Just Checking

Perinatal OCD — The Intrusive Thoughts No One Warned You About

If you Googled something terrifying about your baby and ended up here, you're in the right place. This week Jess and Laura are talking about one of the most misunderstood and underdiagnosed presentations of OCD — perinatal OCD. Whether you're pregnant, postpartum, or supporting someone who is, this one's for you. We get into why OCD loves to latch onto the thing you love most, what's actually happening in your brain and body during the perinatal period, and why so many people suffer in silence. We talk about that fear directly, and what advocating for you actually looks like. From the most common perinatal presentations to what therapy actually looks like in this season of life — including why regulation comes before challenging OCD — this episode covers the full picture. We also talk maternity leave grief, secure attachment, parenting values, and we close with a note from someone who has been where you might be right now, and come out the other side. You are not a bad parent. Your thoughts are not your character. And you are not alone in this. 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 00:36 Shout out to followers 01:10 Things you might have Googled with perinatal OCD 02:26 Introductions and shout out to Josh Fletcher 09:48 Introduction to perinatal OCD 10:44 Brain Spam 13:30 Prioproceptive input 15:50 Matrescence and mental health 20:00 Increased responsibility and vulnerability to OCD 22:05 Hormone shifts and OCD 23:52 Why OCD latches to the baby 24:30 Traumatic births and what you expect to feel 26:50 Birth planning and expectations 29:40 Preparing for pregnancy with OCD 31:30 Perinatal mental health team involvement 23:45 Building a village 36:07 Main OCD presentations in OCD 38:30 How common these intrusive thoughts are 39:20 What makes it OCD 42:30 Why we need more awareness of this 44:00 What if they report things to social services? 46:00 How we can advocate for you 48:00 What risk do we check more? 49:33 Options for support 50:55 Therapy for perinatal OCD; how it looks 52:00 Regulation before challenging OCD 54:00 Grieving maternity leave ideas and living like you value 58:21 Secure attachments and OCD 1:01:50 Prioritising parenting values 1:04:03 Responsive self-care lists 1:04:40 A note from someone who is recovered from perinatal OCD 1:05:23 Questions from the listeners 1:08:25 Key takeaways for perinatal OCD 1:09:00 Helpful resources and support websites 1:10:24 Exposure Lab 1:12:48 Weekly Wins 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 her perinatal page @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. Resources mentioned: Jess’ perinatal mental health Instagram: @jess_the_therapy_mum Birth Rights: Birthrights - your human rights during pregnancy and maternity care [https://birthrights.org.uk/]  OCDUK: OCD-UK | A national OCD charity, run by, and for people with lived experience of OCD [https://www.ocduk.org/]  IOCDF Perinatal OCD Resource Centre: Perinatal OCD Resource Center To Help People Find Relief [https://iocdf.org/perinatal-ocd/]  Maternal OCD UK: Welcome to Maternal OCD [https://maternalocd.org/]  Postpartum Support International: Postpartum Support International - PSI [https://postpartum.net/]  The Breastfeeding Network (medication guidance): Drugs in Breastmilk factsheets - The Breastfeeding Network [https://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/drugs-factsheets/]

OCD Questions from the Listeners: How to Get Diagnosed, OCD and ADHD, False Attraction & More

Got OCD questions? Same. This week Jess and Laura tackle the listener mailbag from Laura's Tiktok live— covering how to get tested for OCD, accessing treatment, the serotonin myth, the OCD-ADHD connection, contamination OCD, and false attraction. Laura shares an insight into her feelings around her own OCD journey. There's also a free children's resource on neurodivergence, a children's book on intrusive thoughts, and Jess' entirely predictable over-preparation for an OCD research conference. 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 Hello chat 01:29 Introductions  07:30 Children's book for intrusive thoughts 09:30 A free resource for children to understand neurodivergence  12:30 OCD research conference and Jess' over-preparation 14:33 Brain Spam 18:18 Laura's Tiktok live for questions 19:52 How do you get tested for OCD  24:44  How do I get help for OCD? 32:44 Is OCD just a lack of serotonin? 37:56 Can OCD and ADHD correlate? 46:40 I can't touch anything my family have touched because I know it will kill them- how do I stop that? 47:55 I feel like myself intrusive thoughts reflect real feelings, they feel so real 51:20 Can you explain false attraction and false urges? 54:35 Exposure Lab 1:01:00 Teaser for next week and goodbyes For the book mentioned in the episode today, you can find it at www.reimaginetherapy.co.uk 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.

A Deep Dive into POCD: The Shame, Fear, and Hope of Recovery

This week Jess and Laura tackle one of the most stigmatised “taboo” OCD subtypes around — POCD, - and because we don’t want to get shadow banned, we will refer to it as “PDF File” – but we are not using this term as avoidance, or to avoid triggering anyone - just so you know! It shows up most as intrusive, unwanted sexual thoughts, images, doubts, words about children.   This is the one that sends people spiralling in shame and silence instead of reaching out for help. They break down what it actually is (and crucially, what it isn't), why groinal responses happen, what recovery looks like, and why the fact that these thoughts horrify you matters more than you think. This is an episode that will not only help you to feel less alone, but it will highlight exactly how to ask for help, and where to get it. Plus, Jess finally gets Laura crying on the podcast. 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 01:39 Hellos and introductions 02:59 Brain Spam 07:00 Peadophilia vs POCD 10:45 A message for people supporting those with POCD 17:58 How can pOCD look? And a little note on incest thoughts 28:37 What is a groinal response and why does it happen? 35:10 Shame in POCD 41:54 Recommended help and resources  46:20 When POCD pairs up with other themes 49:10 What does recovery look like? 51:10 Statistics about types of thoughts 53:23 Final tips 55:40 Weekly Win 58:52 Exposure Lab 1:02:00 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.

Molly Lambert on pOCD, Shame, and Finding Acceptance: The OCD Theme No One Talks About

Description: ⚠️ Content warning: this episode contains discussion of suicidal ideation and themes that some listeners might find distressing.  pOCD — pedophilia-themed OCD — is one of the most misunderstood and stigmatised subtypes out there, and Molly Lambert has lived it. In this episode, Molly shares what her intrusive thoughts actually looked and felt like: from existential anxiety to fears about being a paedophile, magical thinking, emotional checking, and the spiral that nearly broke her. She talks honestly about suicidal ideation, how TikTok helped her find her way, what it took to finally share her thoughts with others — and what acceptance can actually look like on the other side. Laura, Jess and Molly also dig into how common pOCD really is, why it tends to hit the people it does, how therapy helped, and why Molly now advocates publicly for OCD awareness (including how she handles the inevitable backlash). Plus: postpartum mums and pOCD, the role of drinking and distraction, and Molly gets involved in the Brain Spam feature 🧠  Podcast by  Laura Mole, Adv. Dip, MBACP OCD specialist therapist and Jessica Hayes, Msc PGDip, BABCP Accred OCD and perinatal specialist therapist Featuring Molly Lambert, OCD and mental illness advocate Edited by Christian Nickson Timestamps: 01:00 Hellos 01:30 Introducing Molly Lambert 02:57 What were Molly's thoughts like? From existential anxiety to paedophile fears 05:20 Magical thinking and checking emotions 09:20 When the pOCD started to spiral 14:40 How common is pOCD and why does it happen? 16:45 Thinking about suicide 17:30 What helped Molly realise it was OCD? 19:30 How drinking and distractions fit in 20:50 How TikTok helped 23:45 Other themes sneaking in 25:30 Starting to share the thoughts with others 28:30 Sharing with family 30:10 Advice for sharing — and Molly's experience of others' reactions 31:20 Therapy for Molly's OCD 35:47 Pursuing an OCD diagnosis 41:15 What acceptance can look like 45:00 Laura's OCD Doris 46:00 OCD help needs to be personalised 47:15 Molly's advocacy work for OCD 53:12 How Molly deals with negative feedback online 58:00 Postpartum mums and pOCD 1:04:50 How do Molly's friends and family help? 1:07:00 Where to find information and support 1:12:12 What did 15-year-old Molly need to hear? 1:14:33 Brain Spam 1:18:50 Wins of the Week 1:20:00 Avoidance in pOCD 1:20:25 Exposure Lab 1:22:30 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 Instagram and Tiktok pages: @jess_helps_your_ocd and @ocdtherapylaura 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.

Moral Scrupulosity OCD — When Your Brain Decides You're a Bad Person

Are you a terrible person, or does your brain just really, really want you to think so? This week Jess and Laura get into moral scrupulosity OCD — the subtype where intrusive thoughts aren't about harm or contamination, but about your fundamental character, your values, and whether you've done something unforgivable. Laura gets personal about her own moral OCD compulsions (yes, really), and they unpack why this subtype hits so differently — the shame, the thought-action fusion, and why reassurance-seeking feels almost morally necessary in itself. Plus: a detour into horse willies, a neurodivergent shout-out, and an unexpectedly deep dive into manifesting. 🧠 Brain Spam, an Exposure Lab, and a listener question about supporting a loved one with moral OCD round things out nicely. Podcast by  Laura Mole, Adv. Dip, MBACP OCD specialist therapist and Jessica Hayes, Msc PGDip, BABCP Accred OCD and perinatal specialist therapist Edited by Laura Mole Time stamps 00:43 Stuff you might Google with Moral scrupulosity OCD 02:50 Introduction and catch up 09:00 Brain 🧠 Spam 14:30 Horse willies 15:30 What moral OCD is 18:00 Laura's moral OCD compulsions  26:30 Why does it feel so bad? 28:11 What if i have actually done something bad? 31:35 Differences in therapy to help moral OCD; tolerating uncertainty, compassion, and thought-action-fusion.  40:46 Autistic shout-out 42:00 OCD irony 44:25 Manifesting and OCD 50:22 Question from a listener: Supporting a loved one 59:02 Exposure Lab 1:02:45 Upcoming episode themes  1:03:23 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.