For the first time ever, there are international guidelines for how OCD should be treated — and in this episode, we break them down.

Fresh from the Orchard OCD International Conference, Jess and Laura unpack what these landmark guidelines actually say: which treatments are recommended, in what order, and what this means for people with OCD and the clinicians supporting them. From ERP and medication through to TMS and DBS, the guidelines bring global consensus to questions that have long been answered differently depending on where you live or who you see.

Before they get there, they cover what the conference revealed about OCD neuroscience — brain imaging showing OCD as a network problem, gene mapping progress, biomarkers, and what the research says about how psychological treatments work on a neurological level.

There's also a section on OCD in childhood, apps and neuroimaging, and Body Focused Repetitive Behaviours.

This is Part 1 of a series covering the conference — and it's a good one to start with.

As always: Brain Spam, Weekly Wins, and a look at what's coming next.

Podcast by

Laura Mole, Adv. Dip, MBACP OCD specialist therapist

and

Jessica Hayes, Msc PGDip, BABCP Accred OCD and perinatal specialist therapist

Edited by Christian Nickson

Caveat

Before we get started, a quick disclaimer. This episode is intended for educational and informational purposes only. We discuss a range of medical and therapeutic interventions used in OCD treatment, including medication and neuromodulation approaches such as TMS, DBS and tDCS. However, we are not medical doctors or prescribing professionals, and nothing in this episode should be taken as medical advice or a recommendation to pursue any particular treatment.

We also mention some commercially available products and technologies. These references are provided for information only and should not be interpreted as an endorsement or recommendation to purchase or use them.

If you are considering any medical treatment, medication, or intervention discussed in this episode, please consult a suitably qualified healthcare professional who can advise you based on your individual circumstances.

Timestamps:

00:34 Extra disclaimer

02:26 Catch up

02:48 Introduction to the episode

04:00 Brain Spam

08:33 Who are Orchard OCD?

13:25 Takeaways about OCD treatment choice

16:00 OCD treatment and costs

18:34 OCD in childhood and brain changes

20:00 Apps and neuroimaging

20:49 OCD as a brain network problem

22:26 Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) and cognitive therapy work

24:00 Metacognitive Training

24:40 Biomarkers and precision psychiatry

25:30 Body Focused Repetitive Behaviours

27:39 The International Guidelines for OCD Treatment

46:30 How the guidelines can help people with OCD

49:25 How we plan to use the guidelines

52:40 What next?

54:06 Possible next episode themes

56:01 Weekly Wins

58:00 Goodbyes

Links:

Orchard OCD: https://www.orchardocd.org/

Orchard OCD Registry: https://orchardocdregistry.org/

CANMAT/ICOCS International Guidelines for OCD: https://icocs.org/2025-canmat-icocs-international-guidelines-for-the-management-of-patients-with-ocd/

Get in Touch:

Got intrusive thoughts to share or questions for us:

Email us at ocdcollectiveuk@gmail.com

Follow us on Instagram and Tiktok: @justcheckingpod

For our individual OCD pages, you can find Laura on Tiktok and Instagram as @ocdtherapylaura and Jess as @jess_helps_your_ocd

Please check out our privacy policy https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YJZ4Sdh4OpxjRR9twGY6dOMH9n55Mq6qTqLBxOtN3Fw/edit?usp=sharing

Content Warnings:

We do reference some thoughts that people may find distressing so please listen with caution if this is you, and take a break if you need to.

Disclaimer:

This podcast provides educational content only and is not a substitute for professional mental health support, please contact a mental health professional for advice and support.