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Sometimes OCD makes you afraid of your own thoughts. You don’t want to hurt yourself — but your mind won’t stop asking, what if I did? That fear can feel overwhelming and isolating, but it’s actually a form of OCD called suicidal OCD. In this video, Tracie Ibrahim and Dr. Patrick McGrath talk about what that really means, how it’s different from suicidal intent, and what treatment looks like for people living with these scary, intrusive thoughts.
All thoughts of suicide or self-harm should be taken seriously. If you or someone you know has reported thoughts of self-harm, please call 911 or contact your local emergency room number immediately. In the United States, you may also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or text the Crisis Text Line. This line is available to you all day, every day.
NOCD specializes in Exposure and Response Prevention therapy. Want to explore your treatment options? Book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT
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Jen Wiles remembers the fear more than anything — not just the thoughts themselves, but the silence that came with them. She was terrified of what her mind was saying, ashamed to tell anyone, and convinced no one would understand. From the outside, she looked fine. Inside, she was breaking.
In this video, Jen opens up about what it was really like to live with harm OCD in secret, how it twisted her love for her family into fear, and the moment she finally found the right kind of help.
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Most therapy isn’t designed for OCD — and that’s the problem. A lot of therapists mean well but use approaches that make symptoms worse, not better. That’s why specialized treatment matters. In this video, Dr. Patrick McGrath explains what separates general talk therapy from real OCD care, and why Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is the only evidence-based way to break the cycle.
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Tom Smalley grew up chasing athletic success, but behind his drive was a constant mental battle he didn’t yet understand. At sixteen, he was diagnosed with OCD, a condition that turned every game, practice, and routine into a fight against his own mind. What started as private suffering became a lifelong mission to change how athletes and the world see mental health.
Today, Tom is the founder of Struggle into Strength Performance and the recipient of the IOCDF Hero Award. Through his work with the Anxiety in Athletes initiative, co-founded with the IOCDF, he’s helping break the silence around OCD and anxiety in sports. In this conversation, Tom shares how he turned stigma into strength — and why no athlete should have to face their mental health alone.
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OCD and ADHD are often misunderstood — and when they overlap, it can be even more confusing. In this video, Dr. Patrick McGrath breaks down how the two conditions interact, where they differ, and what treatment looks like when you’re managing both. He also explains how to recognize the overlap between intrusive thoughts, impulsivity, and attention struggles, plus why Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and structured behavioral support are key to long-term recovery.
NOCD specializes in ERP therapy, the most effective treatment against the disorder. Want to explore your treatment options? Book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT
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Sarah Jeffery’s acting career has spanned hit shows and films like Charmed and Descendants. On screen, she looked fearless. But behind that was a mind that wouldn’t stop asking, what if I forget how to act? what if I freeze? Sarah’s OCD twisted her love of acting into fear, making her question her abilities and even her place in the industry.
In this interview, Sarah shares what that experience was really like — the pressure, the doubt, and the slow process of learning to perform without perfection. It’s a side of her story that’s rarely seen, one that shows how even in the spotlight, OCD can quietly take center stage.
NOCD specializes in Exposure and Response Prevention therapy, the most effective treatment against the disorder. Want to explore your treatment options? Book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT
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For some people struggling with OCD, specialized weekly therapy isn’t enough. The symptoms can be too intense, the progress too slow, or the support just not consistent enough to make a real change. That’s where higher levels of care could be in play. In this video, clinician Lori Johnson and Dr. Patrick McGrath explain what intensive programs like IOP and PHP actually look like, who they’re for, and why needing more help doesn’t mean you’re failing — it just means you’re ready for the next step toward recovery.
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J Aubrey built a big following on YouTube for his deep-dive documentaries — but behind the scenes, his creative process was being hijacked by OCD. What looked like perfectionism to his viewers was actually hours of re-recording lines, re-editing scenes, and chasing a feeling that something finally “felt right.” The same mind that made him meticulous as a storyteller was also trapping him in endless cycles of anxiety and self-doubt.
In this interview, J Aubrey opens up about how OCD nearly took away the thing he loved most — creating. He shares how therapy helped him break the compulsive patterns that controlled his work, what recovery really looks like, and how he’s learning to create with freedom again.
J Aubrey credits Exposure and Response Prevention therapy for helping manage his OCD. If you want to explore your treatment options? Book a free 15-minute call with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT
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It’s frustrating to spend time and money on therapy and feel like nothing is changing. For people with OCD, this happens all the time — often because the wrong therapy approach is being used, or because the real work isn’t happening outside of the sessions. In this video, Tracie Ibrahim shares her own story of being misdiagnosed as a child, learning why traditional therapy didn’t help, and how Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) finally gave her the tools to manage OCD in daily life. She explains why therapy isn’t about magic words or quick fixes, but about learning strategies you can practice every day to take your life back from OCD.
At NOCD, we specialize in ERP therapy, the gold-standard treatment for OCD. To book a free 15-minute call today, visit https://learn.nocd.com/YT
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Chelsea Risko spent over three decades living with fear, shame, and doubt she couldn’t name. From childhood worries to intrusive thoughts on her wedding day, OCD shaped her life in ways she didn’t understand. It all came crashing down in 2021, when she was hit with terrifying self-harm thoughts that made her question everything — even though she loved her life and family. That moment left her desperate for answers, and for the first time, she discovered what OCD really was.
Finding the right help changed everything. Through Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Chelsea began to face the fears that once controlled her and found the freedom she had been missing for so long. In this episode, she shares her journey from fear to recovery, the strength she discovered along the way, and why she now speaks out to break the stigma around OCD and give others hope.
At NOCD, we specialize in Exposure and Response Prevention therapy, the gold-standard treatment for OCD. To book a free 15-minute call today, visit https://learn.nocd.com/YT
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Not all therapy works for OCD — in fact, the wrong approach can actually make symptoms worse. Too often, people are told to rely on deep breathing, relaxation, distraction, or reassurance to manage intrusive thoughts. These techniques may bring short-term relief, but they don’t stop OCD from tightening its grip. In this video, Dr. Patrick McGrath explains why those common strategies fail and what real, evidence-based OCD treatment looks like.
At NOCD, we specialize in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), the most proven treatment for OCD. If you’ve tried therapy before and felt like it wasn’t working, you’re not alone — most approaches miss the mark. Our licensed therapists know how to treat OCD directly so you can stop feeding the cycle and start living the life you want. Book a free 15-minute call today at https://learn.nocd.com/YT
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Most people think OCD treatment is just meeting with a therapist once or twice a week. But what happens when that’s not enough?
In this episode of the Get to Know OCD podcast, Dr. Patrick McGrath sits down with Lori Johnson — a clinician who has worked in every level of care, from inpatient hospitals to outpatient therapy. They explain what “higher levels of care” really mean, including intensive outpatient programs (IOP), partial hospitalization programs (PHP), and residential treatment. Lori shares her journey from working in addiction centers to leading OCD programs, and explains how these different options give people the support they need without always requiring a hospital stay.
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Emily Barth Isler grew up believing her anxious, obsessive thoughts were just part of being an artist. Like so many, she bought into the myth that suffering fuels creativity. For years, that belief kept her from seeking help — until she realized the opposite was true.
Today, Emily is a successful author and writer who credits therapy and medication for giving her the clarity and freedom to put words to paper. In this conversation, she shares how OCD once controlled her life and how she learned to see its patterns differently.
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Brenna Posey and Tracie Ibrahim grew up in very different eras, but both know the weight of OCD. In this conversation, they reflect on what it was like to struggle before OCD was widely understood, how stigma and silence shaped their experiences, and why so many people went undiagnosed for years.
They also share what’s changed — and what still hasn’t. From the rise of social media to greater access to therapy, awareness of OCD is growing, but gaps remain in diagnosis, treatment, and representation. Their stories reveal the progress across generations, and the work still remaining.
Both Brenna and Tracie have benefited from Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective therapy for OCD. To explore treatment options, book a free 15-minute call at https://learn.nocd.com/YT
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Julia Hale is an OCD therapist, but nothing prepared her for the wave of intrusive thoughts and crushing doubt that hit after giving birth. Like many new parents, she had only ever heard postpartum depression talked about — never postpartum OCD. Even with all her training, she found herself blindsided by fears about her baby’s safety, compulsions to protect, and the shame of wondering how this could be happening to her of all people.
In this episode of the Get to know OCD podcast, Julia shares the reality of postpartum OCD: what it looks like, why it’s so often mistaken for depression, and how stigma keeps parents suffering in silence. Her perspective as both a clinician and a mom pulls back the curtain on a hidden struggle that affects far more families than most people realize.
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Nicole Rafiee didn't realize she had OCD, partly because TV and movies told her it only looked like spotless kitchens, color-coded closets, or a punchline. Meanwhile, her experience was constant spirals, intrusive thoughts, and panic that never showed up in media. In this video, she calls out the rare times celebrities actually get it right. From Jennette McCurdy to Jenna Ortega, John Green, and Shannon Purser, these are the stories that cut through the stereotypes and reflect what OCD really feels like.
Nicole's OCD therapy was Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy — the most effective treatment for OCD. If you want to explore options with ERP, book a free 15-minute call at https://learn.nocd.com/YT
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When families first hear their child has OCD, many wonder if they somehow caused it. Dr. Evelyn Stewart has spent her career studying those fears — and the science tells a different story. She explains how research with families and twins shows that genes play a significant role, especially when OCD begins in childhood. Dr. Stewart also shares how environment and stress can act like switches, turning genetic risk “on” or “off.” This interview is packed with the latest research about all the links between OCD and genetics so be sure to watch til the end!
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OCD does NOT affect men and women the same way. In fact, research tells us there are many differences in how the disorder affects each gender. In this video, Dr. Patrick McGrath explains what those differences are — from boys often developing OCD earlier than girls, to how hormonal changes, pregnancy, or life stressors can trigger symptoms in women. He also discusses how gender roles and identity may shape the way OCD shows up, and why understanding these differences matters for treatment.
Here at NOCD, we specialize in ERP therapy, the most effective therapy for OCD. To explore treatment options, book a free 15-minute call at https://learn.nocd.com/YT
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When your child has OCD, it’s natural to want to help — but some of the most common parenting instincts can accidentally make things worse. OCD and anxiety therapist Natasha Daniels knows this firsthand, both as a clinician and as a mom with children suffering with the disorder. In this episode, she shares what OCD looks like in kids, how parents can get stuck in the cycle of accommodation, and what it really takes to support a child WITHOUT feeding their compulsions.
At NOCD, we specialize in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) — the gold-standard treatment for OCD. If you want to explore your treatment options for yourself or your child, book a free 15-minute session with us at https://learn.nocd.com/YT
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Most people don’t think twice about breathing, blinking, or swallowing food — your body just does it automatically. But for some, OCD turns those simple functions into constant obsessions. This is called sensorimotor OCD, a subtype where your mind gets stuck on bodily sensations like swallowing, breathing, or even heartbeats. Instead of passing thoughts, these sensations become overwhelming, leading to worry, compulsions, and endless self-monitoring. In this episode, Dr. Patrick McGrath explains why OCD latches onto the body’s autopilot functions, how the cycle of anxiety and compulsions keeps it going, and what it takes to break free.
At NOCD, we use Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) — the gold-standard therapy for OCD, including sensorimotor OCD. If you’re ready to break free from the cycle of obsessions and compulsions, book a free 15-minute call at https://learn.nocd.com/YT
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