"Trust the Process"
Chris talks about a case from 10 years ago, and a fear that the patient would have done well to realize. Kentuckyocd.com
Jun 13, 2025•19 min
OCD Straight Talk
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An anxiety and OCD treatment-specialist explains how these debilitating conditions are effectively treated, why sometimes they're not, and how anxiety sufferers tend to keep themselves symptomatic. This podcast is designed both for those who suffer from anxiety disorders, and OCD and related disorders, and those who seek to treat this population with greater efficacy.
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Episodes
Intrusive Thoughts REQUIRE Assumptions
Chris talks through the assumptions we have to make in order to build and believe the nature of our intrusive thoughts. kentuckyocd.com
May 30, 2025•16 min
3 Challenges of ERP for OCD
Chris identifies three common pitfalls or challenges that face the average patient engaging ERP for OCD symptoms.
May 23, 2025•15 min
Help! My Loved One Just Won't Get Better, Pt. 2
Chris discusses another 'etreme' case in which OCD is "running the house."
May 16, 2025•20 min
Help! My Loved One Just Won't Get Better, Pt. 1
Chris discusses a case example of an OCDer who has not made progress, despite many opportunities and much patience on the part of his family. The question in this instance becomes not, What should he be doing to get better? It's, What should HIS FAMILY be doing?
May 02, 2025•19 min
A Tale of Two Patients
Chris discusses the importance not only of the 5 Pillars, but of the grit and resilience required of patients in order to successfully adhere to them. Every anxious person has grit, by virtue of his or her facing it all day long while simultaneously working and contributing to a family. But only some demonstrate that grit in therapy. KentuckyOCD.com
Apr 25, 2025•21 min
How Did ERP Come to Be?
Chris unpacks the history of ERP, and discusses some of the particulars of the 1966 study that marked the founding of what would become the world's Gold Standard treatment for OCD. Also, Feedspot selected the 25 Best OCD Podcasts from thousands of candidates. Thanks to fans, OCD Straight Talk slid comfortably into #5. To check out Feedspots selections, click here: https://podcast.feedspot.com/ocd_podcasts/
Apr 18, 2025•21 min
What Makes an OCD Therapist A Good One?
Chris answers the question, What makes a good OCD therapist? The answer is multifaceted, and it might surprise you. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to Chris@KentuckyOCD.com. Also, Thank you. Out of thousands of podcasts globally, you've made OCD Straight Talk #5 on Feedspot's Top 25 Podcasts on OCD. Check out those Top 25 here. https://podcast.feedspot.com/ocd_podcasts/
Apr 11, 2025•16 min
How to CHEAT your OCD
Chris discusses the YBOCS-II Cheat Sheet. The question isn't how do you cheat on the YBOCS-II test; it's how do you cheat the OCD, itself.
Apr 04, 2025•20 min
Lindsay & Emily from PRESENTLY
Chris sits down with Lindsay and Emily Stetzer from Presently to discuss managing OCD, ajd growing a business while doing it.
Mar 28, 2025•43 min
Can You Tell Me Everything I Need to Know in 20 Minutes?
Chris describes three interdependent ideas that make up good therapy for OCD.
Mar 21, 2025•21 min
Will AI One Day Be My Therapist?
Chris discusses the idea of ChatGPT's understanding of the evidence-based treatment for OCD, complete with its ability to generate treatment plans and hierarchies. AI is getting woven into the fabric of life and society. How long will it be before we decide that AI can teach patients the clinical skills needed to effectively manage their anxiety better than therapists can?
Mar 14, 2025•19 min
Should ALL Therapists be Trained as Specialists?
Chris spitballs about the ongoing problem, albeit now much smaller problem comparative to 10 years ago: that many patients consume services from the local counseling center, just to linger in treatment for 12 to 24 months and make minimal progress. That's disempowering and discouraging to patients - not to mention expensive. Should the graduate training process include enterence into a subspecialty? In other words, should therapists, like physicians, be trained and licensed not merely at mental ...
Feb 21, 2025•16 min
You Are OCD's Kryptonite
Chris shares a childhood story that made him feel vulnerable and scared. Beating OCD is about recognizing that you have a tremendous advantage. Your OCD needs you to respond. It, in fact, is weak and vulnerable without you giving it compulsions.
Jan 31, 2025•16 min
Skill-Growth Starts Where Your Need to be Great at This ENDS
Chris shares a bit about his journey with training Jiu Jitsu and being really bad at it. But growth truly started when he relieved himself of the expectation that he would be good at it and embraced by a perpetual novice.
Jan 17, 2025•23 min
What Would You Tomorrow Want You Today To Do?
Chris discusses his past, present and future. And he looks toward the coming year with an eye on living his life on purpose.
Jan 03, 2025•18 min
A Case Conundrum: Why Is She NOT Getting Better?
Chris discusses a case.
Dec 13, 2024•18 min
If OCD Were A Stray Dog
Chris describes OCD as a stray dog and you as a caring citizen. You're a good dude, and so you offee the poor dog some food. and that's nice of you. But what's the stray dog going to do when it's been offered a nice plate of food? Come back again? Move in? There are tough emotions felt perhaps in turning the helpless dog away. But the alternative is to ensure that s/he comes back again and again to exploit your kindness. Don't feed the dog.
Dec 06, 2024•13 min
What Is The True Gift of Therapy?
Chris takes on the reality that some therapists work to get patients better, not equipping them with tools and strategies needed to maintain their progress over the course of time. While treating anxiety disorders and OCD sounds like enough in and of itself, it is not. That's because there is no cure for OCD. If all we're doing is treating the symptoms, the symptoms will be back and so will the patients. The true gift and purpose of therapy is to teach patients how to get themselves better so th...
Nov 29, 2024•19 min
What is Your Biggest Obstacle to Getting Better?
Chris talks through two major challenges to making real and lasting progress with OCD and the anxiety-related disorders. The first challenge is learning how to find compulsions. Many people, including even people who've been to therapy, don't know how to do this. And that's a major problem. Because if they don't know how to find compulsions, then it's only a matter of time before OCD is a step ahead of them again. The second challenge is patience. The truth is getting better in a real way takes ...
Nov 22, 2024•25 min
I Got Dirt on Ya: Contamination OCD
Chris discusses some of the gears and guts of working with Contamination-OCDers. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to Chris@KentuckyOCD.com. If you've found the podcast helpful, consider giving it a 5-star rating.
Oct 25, 2024•28 min
I'm Not Sure It's Really Romance: Relationship-OCD
Chris discusses Relationship OCD, its faces and presentations, and gives some practical tips on what to do if that's YOU. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to Chris@KentuckyOCD.com. If you've found the podcast helpful, consider giving it a 5-star rating.
Oct 18, 2024•23 min
It Just Feels WRONG: Just-Right OCD
Chris discusses so-called Just-Right OCD and the feeling that task didn't get completed right. He also presents some variations of Just-Right OCD and subtypes that often present with it. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chris@KentuckyOCD.com. If you've found the podcast helpful, consider giving it a 5-star rating.
Oct 11, 2024•25 min
I'm Sick! And Nobody Knows It but Me
Chris discusses Illness Anxiety Disorder, and provides a look at the many ways this condition affects patients. He provides examples and shows how some tools can be applied to relevant worries in different ways. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to Chris@KentuckyOCD.com. If you've found the podcast helpful, consider giving it a 5-star rating.
Oct 04, 2024•20 min
The Final Question & The One Piece of Advice
Chris presents and explains a question he asks patients in therapy that is intended to help them summarize in short-form what they're learning in the process of better managing symptoms. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chris@KentuckyOCD.com. If you've found the podcast helpful, consider giving it a 5-star rating.
Sep 27, 2024•18 min
The Lens Grows Bigger
Chris shares some of his own experiences with OCD, and discusses some common experiences others have with seeing around the OCD-lens. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chris@KentuckyOCD.com. If you've found the podcast helpful, consider giving it a 5-star rating.
Sep 20, 2024•22 min
65.7% Threat Level before Compulsion. What after?
Chris discusses a conversation with a listener seeking reassurance, and explains a tool that he gave her. As he's said before, uncertainty is your friend, not your enemy. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chris@kentuckyocd.com If you've found the podcast helpful, consider giving it a 5-star rating.
Sep 13, 2024•25 min
It's You Against YOU: OCD is a Closed System
Chris discusses the idea of OCD being an obsession much more with uncertainty than a concern with objective danger. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chris@kentuckyocd.com. If you've found the podcast helpful, consider giving it a 5-star rating.
Sep 06, 2024•17 min
Exposures Are Opportunities to Practice Skills
Chris explains the concept that exposures are really just opportunities to practice skills that allow you to interact with your anxiety-system in a different way. The biggest hurdle that you will face in trying to "treat yourself" is not having a therapist there to ask you the real questions. Why are you not working harder to get better? Why are you gravitating back to the same old way of interacting with your anxiety when you know that that way doesn't work? Feel free to reach out with any ques...
Aug 30, 2024•15 min
A Self-Perpetuating System of Symptoms: the Cognitive Model
Chris shares several case studies related to clinical anxiety and works to show you what they have in common so that you can better understand how to understand, dissect, and manage your own anxiety system. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have to chris@kentuckyocd.com. If you've found OCD Straight Talk helpful, consider giving us a 5-star rating.
Aug 23, 2024•15 min
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