Experience Help Someone Understand OCD Compulsions? [33:36] – What Should You Look For in an OCD Therapist or Coach? [35:31] – Why Becoming an Informed Consumer Matters in OCD Treatment?   ✅ Resources & Links 🎁 Free OCD Survival Kit & Weekly Newsletter → https://subscribepage.io/korresults 🧥 The "you are more than your thoughts" hoodie → https://ocd-whisperer-shop.fourthwall.com 📖 OCD CBT Journal → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DTTWJDKB 🌐 Website → https://www.korresults.com/   📲 Stay Connected Facebook: www.facebook.com/korresults Instagram: www.instagram.com/ocdwhisperer/ TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@ocdwhisperer Twitter (X): www.x.com/korresults Website: https://www.korresults.com/ Website podcast: www.theocdwhisperer.com   📩 Business Inquiries: info@theocdwhisperer.com   ✅ About OCD Whisperer Welcome to OCD Whisperer! Each episode shares tools and insights for OCD recovery, managing intrusive thoughts, ERP therapy, CBT techniques, anxiety relief, and mindfulness practices. Join me for expert interviews and personal insights into overcoming OCD. Subscribe to find support, strategies, and hope for your OCD journey.   ⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note while the host is a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in OCD and anxiety disorders in the state of California, this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for therapy.   🔑 SEO Keywords retroactive jealousy OCD retroactive jealousy retroactive jealousy and OCD relationship OCD ROCD OCD about partner’s past OCD and jealousy intrusive thoughts about partner’s ex obsessive thoughts about partner’s past partner’s past OCD relationship anxiety reassurance seeking OCD OCD compulsions OCD rumination mental compulsions ERP for relationship OCD ERP for retroactive jealousy OCD recovery overcoming retroactive jealousy how to stop retroactive jealousy how to stop obsessing about your partner’s ex OCD uncertainty living with OCD   © OCD Whisperer

    201. Why You Can’t Stop Comparing Yourself to Your Partner’s Ex (OCD)

  7. Sep 5

    200. Why OCD Makes Every Thought Feel Important

    What if the person treating your OCD has lived through it too?   In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Andrea Gutiérrez-Glik, LCSW, an OCD, anxiety, and complex PTSD specialist who also has lived experience with OCD. Together, they explore OCD, trauma, lived experience, I-CBT, and what it means to find treatment that actually fits the person behind the diagnosis.   This honest conversation dives into: • How trauma and OCD can become entangled, and why trauma isn’t necessarily the sole cause of OCD • Why OCD can be especially difficult to recognize in marginalized communities • The differences between ERP and Inference-Based CBT (I-CBT) and why a more trauma-informed approach may be helpful for some clients • How OCD can be experienced both viscerally in the body and cognitively through doubt and rumination • What healing can look like when the sources of trauma are still present in your life • Andrea’s concept of compassion, community, and freedom as important elements of healing • Why lived experience can teach therapists things that textbooks cannot fully capture • How to recognize when you may need a therapist who provides specialized OCD treatment • Why medication can sometimes help people who feel stuck and make it easier to engage in therapy   Whether you’re navigating OCD yourself, supporting someone with OCD, or looking for a therapist who truly understands the disorder, this episode offers validation, practical insight, and hope...and a reminder that there may be more effective treatment options available than simply talking about what you’re going through.   📲 About Andrea Gutiérrez-Glik (guest): • Webpage: https://www.andreaglik.com/ • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/somaticwitch/ • Book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/740123/healing-the-oppressed-body-by-andrea-gutierrez-glik/   ✂️ TIMESTAMPS: [00:00] – How Does Having OCD Change the Way You Show Up as a Therapist? [02:45] – How Do Trauma and OCD Become Entangled, Especially in Marginalized Communities? [05:59] – Why Is Inference-Based CBT (I-CBT) Controversial, and Who Can It Help? [07:40] – Is OCD Experienced More Viscerally or Cognitively—and Does Treatment Differ? [09:40] – If I-CBT Targets Obsessional Doubt, What Are You Actually Exposing Yourself To? [10:38] – What Does Healing Look Like When the Source of Trauma Is Still in Your Life? [11:57] – What Does “Healing the Nervous System” Actually Mean? [16:10] – What Can Clinicians With Lived Experience Understand That a Textbook Can't Teach? [17:06] – Do You Have to Have Lived Experience to Be a Good Therapist? [19:19] – What Would You Tell Someone Who Feels Stuck in OCD Treatment? [20:48] – How Do You Know When It's Time to Find an OCD Specialist? [21:24] – Where Can People Find Andrea and Her Work?   ✅ Resources & Links 🎁 Free OCD Survival Kit & Weekly Newsletter → https://subscribepage.io/korresults 🧥 The "you are more than your thoughts" hoodie → https://ocd-whisperer-shop.fourthwall.com 📖 OCD CBT Journal → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DTTWJDKB 🌐 Website → https://www.korresults.com/   📲 Stay Connected Facebook: www.facebook.com/korresults Instagram: www.instagram.com/ocdwhisperer/ TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@ocdwhisperer Twitter (X): www.x.com/korresults Website: https://www.korresults.com/ Website podcast: www.theocdwhisperer.com   📩 Business Inquiries: info@theocdwhisperer.com   ✅ About OCD Whisperer Welcome to OCD Whisperer! Each episode shares tools and insights for OCD recovery, managing intrusive thoughts, ERP therapy, CBT techniques, anxiety relief, and mindfulness practices. Join me for expert interviews and personal insights into overcoming OCD. Subscribe to find support, strategies, and hope for your OCD journey.   ⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note while the host is a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in OCD and anxiety disorders in the state of California, this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for therapy.   🔑 SEO Keywords OCD therapist with lived experience OCD and trauma trauma and OCD Inference-Based CBT I-CBT for OCD ERP therapy for OCD OCD treatment OCD misdiagnosis OCD vs anxiety OCD specialist OCD recovery living with OCD OCD intrusive thoughts OCD rumination obsessive compulsive disorder OCD and marginalized communities complex PTSD and OCD finding an OCD therapist lived experience with OCD Healing the Oppressed Body   © OCD Whisperer

    200. Why OCD Makes Every Thought Feel Important

  8. Aug 29

    199. Why OCD Won’t Let You Leave the Thought Alone

    What if the thing keeping you stuck in OCD isn’t the thought itself...but everything you do to try to finally feel certain?   In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Natalia Aíza, a licensed therapist specializing in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). Together, they take a closer look at what OCD really is, why intrusive thoughts can feel so convincing, and why trying to get rid of the anxiety can actually keep the OCD cycle going. Natalia explains what happens when OCD turns a fear into something you feel you have to solve, and why compulsions aren't always obvious. Checking, avoidance, rereading, rewriting, rumination, overthinking, Googling, searching Reddit, and even asking ChatGPT for reassurance can all become part of the OCD cycle when they're being used to get certainty or relief.   This conversation dives into: • Why OCD can be mistaken for anxiety, depression, or even a personality disorder • What an OCD obsession actually is and why you can become so stuck on a possibility • Why compulsions can look completely different from person to person • Why ERP feels so counterintuitive—and why facing the fear can retrain your brain • What “accepting uncertainty” really means in OCD recovery • Why rumination, Googling, Reddit, and searching for answers can become compulsions • What to do when you realize you've already been ruminating for hours • How to interrupt a compulsion without trying to control the intrusive thought itself • Why self-compassion matters when you fall back into an OCD cycle • How to reconnect with your values and return to your real life instead of staying trapped in OCD   And one of the most important messages from this conversation is that getting caught in a compulsion doesn't mean you've failed. You can notice it. You can stop. And you can choose what comes next.   Whether you're dealing with intrusive thoughts, OCD rumination, reassurance seeking, checking, avoidance, or another form of compulsive behavior, this episode offers a deeper understanding of the OCD cycle and how ERP can help you respond differently.   📲 About Natalia Aiza (guest): • OCD therapist, experiencer, author, and advocate • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/letstalk.ocd/ • Book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/818083/self-guided-exposure-and-response-prevention-therapy-for-ocd-by-natalia-aiza-lpc-ma/   ✂️ TIMESTAMPS: [00:00] – What Is OCD Really, and Why Is It So Often Misunderstood? [03:07] – What Is an OCD Obsession? [05:02] – Why Does ERP Work When It Feels So Counterintuitive? [06:44] – Why Facing the Fear Can Retrain Your Brain [07:54] – What Does “Accepting Uncertainty” Actually Mean? [10:09] – What If You’re Stuck in Rumination Again? [12:10] – What If You Give In to the Compulsion? [13:40] – The Moment You Realize You’re Stuck in the OCD Cycle [14:32] – What Should You Do After You Catch Yourself Ruminating? [15:29] – How Do You Get Back to Your Real Life? [17:37] – When Is Distraction Actually Avoidance? [18:46] – How OCD Can Make You Lose Touch With What You Enjoy [19:57] – What If You’re Secretly Doing Rituals Without Realizing It? [21:32] – The Hidden and “Sneaky” Compulsions of OCD [24:00] – Shame, Guilt & What Recovery Can Look Like   ✅ Resources & Links 🎁 Free OCD Survival Kit & Weekly Newsletter → https://subscribepage.io/korresults 🧥 The "you are more than your thoughts" hoodie → https://ocd-whisperer-shop.fourthwall.com 📖 OCD CBT Journal → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DTTWJDKB 🌐 Website → https://www.korresults.com/   📲 Stay Connected Facebook: www.facebook.com/korresults Instagram: www.instagram.com/ocdwhisperer/ TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@ocdwhisperer Twitter (X): www.x.com/korresults Website: https://www.korresults.com/ Website podcast: www.theocdwhisperer.com   📩 Business Inquiries: info@theocdwhisperer.com   ✅ About OCD Whisperer Welcome to OCD Whisperer! Each episode shares tools and insights for OCD recovery, managing intrusive thoughts, ERP therapy, CBT techniques, anxiety relief, and mindfulness practices. Join me for expert interviews and personal insights into overcoming OCD. Subscribe to find support, strategies, and hope for your OCD journey.   ⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note while the host is a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in OCD and anxiety disorders in the state of California, this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for therapy.   🔑 SEO Keywords • OCD recovery • OCD rumination • OCD intrusive thoughts • OCD compulsions • ERP therapy for OCD • Exposure and Response Prevention • how to stop OCD rumination • OCD reassurance seeking • OCD checking and compulsions • accepting uncertainty OCD • how to stop overthinking OCD • OCD treatment • intrusive thoughts and OCD • living with OCD • OCD anxiety cycle   © OCD Whisperer

    199. Why OCD Won’t Let You Leave the Thought Alone
See All (206)

4.7
out of 5
81 Ratings

About

If your mind keeps looping, second-guessing, or making things feel too real — this podcast is for you. The OCD Whisperer Podcast explores OCD, anxiety, and the patterns that keep us stuck — including perfectionism, overthinking, fear, and self-doubt. Through honest conversations and personal stories, the show looks at how these experiences shape our lives and how people begin to relate to them differently. Hosted by Kristina Orlova, a licensed therapist with lived experience of OCD, the podcast brings together clinicians, creatives, athletes, and everyday people. Episodes are reflective, human, and grounded in approaches that are known to help — while still making space for nuance, curiosity, and real-life complexity. This is a space for anyone who has questioned themselves, felt overwhelmed, or wondered what’s actually happening beneath the surface — and how to move forward without feeling trapped in your own mind.

Information

You Might Also Like