Purely OCD

Sensorimotor OCD, Part III

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 14:42:01 -0700

In this week's episode, Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT, discuss recovery in the context of Sensorimotor OCD.

Sensorimotor OCD, Part II

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 23:11:43 -0700

In today's episode of the Purely OCD podcast, Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT, discuss common compulsions in Sensorimotor OCD.

Purely OCD Q&A

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 23:10:20 -0700

In this week's episode, Lauren Rosen, LMFT, does a Q&A with listeners.

Sensorimotor OCD, Part I

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 21:06:05 -0700

In today's episode of Purely OCD, OCD Specialists Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT, will be talking about obsessions in Sensorimotor OCD.

Pedophilia-Themed OCD Part III

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 20:35:45 -0700

In today's episode of Purely OCD, OCD Specialists Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT, will be talking about recovery in Pedophilia-Themed OCD.

In it, Lauren and Kelley also discuss Lauren's new book, that's set to release in January of 2026: The Mental Compulsions Workbook for OCD.

The two will be back on October 20th. Stay tuned.

Remember: this is not therapy nor is it intended as a substitute for therapy. This podcast is for educational purposes only. If you believe that you're struggling with OCD, we suggest that you seek the support of a registered professional specializing in the treatment of OCD.

Pedophilia-Themed OCD, Part II

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 20:06:43 -0700

In today's episode of Purely OCD, OCD Specialists Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT, will be talking about compulsions in Pedophilia-Themed OCD.

Pedophilia-Themed OCD, Part I

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 17:27:09 -0700

In today's episode of Purely OCD, OCD Specialists Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT, will be talking about obsessions in Pedophilia-Themed OCD.

OCD Awareness Week 2024

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 14:10:13 -0700

In this episode, in honor of OCD Awareness Week, Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT, talk about what OCD recovery looks like and offer words of hope to those navigating the disorder.

Contamination OCD, Part III

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 16:17:07 -0700

On this episode of Purely OCD, Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT, discuss recovery from Contamination OCD using Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP).

Purely OCD with special guest Dillon Tucker

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 22:41:24 -0700

In this week's episode, OCD Specialists Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT, speak with Dillon Tucker, director of the film Pure O.

Contamination OCD, Part II

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 15:28:13 -0700

In this week's episode, OCD Specialists Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT discuss compulsions common to contamination OCD.

Contamination OCD, Part I

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 14:59:07 -0700

In today's episode of Purely OCD, OCD Specialists Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT, talk about obsessions in Contamination OCD.

Health Anxiety/Health OCD Part IV

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 20:34:14 -0700

In this episode, Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT, round out their discussion of Health Anxiety and Health OCD with special guests Josh Spitalnick PhD, ABPP, CEO and practice owner of Anxiety Specialists of Atlanta, and Michael Stier MA, LCPC. The four talk about treatment, and Josh & Michael discuss their awesome new book The Complete Guide to Overcoming Health Anxiety: How to Live Life to the Fullest...Because You're Not Dead (Yet)

Health Anxiety/Health OCD Part III

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 16:28:25 -0700

This week on Purely OCD, OCD specialists Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT discuss recovery from Health Anxiety/Health OCD.

Health Anxiety/Health OCD, Part II

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 15:27:34 -0700

This week on Purely OCD, Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT discuss common compulsions in Health Anxiety/Health OCD.

Health Anxiety/Health OCD, Part I

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 15:45:32 -0700

In this week's episode, Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT, discuss obsessions in the context of Health Anxiety/Health OCD.

Sexual Orientation OCD, Part III

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 15:43:56 -0700

In this week's episode, Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT discuss recovery from Sexual Orientation OCD.

Sexual Orientation OCD, Part II

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 14:39:08 -0700

In this week's episode, Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT, discuss compulsions in Sexual Orientation OCD.

Sexual Orientation OCD, Part I

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 20:24:41 -0700

In this week's episode, Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT, discuss obsessions in Sexual Orientation OCD.

Existential OCD, Part III

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 15:30:13 -0700

In this week's episode, Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT, discuss recovery from Existential OCD.

Existential OCD, Part II

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 15:26:29 -0700

In this week's episode, Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT, discuss common compulsions in Existential OCD. They also discuss depression and its treatment, given that it commonly comes up in conjunction with this subtype.

Relationship OCD, Part III

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 19:40:45 -0700

In this week's episode, OCD specialists Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT, talk about exposure and response prevention with Relationship OCD.

Existential OCD, Part I

Fri, 03 Nov 2023 10:33:37 -0700

In this episode of the Purely OCD Podcast, Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT, discuss obsessions in Existential OCD.

Relationship OCD, Part II

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 14:57:31 -0700

On this week's episode of Purely OCD, Lauren and Kelley discuss compulsions in Relationship OCD.

Relationship OCD, Part I

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 15:28:55 -0700

In this weeks episode, Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT, discuss common obsessions related to Relationship themed OCD.

Harm OCD, Part III

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 11:07:25 -0700

This week on the Purely OCD Podcast, OCD Specialists Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT, wrap up their discussion on Harm OCD with a discussion about exposure and response prevention with this subtype.

Harm OCD, Part II

Sat, 15 Apr 2023 21:21:47 -0700

This week on Purely OCD, Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT, continue their discussion on Harm OCD, with a focus on compulsions. To start, Lauren and Kelley discuss mental compulsions - like mental review and rumination. Next, they cover overt compulsions - like physical tapping and folding your arms to make sure you don't accidentally shove someone off a ledge. Following this, the cover avoidance - which can look like anything from avoiding cooking to avoiding holding your child. Next, they consider reassurance seeking in this subtype and how compulsive confession can look. Lastly, they discuss why compulsions are a problem - generally and specifically within the examples given.

Special Guest Shaun Flores

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 13:39:58 -0700

On this episode of Purely OCD Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT, are joined with a special guest Shaun Flores who is a mental health advocate who shares with us his journey with OCD. Shaun has made it his mission to spread awareness about OCD. Shaun is an International OCD Foundation advocate, TEDx speaker and a powerful influence in the mental health community. It was such an honor to have him on as our guest today.

With Special Guest Dr. Patrick McGrath

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 18:10:22 -0700

This week, Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT, are joined by Dr. Patrick McGrath. Dr. McGrath is the Chief Clinical Officer at NOCD and the former Director of the Center for Anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorders (OCD) and the Co-Director of the School Anxiety and School Refusal Program at AMITA Health Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. He offers a wealth of insight and knowledge. We hope you enjoy learning from him.

Harm OCD, Part I

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 15:54:57 -0700

On this week’s episode of Purely OCD, Lauren and Kelley explore harm obsessions in this multiple part series. In part 1 of the series, the two identify intrusive thoughts that commonly present for those living with this particular sub-type of OCD. First they explain what harm OCD is and how harm obsessions can be categorized through violent intrusive thoughts, moral OCD, Postpartum OCD, contamination OCD and many others. Next they dive deeper into “traditional harm” obsessions and triggers. Lastly, they briefly touch on intrusive images, sensations and “urges” that often times come up with this subtype.

Confessing as Compulsion

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 13:00:31 -0700

On this week's episode of Purely OCD, Kelley and Lauren discuss sneaky reassurance seeking in the form of confession. First they discuss how to tell if it's becoming a problem. Next they consider how it can show up with different themes including Relationship OCD, Sexual Orientation OCD, Religious Scrupulosity and Moral Scrupulosity. Lastly, they briefly touch on how to deal with the anxiety that arises as a result of choosing to refrain from confessing compulsively. Join them as they record live next Monday on Youtube at 12:30 PM PT.

Getting Support without Compulsing

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 10:37:20 -0700

This week on Purely OCD, Lauren and Kelley discuss how to get support from a loved one without it becoming compulsive. To start, they cover the reasons why asking for reassurance can be so problematic. Next, they discuss the "how" of asking for support without seeking reassurance. In addition, they talk about the importance of taking care of your support system, as compulsive reassurance often puts a tremendous strain on relationships. They also consider the importance of knowing who to disclose information to and set the record straight about reassurance (not all reassurance is bad)! Lastly, they cover types of language to use for those who are in the supporter role.

Exposure and Response Prevention

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 16:43:44 -0700

Today on Purely OCD podcast, Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT, talk about Exposure and Response Prevention in the treatment of OCD. They discuss different types of exposures and how to practice not engaging in compulsions (or response prevention). You can check out prior podcast episodes to learn more about specific types of compulsions and how exposure and response prevention can be applied with different OCD subtypes.

Overt Compulsions

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 17:16:18 -0700

In today’s episode Purely OCD, Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT, talk about different types of overt, or observable, compulsions that commonly present in OCD. They also briefly cover ways you can combat compulsions in the face of fear. Check out Purely OCD’s new Instagram, Tik Tok and Twitter Accounts.

Perfectionism and OCD

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 18:57:32 -0700

In today’s episode, Kelley Franke, LMFT, and Lauren Rosen, LMFT talk about perfectionism in OCD. They talk about how perfection can be such an alluring idea this time of year, but how it can also rob us of our present moment experiences. We hope you embrace the entirety of your experience, warts, intrusive thoughts and all this holiday season.

Check out @purely_ocd where we will be sharing more come 2023. ❤️

Real OCD

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 18:57:22 -0700

Today on the purely ocd podcast, in honor of ocd awareness week, Kelley Franke, LMFT, and Lauren Rosen, LMFT, discuss their own journeys with OCD. But first- they discuss the first national campaign promoting OCD Awareness, directed by Ethan Smith and featuring a whole slew of advocates including Rev. Katie O'Dunne, Sean Shinnock Tia Wilson Uma Chatterjee and Kelley Franke herself. As a part of the awareness campaign, Biohaven also asked a number of advocates to share their stories. You can find both Kelley and Lauren’s on biohaven’s website: https://ocdtrials.com/what-if/.

In the episode, Kelley talks about her experience with separation anxiety as a child and how it morphed over the years into Harm OCD. Lauren shares about her early years with Existential OCD and how Moral Scrupulosity finally got her a diagnosis and correct treatment.

Please note: Kelley and Lauren do not endorse any medication in their capacity as psychotherapists or advocates. If you are interested in medication, you should speak with your physician. That said, Kelley and Lauren support the research being done and are all about helping to spread the word about what real OCD is and are so grateful to be a part of this campaign to promote awareness 🤍☺️

Optimism in OCD Recovery

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 11:36:28 -0700

This week on purely OCD podcast, Lauren and Kelley discuss how to maintain optimism in your recovery. They start the conversation by setting realistic expectations for what recovery looks like. They then discuss how to use self-compassion, cognitive restructuring and mindfulness as a way to support optimism. Lastly, they discuss values and how they can help you realign with you to your path of recovery and how empowerment can breed a sense of optimism.

Managing Multiple OCD Themes

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 13:56:32 -0700

This week on the Purely OCD podcast, Lauren and Kelley discuss managing multiple themes of OCD. They start by discussing how common it is to experience multiple themes. The two also consider how to navigate new content when it pops up unexpectedly. Most importantly, they explain the importance of accepting uncertainty in the face of all content.

Self-Compassion Part 2

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 10:39:57 -0700

This week on the Purely OCD podcast, Lauren and Kelley continue their discussion on self-compassion and OCD recovery. They start by discussing loving-kindness meditation, and how this can support people in the practice of self-compassion. They also discuss how to navigate guilt using self-compassion, and how to find compassion for your brain when it is the source of so much pain. Lastly, they consider how partners of individuals with OCD can provide compassion without providing compulsive reassurance.

OCD and Self-Compassion, Part 1

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 15:55:27 -0700

In this episode, Kelley Franke, LMFT, and Lauren Rosen, LMFT, talk about self-compassion in OCD recovery. They define self-compassion and discuss how it can help individuals who are dealing with OCD. They also highlight ways in which this practice can turn compulsive to support people in using the tool effectively. Stay tuned for Part II next week.

OCD and Community

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 13:59:28 -0700

This week on Purely OCD, Kelley Franke, LMFT, and Lauren Rosen, LMFT, talk about the role of community in OCD recovery. They start by sharing about their experience at the IOCDF Conference. They discuss the benefits of being surrounded by people who "get it." They also touch on some of the challenges that can come up in community when you have OCD.

Mental Compulsions, Part 3

Mon, 27 Jun 2022 22:19:16 -0700

In this episode of Purely OCD, Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT, continue the conversation on mental compulsions, in the third part of the series. The two discuss how to identify mental compulsions, what to do once you have identified them and what to expect from this practice. We will resume in 2-weeks and look forward to seeing you then!

OCD Recovery and Everyday Life

Mon, 16 May 2022 15:23:08 -0700

In this weeks episode of Purely OCD podcast, Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT are joined by Jenna Overbaugh, LMFT to talk about how OCD recovery can benefit us beyond navigating OCD.

They touch on how certain topics, like navigating doubt, doing hard things, and awareness of thoughts and thinking, transcend OCD and can help us more broadly. The three also cover how these lessons can support the process of parenting. To end this episode, Kelley brings it on home with a discussion of self-compassion and, essentially, reparenting ourselves.

Thanks for joining. And go check out Jenna Overbaugh on Instagram, if you don’t know her already!

Mental Compulsions, Part 2

Mon, 09 May 2022 18:36:16 -0700

On today’s episode of Purely OCD Kelley Franke, LMFT, and Lauren Rosen, LMFT, pick up where they left off in their discussion of mental compulsions.They define and discuss more subtypes of mental compulsions. They also talk about helpful versus unhelpful thinking through the lens of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. As always, they answer questions from viewers who tuned in live. . Next week, the two will have a special guest Jenna Overbaugh of #nocd. We look forward to seeing you there. The conversation on how to navigate and manage mental compulsions- Part 3 - will resume May 23rd.

Mental Compulsions, Part 1

Mon, 02 May 2022 17:35:53 -0700

In this episode, Lauren Rosen, LMFT and Kelley Franke, LMFT, discuss mental compulsions. They define mental compulsions and explain how they can present in OCD. They explain how mindfulness a.k.a. mental ninja, is the best approach when it comes to stopping mental compulsions. Tune in next week when the two will discuss more ways to build your mindfulness muscle in combatting mental compulsions.

Substance Contamination

Mon, 25 Apr 2022 19:22:04 -0700

In today's episode of Purely OCD, Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT, discuss obsessions related to contamination with Alcohol and Drugs. To begin with, they talk about contamination obsessions related to sobriety and fears about relapse. They also cover fears of losing one's mind or experiencing derealization secondary to substance contamination. Next, they consider common compulsions that people perform when the fears arise and then turn their discussion to exposure and response prevention. To conclude the episode, they answer your questions.

Q&A on March 28th

Mon, 11 Apr 2022 17:43:34 -0700

In this weeks episode, Kelley Franke, LMFT, and Lauren Rosen, LMFT, answer listeners questions. Some questions they cover include:

1. What can trigger OCD?

2. What language can be used when supporting a loved one with OCD?

3. Does suppressing make OCD worse?

We hope you found this podcast helpful and if there any questions we did not answer, please contact us on our website!

False Memory OCD

Mon, 11 Apr 2022 16:18:28 -0700

On today's episode, Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT, talk False Memory OCD. To begin with, they cover about common obsessions, compulsions and the commonly shared obsession between False Memory OCD and Real Event OCD. They answer listeners questions related to the desire to figure out whether a memory actually happened, or whether it is a false memory and what it means about the person. Lastly, they discuss finding hope when living with OCD.

OCD and ”Urges”

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 22:54:06 -0700

On today’s episode of the #purelyocd podcast, Kelley Franke, LMFT, and Lauren Rosen, LMFT, are joined by the wonderful Catherine Benfield!

The three discuss Catherine’s recent article (with an assist credit to Kelley) about urges in the context of OCD. Some questions they cover include:

1. What is an obsessive urge?

2. How can we practice ERP in the face of obsessive urges?

3. What is the role of accepting uncertainty with urges?

There’s specific mention of #postpartumocd #harmocd #soocd (formerly #hocd) and #relationshipocd. This content could also be applied to #pocd. We hope you find a little hope in this open conversation of what it’s like to live with and recover from this disorder.

OCD in the Workplace

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 22:23:46 -0700

In this week’s episode of Purely OCD, Kelley Franke, LMFT, and Lauren Rosen, LMFT, discuss navigating OCD in the workplace. To begin with, they cover common obsessions and compulsions that arise in this context. They also answer questions from viewers about talking about a diagnosis with a boss and tackling time consuming compulsions that interfere with productivity.

Meditation and OCD

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 18:23:22 -0700

Meditation and OCD: in this weeks episode, Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT, talk about how meditation supports the recovery in OCD. They discuss different types of meditation and how training your attention supports the ability to let go of rumination. They cover how meditation’s focus on returning back to the present moment supports OCD sufferers by disengaging with the noise in their heads. Lastly, they touch on some mindfulness exercises that can provide some of the benefits of meditation.

Acceptance and OCD, Part 2

Mon, 24 Jan 2022 16:49:44 -0700

In this weeks episode, Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT, continue their discussion on acceptance. To begin with, they talk about how acceptance related to having OCD is an important part of recovery. They also cover the key practice of accepting uncertainty. They touch on accepting bodily sensations and making space for these experiences without assigning meaning to them.

OCD and Other Anxiety Disorders

Wed, 19 Jan 2022 23:03:19 -0700

This week, Kelley and Lauren are joined by special guests Emma Garrick and Lisa for a discussion about OCD and other anxiety disorders. To begin with, they talk about their lived experiences with OCD and Anxiety as well as their recovery journeys. They also answer questions from the audience related to whether it’s possible to become neurotypical or “normal” if you have OCD or an anxiety disorders. Quick reminder, hypnosis has not been a clinically proven treatment for OCD.

Acceptance and OCD, Part 1

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 16:47:05 -0700

In this episode of purely OCD, Lauren Rosen, LMFT, and Kelley Franke, LMFT, define acceptance and what it means to accept uncomfortable thoughts and feelings.

Kelley explains what fusion looks like (ie., the opposite of acceptance) using a scary thought on a clipboard.

They cover several acceptance techniques people can use when they experience an uncomfortable feeling or thought.

As always, they answer your questions live.

OCD and the New Year

Tue, 04 Jan 2022 12:38:45 -0700

Lauren Rosen, LMFT and Kelley Franke, LMFT welcome you to 2022 with a big announcement: we are officially a podcast. You can find all episodes at our website: purelyocd.com. You can also listen to us on apple podcasts, Podbean, Spotify, and google podcasts.

Lauren and Kelley also discuss how OCD can impact people at this time of year. They start with a discussion of the pressure related to Nee Year’s resolutions. Next, they chat about how New Years tends to especially impact those with existential OCD. The two talk about how Covid might impact existential OCD around the new year too. They round out the episode by discussing acceptance in the context of OCD.