Uploaded June 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Therapist Kimberley Quinlan from @youranxietytoolkit joins me to explore one of the most misunderstood anxiety disorders: obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Drawing from her clinical and personal experience, Kimberley breaks down what OCD is, how it differs from general anxiety, and the ways it’s often mischaracterized.
We discuss the core features of obsessions and compulsions, and how these can manifest across a wide range of themes, including harm, contamination, morality, and relationships. Kimberley explains how Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) works, what makes an exposure “good,” and how to build tolerance for distress rather than trying to eliminate it. They also touch on self-compassion, the role of medication, and the stigmas that can keep people from getting help.
About our Guest: Kimberley Quinlan is a licensed marriage and family therapist, author, host of the popular Your Anxiety Toolkit podcast, and founder of CBTschool.com.
Key Topics:
0:00 Introduction
1:00 Kimberley’s personal experience with OCD
3:36 What is OCD? Obsessions vs. compulsions
8:18 The relationship between trauma (PTSD) and OCD in Kimberley’s experience
11:04 ERP and approaches to treatment
17:55 Differences between clinical ERP and informal exposure practices
22:15 Imaginal exposures for fears that can’t be physically enacted
26:00 Resourcing for exposure
28:20 What if exposure goes poorly?
32:20 Role of self-compassion in OCD treatment
34:42 Considering medication: benefits, stigma, and SSRIs
38:52 Unhooking from intrusive thoughts: ACT, mindfulness, DBT
46:55 “How can I make this my bravest day?”
55:50 Recap
Subscribe to Being Well on:
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/being-well-with-dr-rick-hanson/id1120885936
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/5d87ZU1XY0fpdYNSEwXLVQ
Who Am I: I'm Forrest, the co-author of Resilient (amzn.to/3iXLerD) and host of the Being Well Podcast (apple.co/38ufGG0). I'm making videos focused on simplifying psychology, mental health, and personal growth.
Subscribe to Rick on YouTube: youtube.com/@RickHanson?sub_confirmation=1
Get Rick's Free Newsletters: rickhanson.com/writings/newsletters-from-dr-rick-hanson
Follow Rick Here:
🌍 rickhanson.com
📸 instagram.com/rickhansonphd
I'm not a clinician, and what I say on this channel should not be taken as medical advice.
You can follow me here:
🎤 apple.co/38ufGG0
🌍 forresthanson.com
📸 instagram.com/f.hanson
Therapist Kimberley Quinlan from @youranxietytoolkit joins me to explore one of the most misunderstood anxiety disorders: obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Drawing from her clinical and personal experience, Kimberley breaks down what OCD is, how it differs from general anxiety, and the ways it’s often mischaracterized.
We discuss the core features of obsessions and compulsions, and how these can manifest across a wide range of themes, including harm, contamination, morality, and relationships. Kimberley explains how Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) works, what makes an exposure “good,” and how to build tolerance for distress rather than trying to eliminate it. They also touch on self-compassion, the role of medication, and the stigmas that can keep people from getting help.
About our Guest: Kimberley Quinlan is a licensed marriage and family therapist, author, host of the popular Your Anxiety Toolkit podcast, and founder of CBTschool.com.
Key Topics:
0:00 Introduction
1:00 Kimberley’s personal experience with OCD
3:36 What is OCD? Obsessions vs. compulsions
8:18 The relationship between trauma (PTSD) and OCD in Kimberley’s experience
11:04 ERP and approaches to treatment
17:55 Differences between clinical ERP and informal exposure practices
22:15 Imaginal exposures for fears that can’t be physically enacted
26:00 Resourcing for exposure
28:20 What if exposure goes poorly?
32:20 Role of self-compassion in OCD treatment
34:42 Considering medication: benefits, stigma, and SSRIs
38:52 Unhooking from intrusive thoughts: ACT, mindfulness, DBT
46:55 “How can I make this my bravest day?”
55:50 Recap
Subscribe to Being Well on:
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/being-well-with-dr-rick-hanson/id1120885936
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/5d87ZU1XY0fpdYNSEwXLVQ
Who Am I: I'm Forrest, the co-author of Resilient (amzn.to/3iXLerD) and host of the Being Well Podcast (apple.co/38ufGG0). I'm making videos focused on simplifying psychology, mental health, and personal growth.
Subscribe to Rick on YouTube: youtube.com/@RickHanson?sub_confirmation=1
Get Rick's Free Newsletters: rickhanson.com/writings/newsletters-from-dr-rick-hanson
Follow Rick Here:
🌍 rickhanson.com
📸 instagram.com/rickhansonphd
I'm not a clinician, and what I say on this channel should not be taken as medical advice.
You can follow me here:
🎤 apple.co/38ufGG0
🌍 forresthanson.com
📸 instagram.com/f.hanson
