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 32 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

OCD Collective hosts Just Checking, a education show with 32 episodes published.

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  Just Checking

  Sensorimotor OCD Treatment: ERP, Metacognitive Therapy & Self-Compassion with Andy and Ferne from the Anxious Academy

  Sep 22, 20261h 25m

  Sensorimotor OCD; where you get stuck noticing your breathing, blinking, thinking, or other automatic bodily processes. It can feel relentless and impossible to switch off. In this episode of Just Checking, we're joined by Andy and Ferne from the Anxious Academy to explore what sensorimotor OCD is, why it can feel like the "worst" OCD theme, and how to treat it. We cover common sensorimotor compulsions, when reassurance becomes a compulsion, and why loss of certainty and control drives the cycle. Andy and Ferne share their lived experience, and we look at why response prevention often matters more than exposure with this theme. We also discuss compassion work, dropping perfectionism, metacognitive therapy for OCD, exposures for metacognitive beliefs, and experiments for mental compulsions. We also cover green and red flags in OCD programmes, neurodivergent considerations, what recovery really looks like, the biggest recovery roadblocks, and a common mistake therapists make with this presentation. If you're living with OCD, supporting someone who is, or you're a therapist wanting to understand this theme better, 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 Featuring Andrew Mellish and Ferne Manniex from Anxious Academy Anxious Academy Website: https://theanxiousacademy.co.uk/ Time Stamps: 00:00 Anxious Academy introduction 02:45 Introduction to the episode 05:40 Brain Spam 11:10 What is sensorimotor OCD? 17:00 Losing a sense of certainty and control 18:05 Common sensorimotor compulsions 21:00 When validation and assurance changes to reassurance 23:45 Why Ferne struggled with sensorimotor themes 24:35 How sensorimotor OCD impacted Andy 25:25 Is this the 'worst' OCD theme? 28:05 Focusing more on response prevention than exposure 29:00 Compassion work 34:35 Dropping the perfectionism 36:20 Metacognitive therapy for OCD 39:30 Metacognitive awareness 40:25 Exposures for metacognitive beliefs 43:40 Experiments for mental compulsions 44:35 Metacognitive Training 45:55 Red flags in OCD programmes 47:40 OCD compulsions involving OCD research 48:35 Summary of what OCD therapy green flags are 49:50 Neurodivergent considerations 58:20 What does recovery look like? 1:01:25 Biggest recovery roadblocks 1:05:30 Jess Donald Trump toddler analogy 1:06:45 Common therapist mistake with this 1:12:26 Weekly Win 1:18:58 Exposure Lab 1:24:21 Goodbyes Resources: Andy's recommended Youtube attention videos: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLx0h9GH33gV0ItzP_nOuJPVIXLzh3vDBo&si=YWLWilOUbGtx4VZX Anxious Academy social media: @theanxiousacademy 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.

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  Just Checking

  The Magical Thinking OCD Client: A Full Assessment-to-Treatment Walkthrough Minipod

  Sep 15, 202650 min

  Ever wondered what OCD therapy actually looks like from the inside? In this mini vignette, we build a fake client, Jamie, presenting with magical thinking OCD, and walk through the whole clinical journey: assessment, formulation, and treatment, step by step. We cover thought-action fusion, excessive responsibility, "just right" challenges, memory manipulation, and how to bring family into the support system- all with the warmth and compassion Theory A/Theory B deserves. Whether you're a clinician wanting a practical walkthrough or someone with OCD wanting to understand what therapy might involve, 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: 00:00 Introduction chat 03:18 What is magical thinking? 05:30 Laura's button analogy 07:00 Jamie's story 14:15 Controversial start to therapy 15:00 What the assessment will look into 18:45 Thought Action Fusion 19:08 Laura's practical exercise 22:00 Challenging the concepts first, not the OCD 25:00 Challenging excessive responsibility 27:50 Just right challenges 31:30 Memory manipulation 32:20 How Jamie's family can get involved 35:00 Phrases for OCD support 40:25 Theory A, Theory B with compassion 41:35 Acceptance for the thoughts 43:25 Psychosis fears 45:30 Getting involved and extra episodes 48:17 Papyrus shout out 49:00 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.

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  Just Checking

  Mental Compulsions & Rumination: Breaking the Loop with Jess Mariner

  Sep 8, 20261h 6m

  Mental compulsions can be invisible, exhausting, and easy to miss- even for clinicians. In this episode, Jess and Laura sit down with Jess Marriner (creator of Breaking the Loop) to unpack what mental compulsions and rumination actually look like, how they differ from ordinary thinking, and why "just doing the exposure" doesn't always shift underlying beliefs. They cover Pure O, whether OCD can exist without the "O," how to spot invisible compulsions in the therapy room, and what ERP and CBT look like when the compulsions are all happening inside someone's head. Plus: attention training, planned vs unplanned exposure, stress management and OCD, and a Jess M discount code you won't want to miss. Perfect for anyone with OCD, clinicians working with OCD clients, or anyone who's ever wondered "is this rumination or just... thinking?” Podcast by: Laura Mole , Adv. Dip, MBACP OCD specialist therapist and Jessica Hayes , Msc PGDip, BABCP Accred OCD and perinatal specialist therapist Featuring Jess Marriner, BABCP Accred OCD and anxiety specialist therapist Follow Jess Marriner at @jessmarrinertherapy and access her Break the Loop at: Break The Loop Use the discount code: justchecking20 at checkout for 20% discount Time Stamps: 00:38 Episode overview 01:50 Introductions and catch up 06:50 Brain Spam 10:20 Overview of Jess M and Break the Loop 15:40 What do mental compulsions look like? 18:42 What rumination looks like 21:00 Thoughts vs thinking 25:50 Why doing the thing doesn't change beliefs sometimes 28:40 How can clinicians ask about mental compulsions 31:10 What is pure O? 32:40 Can we have OCD without the 'O'? 36:40 Jess H book sidebar 41:05 How does ERP or CBT look for invisible compulsions? 45:00 Attention training first 46:30 Unplanned and deliberate ERP 53:00 Stress management and OCD 57:35 The OCD game 58:00 Jess M discount code 1:00:00 Weekly Win 1:01:04 Exposure Lab 1:05:20 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.

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  Episode #28

  Disgust-Based OCD: When There's No Obvious Core Fear

  Sep 1, 20261h 10mS1

  It's not always fear driving OCD; sometimes it's disgust. In this episode, Jess and Laura unpack disgust-based OCD: what makes it different from anxiety-based presentations, why there's often no obvious "core fear" to find, and how disgust sensitivity and propensity shape the way it shows up. They cover mental contamination, self-regulation, shame beliefs (including LGBTQ+-specific shame), and why some safety seeking behaviours might need to stay for now. Expect personal anecdotes, an apocalypse tangent, and a full toolkit of practical experiments, from metacognitive imagery work to ACT and CFT-informed approaches, for building tolerance to the intolerable. Plus: Listener Question, a Weekly Win, and an Exposure Lab challenge. 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 Overview 02:00 Why disgust-based OCD 03:05 Brain Spam 08:40 What is disgust? 11:55 Personal disgust examples 17:40 Disgust reacts differently to anxiety 19:00 Expectations for treatment 19:45 No core fear 26:00 Disgust sensitivity and disgust propensity 27:30 Self-regulation's role 31:55 How therapy can look 36:00 People can be disgusting 36:50 Shame beliefs and origins 39:05 Metacognitive therapy imagery descripting 41:50 Disgust associations 45:15 Allowing safety behaviours 46:20 A focus on values 49:55 Apocalypse tangent 53:44 Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) approaches 55:20 Laura's summary of disgust approaches 58:00 Disgust aims and reminders 1:01:15 Listener Question 1:03:50 Weekly Win 1:05:27 Exposure Lab 1:10:00 Goodbyes Disgust Behavioural Experiments: **1. "Opposite action" for disgust** Pick something mildly disgusting (not your worst trigger). Physically approach it, let yourself really look at it rather than looking away, and notice the urge to tense up or recoil- then deliberately soften your shoulders/hands. The exercise is about closing the gap between "disgusted" and "recoiling," not making the disgust disappear. **2. The reappraisal game** Take a disgust-trigger object and describe it out loud using only neutral, clinical, or absurdly technical language-no evaluative words allowed. E.g. a used tissue becomes "cellulose fibres holding condensed nasal secretions." This is changing the *meaning* attached to a stimulus rather than the stimulus itself. **3. Rewrite the ending** Take a recurring "gross" intrusive image and, eyes closed, deliberately continue the scene past where it normally stops- give it a different, even ridiculous ending. This is a small version of imagery rescripting, which works by changing the affective meaning of the image rather than trying to suppress or avoid it. **4. Pairing test** Since disgust is often *learned* through association rather than reasoned belief, try repeatedly pairing a low-stakes disgust trigger with something genuinely pleasant (a favourite song, a square of chocolate) over several short exposures, and notice whether the association shifts. Resources: Disgust Scale-revised: Disgust Scale, DS-R Feelings Wheel: Feelings Wheel | Worksheet | Therapist Aid 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.

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  Just Checking

  "I Thought I Was a Danger to My Baby": Perinatal OCD, Intrusive Thoughts & Recovery with Jess

  Aug 25, 20261h 6m

  A lovely guest, Jess, opens up about her postnatal OCD journey; from the sexual and harm intrusive thoughts she was terrified to admit, to the health visitor and GP visits that Jess courageously opened up in, to finally getting the right help from a perinatal team. We talk about what OCD looks like after recovery, the grief that can come with a postpartum OCD diagnosis, and the exposure work that actually helped. If you're a new parent having intrusive thoughts you're scared to say out loud, or a professional who wants to understand postnatal OCD better, this one's for you. Content warning; please be aware that we discuss specific intrusive harm and taboo thoughts in this episode, listen with caution. 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 Featuring Jess @rosejess91 Useful Links: Mind: Perinatal OCD | Types of mental health problems | Mind Maternal OCD: Welcome to Maternal OCD OCDUK: OCD during a prenatal or postnatal period | OCD-UK Time Stamps: 00:45 Extra content trigger disclaimer 01:25 Introduction to Jess 02:20 Brain Spam, postnatal OCD edition 07:20 What Jess' OCD journey was like 14:00 What Jess first thought of her thoughts 16:45 How the visit with the health visitor went 19:50 What Jess feared with her first confession 22:40 What would it have helped for the doctor to say? 25:20 The phone call with the perinatal team 30:05 Big OCD achievements 35:20 Grief around the OCD postpartum 38:20 Sneaky compulsions 39:10 What this OCD looks like after recovery 44:00 Routines that can help 45:55 What would Jess tell herself if she were to go back? 49:00 What do professionals need to know? 52:00 Recovery expectations and tips 55:00 What combination of things helped Jess 57:02 An example exposure task that helped 59:10 Exposure Lab 1:03:10 Weekly Win 1:05:30 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 and @Jess_the_therapy_mum 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.

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