Help me welcome the wonderful Katie O’Dunne to this week’s Q&A! As you’ll soon learn from Katie herself, she is a dedicated advocate for OCD awareness and how the disorder can affect—and be affected by—a person’s faith. Read more from Katie! When were you diagnosed with OCD, and how did you first realize it might…
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Using Creativity to Treat OCD: Krista Reed
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can feel so dark. It can make a person feel lonely, afraid, isolated, ashamed, guilty, and just plain bad! Therapist Krista Reed breaks through some of that darkness with her vibrant and colorful personality as well as the refreshing perspective that therapy is still effective even when there’s an element of fun…
Read MoreNew OCD Twin Cities President: William Schultz
Meet the new president of OCD Twin Cities! I’ve served in the role for the last nine years, and after a series of changes in my life it’s time for someone else to take over. That someone else is the very accomplished and well-suited local therapist William Schultz. Not only does William treat OCD with…
Read MoreSpeaking Out to Destigmatize OCD: Shaun Flores
After Shaun Flores was diagnosed with OCD, he knew he had to share his story to help others—and he has not stopped since! He didn’t see other Black men speaking about their struggles with mental illness, but instead of giving in to stigma and the fear of being judged he has gone full steam ahead,…
Read MoreFacing What’s Hard About OCD: Jenna Overbaugh
Getting treatment—the right treatment—for OCD ranks really high (okay, let’s say it’s number one) on the list of how to take charge of the disorder and live your life according to your values. What’s helped me a lot, too, is simply knowing there are therapists who care about us and go above and beyond to…
Read MoreThriving in Relationships When You Have OCD: Amy Mariaskin
Help me welcome the amazing Amy Mariaskin! When our beagles were both 15.5 years old we introduced them to each other on a Zoom call—they didn’t seem to know what was going on, but the point is that we tried to foster a connection, and that’s what Amy is all about. Whether she’s working with…
Read MoreDirector of For the Safety of Theo: Christopher Macken
When obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) doesn’t manifest as physical compulsions—excessive hand-washing, avoiding cracks in a sidewalk—it can be hard to portray. My guest today has endeavored to make a film that shows some of the anguish of obsessions and mental compulsions. Help me welcome Christopher Macken, director of a short film called For the Safety of…
Read MoreThe ocdopus: Elise Petronzio
We’ve all seen “cute” OCD jokes on things like T-shirts and mugs (and scented candles and hand sanitizers and soaps and…), and many of us with obsessive-compulsive disorder don’t think they’re funny. A lot of us think they’re actually harmful to people with OCD and get in the way of spreading awareness of what OCD…
Read MoreLiving Beyond OCD: Patricia Zurita Ona
I’m honored to welcome back Patricia Zurita Ona—Dr. Z—to the Q&A! Dr. Z has written a workbook for adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) called Living Beyond OCD Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: A Workbook for Adults and hosts a podcast called Playing It Safe, and we talk a lot about the concepts she explores in…
Read MoreOCD After Trauma: Jillian Halket
Jillian Halket has overcome—and accomplished—a lot in her young life. At just 28 she’s worked through trauma, substance abuse, and undiagnosed obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and now her first book is out! In her memoir Blade in the Shadow, Jillian shares her experiences with harm OCD and how she tried to cope with it before finally…
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Alison Dotson 