In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Michael J. Greenberg, licensed clinical psychologist and the director of OCD Associates, to talk about something I've lived with since childhood but only recently learned has a name: rumination OCD. For a long time, I thought rumination was something that happened to me, a side effect of trauma. But Michael's work helped me see that rumination is actually something we do, and if it's something we do, it's something we can stop.

We talk about what rumination is, how it differs from intrusive thoughts, the six engagement patterns that keep rumination going, and how attachment and complex trauma can intensify OCD loops. This conversation opened my eyes to how treating OCD requires different tools than treating C-PTSD, and I hope it offers you the same clarity it gave me.

Chapters:

10:49 Conversation with Dr. Greenberg begins

13:02 Understanding Rumination in OCD

14:11 The Control of Rumination

17:08 The Complexity of Stopping Rumination

19:56 The Role of Core Fears in OCD

35:49 Core Fears and Emotional Conflicts

37:37 The Role of Attachment in OCD

52:06 Dependency and Control in Treatment 58:11 Inner Child Work and Its Challenges

01:02:48 Understanding Rumination and Compulsions 01:04:13 The Six Types of Rumination

01:07:57 Navigating Emotional Flashbacks and Feelings 01:24:22 Healing Invitation

Connect with Dr. Michael J. Greenberg:

• Website
• Email: michael@drmichaeljgreenberg.com

Resources Mentioned:

• Dr. Elna Yadin
• David Malan’s book Individual Psychotherapy and the Science of Psychodynamics
• Dr. Michael Alcée’s Website

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