Just Checking

OCD therapists talk intrusive thoughts, scary themes, and why your brain can be a dick. If you are looking for reputable information that comes from some good friends then come and join us; Laura Mole and Jessica Hayes. Get involved by emailing ocdcollectiveuk@gmail.com and following us on Instagram @justcheckingpod to contribute towards features and to request that we cover what you want to hear.Disclaimer: This podcast provides educational information only and is not a substitute for professional mental health support.

Just Checking is a education podcast hosted by OCD Collective, with 26 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

OCD Collective hosts Just Checking, a education show with 26 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #26

  pOCD: What It Looks Like, What It Feels Like, and How We Work With It

  Aug 18, 202643 minS1

  This week we're bringing a fictional case study. Meet "Dan"; a composite character who helps us walk through what pOCD (paedophilia-themed OCD) can actually look like in the room, and how CBT treatment unfolds session by session. We cover the pOCD loop, what it's like to help someone start their first gentle exposure, and the honest answer to the question so many people ask: "what if exposures just give me more intrusions?" We also talk openly about suicide risk in this population, the self-compassion work that has to sit alongside exposure, and why the answer is never "it's 50:50 whether you're a paedophile or not." It's not always a comfortable listen- but if you've ever had these thoughts, or you're a clinician working with someone who has, this one's for you. Podcast by: Laura Mole , Adv. Dip, MBACP OCD specialist therapist and Jessica Hayes , Msc PGDip, BABCP Accred OCD and perinatal specialist therapist Edited by Christian Nickson Time Stamps: 00:41 Introduction to the episode 01:50 Overview of 'Dan' 05:30 What to ask Dan 07:25 Helping Dan to understand pOCD 08:55 Explaining the pOCD loop 14:23 A gentle exposure jump 16:30 Suicide risk discussion 19:20 Self-compassion and care that helps 21:00 Early experiments and challenges 24:24 pOCD-specific exposures 28:00 What if you get more intrusions? 31:10 Fun pOCD behavioural experiments 34:10 Take back your life from OCD 36:00 It's a bit shit but how do you get through it? 39:00 It isn't 50:50 on whether you are a p£dophile or not 40:42 What the next vignette is going to be 41:30 Get involved and goodbyes Get in Touch: Got intrusive thoughts to share or questions for us: Email us at ocdcollectiveuk@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram and Tiktok: @justcheckingpod For our individual OCD pages, you can find Laura on Tiktok and Instagram as @ocdtherapylaura and Jess as @jess_helps_your_ocd Please check out our privacy policy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YJZ4Sdh4OpxjRR9twGY6dOMH9n55Mq6qTqLBxOtN3Fw/edit?usp=sharing Content Warnings: We do reference some thoughts that people may find distressing so please listen with caution if this is you, and take a break if you need to. Disclaimer: This podcast provides educational content only and is not a substitute for professional mental health support, please contact a mental health professional for advice and support.

  ListenShow Notes
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  Episode #25

  When Autism and OCD Collide: Neuroaffirming Therapy, Masking, and Rumination

  Aug 10, 20261h 20mS1

  Autism and OCD overlap far more than most clinicians realise- but where does one end and the other begin? In this episode, Jess and Laura unpack the complex relationship between autism and OCD, exploring how to deliver truly neuroaffirming therapy without inadvertently encouraging masking. We break down the difference between autistic rumination and OCD rumination, explore sensory sensitivities through an OCD lens, and ask the hard question: can CBT actually harm neurodivergent clients if it's not adapted properly? We also talk shame, medical gaslighting, and what realistic therapy goals look like when autism and OCD co-occur. Whether you're autistic, OCD, both, or a clinician working with neurodivergent clients, this episode offers practical, validating guidance — plus your Weekly Wins, a listener question, and this week's Exposure Lab. Topics covered: neuroaffirming therapy, autism and OCD overlap, masking, autistic rumination vs OCD rumination, sensory processing and OCD, CBT adaptations for neurodivergence, medical gaslighting, therapy goal-setting Mentioned in this episode: Challenging OCD in Young People with ASD: A CBT Manual for Therapists, by Amita Jassi : https://amzn.eu/d/05SAWcc4 Podcast by: Laura Mole , Adv. Dip, MBACP OCD specialist therapist and Jessica Hayes , Msc PGDip, BABCP Accred OCD and perinatal specialist therapist Edited by Christian Nickson Time Stamps: 00:50 Overview of the episode 02:27 Hello and catch up 10:40 Why this episode is focusing on autism 13:26 Brain Spam 17:50 Neurodivergence coocurrence with OCD 19:00 What is neuroaffirming therapy? 21:35 How common is the autism and OCD overlap? 25:15 What OCD and autism have in common 26:28 How OCD and autism differ 30:27 The Venn diagram of OCD and autism to plan therapy 33:24 Shame and low self-esteem around your brain 36:10 How hard it can be to get therapy for neurodivergence and mental health combined 39:30 Autistic experience with mental health is distinct 42:15 Can CBT harm neurodivergent people? 44:20 Autistic rumination and OCD 47:38 When is it helping you to feel safe, and when it makes OCD worse? 49:20 Validating autistic fears 52:00 Needing to be careful around masking 56:30 Sensory needs in OCD 58:00 Autistic health problems and medical gaslighting impact 59:30 There is hope 1:01:10 It has to be their goals 1:01:50 Logic to help 1:02:35 Practical guidelines for therapy 1:05:35 The 'dont's' for therapy 1:06:30 Look back at other episodes 1:07:00 Weekly Wins 1:08:50 Listener Question 1:13:40 Exposure Lab 1:18:40 We want to hear from you 1:19:10 Goodbyes Get in Touch: Got intrusive thoughts to share or questions for us: Email us at ocdcollectiveuk@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram and Tiktok: @justcheckingpod For our individual OCD pages, you can find Laura on Tiktok and Instagram as @ocdtherapylaura and Jess as @jess_helps_your_ocd Please check out our privacy policy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YJZ4Sdh4OpxjRR9twGY6dOMH9n55Mq6qTqLBxOtN3Fw/edit?usp=sharing Content Warnings: We do reference some thoughts that people may find distressing so please listen with caution if this is you, and take a break if you need to. Disclaimer: This podcast provides educational content only and is not a substitute for professional mental health support, please contact a mental health professional for advice and support.

  ListenShow Notes
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  Episode #24

  Purely Obsessional: Tamara Orlova on Filmmaking, Pure O & Caregiver Burnout

  Aug 4, 202631 minS1

  Laura sits down with filmmaker Tamara Orlova to talk about her upcoming film Purely Obsessional; a project shining a light on Pure O OCD, one of the most misunderstood and under-represented forms of the disorder. Tamara shares her journey from journalism into screenwriting, why she chose film as the medium to tell this story, and how a fox became the unexpected symbol for OCD intrusive thoughts. The conversation gets personal as Tamara opens up about caregiver burnout, and how exhaustion from caregiving became the tipping point that triggered her own Pure O symptoms, long before she understood what OCD really was. She reflects on media misrepresentations of OCD, what she wants people to know about living with Pure O, and how making this film has helped her, and others, feel less alone. A must-listen for anyone touched by Pure O, caregivers navigating burnout, or anyone curious about how OCD really gets portrayed on screen. If you want to find out more about Tamara's work, follow her at https://www.instagram.com/tamaraoaikon/ or go to her website https://purelyobsessional.com/ Topics covered: Pure O OCD, caregiver burnout, filmmaking and mental health storytelling, OCD symbolism in film, media representation of OCD, journey to OCD diagnosis Podcast by: Laura Mole , Adv. Dip, MBACP OCD specialist therapist and Jessica Hayes , Msc PGDip, BABCP Accred OCD and perinatal specialist therapist Edited by Christian Nickson Time Stamps: 01:25 Hello and introduction to Tamara 02:09 Brain Spam 03:25 Who Tamara is and her journey to film writing 06:30 Journalism vs Screenplay 08:26 Purely Obsessional, where it came from 11:42 Representing Pure O on film 13:21 Using a fox to symbolise OCD 14:45 Finding others with OCD 16:30 Helping people with OCD to feel less alone 17:12 What Tamara wants people to know about Pure O 19:09 Orchard OCD observations from Tamara 22:30 Media representations of OCD 25:10 How Tamara realised it was OCD 28:00 Advice for anyone with OCD 28:42 When the film is happening and where to follow to support the project 30:20 Goodbyes Tamara's Website: www.purelyobsessional.com Get in Touch: Got intrusive thoughts to share or questions for us: Email us at ocdcollectiveuk@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram and Tiktok: @justcheckingpod For our individual OCD pages, you can find Laura on Tiktok and Instagram as @ocdtherapylaura and Jess as @jess_helps_your_ocd Please check out our privacy policy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YJZ4Sdh4OpxjRR9twGY6dOMH9n55Mq6qTqLBxOtN3Fw/edit?usp=sharing Content Warnings: We do reference some thoughts that people may find distressing so please listen with caution if this is you, and take a break if you need to. Disclaimer: This podcast provides educational content only and is not a substitute for professional mental health support, please contact a mental health professional for advice and support.

  ListenShow Notes
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  Just Checking

  "Is It All In My Head?" Health Anxiety, OCD & Somatic Symptom Disorder

  Jul 28, 20261h 1m

  Ever googled a symptom at 2am and spiralled into full-blown catastrophe mode? This week we're unpacking health anxiety; what it actually is, how it overlaps (and doesn't) with OCD, and where somatic symptom disorder fits into the picture. We get into the key fears driving health anxiety, the sneaky compulsions that keep it going, and why "it's all in your head" is the worst possible thing to say to someone struggling with it. Plus: what happens when you have a genuine health condition on top of the anxiety, why neurodivergent folks are especially prone to health anxiety, and practical tips you can use today. As always, a Brain Spam, your Listener Question, a Win of the Week, and an Exposure Lab to send you off. In this episode: Health anxiety vs OCD: the similarities and the differences Somatic symptom disorder and how it shows up Treatment options that actually help Neurodivergence and health anxiety Practical tips and hints for managing it right now Podcast by: Laura Mole , Adv. Dip, MBACP OCD specialist therapist and Jessica Hayes , Msc PGDip, BABCP Accred OCD and perinatal specialist therapist Edited by Christian Nickson Time Stamps: 01:00 What today's episode is about 02:30 Brain Spam 04:55 What health anxiety is and how to recognise it 08:55 Health anxiety and OCD differences and overlaps 12:35 Key themes and fears 13:20 Mistrust in medical professionals 15:45 Key fears and meaning of health anxiety 18:00 Common health anxiety compulsions 21:50 hypervigilance to vigilant 24:30 Rules you can make for health anxiety 28:15 Does therapy mean it is all in your head? 32:00 What if you have an actual health condition? 34:10 Stressed about the stress 35:20 What we are looking to reduce 41:15 Neurodivergence and health anxiety 45:20 What helps with health anxiety? 50:30 What are the goals of health anxiety therapy? 51:45 Tips for now 54:40 Listener Question 57:15 Win of the Week 57:48 Exposure Lab 59:55 Goodbyes Get in Touch: Got intrusive thoughts to share or questions for us: Email us at ocdcollectiveuk@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram and Tiktok: @justcheckingpod For our individual OCD pages, you can find Laura on Tiktok and Instagram as @ocdtherapylaura and Jess as @jess_helps_your_ocd Please check out our privacy policy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YJZ4Sdh4OpxjRR9twGY6dOMH9n55Mq6qTqLBxOtN3Fw/edit?usp=sharing Content Warnings: We do reference some thoughts that people may find distressing so please listen with caution if this is you, and take a break if you need to. Disclaimer: This podcast provides educational content only and is not a substitute for professional mental health support, please contact a mental health professional for advice and support.

  ListenShow Notes
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  Just Checking

  OCD Explained: What People With OCD Want You to Know

  Jul 21, 202644 min

  OCD isn't about being neat and tidy, and it's not "just anxiety." In this episode, we break down what obsessive compulsive disorder actually is: what intrusive thoughts really are, what compulsions can look like, and why OCD themes can be so misunderstood. If you've ever wondered what to say (or not say) to someone with OCD, this one's for you. This is the episode to send to family, friends, colleagues — anyone who wants to understand OCD without googling their way into misinformation. Podcast by: Laura Mole , Adv. Dip, MBACP OCD specialist therapist and Jessica Hayes , Msc PGDip, BABCP Accred OCD and perinatal specialist therapist Edited by Christian Nickson Time Stamps: 00:58 Introduction to the episode 02:52 What obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) really is 04:28 Everybody gets intrusive thoughts 06:00 What compulsions can be 07:17 What do the OCD themes mean? 10:00 Don't ask what the thoughts are 12:25 OCD or anxiety? What is the difference? 19:00 Why this episode? 22:05 You don't need to understand their OCD 25:05 What someone with OCD wants you to know 26:20 What therapy for OCD does 27:09 They haven't picked this 29:30 A message for loved ones of those with OCD 32:25 Common OCD themes 38:10 Contamination and just right OCD 42:30 Which episode themes you can check out 43:15 Goodbyes Get in Touch: Got intrusive thoughts to share or questions for us: Email us at ocdcollectiveuk@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram and Tiktok: @justcheckingpod For our individual OCD pages, you can find Laura on Tiktok and Instagram as @ocdtherapylaura and Jess as @jess_helps_your_ocd Please check out our privacy policy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YJZ4Sdh4OpxjRR9twGY6dOMH9n55Mq6qTqLBxOtN3Fw/edit?usp=sharing Content Warnings: We do reference some thoughts that people may find distressing so please listen with caution if this is you, and take a break if you need to. Disclaimer: This podcast provides educational content only and is not a substitute for professional mental health support, please contact a mental health professional for advice and support.

  ListenShow Notes

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