Get to know OCD

NOCD

Tune in each week for a deep dive into all things OCD with host Dr. Patrick McGrath, NOCD's Chief Clinical Officer. We’ll be sharing inspiring real-life stories of people who’ve faced OCD and came out the other side, as well as practical tips for understanding and tackling OCD. We hope you enjoy the podcast and it helps you get to know OCD.

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Friday · 10 min
How The Cornell Seven Case Is Triggering People With OCD
The Cornell Seven sexual assault allegations have dominated headlines, but for some people with OCD, the story is triggering an entirely different kind of fear. What if something happened in my past that I don't remember? What if I hurt someone without realizing it? What if I'm somehow guilty by association? NOCD therapist and Chief Compliance Officer Traci Ibrahim explains how high-profile allegations can fuel obsessive doubt, especially when OCD latches onto someone's memories, past experiences, or sense of morality. The more someone tries to find certainty about the past, the more confusing those memories can become. Traci also opens up about her own experiences with OCD and PTSD, the challenges of navigating trauma alongside OCD, and how to recognize when a news story is pulling you into a cycle of rumination and reassurance-seeking. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Thursday · 40 min
You Might Be Doing OCD Therapy Wrong Without Knowing It
What happens when you try exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, do everything you're told, and still don't get better? You might be facing your fears without realizing you're also doing things that keep your OCD alive. Dr. Patrick McGrath is joined by NOCD therapist William Schultz and psychologist Brett Deacon to explore why ERP sometimes falls short. They discuss a patient who couldn't wash her hands during treatment but continued performing mental compulsions, revealing how easily OCD can find another way to maintain its grip. The conversation also explores why intrusive thoughts feel so real, how reassurance and other safety behaviors interfere with recovery, and why learning to tolerate uncomfortable emotions is such an important part of treatment. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
October 18 · 15 min
I Applied to NOCD Twice. Here’s What Changed the Second Time
Shanna Chappell was working in private investment research by day and volunteering as a therapist outside of work. She knew which career she wanted to pursue, but getting there wasn't exactly straightforward. In fact, her first attempt to join NOCD didn't work out. A year later, Shanna applied again. This time, she came more prepared, had more clinical experience under her belt, and got the job. Now she's helping people with OCD through exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy — a specialty she barely learned about in graduate school. This week on Get to know NOCD therapists, Shanna joins Dr. Patrick McGrath to talk about her unconventional career path, what she learned from the NOCD hiring process, and how specialized training and ongoing support have changed her confidence as a therapist. She also shares what it's really like working remotely at NOCD and her advice for therapists considering making the leap. If you’re ready to deepen your ERP skills and work somewhere specialized OCD treatment is the focus — not an afterthought — explore joining the team at NOCD: https://learn.nocd.com/therapist_careers Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
October 15 · 46 min
I Turned My Scariest OCD Thoughts Into Art
Mia Mason spent most of her life worrying that she was secretly a terrible person. What if she hurt someone? What if she did something wrong? What if the thoughts she couldn't escape said something about who she really was? It wasn't until she was 23 that she finally learned those fears had a name: OCD. Art had always been her escape. So when she finally started getting the right treatment, she began drawing what she was learning in therapy. Those drawings eventually became “Worry's Whispers”, a book about living with OCD. The irony? Publishing it meant facing one of her biggest fears — putting herself out there and risking being misunderstood. This week on the Get to Know OCD podcast, Mia joins Dr. Patrick McGrath to talk about the thoughts she once kept to herself, why she turned her OCD into a ghost named Worry, and how she's learned to build a bigger life without waiting for the fear to disappear. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
October 11 · 27 min
Rainn Wilson and Howie Mandel set the record straight on OCD
Rainn Wilson describes his intrusive thoughts as “a shoe in the dryer”—relentless, loud, and impossible to ignore. Howie Mandel can relate. Both entertainers live with OCD, and while their symptoms show up differently, their stories follow a similar path: from years of confusion before being diagnosed, to the relief of finally having a name for what they were experiencing, to speaking up so others can find help faster than they did. In this special episode of Get to know OCD, the two actors sit down with Dr. Patrick McGrath, NOCD's Chief Clinical Officer, to talk about… • Why OCD feels so real • How stigma and misunderstandings kept Howie silent for years • How ERP therapy and medication changed Rainn’s life • Why being open about OCD matters • Their advice for anyone who’s struggling At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
October 8 · 29 min
Rainn Wilson’s OCD kept him trapped in his thoughts. Here’s how he found peace
Being particular is nothing like actually having OCD—and Rainn Wilson would know. The actor famous for playing Dwight Schrute on The Office gets real about his own experience with OCD in this episode of Get to know OCD. Rainn was diagnosed with OCD in his late 50s, during a period of intense stress. It showed up through constant rumination and reassurance-seeking, and persistent doubts about his beliefs. These symptoms happened in his mind, which made them difficult to recognize as OCD. In a conversation with Dr. Patrick McGrath, Chief Clinical Officer of NOCD, Rainn opens up about… What the "neat freak" stereotype of OCD gets wrong How internal OCD symptoms can go unnoticed Trying to talk himself out of his intrusive thoughts, and why that didn’t work How exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy changed the way he relates to his thoughts—and changed his life At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—the treatment that transformed Rainn Wilson’s life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at ⁠https://learn.nocd.com/YT⁠ Follow us on social media: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/⁠ ⁠https://twitter.com/treatmyocd⁠ ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd⁠ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
October 4 · 4 min
My Intrusive Thoughts Don’t Scare Me Anymore. Is That Bad?
You’ve spent so long being terrified by your intrusive thoughts. Then treatment starts working, the fear fades, and OCD finds a new question to throw at you: If these thoughts don’t bother me anymore, does that mean I actually like them? Dr. Patrick McGrath explains why becoming less afraid of an intrusive thought doesn’t mean you agree with it or are more likely to act on it. It means you’re learning to let the thought exist without giving OCD the power to control what you do. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
October 1 · 6 min
Should You Give In To OCD On A Bad Day?
Bad OCD days are going to happen. Sometimes the thoughts feel more real, the anxiety is harder to shake, and resisting compulsions suddenly feels a lot harder than it did yesterday. The big question is how you respond when OCD catches you on one of those days. You might think it’s okay to give yourself a pass when OCD is hitting especially hard. In this video, Dr. Patrick McGrath explains why giving in to compulsions on those bad days can actually make OCD worse, and his advice for what to do instead. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
September 27 · 6 min
You Know Your OCD Makes No Sense. So Why Does It Feel So Real?
You know the fear doesn’t make sense. You’ve gone over the facts, reassured yourself, and tried to reason your way out of it — but OCD still leaves you with the same question: “But what if?” When something feels that real, knowing better doesn’t always make the fear disappear. Dr. Patrick McGrath explains why OCD isn’t something you can simply think your way out of. Even when you know you’re safe, OCD can make danger feel real — and recovery means learning that you don’t have to respond to that feeling. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
September 24 · 5 min
Why Your OCD Keeps Changing Themes
You finally start getting a handle on one OCD fear — and then suddenly it latches onto something completely different. The thoughts may change from contamination to driving, relationships, morality, or something else entirely, but underneath them can be the same deeper fear that OCD keeps finding new ways to target. In this video, Dr. Patrick McGrath explains why identifying these “core fears” can be so important to OCD treatment. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
September 20 · 20 min
I Was A Therapist For 20 Years Before I Truly Understood OCD
Shawn Welty had worked in mental health for nearly 20 years — in schools, community mental health, trauma care, substance abuse, and more. But when he finally received specialized training in OCD and ERP, he started looking at his old work differently. Suddenly, he could recognize symptoms in former clients that he hadn’t known to look for at the time. It was a reminder that years of experience don’t automatically make someone an OCD specialist. Now, Shawn gets to approach those same kinds of cases with tools he wishes he’d had years ago, and help people get the specialized treatment he didn’t even know how to provide earlier in his career. If you’re ready to deepen your ERP skills and work somewhere specialized OCD treatment is the focus — not an afterthought — explore joining the team at NOCD: https://learn.nocd.com/therapist_careers Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
September 17 · 55 min
I Had Severe OCD. Now I Don’t Fear It At All
Shannon Shy was a Marine Corps officer when OCD became so severe that nearly every waking minute was consumed by obsessions and compulsions. He hid what was happening for years, terrified that admitting he had a mental health problem could cost him his career, until one morning he sat in his car crying and realized he couldn’t live like this anymore. Getting help changed the course of Shannon’s life. More than 25 years later, he doesn’t need OCD to disappear — he’s reached a point where he no longer fears when it shows up. Shannon joins Dr. Patrick McGrath to share how he got there and what decades of recovery have taught him about taking OCD’s power away. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
September 13 · 3 min
OCD Vs. Autism: How Can You Tell The Difference?
OCD and autism can look surprisingly similar from the outside, especially when it comes to rigid routines and repetitive behaviors. But the reason behind the behavior can be very different: someone with autism may eat the same breakfast every morning because the routine feels comfortable, while someone with OCD may feel they have to do it because something bad could happen if they don’t. In this video, Dr. Patrick McGrath explains where OCD and autism overlap, how to tell them apart, and why understanding what’s actually driving the behavior matters for getting the right treatment and support. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
September 11 · 5 min
Is It Hoarding… Or OCD?
What's the difference between hoarding and OCD? Imagine two people who both refuse to throw away the same old birthday card. One keeps it because it holds a memory they’re afraid of losing. The other keeps it because OCD tells them something terrible could happen to the person who gave it to them if they throw it away. From the outside, the behavior can look almost identical. But what’s driving it underneath can be completely different. In this video, Dr. Patrick McGrath breaks down that difference and why figuring out what’s really behind the behavior can change the kind of treatment someone needs. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
September 7 · 7 min
I’ve Treated OCD For 27 Years. Here’s What I’ve Learned
Dr. Patrick McGrath has been treating OCD for nearly 27 years, and there are still parts of the job that never get easier. He’s watched people suffer for years without the right diagnosis, receive treatment from therapists who don’t truly specialize in OCD, and carry enormous amounts of guilt and shame over symptoms they’re afraid to tell anyone about. But there’s another side of the job that never gets old: watching someone realize their symptoms have an explanation, that they aren’t the only person experiencing them, and that effective treatment exists. In this video, Dr. McGrath shares what nearly three decades of treating OCD has taught him about the disorder. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
September 3 · 39 min
I’m A Psychologist And I Still Didn’t Know I Had OCD
Santina Cilento works as a school psychologist, so she knew what OCD was. What she didn’t realize was that she had been living with it herself for years. The rigid rules, the need for certain numbers, the routines she thought were just personality quirks — none of it registered as OCD until the disorder shifted toward her health and became impossible to ignore. In this episode of the Get to Know OCD podcast, Santina joins Dr. Patrick McGrath to talk about how health OCD took over her life, why constant checking never gave her lasting reassurance, plus how she eventually found the right diagnosis and treatment after spending years thinking she was simply dealing with anxiety. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 30 · 5 min
Why OCD Makes You Question Your Own Memories
A memory feels a little fuzzy, and suddenly OCD wants an answer. Did that really happen? Did you miss something? Did you do something wrong without realizing it? What starts as a small doubt can turn into hours of replaying events, checking old messages or photos, asking other people what they remember, or searching for some kind of proof that finally makes you feel certain. In this educational video, Dr. Patrick McGrath explains how false memory OCD can trick you into distrusting their own memories. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 27 · 6 min
Why OCD Makes You Feel Like You Have To Confess Everything
OCD can take something as simple as honesty and turn it into a rule: if you don’t say every thought out loud, you’re hiding something. That pressure can make people feel like they have to confess intrusive thoughts, explain every detail, or keep clarifying until someone else finally gives them relief. In this educational video, Dr. Patrick McGrath explains why that urge to confess can quickly become an OCD compulsion, and why learning to sit with the discomfort of not explaining everything can actually be an important part of recovery. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 23 · 8 min
5 Pieces Of Advice That Can Make OCD Worse
"Trust your gut” or “just stop thinking about it” — these might sound like helpful things to tell someone struggling with OCD, but they can actually make things worse. OCD already thrives on doubt, reassurance, and the urge to get rid of uncomfortable thoughts, so advice that pushes someone toward more certainty or more control can end up feeding the disorder instead. In this video, Dr. Patrick McGrath looks at common pieces of advice that aren't helpful for people with OCD. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 20 · 44 min
She Worked On Beetlejuice And Jurassic Park And Did Not Know She Had OCD
Lynette Eklund spent decades building creatures and effects for some of Hollywood’s most recognizable movies, including Beetlejuice and Jurassic Park. Behind that career, though, was something she didn’t understand. Since childhood, Lynette had lived with rigid rules, terrifying fears around food, an intense need to avoid failure, and thoughts she knew didn’t make logical sense but could never talk herself out of. She simply thought she was “weird” — and kept most of it to herself. It wasn’t until Lynette was 57 that she finally recognized those experiences as OCD. In this episode of the Get to Know OCD podcast, Lynette joins Dr. Patrick McGrath to look back at how undiagnosed OCD quietly shaped her childhood, relationships, and Hollywood career, why finally understanding her own mind took so much power away from the disorder, and why she wrote her memoir Weird in hopes that someone else might recognize their OCD decades earlier than she did. At NOCD, we specialize in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective treatment for OCD—a treatment that can help you live a fulfilling life. If you’re ready to take your first step, book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/ https://twitter.com/treatmyocd https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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