The OCD Confessional

Rachael Mathews on Health OCD, Anxiety & Motherhood

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2539197/fan_mail/new] In this episode of The OCD Confessional, we’re joined by Rachael Mathews, OCD advocate and creator of the Hold Space community, to talk about living with health OCD and anxiety. Rachael shares her experience navigating intrusive thoughts and constant fear around her health. We talk about what health OCD actually feels like, why reassurance never quite sticks, and how anxiety can quietly take over your day-to-day life. We also explore:  • What health OCD really looks like beyond “being a hypochondriac”  • Intrusive thoughts and fear of illness  • How motherhood changes the experience of OCD  • The importance of community and feeling understood  • The story behind Hold Space, her private support group for people navigating health anxiety and OCD Rachael’s story is honest, calming, and deeply relatable — especially for anyone whose OCD shows up as fear about their body, their health, or their future. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2539197/support] 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube & everywhere podcasts live. 📲 Instagram & TikTok: @theocdconfessional 📺 YouTube: The OCD Confessional https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9LpIFjdtZQ [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9LpIFjdtZQ] Supported by NOCD If you or someone you love is struggling with OCD, check out NOCD — a leading virtual health platform that connects people with licensed therapists specially trained in Evidence-Based ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) therapy. NOCD offers live video sessions, between-session therapist messaging, access to in-app therapeutic tools, and a global peer community. Their goal: make expert OCD treatment accessible, effective, and affordable. ➤ Visit https://learn.nocd.com/ocdconfessional [https://learn.nocd.com/ocdconfessional] to learn more and get matched with an OCD-trained therapist. 🧠 The OCD Confessional is hosted by Liam Martin & Alicia Hill — real stories, intrusive thoughts, and the tools we use to cope (with plenty of laughter). Disclaimer: The OCD Confessional is intended for education, awareness, and community support only. It does not provide therapy or professional mental-health advice. If you are struggling or in crisis, please seek help from a licensed mental-health professional. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Ryan Judd on What Causes OCD, ERP Therapy & Why Recovery Is Possible

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2539197/fan_mail/new] In this episode of The OCD Confessional, we’re joined by Ryan Judd, Clinical Director of the OCD Institute Texas, a residential treatment program specializing in OCD and anxiety disorders. Ryan brings both clinical expertise and lived experience to the conversation, giving him a unique perspective on what it actually takes to recover from OCD. We start with his OCD confession and his personal experience before diving into his work treating people with some of the most severe forms of OCD. In this episode, we explore:  • What OCD actually is (beyond the stereotypes)  • What science says about what causes OCD  • Claims around gut health, inflammation, and OCD  • Why Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) are so effective • Why OCD is not something you just have to “live with forever” Ryan also shares why he’s passionate about challenging the idea that OCD is “incurable” — and what real recovery can look like. This episode is both educational and empowering, and a must-listen for anyone trying to better understand OCD or find a path forward. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2539197/support] 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube & everywhere podcasts live. 📲 Instagram & TikTok: @theocdconfessional 📺 YouTube: The OCD Confessional https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9LpIFjdtZQ [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9LpIFjdtZQ] Supported by NOCD If you or someone you love is struggling with OCD, check out NOCD — a leading virtual health platform that connects people with licensed therapists specially trained in Evidence-Based ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) therapy. NOCD offers live video sessions, between-session therapist messaging, access to in-app therapeutic tools, and a global peer community. Their goal: make expert OCD treatment accessible, effective, and affordable. ➤ Visit https://learn.nocd.com/ocdconfessional [https://learn.nocd.com/ocdconfessional] to learn more and get matched with an OCD-trained therapist. 🧠 The OCD Confessional is hosted by Liam Martin & Alicia Hill — real stories, intrusive thoughts, and the tools we use to cope (with plenty of laughter). Disclaimer: The OCD Confessional is intended for education, awareness, and community support only. It does not provide therapy or professional mental-health advice. If you are struggling or in crisis, please seek help from a licensed mental-health professional. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Connor Stout on Contamination OCD, Panic Attacks & Harm OCD

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2539197/fan_mail/new] In this episode of The OCD Confessional, we’re joined by Connor Stout — psychiatric rehabilitation specialist, mental-health advocate, and founder of @stillgood_wellness — for a powerful conversation about living with OCD, panic disorder, and depression. Connor shares how his journey began with contamination OCD as a child, when his parents first noticed changes in his behavior that led to a diagnosis. He opens up about the progression of his mental health — including severe panic attacks that kept him from leaving his house, experiences with harm OCD, and a depressive episode in college that ultimately led him to step away from school. We talk about the moments that shaped him and how his experiences led him to a career helping others rebuild their lives after mental illness. In this episode, we explore:  • What contamination OCD really feels like  • Panic disorder and being afraid to leave home  • Harm OCD and intrusive thoughts  • Depression and identity loss  • The turning point toward recovery  • Why talking about mental health matters Connor’s story is honest, vulnerable, and deeply hopeful — a reminder that even in the hardest seasons, growth and connection are possible. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2539197/support] 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube & everywhere podcasts live. 📲 Instagram & TikTok: @theocdconfessional 📺 YouTube: The OCD Confessional https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9LpIFjdtZQ [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9LpIFjdtZQ] Supported by NOCD If you or someone you love is struggling with OCD, check out NOCD — a leading virtual health platform that connects people with licensed therapists specially trained in Evidence-Based ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) therapy. NOCD offers live video sessions, between-session therapist messaging, access to in-app therapeutic tools, and a global peer community. Their goal: make expert OCD treatment accessible, effective, and affordable. ➤ Visit https://learn.nocd.com/ocdconfessional [https://learn.nocd.com/ocdconfessional] to learn more and get matched with an OCD-trained therapist. 🧠 The OCD Confessional is hosted by Liam Martin & Alicia Hill — real stories, intrusive thoughts, and the tools we use to cope (with plenty of laughter). Disclaimer: The OCD Confessional is intended for education, awareness, and community support only. It does not provide therapy or professional mental-health advice. If you are struggling or in crisis, please seek help from a licensed mental-health professional. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Tori Peyton on Harm OCD, Trauma & Eating Disorder Recovery

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2539197/fan_mail/new] In this episode of The OCD Confessional, we’re joined by Tori Peyton (@growithtori), creator, advocate, and host of the Keep Growing podcast, for an incredibly honest and powerful conversation about OCD, trauma, and eating disorder recovery. Tori shares her story of experiencing sexual abuse at a young age and how that trauma later manifested as harm OCD, intrusive thoughts, and a struggle with an eating disorder. We talk about how OCD can attach itself to trauma, why intrusive thoughts can feel so real and terrifying, and how silence and shame can keep people stuck. Most importantly, Tori opens up about what helped her begin to heal — including Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and trauma-focused therapy — and how she’s rebuilding her life with compassion, awareness, and honesty. In this episode, we explore:  • Harm OCD and intrusive thoughts  • The intersection of trauma and OCD  • Eating disorders and control  • The role of ERP in recovery  • Healing after shame and silence This episode is sensitive, real, and deeply hopeful — for anyone navigating OCD, trauma, or both. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2539197/support] 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube & everywhere podcasts live. 📲 Instagram & TikTok: @theocdconfessional 📺 YouTube: The OCD Confessional https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9LpIFjdtZQ [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9LpIFjdtZQ] Supported by NOCD If you or someone you love is struggling with OCD, check out NOCD — a leading virtual health platform that connects people with licensed therapists specially trained in Evidence-Based ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) therapy. NOCD offers live video sessions, between-session therapist messaging, access to in-app therapeutic tools, and a global peer community. Their goal: make expert OCD treatment accessible, effective, and affordable. ➤ Visit https://learn.nocd.com/ocdconfessional [https://learn.nocd.com/ocdconfessional] to learn more and get matched with an OCD-trained therapist. 🧠 The OCD Confessional is hosted by Liam Martin & Alicia Hill — real stories, intrusive thoughts, and the tools we use to cope (with plenty of laughter). Disclaimer: The OCD Confessional is intended for education, awareness, and community support only. It does not provide therapy or professional mental-health advice. If you are struggling or in crisis, please seek help from a licensed mental-health professional. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Alix Behar on Relationship OCD (ROCD), Intrusive Doubt & Saving Her Relationship

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2539197/fan_mail/new] In this episode of The OCD Confessional, we’re joined by Alix Behar (@recoverocd), OCD advocate and content creator, to talk about relationship OCD (ROCD) — and how it nearly cost her the relationship she’s now built a life around. Alix shares how OCD first showed up for her, how intrusive doubts and constant questioning took over her mind, and what it’s like when your brain convinces you that something is wrong with the person you love most. We talk about the emotional toll of ROCD, the reassurance traps that keep it alive, and how Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) helped her begin to break free. In this episode, we explore:  • What relationship OCD actually feels like  • How ROCD targets love, attraction, and certainty  • Why reassurance never works long-term  • How ERP helps retrain your brain  • Turning recovery into advocacy This conversation is honest, validating, and incredibly important for anyone who has ever questioned their relationship because of OCD. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2539197/support] 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube & everywhere podcasts live. 📲 Instagram & TikTok: @theocdconfessional 📺 YouTube: The OCD Confessional https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9LpIFjdtZQ [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9LpIFjdtZQ] Supported by NOCD If you or someone you love is struggling with OCD, check out NOCD — a leading virtual health platform that connects people with licensed therapists specially trained in Evidence-Based ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) therapy. NOCD offers live video sessions, between-session therapist messaging, access to in-app therapeutic tools, and a global peer community. Their goal: make expert OCD treatment accessible, effective, and affordable. ➤ Visit https://learn.nocd.com/ocdconfessional [https://learn.nocd.com/ocdconfessional] to learn more and get matched with an OCD-trained therapist. 🧠 The OCD Confessional is hosted by Liam Martin & Alicia Hill — real stories, intrusive thoughts, and the tools we use to cope (with plenty of laughter). Disclaimer: The OCD Confessional is intended for education, awareness, and community support only. It does not provide therapy or professional mental-health advice. If you are struggling or in crisis, please seek help from a licensed mental-health professional. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.