Tom Smalley is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC), Employee Success Manager for North America at NinjaOne, and founder of Struggle Into Strength Performance. His work focuses on performance psychology, leadership development, and helping individuals and teams build confidence, resilience, and mental skills.

Diagnosed with OCD at age 16, Tom became passionate about raising awareness and breaking down mental health stigma. He received the 2019 IOCDF Hero Award and became a Lead Advocate for the International OCD Foundation in 2021, where he co-founded the Anxiety in Athletes initiative. He regularly speaks about OCD and mental health advocacy and is also a three-time USA Weightlifting Adaptive Division Gold Medalist and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitor.

In this episode, Tom shares about his personal experience living with OCD and his journey with OCD advocacy. We discuss the importance of OCD treatment, building resilience, navigating family dynamics, and understanding how OCD can impact both individuals and their loved ones. Tom also shares how his own experiences have helped influence his passion for breaking down stigma and openly speaking about OCD.

We explore the power of community, the importance of meaningful support, and what it can look like to embrace authenticity while navigating the challenges of OCD. We hope this episode can help you feel less alone.

*This episode is for entertainment and educational purposes only and does not replace professional support.*

FOLLOW TOM:

INSTA: @s2s_smalls
WEBSITE: www.struggleintostrength.com
Struggle Into Strength x IOCDF Scholarship Fund

STAY CONNECTED:

INSTA: @trustandthrive
TIKOK: @trustandthrive
THREADS: @trustandthrive
FACEBOOK: bit.ly/FBtaramont
EMAIL: trustandthrive@gmail.com

Rev. Dr. Katie O’Dunne (she/her) is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and founder of Stick with the Ick, a virtual inclusive interfaith community app for those navigating faith and OCD, offering resources across traditions. She spent seven years as Academy Chaplain and Chair of Religious Studies at Woodward Academy in Atlanta while consulting on interfaith programming nationwide.

Katie now educates clinicians and clergy on culturally responsive treatment across religious/spiritual contexts, leads the IOCDF Faith & OCD Leadership Circle, and consults with OCDI Texas on Religion & OCD. She received Vanderbilt’s Doctor of Ministry Award for Distinction in Integrative Care Practices.

In this week's episode, we discuss how OCD attaches to faith, values, religion, and morality. Katie shares her experience with OCD as an ordained minister and chaplain, her involvement with the Internal OCD Foundation (IOCDF), and her journey navigating OCD alongside her faith.

We discuss how moral and religious OCD can contribute to guilt, shame, and distress, how certain behaviors may be reinforced or praised from a young age, and the grief that can accompany OCD. We also explore religious trauma, ERP related to moral OCD, integrating faith into OCD recovery, and support resources.

We hope this conversation can be a reminder that faith and OCD treatment can coexist, and that navigating OCD does not have to mean abandoning your personal beliefs or values.

FOLLOW REV. DR. KATIE O'DUNNE:

INSTA: @stickwiththeick
WEBSITE: www.stickwiththeick.com
FAITH AND OCD CONFERENCE

STAY CONNECTED:

INSTA: @trustandthrive
TIKOK: @trustandthrive
THREADS: @trustandthrive
FACEBOOK: bit.ly/FBtaramont
EMAIL: trustandthrive@gmail.com

We're kicking off OCD Awareness Month with a solo episode. I open up about some of my childhood experiences with OCD, before I even had the language or understanding of what it was.

In this episode, I reflect on some of the thoughts, fears, behaviors, and patterns I experienced growing up, while normalizing how confusing and isolating OCD can feel.

As always, this episode is not a replacement for professional support. This episode reflects my own personal experience and is just the tip of the iceberg of my own OCD story.

I hope this episode can simply remind you that you're not alone and create a space for honest conversations about the many ways OCD can show up.

On the show, we'll be continuing the conversation throughout OCD Awareness Month with more episodes about OCD, including conversations with some wonderful guests. Coming soon!

STAY CONNECTED:

INSTA: @trustandthrive
TIKOK: @trustandthrive
EMAIL: trustandthrive@gmail.com