https://www.senseofthisshit.com
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ocd-making-sense-of-it--7148788/support.]]>enMental Health© 2026 Let's Work This Sh*t Outhttps://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/77858a634485d4b94e8aee6d93526095.jpghttps://www.senseofthisshit.comMon, 24 Aug 2026 20:48:42 +0000SloaneLet's Work This Sh*t Outocd@senseofthisshit.comOCD: Making Sense of It is part of the Making Sense of It series — an OCD podcast for adults navigating intrusive thoughts and compulsions who want clear, stigma-free explanations. We own OCD, intrusive thoughts, compulsions, checking, contamination...
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ocd-making-sense-of-it--7148788/support.]]>falseed2cc291-529c-54a4-b3f0-df713e06627bepisodicSupport the podcast!https://www.spreaker.com/episode/ocd-bonus-run-basic-erp-exercise-at-home-for-exposure-practice--74662322
Key takeaways:
- Choose a manageable trigger and prevent the usual response long enough for anxiety to drop by half.
- Repeat the same item daily until it feels ordinary before advancing.
- Combine home practice with professional support for lasting results.

This bonus drop keeps sessions short, focused, and practical. 📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at ocd@senseofthisshit.com. Support the show at https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ocd-making-sense-of-it--7148788/support

📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at ocd@senseofthisshit.com.
💛 Join Our Supporters Club ($3 a month) 💛 Ad-free listening + early episodes — help keep independent media alive. Click Here: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ocd-making-sense-of-it--7148788/support

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or text HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line). In an emergency, call 911. This podcast is not a substitute for professional care.]]>ca580059-01ce-5d69-a754-d3463080daffMon, 24 Aug 2026 20:47:43 +0000SloaneIn this episode of OCD: Making Sense of It, we cut straight to practice with a clear, at-home ERP exercise you can try this week. Host Sloane walks through exposure and response prevention step by step, showing how to face a moderate trigger, block...
Key takeaways:
- Choose a manageable trigger and prevent the usual response long enough for anxiety to drop by half.
- Repeat the same item daily until it feels ordinary before advancing.
- Combine home practice with professional support for lasting results.

This bonus drop keeps sessions short, focused, and practical. 📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at ocd@senseofthisshit.com. Support the show at https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ocd-making-sense-of-it--7148788/support

📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at ocd@senseofthisshit.com.
💛 Join Our Supporters Club ($3 a month) 💛 Ad-free listening + early episodes — help keep independent media alive. Click Here: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ocd-making-sense-of-it--7148788/support

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or text HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line). In an emergency, call 911. This podcast is not a substitute for professional care.]]>498anxiety,bonusepisode,brain,clinician,compulsion,erp,exposure,exposuretherapy,habituation,inhibitorylearning,letsmakesense,mentalhealth,ocd,ocdtreatment,responseprevention,therapy,thisshit,trigger,urgefalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/navigate-ocd-managing-stress-at-work-day-to-day--73727158
Key takeaways include:
- Spotting the repeating cycle where performance worries at work mix with safety or order concerns at home
- Testing small, repeatable actions like noting a trigger and choosing one forward-moving step instead of checking
- Adjusting tools for different environments since work compulsions often center on mistakes while home ones lean toward routines
- Tracking one daily example to recognize patterns early and interrupt them before they gain momentum

These practical strategies fit into busy schedules and address the uncertainty OCD thrives on during high-demand periods.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or text HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line). In an emergency, call 911. This podcast is not a substitute for professional care.

📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at ocd@senseofthisshit.com.
💛 Join Our Supporters Club ($3 a month) 💛 Ad-free listening + early episodes — help keep independent media alive. Click Here: https://www.spreaker.com/podca...]]>890df2b8-e303-5618-9bec-b8f23a21c4c5Thu, 20 Aug 2026 06:00:10 +0000SloaneIn this episode of OCD: Making Sense of It, we explore how work deadlines and home responsibilities often collide to intensify OCD symptoms, turning everyday overlaps into persistent mental loops. Host Sloane shares personal experiences and listener...
Key takeaways include:
- Spotting the repeating cycle where performance worries at work mix with safety or order concerns at home
- Testing small, repeatable actions like noting a trigger and choosing one forward-moving step instead of checking
- Adjusting tools for different environments since work compulsions often center on mistakes while home ones lean toward routines
- Tracking one daily example to recognize patterns early and interrupt them before they gain momentum

These practical strategies fit into busy schedules and address the uncertainty OCD thrives on during high-demand periods.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or text HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line). In an emergency, call 911. This podcast is not a substitute for professional care.

📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at ocd@senseofthisshit.com.
💛 Join Our Supporters Club ($3 a month) 💛 Ad-free listening + early episodes — help keep independent media alive. Click Here: https://www.spreaker.com/podca...]]>1737anxiety,compulsions,cycle,doubt,home,management,mental-health,obsessions,ocd,patterns,pressure,routines,self-help,stress,symptoms,therapy,tools,triggers,uncertainty,workfalse17fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/navigate-ocd-communication-skills-that-reduce-conflict--73725511
Key takeaways:
- State your need in one short sentence without extra explanation
- Ask the other person what they heard before replying to close the loop
- Pause before seeking confirmation to lower stakes in real time

Personal stories from dinner plans and partner chats show how these steps work during ordinary moments. Research from Doron and colleagues (2015) highlights how OCD patterns can turn small talks into high-stakes events. The episode walks through trying both tools this week for less friction in relationships and daily life.
Support the show: https://www.spreaker.com/podca...

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or text HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line). In an emergency, call 911. This podcast is not a substitute for professional care.

📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at ocd@senseofthisshit.com.
💛 Join Our Supporters Club ($3 a month) 💛 Ad-free listening + early episodes — help keep independent media alive. Click Here: https://www.spreaker.com/podca...]]>4b51619b-db31-5675-b282-dd33ae237d66Thu, 13 Aug 2026 06:00:08 +0000SloaneIn this episode of OCD: Making Sense of It, we explore communication skills that reduce conflict when OCD thoughts interfere with daily interactions. Host Sloane shares practical tools to navigate tense conversations without falling into...
Key takeaways:
- State your need in one short sentence without extra explanation
- Ask the other person what they heard before replying to close the loop
- Pause before seeking confirmation to lower stakes in real time

Personal stories from dinner plans and partner chats show how these steps work during ordinary moments. Research from Doron and colleagues (2015) highlights how OCD patterns can turn small talks into high-stakes events. The episode walks through trying both tools this week for less friction in relationships and daily life.
Support the show: https://www.spreaker.com/podca...

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or text HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line). In an emergency, call 911. This podcast is not a substitute for professional care.

📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at ocd@senseofthisshit.com.
💛 Join Our Supporters Club ($3 a month) 💛 Ad-free listening + early episodes — help keep independent media alive. Click Here: https://www.spreaker.com/podca...]]>1901anxiety,cbt,communication,communication-skills,compulsion,conflict,conflict-resolution,coping,erp,mental-health,mindfulness,obsessive-compulsive-disorder,ocd,podcast,reassurance,reduce,relationships,self-help,skills,therapyfalse16fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/explore-ocd-bonus-practice-notice-label-act-for-sudden--73460643
Key takeaways:
- Notice the thought without adding a story about what it means.
- Label it briefly, such as “here it is again,” to interrupt the slide into checking or avoiding.
- Shift focus to one small physical detail or action, like naming something you see or asking a question, then return to your task.
- Repeat the sequence across ordinary situations to build familiarity and smaller reactions over time.

This simple, repeatable approach lets the thought fade on its own while you keep living your day.
Support the show: https://www.spreaker.com/podca...

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or text HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line). In an emergency, call 911. This podcast is not a substitute for professional care.

📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at ocd@senseofthisshit.com.
💛 Join Our Supporters Club ($3 a month) 💛 Ad-free listening + early episodes — help keep independent media alive. Click Here: https://www.spreaker.com/podca...]]>493b1e8a-47c1-4514-ac43-11cbb74a53e5Tue, 04 Aug 2026 22:01:13 +0000SloaneIn this episode, Sloane breaks down how to respond when sudden intrusive thoughts hit without warning, leaving you questioning everything. These moments often start with an out-of-place image or phrase that arrives first, followed by distress. The key...
Key takeaways:
- Notice the thought without adding a story about what it means.
- Label it briefly, such as “here it is again,” to interrupt the slide into checking or avoiding.
- Shift focus to one small physical detail or action, like naming something you see or asking a question, then return to your task.
- Repeat the sequence across ordinary situations to build familiarity and smaller reactions over time.

This simple, repeatable approach lets the thought fade on its own while you keep living your day.
Support the show: https://www.spreaker.com/podca...

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or text HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line). In an emergency, call 911. This podcast is not a substitute for professional care.

📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at ocd@senseofthisshit.com.
💛 Join Our Supporters Club ($3 a month) 💛 Ad-free listening + early episodes — help keep independent media alive. Click Here: https://www.spreaker.com/podca...]]>505anxiety-management,anxiety-relief,behavioral-change,bonus-episode,cbt-skills,compulsive-thoughts,distress-tolerance,exposure-therapy,grounding-techniques,intrusive-thoughts,mental-health,mindfulness,ocd,ocd-recovery,ocd-treatment,rumination,self-help,sudden-anxiety,thought-labeling,thought-observationfalse130fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/understanding-ocd-building-healthier-boundaries-today--73019678
Key takeaways:
- Pause before providing reassurance and redirect to coping strategies the person already knows
- Draw clear lines around how often checking behaviors expand into shared spaces
- Notice the gradual spread of emotional labor and choose responses that reduce accommodation
- Focus on personal ownership of anxiety rather than letting uncertainty demand adjustments from others

These practical shifts help break the cycle while still offering genuine care. 📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at ocd@senseofthisshit.com.
Support the show: https://www.spreaker.com/podca...

📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at ocd@senseofthisshit.com.
💛 Join Our Supporters Club ($3 a month) 💛 Ad-free listening + early episodes — help keep independent media alive. Click Here: https://www.spreaker.com/podca...]]>43653e85-250e-4dc7-983a-f9a589a815f2Thu, 16 Jul 2026 22:50:56 +0000SloaneIn this episode we explore building healthier boundaries when OCD fuels repeated reassurance seeking and accommodation that strains relationships. We unpack how quick questions about locks, health, or daily tasks can escalate into back-and-forth...
Key takeaways:
- Pause before providing reassurance and redirect to coping strategies the person already knows
- Draw clear lines around how often checking behaviors expand into shared spaces
- Notice the gradual spread of emotional labor and choose responses that reduce accommodation
- Focus on personal ownership of anxiety rather than letting uncertainty demand adjustments from others

These practical shifts help break the cycle while still offering genuine care. 📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at ocd@senseofthisshit.com.
Support the show: https://www.spreaker.com/podca...

📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at ocd@senseofthisshit.com.
💛 Join Our Supporters Club ($3 a month) 💛 Ad-free listening + early episodes — help keep independent media alive. Click Here: https://www.spreaker.com/podca...]]>1837accommodation,anxiety,boundaries,cbt,certainty,communication,compulsions,emotionalboundaries,erp,familydynamics,healing,mentalhealth,ocd,ocdrecovery,ocdtreatment,personalgrowth,reassurance,relationships,selfhelp,validationfalse14fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/navigate-ocd-erp-informed-tools-you-can-use-this-week--72960656
Key takeaways include:
- Labeling the doubt in one short sentence to remove its emergency feel
- Choosing a brief wait time that fits your current task before responding
- Using these moves between existing routines rather than adding new ones
- Noting patterns at day's end to refine what works for your specific triggers

These small steps build resilience even when one thought repeats, proving that practical progress beats perfection.
Support the show: https://www.spreaker.com/podca...

📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at ocd@senseofthisshit.com.
💛 Join Our Supporters Club ($3 a month) 💛 Ad-free listening + early episodes — help keep independent media alive. Click Here: https://www.spreaker.com/podca...]]>56061862-c4fb-4e6e-877d-41f277873337Tue, 14 Jul 2026 04:59:19 +0000SloaneIn this episode of OCD: Let's Make Sense Of This Sht, we explore four simple daily coping strategies that slot into any weekday without extra time blocks or setups. From intrusive doubts about locked doors during morning coffee to rereading work...
Key takeaways include:
- Labeling the doubt in one short sentence to remove its emergency feel
- Choosing a brief wait time that fits your current task before responding
- Using these moves between existing routines rather than adding new ones
- Noting patterns at day's end to refine what works for your specific triggers

These small steps build resilience even when one thought repeats, proving that practical progress beats perfection.
Support the show: https://www.spreaker.com/podca...

📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at ocd@senseofthisshit.com.
💛 Join Our Supporters Club ($3 a month) 💛 Ad-free listening + early episodes — help keep independent media alive. Click Here: https://www.spreaker.com/podca...]]>2003anxiety,checking,coping,daily,delay,doubt,evening,interrupt,intrusive-thoughts,labeling,mental-reviewing,morning-routine,ocd,patterns,small-actions,strategies,thisweek,tracking,urge,workdayfalse12fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/ocd-daily-coping-strategies-you-can--72957810
Key takeaways:
- Name the thought aloud as soon as it appears to reduce its grip without fighting it.
- Shift focus briefly to your surroundings or body sensations for a quick mental reset.
- End the day with a short review of what helped and tweak for tomorrow.

📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at ocd@senseofthisshit.com.
💛 Join Our Supporters Club ($3 a month) 💛 Ad-free listening + early episodes — help keep independent media alive. Click Here: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ocd-let-s-make-sense-of-this-sh-t--7148788/support]]>95341f88-9b10-42ec-9558-8cc669e86168Tue, 14 Jul 2026 00:10:08 +0000SloaneIn this episode of OCD: Let's Make Sense Of This Sht, host Sloane shares three practical daily coping strategies designed to interrupt looping intrusive thoughts without adding pressure to your routine. These small, repeatable actions focus on...
Key takeaways:
- Name the thought aloud as soon as it appears to reduce its grip without fighting it.
- Shift focus briefly to your surroundings or body sensations for a quick mental reset.
- End the day with a short review of what helped and tweak for tomorrow.

📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at ocd@senseofthisshit.com.
💛 Join Our Supporters Club ($3 a month) 💛 Ad-free listening + early episodes — help keep independent media alive. Click Here: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ocd-let-s-make-sense-of-this-sh-t--7148788/support]]>1888ocdfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/understanding-ocd-triggers-without-shame--72858954
Key takeaways include:
- Naming a trigger simply as a thought to reduce its emotional weight
- Avoiding self-blame by viewing it as a normal response, not a character flaw
- Practicing small, repeatable steps to ease the grip without promising instant relief

This approach builds on earlier episodes while focusing on practical tools for daily life. 📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at ocd@senseofthisshit.com. Support the show at https://www.spreaker.com/podca...

📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at ocd@senseofthisshit.com.
💛 Join Our Supporters Club ($3 a month) 💛 Ad-free listening + early episodes — help keep independent media alive. Click Here: https://www.spreaker.com/podca...]]>e49741f0-f9c7-4a67-8abc-d025c5b23ae4Tue, 07 Jul 2026 21:13:18 +0000SloaneIn this episode of OCD: Let's Make Sense Of This Sht, we explore how to recognize triggers as neutral brain signals rather than evidence of personal failure or brokenness. Host Sloane shares real moments—like an intrusive doubt in a store line or a...
Key takeaways include:
- Naming a trigger simply as a thought to reduce its emotional weight
- Avoiding self-blame by viewing it as a normal response, not a character flaw
- Practicing small, repeatable steps to ease the grip without promising instant relief

This approach builds on earlier episodes while focusing on practical tools for daily life. 📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at ocd@senseofthisshit.com. Support the show at https://www.spreaker.com/podca...

📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at ocd@senseofthisshit.com.
💛 Join Our Supporters Club ($3 a month) 💛 Ad-free listening + early episodes — help keep independent media alive. Click Here: https://www.spreaker.com/podca...]]>2027exposure-therapy,intrusive-thoughts,mental-health,mental-health-podcast,ocd,ocd-awareness,ocd-coping,ocd-education,ocd-management,ocd-podcast,ocd-recovery,ocd-shame,ocd-support,ocd-tips,ocd-triggers,self-compassion,shame,triggers,understanding-triggers,without-shamefalse13fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/ocd-daily-coping-strategies-you-can--72809183
Key takeaways include:
- Naming the thought out loud as an OCD thought the moment it appears to separate it from facts.
- Setting a short delay before acting on any checking or fixing urge, beginning with just two minutes.
- Completing one small task in your morning routine before the thought expands into a longer cycle.

These micro-strategies build consistency over time, training your brain to accept uncertainty without automatic reactions. Whether your doubts center on locks, emails, or alarms, the goal is progress through simple actions rather than perfection.

📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at ocd@senseofthisshit.com.
💛 Join Our Supporters Club ($3 a month) 💛 Ad-free listening + early episodes — help keep independent media alive. Click Here: https://www.spreaker.com/podca...]]>b0470789-5443-489a-b782-747984c463c6Fri, 03 Jul 2026 19:07:02 +0000SloaneIn this episode of OCD: Let's Make Sense Of This Sh*t, we dive into three practical daily coping strategies you can start using this week to interrupt intrusive thoughts and reduce the grip of checking or ordering loops. Instead of waiting for anxiety...
Key takeaways include:
- Naming the thought out loud as an OCD thought the moment it appears to separate it from facts.
- Setting a short delay before acting on any checking or fixing urge, beginning with just two minutes.
- Completing one small task in your morning routine before the thought expands into a longer cycle.

These micro-strategies build consistency over time, training your brain to accept uncertainty without automatic reactions. Whether your doubts center on locks, emails, or alarms, the goal is progress through simple actions rather than perfection.

📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at ocd@senseofthisshit.com.
💛 Join Our Supporters Club ($3 a month) 💛 Ad-free listening + early episodes — help keep independent media alive. Click Here: https://www.spreaker.com/podca...]]>1779anxietyrelief,checkingbehaviors,copingmechanisms,copingstrategiesthisweek,dailycopingstrategies,dailyhabits,dailyocdstrategies,exposureresponseprevention,immediatecopingtechniques,intrusivethoughts,mentalhealth,mentalwellness,mindfulnessforocd,obsessivecompulsivedisorder,ocd,ocdmanagement,ocdpodcast,ocdrecovery,ocdtreatment,weeklycopingtoolsfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/navigate-ocd-intrusive-thoughts-compulsions-and-erp-basics--72796569
Key takeaways:
- Label intrusive thoughts aloud or silently to create helpful distance.
- Delay compulsions with a short timer and observe anxiety rise and fall naturally.
- Write the feared idea once without rereading or analyzing to loosen its grip.
- Practice tolerating uncertainty instead of chasing certainty through rituals.

These steps shorten distress episodes and reduce time spent in checking or seeking guarantees.
https://www.spreaker.com/podca...

📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at ocd@senseofthisshit.com.
💛 Join Our Supporters Club ($3 a month) 💛 Ad-free listening + early episodes — help keep independent media alive. Click Here: https://www.spreaker.com/podca...]]>66d5bcec-1ab8-4d91-a89c-884516c2f570Thu, 02 Jul 2026 23:38:49 +0000SloaneIn this episode, Sloane breaks down OCD explained — obsessions, compulsions, and exposure-response prevention fundamentals. Intrusive thoughts arrive uninvited during ordinary moments like driving or making dinner, sparking urgency and physical...
Key takeaways:
- Label intrusive thoughts aloud or silently to create helpful distance.
- Delay compulsions with a short timer and observe anxiety rise and fall naturally.
- Write the feared idea once without rereading or analyzing to loosen its grip.
- Practice tolerating uncertainty instead of chasing certainty through rituals.

These steps shorten distress episodes and reduce time spent in checking or seeking guarantees.
https://www.spreaker.com/podca...

📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at ocd@senseofthisshit.com.
💛 Join Our Supporters Club ($3 a month) 💛 Ad-free listening + early episodes — help keep independent media alive. Click Here: https://www.spreaker.com/podca...]]>350anxietydisorders,compulsions,compulsivebehavior,erpfundamentals,erptherapy,exposureresponseprevention,exposuretherapy,intrusivethoughts,mentalhealth,mentalhealthpodcast,obsessions,obsessivecompulsivedisorder,ocd,ocdawareness,ocdexplained,ocdrecovery,ocdsymptoms,ocdtreatment,responseprevention,therapytechniquesfalse11full