It’s Not What You Think

We know that OCD can affect every part of our lives, and unfortunately our careers can often be in the firing line of this difficult disorder. In this episode, Penny and Angie talk to writer, consultant and mother of two, Cate Gilpin about how OCD has affected her career and how she has finally taken some control back.  We talk with Cate about: Being an anxious kid and having obsessions that she wouldn't understand until she was an adult  Sexual orientation OCD  Experiencing intense feelings of over-responsibility when working in...

We’re back with Season 4 of It’s Not What You Think! In this episode, Penny and Angie talk to comedian and radio host, Henry Bretz about his experience with OCD. You might know Henry for going viral for his satirical videos pretending to be Karl Stefanovic (OCD makes him soooo angry). We dive into: An amazing 'Obsession Confession' featuring Scooby Doo Being diagnosed as a young adult Mental compulsions and how debilitating they can be Worrying about worry: when Henry was on holidays and feared he might have depr...

For the last episode of season 3, Penny and Ange are joined by Alison Cosker. Together they discuss: What’s next for the podcast Why they decided to run an event in Melbourne and what happened when they did Whether they think stigma around mental illness, and OCD in particular, has lessened now that more and more people are talking about it Their favourite lesson or moment from this season  Links:   Help us record another season! 

There is a real buzz surrounding a treatment method originating in Norway. Clinical Psychologist and Founder of Melbourne Mindcare, Nathan Dowling joins Penny and Angie to talk about this intensive but gentle method, which is now being piloted in Australia. They discuss: What the Bergen 4 Day Treatment (B4DT) method is and how it differs from other methods of treatment The origins of the treatment method in Norway   How Nathan and others in Melbourne were trained by the Norwegian specialists Why Nathan and others are so excited about the promising results of the pilot program in Melbourne  What the four day...

Paediatrician Dr Leila Masson joins Penny and Angie to talk about PANS/PANDAS, a medical condition in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks brain cells and can lead to sudden, severe symptoms of OCD.  Doctors often mistake PANS/PANDAS for other conditions and it can be extremely difficult for parents to get a diagnosis for their kids.  Dr Masson, a medical doctor who also specialises in environmental and nutritional health discusses: - Why kids get PANS/PANDAS - what the signs and symptoms are  - how it is diagnosed  - why it can be so hard to receive a diag...

A few years ago, Jo’s OCD was so crippling that she needed to be hospitalised and completed two stints at The Melbourne Clinic. OCD had completely taken over her life in every way.  Jo joins Penny and Angie for a beautiful conversation about what she found the most helpful in her recovery and how she ended up turning her pain into a way to help so many others, through her counselling practice called Living Proof Therapy.   The Melbourne Clinic OCD Program 

Tess very generously talks to Penny and Angie about: when her hair pulling symptoms began her religious upbringing and the intense feelings of shame and perfectionism the various treatments she’s tried in order to stop pulling out her eyelashes accepting how life pans out (regardless of the condition) what she wishes people knew about trich what she'll do if her kids show signs

In this episode Penny and Ange are joined by young emerging performer and theatre-maker, Gryff Connah. He talks to them about how intrusive thoughts and compulsions have woven their way throughout his life and how his dad helped him to identify what was really going on. Together they discuss: the early signs of OCD as a young kid the obsessive thoughts intensifying during lockdown when Gryff was a teenager the validation and relief that came with a diagnosis some of the more taboo themes of OCD that are so common but rarely talked about the play ‘Flicker’ that Gryf...

Do you find it tough to parent whilst drowning in OCD overwhelm? Well, Penny and Ange do, so they sat down for a candid chat about it.  They talk about their own experiences as parents to young kids and read out anonymous comments that listeners sent in describing what parts they find the toughest. They also talk about some of the silver linings and include some practical tips for parents who might be struggling with their mental health.    Shownotes:  This Way Up: https://thiswayup.org.au/ The Brain Forest https://www.dymocks.com.au/the-brain-forest-by-sandhya-menon-and-kushla-ross-9780646856094    

Penny talks to acclaimed contemporary painter, Emily Ferretti about her experience with magical thinking OCD. Em talks so generously about:  - Some of her early OCD symptoms that arose when she was at primary school - Seeing a counsellor early on but not receiving the right treatment until she was an adult - Having certain obsessions triggered by specific life moments  - How OCD can wax and wane throughout someone's lifetime  - Going on medication and finally seeing a psychologist who had experience with treating OCD - The catharsis of group therapy  - Becoming a mum who has OCD  ...

Alison steps in for Angie today and joins Penny in welcoming back Dr Andrea Wallace to discuss EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing). EMDR is an evidence-backed therapy that uses bilateral stimulation (for example side to side eye movements) alongside the recollection of memories to help the brain reprocess memories of events or feelings. Penny and Alison discuss: How the body/mind is wired to heal itself What EMDR is and how it started How and why it can be useful to help treat people with OCD What EMDR sessions might look like How it’s...

Leading Australian TV producer, Chris Walker talks to Penny and Angie about the devastating intersection of OCD and childhood trauma.  When Chris was a young kid he witnessed a devastating event which left him and his family reeling. A few years later, Chris experienced OCD symptoms which started to take over his life.  In this very raw and honest episode, Chris talks so generously about: The role religion and moral scrupulosity played in his OCD The exhaustion of dealing with OCD at school when it’s so often invisible/hidden The continuing misunderstanding around OCD and...

Award-winning ABC journalist and independent filmmaker, Adelaide Miller has a lot going on. Over the last five years she's been diagnosed with OCD, an eating disorder, mild tourettes and ADHD.    Adelaide talks to Penny and Alison about the symptoms she experienced as a child, the painful and awkward lengths she would go to, to make others feel happy and loved and how she's worked to unpack the different components of her neurodivergence and mental health.    We discuss eating disorders in this episode, so if you need help please contact The Butterfly Foundation   Show notes:  The Man Who Couldn't Stop by David Ada

Season 3 is here! We're kicking things off with a relaxed catch-up between the girls-  chatting about Angie's recent ADHD diagnosis, Penny's honest account of an OCD relapse and Alison's mental gymnastics in the holidays. We also give you a little taste of the incredible guests we have lined up for the season ahead. 

OCD can take so much from people, and a devastating effect of this illness is that it can complicate friendships. In this last episode of season 2, Alison Cosker joins Penny and Ange again to talk about how and why this is the case. They touch on: - How hard it can be to tell friends about an OCD diagnosis  - The strain a mental illness, with no end-date can put on friendships - The boundaries that people with mental illness often have to put in place to look after themselves, and how this c...

  The guest this week is Monique Mitchelson, a neurodivergent clinical psychologist and co- host of the very popular Neurodivergent Woman podcast.    Monique very generously shares her story about growing up in Queensland as an undiagnosed autistic adhd’er with OCD and learning more about her brain (and her family’s brains) once she became a psychologist. In this ep the following subjects are discussed: - Why Monique decided to get into psychology  - How so much changed once she received her diagnoses as an adult  - Being a neurodivergent clinician and being open about being on medication  - The interplay of symptom...

Did you know that Tourette Syndrome (TS) and OCD frequently co-occur? Penny and Angie talk to Jason McCurry who has TS and OCD. Jason talks so generously about: - Experiencing both TS and OCD symptoms as a kid in a country town - How OCD and TS interrelate  - What actually happens physically when he starts ticking - How physically arduous constant ticking can be for someone with TS - His trepidation about coming onto the podcast, particularly with his TS flaring up a bit recently - How he would like people to react if his TS symptoms fl...

This week is all about perinatal OCD, and it’s a biggie. Penny and Ange chat to perinatal and reproductive psychiatrist Dr Edna Lekgabe and clinical psychologist Dr kit Casey. In the discussion they talk about: What perinatal OCD is How the brain fundamentally changes during matrescence Who gets perinatal OCD and why Some of the common ( and extremely difficult obsessions that come up with perinatal OCD) The ‘professionalisation of parenthood’ The loneliness of experiencing perinatal OCD Why it’s so commonly misdiagnosed/missed altogether Medication throughout the perinatal period   Matrescence by Lucy jones  Self compassion episode with Andrea  Pharmacist Rodney White...

This week Penny and Angie talk to Bailey MacDonald, an 18 year old who has OCD. Bailey has been suffering with OCD for many years, but it was a few years ago that a particular OCD theme entered Bailey’s life and completely upended it. Whilst Bailey isn’t comfortable to go into the content of the obsessions, she bravely talks to Penny and Angie about:  ⁃Her first encounter with the mental health system and why it put her ff seeking help for years after ⁃How exhausting it is to be at school whilst dealing with debilitating OCD ⁃When she first told her mu...

This week Penny and Ange welcome their dear friend and unofficial producer, Alison Cosker, into the studio for a conversation about multiple diagnoses, doubting the doubt, and how grief can be impacted by OCD (and vice versa).    They also introduce the first Obsession Confession segment sent in by a dear listener.