The OCD Whisperer Podcast with Kristina Orlova
193. The Hardest Part of OCD Isn't What You Think (No One Talks About This)
Ever wonder why people with OCD can seem incredibly strong... yet still feel completely alone?
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Tom Smalley, MS, CMPC—mental performance consultant, OCD advocate, and speaker.
Together, they explore the hidden impact of OCD stigma, why uncertainty is at the heart of OCD recovery, and how community, education, and self-compassion can change lives.
Tom opens up about:
• His OCD diagnosis at age 16 and living with up to 15 hours of compulsions a day
• How ERP (Exp...
192. Why OCD Makes You Doubt What You Already Know
Every OCD spiral begins the same way... with one moment of self-doubt.
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Catherine Goldhouse, ICBT therapist and OCD specialist. Together, they break down exactly how Inference-Based CBT (ICBT) is applied to some of the most common OCD themes—including Harm OCD, Relationship OCD, Contamination OCD, Health OCD, and Pedophilia OCD.
Catherine explains how OCD pulls people away from what they already know to be true, replacing reality with imagination, doubt, and endless "what if" stories.
In this epis...
191. The Reason You Keep Second-Guessing Yourself (OCD Explained)
What if the thing you trust most… your own mind… is the very thing that's tricking you?
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Catherine Goldhouse, therapist and ICBT expert. Together, they explore one of the most confusing parts of OCD recovery: how OCD pulls you away from reality and convinces you to trust your imagination instead.
Catherine opens up about:
• Why people with OCD don't actually struggle with certainty—they struggle with second-guessing themselves
• How OCD creates obsessional doubt by making you distrust your senses...
190. Your Compulsions Actually Make Sense (Here's the Real OCD Problem)
Why does OCD feel more convincing than your own eyes?
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Catherine Goldhouse, ICBT therapist and OCD specialist.
Together, they explore one of the most powerful concepts in Inference-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (ICBT): how OCD overrides your mind by convincing you that possibility is evidence.
Catherine breaks down:
• Why intrusive thoughts are not the real problem in OCD
• How OCD shifts your default from trust to doubt
• Why possibility alone feels con...
189. Why OCD Believes Possibilities Instead of Reality | ICBT Explained
Could OCD be tricking you into trusting your imagination more than reality?
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Catherine Goldhouse, ICBT therapist and OCD specialist.
Together, they explore one of the most powerful concepts in Inference-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (ICBT): how OCD overrides your mind by convincing you that possibility is evidence.
Catherine breaks down:
• Why intrusive thoughts are not the real problem in OCD
• How OCD shifts your default from trust to doubt
• Why possibili...
188. Guided Mindfulness Meditation for Anxiety and Overthinking
A guided meditation to help with overthinking, anxiety, and a mind that just won’t slow down.
Some days your head feels on overdrive. You sit down to relax and the thoughts keep racing anyway. This meditation doesn’t ask you to stop the thoughts. You’ll rest your attention on your breath, lose it, get pulled into a thought, and come back. That’s it. That’s the skill of mindfulness, and it gets stronger every time you practice.
No experience is needed to start. Feel free to sit on the floor, sit in a chair, o...
187. You Don't Have A Thought Problem. You Have A Doubt Problem. (OCD Explained)
Why do OCD thoughts feel so real? What if the problem is not the intrusive thought itself… but the conclusion your brain makes about it?
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Catherine Goldhouse, therapist and ICBT specialist, to explore a powerful shift in understanding OCD through Inference Based CBT (ICBT).
Together, they unpack why OCD may not be about random intrusive thoughts at all, but about the meaning, doubt, and stories we attach to them.
Catherine explains:
• Why ICBT sees OCD differ...
186. The Wildest OCD Recovery Story I’ve Heard
You thought it was bad behavior… but your child was secretly terrified.
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Keesha Scott, mom, entrepreneur, podcast host, and author, about her daughter’s deeply personal journey with OCD, emetophobia (fear of vomiting), panic disorder, and recovery.
Together, they explore what it’s really like to parent a child with OCD, the painful road to getting the right diagnosis, and how exposure therapy (ERP) helped her daughter reclaim her life.
Keesha opens up about:
• How O...
185. You’re stuck because you’re doing ERP halfway
*What is intensive treatment for OCD — and who is it actually for?*
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Dr. Chad Brandt, clinical psychologist and OCD specialist. Together, they explore intensive ERP treatment for severe OCD, the Bergen 4-Day Treatment model, and why longer-form exposure therapy can create rapid breakthroughs in recovery.
Dr. Chad Brandt opens up about:
• His background treating severe OCD and anxiety disorders
• What makes ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) the gold standard for OCD treatment
• How intensive...
184. A 50-Year OCD Expert Explains Why Recovery Feels So Hard
Can OCD therapy actually make OCD worse if it’s done incorrectly?
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Dr. Fugen Neziroglu, one of the pioneers in OCD treatment and the founder of the BioBehavioral Institute. With over 50 years of experience and more than 4,000 OCD patients treated, Dr. Neziroglu shares what most people still misunderstand about OCD therapy, ERP, CBT, and recovery.
Dr. Neziroglu opens up about:
• How OCD treatment looked in the 1970s before ERP, SSRIs, and CBT even existed
• The surprisi...
183. If Your Child Gets Stuck in Routines, Please Listen to This...
The Hidden OCD Behind “Normal” Routines in Kids...
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Dr. Julie Lustig, clinical psychologist and founder of CBT Tools for Life Center. Together, they explore how childhood OCD and anxiety often hide in plain sight—and why so many parents miss the early signs.
Dr. Lustig opens up about:
• Why OCD can take 14–17 years to be properly diagnosed
• How common childhood behaviors (like routines) can become rigid compulsions
• The most overlooked OCD symptoms—including reassurance-seekin...
182. OCD + ADHD: Why It Feels So Much Harder Than It Should
Why does it feel like everyone else can manage their OCD… but you just can’t seem to make it stick?
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Dr. Rachel LaFleur.
Together, they unpack the often-missed overlap between ADHD and OCD—and why you might feel stuck in your recovery even when you’re doing “everything right.”
Dr. LaFleur opens up about:
• Why so many adults—especially women—are missing an ADHD diagnosis
• How intrusive thoughts + attention struggles can feed each other
• Th...
181. I Kept Asking 400 Times… Here’s Why
I thought I was just “anxious”… until my thoughts started scaring me.
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Alicia and Liam, hosts of OCD Confessionals. Together, they explore how OCD can go unrecognized for years, how it impacts relationships and family life, and what changes when you finally understand what’s really going on.
Alicia and Liam open up about:
• Being undiagnosed for years despite severe anxiety and intrusive thoughts
• The hidden compulsions, fears, and “noise” that took over daily life
• How OCD af...
180. Why OCD Treatment Doesn’t Always Feel Right: Understanding the Overlap with Autism
Is it OCD… or autism? And how do you actually treat both?
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Jenna Stone, Licensed Clinical Social Worker and founder of SideQuest Psychotherapy. Together, they explore the complex overlap between OCD and autism, and how proper evaluation and therapy can change everything.
Jenna opens up about:
• Her personal journey with OCD and lived experience in the mental health field
• How autism and OCD can overlap—and why they’re often misunderstood
• The differences between OCD ru...
179. Can DBT Help OCD? What Actually Works (ERP, ICBT & Emotional Regulation Explained)
Does Your Brain Feel Like It’s Been Hijacked?
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Maggie Duret, LPCC, an OCD specialist who integrates DBT, ERP, and ICBT into her practice. Together, they explore how to manage the "Red Alert" of high-distress OCD and the specific nuances of moral and religious scrupulosity.
Maggie opens up about:
• The Misdiagnosis Trap: Her journey from years of being treated for "generalized anxiety" to finally recognizing her moral scrupulosity.
• The Weight of Being "Good": Her personal experien...
178. Why You Feel Like a "Fraud" Even When You’re Successful (High-Functioning OCD)
Can you build a global movement and lead a team while navigating the "fangs" of OCD
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Pavel Reppo, founder of A Fine Mind and a leader in international mental health. Together, they explore the intersection of high-stakes leadership, cultural expectations, and the persistent drive required to turn a diagnosis into a catalyst for social impact.
Pavel opens up about:
• His "gateway" symptoms at age 13, including severe hand-washing rituals triggered by household turbulence.
• How cultural stigmas in Bel...
177. Why You’re Never "Ready": Dr. Lauren Cook on Social Atrophy & The Emetophobia Trap
Can you be terrified of the future and still move forward to build it?
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Dr. Lauren Cook, a licensed clinical psychologist and author of Generation Anxiety. Together, they explore the unique mental health pressures facing Gen Z and Millennials, and how to navigate big life transitions without letting anxiety hold the steering wheel.
Dr. Cook opens up about:
• Her personal battle with Emetophobia (the fear of vomit) and how it nearly stopped her from becoming a mother.
<...176. The Hardest "No": Why I Stopped Fixing My Child’s OCD
Can you stop being a "fixer" and start building your feeling muscle?
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Dr. Jenn Rapkin, a Naturopathic Physician, bodyworker, and author of The Feeling Muscle. Together, they explore the powerful intersection of mindfulness, parenting a child with OCD, and learning how to sit with the "just right" discomfort that keeps so many of us stuck in rituals.
Dr. Jenn opens up about:
• Her hidden battle with OCD as an adolescent in the 70s and 80s
• The he...
175. Body Dysmorphic Disorder: How to spot the hidden signs with Robyn Stern, LCSW
Is it OCD, or is your brain just wired differently?🧠
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Dr. Jeremy Shuman, a psychologist and specialist in the intersection of Autism and OCD. Together, they explore the complex overlap between neurodevelopmental traits and obsessive-compulsive patterns.
Dr. Shuman opens up about:
• The definition of Autism and the shift toward the Neurodiversity Movement.
• Why observable behaviors like "stimming" are often mistaken for OCD compulsions.
• The internal experience of sensory seeking versus sensory rejecting.
• The tra...
174. STOP Treating Autism like OCD: The "Golden Rule" of Differential Diagnosis with Dr. Jeremy Shuman
Is it OCD, or is your brain just wired differently?🧠
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Dr. Jeremy Shuman, a psychologist and specialist in the intersection of Autism and OCD. Together, they explore the complex overlap between neurodevelopmental traits and obsessive-compulsive patterns.
Dr. Shuman opens up about:
• The definition of Autism and the shift toward the Neurodiversity Movement.
• Why observable behaviors like "stimming" are often mistaken for OCD compulsions.
• The internal experience of sensory seeking versus sensory rejecting.
• The tra...
173. How long does OCD RECOVERY take? The 4 to 8 month roadmap EXPLAINED!
Is Perfectionism Hijacking Your Values? 🧠
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Dr. Marisa Mazza, PsyD. Together, they explore the final pieces of the ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) puzzle: values and committed action, and how to integrate these tools into a long-term recovery journey.
Dr. Mazza opens up about:
• The critical difference between "Values" (directions) and "Goals" (destinations)
• How perfectionism can turn your guiding principles into rigid, impossible rules
• The "60–70% Rule"—why aiming for "good enough" is the secret to avoiding bur...
172. ACT for OCD: The "Observer Self" Hack to Stop Intrusive Thoughts
How can you stay present when your brain is screaming with OCD? 🧠
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Dr. Marisa Mazza, PsyD. Together, they explore the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) concepts of Self-as-Context and Present Moment Awareness—and how to apply them even when anxiety feels overwhelming.
Dr. Mazza opens up about:
• Why "being present" feels threatening or impossible when you have OCD
• The 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise and how to use tactile sensations to anchor yourself
• The con...
171. OCD Recovery: 2 Skills to Stop Fighting Your Mind (OCD Defusion & Acceptance Tools)
Can You Really Accept a Thought You Hate? 🧠
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Dr. Marisa Mazza, a psychologist and expert in ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy). Together, they explore the "how-to" of diffusion and acceptance—the tools that transform your relationship with intrusive thoughts from a battle into a peaceful coexistence.
[Dr. Mazza opens up about]:
• The Thought Machine: Why your brain is hardwired to produce automatic, often negative thoughts, and why you can't just "turn it off"
• The Velcro Effect: Unde...
170. Why ERP Isn’t Enough: Using ACT to Build a Life Beyond OCD Symptoms
🧠Is the opposite of anxiety actually trust?
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Dr. Marisa Mazza, PsyD, a faculty member of the Behavioral Therapy Training Institute and author of The ACT Workbook for OCD. Together, they explore Psychological Flexibility—the core of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)—and how it integrates with ERP to help you live a "big, beautiful life" even with OCD.
Key points covered:
• Defining Psychological Flexibility: Understanding the 6 core processes of ACT (Presence, Values, Committed Action, Self-as-Context, Diffusion, and Acceptance...
169. My OCD Was at Its Worst While My Baby Was Fighting for Her Life
🧠Can OCD trick even a trained medical professional?
What happens when your worst fear actually comes true—and your OCD tells you it’s your fault?
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Sarah Michelle Boes, nurse practitioner, entrepreneur, mother, and OCD advocate. Together, they explore what it’s like to live for decades with undiagnosed OCD, how pregnancy intensified obsessive thinking, and how recovery is possible even after hitting rock bottom.
Sarah opens up about:
• Living with OCD symptoms since childhood without knowi...
168. Why you can’t stop OCD thoughts and what actually works (Acceptance Explained)
🧠Can you really accept OCD thoughts without agreeing with them?
And what does “acceptance” actually look like when your mind is attacking you nonstop?
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova, LMFT, speaks with Dr. Sarah Brungardt, psychologist and founder of Calm OCD. Together, they explore one of the most misunderstood (and feared) concepts in OCD recovery: accepting intrusive thoughts without engaging in compulsions.
Dr. Brungardt breaks down what acceptance truly means, why fighting thoughts keeps OCD stronger, and how learning to tolerate uncomfortable emotions can give you...
167. Understanding OCD Beyond ERP: Obsessional Doubt, I-CBT, and Real Recovery
🧠What If OCD Isn’t About Uncertainty—But About Doubting the Wrong Things?
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova, LMFT shares her personal journey living with OCD and how her understanding of treatment has evolved over time. Drawing from both lived experience and nearly a decade of clinical work with OCD, Kristina breaks down ERP, ICBT, ACT, and why learning how OCD actually works mattered more than chasing themes or subtypes.
This conversation dives into:
• Living with relationship OCD, morality OCD, and “feeling off” OCD
• Why rum...
166. Therapist Explains: The Subtle Signs of Childhood OCD Parents Overlook
👨👩👧👦Is your child’s OCD hiding behind good behavior and perfectionism?
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Katherine Schooland, LMFT, founder and director of Raising Brave Kids, a multi-state practice specializing in child and teen anxiety and OCD. Together, they explore how childhood OCD can quietly hide in high-functioning, compliant, and “well-behaved” kids — and why it’s so often missed.
Katherine shares deep clinical insight into how OCD actually shows up in children, especially when it doesn’t look anxious, disruptive, or obvious.
Katherine breaks down:
•...
165. Perinatal OCD vs Normal Parental Anxiety: How to Tell the Difference
🤰These Thoughts Don’t Mean You Want to Harm Your Baby
In this second of two episodes about perinatal OCD on The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova is joined again by Betty Flores, LCSW, a perinatal mental health specialist and founder of Perinatal Wellness, for an honest and deeply needed conversation about perinatal OCD, intrusive thoughts, pregnancy, and postpartum mental health.
Betty shares her own lived experience with undiagnosed perinatal OCD—including how both she and her therapist initially missed the signs—and how that journey ultimately led her to specialize in helping parents wh...
164. Perinatal OCD Explained: When Protective Instincts Turn Into Intrusive Fear
🤰Are these protective instincts… or is it postpartum OCD?
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Betty Flores, LCSW, a perinatal mental health specialist from Perinatal Wellness. Together, they explore how postpartum and pregnancy OCD show up, why intrusive thoughts feel so convincing during this stage of life, and how parents can tell the difference between normal worry and an OCD-driven threat response.
Betty breaks down:
• What intrusive thoughts in pregnancy and postpartum actually look like
• How perinatal OCD disguises itself as “being a good...
163. Relationship OCD, Shame, and Recovery: Learning to Live With Uncertainty
💔Can OCD convince you that you’re incapable of love?
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Zack Tucker, OCD advocate and creator of OCDestigmatize. Together, they explore relationship OCD, health anxiety, shame, and what real recovery actually looks like when OCD never fully disappears—but stops controlling your life.
Zack opens up about:
• Relationship OCD and the fear of “not really loving” partners
• How intrusive thoughts destroyed past relationships and self-esteem
• Promiscuity, avoidance, and using control to cope with emotional pain
...162. Social Media Is Making Your OCD Worse — Here’s Why
🧠Can social media trigger your OCD without you even realizing it?
In this solo episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova explores how social media interacts with OCD, compulsions, and obsessive thoughts. She shares strategies for scrolling with intention, not on autopilot, and how to reclaim control over your digital habits.
Kristina opens up about:
• How a quick scroll can spark OCD spirals and leave you feeling anxious or empty
• The sneaky ways social media hijacks compulsions and triggers obsessions
• Why intention-focused use is more effect...
161. How Sex and Intimacy Can Help You Move Through Grief
🧠 Can grief and OCD completely change your sex drive, intimacy, and connection with your partner?
In this powerful episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Krista Reed, licensed therapist and trauma specialist, about how grief, trauma, cortisol, and the nervous system directly affect sexuality, desire, and emotional intimacy in people with OCD.
❤️This episode explores:
• Why grief and OCD can shut down desire — or make it feel overwhelming
• How cortisol and chronic stress disrupt arousal and connection
• The role of sex, intimacy, and orgasm in ner...
160. OCD & Grief: How Trauma Hijacks Your Mind | Real Stories & Coping Tips
🧠 Can you grieve “correctly” when you have OCD?
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Krista Reed, clinical social worker and specialist in OCD, BFRBs, and Body Dysmorphic Disorder. Together, they explore how grief, loss, and real-life emotional pain interact with OCD — and how deeply the experience can impact identity, relationships, and recovery.
❤️Krista opens up about:
• The childhood loss that first ignited her OCD
• How witnessing traumatic events shaped her fears
• The return of old compulsions — and the arrival of new ones — after rec...
159. How One Man Turned OCD Pain Into 60,000 Followers
🧠 *Can self-compassion really help you recover from OCD?*
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Lukasz, known online as Intrusive OCD Memes. Together, they explore how humor, community, and self-awareness play a role in managing OCD, and how sharing personal experiences can help both yourself and others.
Lucas opens up about:
• First symptoms of OCD as a child and struggles with contamination fears
• How intrusive thoughts and mental compulsions impacted his relationships
• His journey toward seeking therapy after years of coping alon...
158. Self-Compassion & OCD: The Secret Habit Making Your Anxiety Worse
🧠 Can self-compassion really help you recover from OCD?
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, host Kristina Orlova speaks with Kimberley Quinlan, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, creator of CBT School, and author of The Self-Compassion Workbook for OCD. Together, they explore how learning to treat yourself with kindness can transform your relationship with OCD and emotional suffering.
Kimberley opens up about:
• Why self-compassion is not weakness or self-indulgence
• How criticizing yourself actually increases stress hormones
• What it means to “be a safe place” for your own em...
157. Just-Right OCD & Somatic Intrusive Feelings: Learning to Recognize OCD Signals
🧠 Do you ever feel like something is wrong — even when nothing happened?
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Heather Brown, LCSW, OCD and trauma specialist. Together, they explore Just Right OCD, magical thinking, somatic anxiety, and how OCD can sometimes feel like trauma.
Heather opens up about:
• Her personal experience living with Just Right OCD
• Sensations-based OCD: when the fear isn’t a thought, but a feeling
• Magical thinking OCD & “what if something bad happens?” spirals
• ERP, ACT, Brainspotting...
156. PANS/PANDAS: The Autoimmune Cause of Sudden OCD in Children
🧠 Could Your Child’s Sudden OCD Be Something Else? Understanding PANS & PANDAS
In this powerful episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Angela Henry, therapist and PANS/PANDAS specialist, and Lindsay Forsyth, a mother and advocate who has navigated this journey with her own child. Together, they shed light on how sudden-onset OCD, tics, and anxiety in children may sometimes point to something deeper — an autoimmune or inflammatory disorder known as PANS or PANDAS.
Angela and Lindsay open up about:
• How PANS/PANDAS can mimic OCD and anxiety...
155. OCD Exposed: 10 Myths and Misconceptions about OCD (and what people get wrong)
Is everything you’ve been told about OCD wrong?
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova sits down with Elysse Lescarbeau, writer, advocate, and author of OCD Exposed: 10 Myths and Misconceptions About Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Together, they uncover the hidden sides of OCD—from misunderstood symptoms to the powerful truth about recovery.
Elysse opens up about:
• Being misdiagnosed and discovering OCD later in life
• Living with mental compulsions and invisible obsessions
• The breaking point that led to her diagnosis and healing
• How ERP, ACT, and ICBT chang...
154. Life With Harm OCD - “I Thought I Was Danger to the People I Love”
What happens when your mind turns against you — and fills you with thoughts you can’t control?
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Maurice, creator of the Obsessless app — a powerful new tool designed to support people living with OCD. Maurice opens up about his terrifying first intrusive thoughts, years of misdiagnosis, and how ERP therapy and mindset work helped him turn pain into purpose.
Together, we explore:
• The hidden side of OCD most people never see
• How intrusive thoughts can completely t...
