In this thought-provoking episode of Breaking the Rules, the hosts explore how values and paradox show up in the therapy room—especially when working with clients who experience OCD. Drawing from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) principles, they discuss how being “fused” with one’s values can keep clients stuck in rigidity, perfectionism, and fear of imperfection.

The conversation dives into the art of helping clients find flexibility between competing values—like control vs trust, safety vs freedom, and perfectionism vs growth—and how learning to hold both truths can open the door to meaningful change. They also unpack how clinicians can use values-based reflection, curiosity, and compassion to move clients beyond “sitting with uncertainty” toward truly living aligned, balanced lives.

💬 Key themes:

• What it means to be fused with thoughts and values

• Common paradoxes in OCD (purity vs imperfection, safety vs health, control vs trust)

• Using values work to build insight and reduce rigidity

• The connection between values, uncertainty, and acceptance

• Why “sit with uncertainty” isn’t enough without context

• Mapping paradoxes and value clashes in therapy

• How building self-concept helps clients reclaim life beyond OCD

🔖 Chapters

00:00 Introduction: Values and Paradox in OCD

02:00 What It Means to Be Fused with Thoughts and Values

05:00 Why Clients Get Stuck in Rigidity

08:00 Common Paradoxes in OCD

11:00 The Cost of Perfectionism and Fear of Imperfection

14:00 Exploring Value Clashes in Therapy

17:00 Building Insight and Flexibility

20:00 Beyond “Sit with Uncertainty”: Context and Meaning

22:30 Rebuilding Self and Identity Outside OCD

#OCD #TherapyPodcast #AcceptanceAndCommitmentTherapy #MentalHealthMatters #ValuesBasedTherapy #ACT #BreakingTheRulesPodcast #ClinicianSupport #OCDRecovery #TherapyTalk #UncertaintyTolerance

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In this powerful and insightful episode, we explore the connection between PTSD and OCD, two conditions that often intersect in complex and misunderstood ways. The discussion dives into how trauma can shape obsessive-compulsive patterns, how compulsions can emerge as coping mechanisms, and why a trauma-informed approach is essential for effective treatment.

The speakers unpack the challenges of working with co-occurring trauma and OCD, emphasizing flexibility, creativity, and compassion in clinical work. From ERP integration to managing dissociation and building client insight, this conversation offers a nuanced understanding of how clinicians can hold both trauma and OCD safely in the therapy room.

💬 Key themes:

• How trauma can trigger or intensify OCD symptoms

• Compulsions as coping mechanisms for post-traumatic stress

• Why ERP and trauma therapy can complement each other

• The importance of trauma-informed care in OCD treatment

• Recognizing and managing dissociation during therapy

• Building client insight and resilience through psychoeducation

• Empowering clinicians to work confidently with trauma and OCD

🔖 Chapters

00:00 Understanding PTSD and OCD

02:55 The Interplay of Trauma and OCD

05:42 Navigating Treatment Challenges

08:53 Integrating ERP with Trauma Therapy

11:55 Building a Trauma-Informed Approach

14:54 Fluidity in Therapeutic Techniques

17:49 Empowering Clinicians to Address Trauma

23:44 Conclusion and Encouragement for Clinicians

#PTSD #OCD #TraumaInformedCare #ERP #MentalHealthPodcast #TherapyTalk #ClinicianSupport #TraumaRecovery #OCDTreatment #CopingMechanisms #TherapyForTrauma

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In this insightful episode, we explore the concept of parental accommodation — the well-intentioned ways family members and loved ones may unknowingly reinforce OCD behaviours. Drawing from the research of Professor Eli Liebowitz (Yale) and real-world clinical experience, the hosts unpack how accommodation develops, why it’s so hard to stop, and how families can begin to make meaningful change.

From checking, reassuring, or adapting routines “just to keep the peace,” to facing meltdowns, fear, or guilt when setting limits — this conversation goes deep into what it means to hold boundaries with compassion. You’ll hear about ERP therapy, the SPACE model, and practical ways clinicians and parents can work together to reduce accommodation and empower recovery.

💬 Key themes:

• What “parental accommodation” means and how it maintains OCD

• Why well-meaning reassurance can make symptoms stronger

• The difference between anxiety disorders and OCD

• Supporting children, teens, and adults through distress safely

• Helping parents tolerate their own emotions and model resilience

• How reducing accommodation can rebuild connection and trust in families

• Managing clinician fears around self-harm threats and safety planning

🔖 Chapters

00:00 Introducing the topic: Parental Accommodation and OCD

02:00 What it means to accommodate and why we do it

05:00 How everyday reassurance turns into OCD reinforcement

08:00 Fear, meltdowns, and why it’s hard for families to stop accommodating

11:00 Emotions, modelling, and learning to tolerate discomfort

14:00 The SPACE model and clinician guidance

17:00 Working with parental fear and client safety

21:00 Reducing accommodation step-by-step

25:00 Supporting families when clients resist change

26:40 Why it works — even if the client isn’t in therapy

#OCD #ERP #ParentalAccommodation #MentalHealthPodcast #TherapyTalk #FamilyTherapy #SPACEModel #OCDRecovery #ClinicianSupport #ParentingAndMentalHealth #EmotionalRegulation

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.