This is a sneak peek of our episode with Ally Kristan, and part two of our three part series on OCD – available only on our Premium Supercast and Patreon platforms. For as little as $5/month you can have access to special releases like this one, first-to-know about upcoming events and discounts and an ad-free feed.

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In part two of our three part series on deepening the understanding OCD, Marine biologist and author Ally Kristan shares her lifelong experience living with OCD, challenging common misconceptions that reduce the disorder to cleanliness or organization. Ally discusses the intrusive thoughts, compulsions, shame, and relentless search for certainty that characterize OCD, as well as the relief of finally receiving a diagnosis and effective support. Together, Ally and Dr. Ann Kelley explore themes of control, uncertainty, mindfulness, relationships, self-compassion, and how healing can come from understanding—not fighting—the parts of ourselves that struggle. The episode offers an honest, hopeful look at living with OCD and finding ways to transform fear into meaning and connection.

Time Stamps for Bonus – Living Beyond the OCD Loop with Ally Kristan (302)

06:34 Personal journey: Discovering my OCD
11:34 Therapeutic insights: The role of specialists
16:19 The OCD loop: Understanding the cycle
23:01 Transforming OCD: Finding positive outlets
31:03 Radical acceptance and its challenges
35:10 Finding Authenticity in Confrontation
42:23 Transforming compulsions into positive rituals
52:28 The balance of reassurance in relationships
55:59 The intersection of OCD and career choices
58:00 Lessons from penguins: Resilience and love
01:00:54 Conservation concerns: The krill catastrophe
01:07:28 Coping tools and resources for OCD

About our Guest – Ally Kristan

Ally Kristan is a marine conservation biologist, Antarctic expert and OCD advocate originally from Raleigh, North Carolina. She holds a B.S. in Marine Biology from UNC Wilmington and an M.S. in Oceanography & Coastal Sciences from Louisiana State University. A salient voice for wildlife protection, Ally has appeared in National Public Radio (NPR), National Audubon Society and Hakai Magazine. Her work has brought her from a sea turtle hospital in North Carolina to whale watch boats in Maui to raucous seabird colonies in Florida, then from the U.S. National Science Foundation in Washington D.C. to McMurdo Station, Antarctica. Ally now resides on the North Carolina coast where, when not working in the lab, she can be found amongst animals.

Resources for Living Beyond the OCD Loop with Ally Kristan (302)

Ally Kristan’s website – Additional resources & information

Get your copy of her book, “Braving the Waves” here!!

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Learn how your nervous system, your mind, and your relationships work together in a fascinating dance, shaping who you are and how you connect with others.

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In part one of our three-part series on Anxiety and OCD, Dr. Jon Abramowitz helps us understand why intrusive thoughts are normal, how OCD turns them into a source of distress, and what keeps the cycle going. We explore uncertainty, reassurance-seeking, relationship dynamics, and the research-backed treatments that help people reclaim their lives from OCD.In this conversation, we unpack the surprising truth about intrusive thoughts, why reassurance often backfires, and how learning to tolerate uncertainty can be a powerful path toward recovery.

02:40 Understanding anxiety and its disorders
05:46 Distinguishing normal anxiety from OCD
08:21 The nature of obsessional thoughts
14:09 The cycle of OCD and compulsions
16:53 The role of exposure and response prevention
19:44 Understanding scrupulosity in OCD
25:25 Treatment approaches for OCD
33:34 Managing distress in OCD therapy
36:55 Understanding control and uncertainty in OCD
40:41 Distinguishing OCD from Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder
50:02 Supporting loved ones with OCD

About our Guest – Dr. Jon Abramowitz (301)

Jonathan (Jon) Abramowitz, Ph.D., is Professor and Director of Clinical Training in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research and clinical work focuses on obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and anxiety disorders, including fears and phobias, health anxiety, and panic attacks. He has authored over 350 scientific publications and 20 books, which have been translated into several languages. He served as President of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies and as Editor or Associate Editor of several academic journals. Dr. Abramowitz has received wide recognition for his scholarly work and contributions.

Resources for Why Certainty Isn’t the Answer: OCD, Intrusive Thoughts & Recovery with Dr. Jon Abramowitz (301)

Dr. Abramowitz website – Resources and information

OCD resources for clinicians and consumers

Learn how your nervous system, your mind, and your relationships work together in a fascinating dance, shaping who you are and how you connect with others. Online, Self-Paced, Asynchronous Learning with Quarterly Live Q&A’s! Earn 6 Continuing Education Credits – Available at Checkout As a listener of this podcast, use code BAS15 for a limited-time discount.

You are invited!

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Sue and Ann reflect on a decade of podcasting and dive into one of the the most challenging parts of any relationship: giving and receiving feedback. Through candid personal stories, humor, and clinical insight, they explore how attachment history, defensiveness, trauma, and vulnerability shape the way we handle conflict and communication. This conversation explains why feedback can feel so threatening, how couples get stuck arguing facts instead of feelings, and why repair—not perfection—is the foundation of healthy relationships.

Time Stamps for 300 Episodes In: Why Feedback Is So Hard (300)

01:56 The challenge of feedback: Giving and receiving
07:29 Understanding the difficulty of giving feedback
11:06 The fear of feedback: Avoidance and anticipation
16:15 The overestimation of awareness: Why we hold back
26:32 Navigating the receiving end of feedback
32:34 Impact over intent: The key to effective communication
34:54 Navigating feedback and racial sensitivity
41:08 Defensiveness in relationships
52:09 The role of trauma in relationships

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Learn how your nervous system, your mind, and your relationships work together in a fascinating dance, shaping who you are and how you connect with others. Online, Self-Paced, Asynchronous Learning with Quarterly Live Q&A’s! Earn 6 Continuing Education Credits – Available at Checkout As a listener of this podcast, use code BAS15 for a limited-time discount.

You are invited!

Join our exclusive community to get early access and discounts to things we produce, plus an ad-free, private feed. In addition, receive exclusive episodes recorded just for you. Sign up for our premium Neuronerd plan!! Click here!!

Get your copy of Secure Relating here!!