California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center

01/31/2025

Hi everyone,

In anticipation of Valentines Day (February 14th, for those unaware) I published an article on our blog about how Relationship OCD (ROCD) can ruin Valentines Day and what you can do to help ROCD from destroying what could be a wonderful day. It's a short read, and hopefully you find something in it helpful!

Relationship OCD (ROCD) can ruin your Valentines Day with anxiety, rumination, and comparison. Here are 5 things you can do to make your Valentines Day great.

10/28/2024

Episode #203 is out!

Today's audio questioner wants to know why the anxiety they experience from regular life and every-day triggers is worse than the anxiety they get when doing Exposures. They struggle to make their exposures as triggering as their regular anxiety, but can't! But is that even necessary?

Why isn't this person's exposure not making them as anxious as when their OCD is normally triggered? Is that necessary?

10/21/2024

Episode #202 is out!

Today's audio question comes from Aaron who asked about a situation he has not heard much about, so he's looking for some guidance. He's noticing he has some Relationship OCD (no big deal, right), but he also notices a flair up of Harm related obsessive thoughts alongside and as a result of the ROCD thoughts. We're all used to ROCD and SO-OCD, but Harm? I offer some thoughts, encouragement and guidance for challenging and facing his obsessions.

Aaron has Relationship OCD (ROCD) alongside Harm OCD. How can he deal with both when they feel so intertwined!

10/14/2024

Episode #201 is out!

Today's episode is all about SPACE Treatment! Natalia Aiza, LPC, joined me to talk about her expertise using SPACE, or Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions, to help adolescents and parents better address anxiety and OCD. Natalia went through the treatment method, discusses how it differs from traditional Exposure and Response Prevention Treatment, addresses resistant children and teens and their resistant parents, how to address accommodation, and how to successfully end treatment. This was a wonderful interview with a ton of great and usable information.

Natalia Aiza, LPC, joins me to discuss SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) treatment for Adolescent OCD and Anxiety.

10/07/2024

Episode #200 is out!

Today is so special, I thought I'd answer two listener questions! The first comes from a listener who is questing themselves as they notice they have the urge to Google someone they admire or look up to. Are they being wildly creepy, or is OCD accusing them of being a terrible person? Next comes an audio question from Cynthia who asks about how she can deal with her obsessions attacking her genuinely held interests. Are her hobbies and leisure ruined forever?

Does Googling someone make you creepy, or curious? What can you do if OCD attacks your genuine interests and hobbies?

09/30/2024

Episode #199 of the FearCast is out!

Today's audio question comes from Spiritual Overthinker who has won the lottery with a wonderful guy with whom she clicks with on a deep, spiritual level. But, as it happens sometimes, OCD suddenly is showing up and making her question the relationship, herself, and their future together! What is she to do? I offer her some suggestions, guidance, and encouragement to challenging her distorted thoughts, leaning on her values, and living what she believes is true and right (all while ignoring OCD's nonsense). ⁠
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https://fearcastpodcast.com/2024/09/29/universe

09/23/2024

Episode #198 is out!

Today's audio question comes in from Doubting Debbie who asks a great question: is this thought she's having legitimate and worth investigating, or is it just an obsession and nonsense manifestation of her OCD? While a great question, sometimes with ROCD, SO-OCD, or pretty much any obsession, there can be many things going on work acknowledging, challenging, and accepting.

Is Doubting Debbie's gut feeling legit, or just another manifestation of her OCD? Is it ROCD? A real problem? Or nothing?

09/09/2024

Episode #197 is out!

Today's question comes from Overthinker. She asks the question about how to beat her SO-OCD. She's confident she's narrowed down the core fear, she's in therapy, she's working on exposures and taking all the right steps, but she's missing an important step that I try to highlight. This was a longer question, and unfortunately I didn't realize there was a bunch of noise and background hiss in the recording, but hopefully you find it helpful and spot some ways Overthinker could do to help her in her progress too!

How can Overthinker stop her overthinking and finally beat her SO-OCD? I go over a few options and point her in a good direction!

09/02/2024

Episode 165 is out!

Today's audio question comes from Frank. He wants to know whether Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy can be helpful to someone who is actually in denial of their sexuality. Frank identifies as a cis-gay male, but obsesses about whether or not he is actually trans. So, is Frank actually trans and in denial, or is he obsessing about being trans and is who and how he identifies? I do my best to respectfully and delicately offer my thoughts.

Is Frank actually trans and in denial? Will ERP help him discover who he is, push him further in denial, or is he who he is and obsessing?

08/26/2024

Episode #195 is out!

Today's audio question comes from a listener who wants to know whether or not OCD can make them feel depressed, or if they just have depression, or if they have depression and OCD. Either way, Ab, the questioner, shares her deep struggle with feeling overwhelmed by a sense of depression alongside her other obsessions. This question gets a little personal for me, but I share some ideas on what she can do in the face of her experience, how to maintain a grounded perspective through depressive slumps, and how to thrive despite her struggle.

Is Ab struggling with depression, or is OCD causing her to feel depressed? Can OCD make you also feel depressed?

08/20/2024

Episode #195 is out!

Today's episode is a timely one. I had the privilege of speaking with Elena Fasan, LCSW, () about anxiety in kids, teens, and adolescents as they return to school. This was a fun conversation that addresses concerns for kids and parents from elementary school to college and touches on subjects of college pressure, perfectionism, social anxiety, OCD, and shame.

Elena Fasan, LCSW, and I talk about the range of stressors effective student and parents as they face the dreaded back to school season!

08/12/2024

Hi everyone. Episode #193 is up!

Today's question comes from Tom. He messaged me and asked these questions three. How can he deal with the guilt and shame of having his particular taboo obsession and testing it compulsively? Should he tell his girlfriend about them? And finally, what if his obsession is no obsession at all, but what he actually wants? I hear questions like this all the time, and I'm willing to bet there are people out there who are struggling with similar questions and obsessions.

Are Tom's obsessions genuinely what he wants? How to deal with the guilt and shame of checking? And should he tell his girlfriend?!