The OCD & Anxiety Podcast

Ready for real help with OCD or anxiety? Book a discovery call https://robertjamescoaching.com/book-discovery-call/

In this episode Robert James explains why exposure and response prevention (ERP) is powerful but not the only path to managing OCD. He explores how approaches from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), mindfulness, self-compassion and values work can scaffold ERP, help with intrusive thoughts, rumination and daily triggers, and widen your focus back to the things that matter.

He also shares practical metaphors (like the spotlight and stage), signature signs to notice when you’re triggered, and mentions a 12-week program for those seeking extra support

Disclaimer:

Robert James Pizey (of Robert James Coaching) is not a medical professional and is also not providing therapy or medical treatment. Robert James Pizey recommends that anyone experiencing anxiety or OCD to seek professional medical help straight away to get a medical opinion and rule out other conditions or illnesses. The comments and opinions as written on this site are simply that and are not to be taken as professional medical opinions. Robert James Pizey provides coaching, education, accountability and peer support around Anxiety through his own personal experiences.

Ready for real help with OCD or anxiety? Book a discovery call https://robertjamescoaching.com/book-discovery-call/

Robert James explores the connection between Buddhism and OCD, focusing on three teachings—the Buddha’s two arrows (suffering vs. resistance), attachment and emotional flexibility, and the idea of non‑self—to show why these ideas matter for recovery.

The episode explains how changing your relationship to difficult emotions and intrusive thoughts can reduce suffering and offers practical hope for living with OCD and anxiety

Disclaimer:

Robert James Pizey (of Robert James Coaching) is not a medical professional and is also not providing therapy or medical treatment. Robert James Pizey recommends that anyone experiencing anxiety or OCD to seek professional medical help straight away to get a medical opinion and rule out other conditions or illnesses. The comments and opinions as written on this site are simply that and are not to be taken as professional medical opinions. Robert James Pizey provides coaching, education, accountability and peer support around Anxiety through his own personal experiences.

Ready for real help with OCD or anxiety? Book a discovery call https://robertjamescoaching.com/book-discovery-call/

Robert James explores why intrusive thoughts can trap us in rumination and mental compulsions, focusing on how perception and attention amplify OCD. He explains why searching for certainty reinforces the cycle and offers practical strategies—like shifting perspective, engaging in meaningful activities, and journaling three good things daily—to regain control over attention and reduce OCD's hold.

Disclaimer:

Robert James Pizey (of Robert James Coaching) is not a medical professional and is also not providing therapy or medical treatment. Robert James Pizey recommends that anyone experiencing anxiety or OCD to seek professional medical help straight away to get a medical opinion and rule out other conditions or illnesses. The comments and opinions as written on this site are simply that and are not to be taken as professional medical opinions. Robert James Pizey provides coaching, education, accountability and peer support around Anxiety through his own personal experiences.

Ready for real help with OCD or anxiety? Book a discovery call https://robertjamescoaching.com/book-discovery-call/

In this episode Robert James explores how OCD can quietly erode your confidence, how rumination, avoidance and the stories you tell yourself reinforce feelings of powerlessness, and how ideas from Albert Bandura and Viktor Frankl point toward rebuilding self-efficacy through action.

Practical guidance focuses on taking manageable steps, creating mastery experiences, and learning to live alongside uncertainty so you can reclaim influence over your life and participate more fully despite OCD

Disclaimer:

Robert James Pizey (of Robert James Coaching) is not a medical professional and is also not providing therapy or medical treatment. Robert James Pizey recommends that anyone experiencing anxiety or OCD to seek professional medical help straight away to get a medical opinion and rule out other conditions or illnesses. The comments and opinions as written on this site are simply that and are not to be taken as professional medical opinions. Robert James Pizey provides coaching, education, accountability and peer support around Anxiety through his own personal experiences.

Ready for real help with OCD or anxiety? Book a free discovery call with me — no pressure, no obligation: https://robertjamescoaching.com/book-discovery-call/

Prefer to work at your own pace? My 12-week programs are available self-guided:
Break Free from OCD: https://robertjamescoaching.com/self-guided/
Sensorimotor OCD: https://robertjamescoaching.com/sensorimotor-self-guided/

New here? Start with my free course: https://robertjamescoaching.com/free/

Robert James interviews Dr. Todd Burstain about why the brain prioritizes survival over happiness, how fear and uncertainty drive compulsive patterns like OCD, and how the same neural pathways process physical and emotional pain.

They outline a practical 10-step approach—pause, comfort, focus, observe, be curious, accept, commit, build resilience, connect with others, and reconnect with your authentic self—and discuss Dr. Burstain’s new book, Fear Itself, releasing November 10

Disclaimer:

Robert James Pizey (of Robert James Coaching) is not a medical professional and is also not providing therapy or medical treatment. Robert James Pizey recommends that anyone experiencing anxiety or OCD to seek professional medical help straight away to get a medical opinion and rule out other conditions or illnesses. The comments and opinions as written on this site are simply that and are not to be taken as professional medical opinions. Robert James Pizey provides coaching, education, accountability and peer support around Anxiety through his own personal experiences.

Ready for real help with OCD or anxiety? Book a free discovery call with me — no pressure, no obligation: https://robertjamescoaching.com/book-discovery-call/

Prefer to work at your own pace? My 12-week programs are available self-guided:
Break Free from OCD: https://robertjamescoaching.com/self-guided/
Sensorimotor OCD: https://robertjamescoaching.com/sensorimotor-self-guided/

New here? Start with my free course: https://robertjamescoaching.com/free/

Robert James explores ideas from Ernest Becker's The Denial of Death and how awareness of mortality can influence OCD and anxiety—driving our need for control, compulsions, and the search for meaning.

He links these concepts to social fears, 'hero systems,' and defensive personality patterns, then outlines hopeful recovery ideas like exposure and response prevention, acceptance, and rediscovering life beyond compulsions

Disclaimer:

Robert James Pizey (of Robert James Coaching) is not a medical professional and is also not providing therapy or medical treatment. Robert James Pizey recommends that anyone experiencing anxiety or OCD to seek professional medical help straight away to get a medical opinion and rule out other conditions or illnesses. The comments and opinions as written on this site are simply that and are not to be taken as professional medical opinions. Robert James Pizey provides coaching, education, accountability and peer support around Anxiety through his own personal experiences.

Ready for real help with OCD or anxiety? Book a free discovery call with me — no pressure, no obligation: https://robertjamescoaching.com/book-discovery-call/

Prefer to work at your own pace? My 12-week programs are available self-guided:
Break Free from OCD: https://robertjamescoaching.com/self-guided/
Sensorimotor OCD: https://robertjamescoaching.com/sensorimotor-self-guided/

New here? Start with my free course: https://robertjamescoaching.com/free/

In this episode Robert James explains how to judge progress with OCD and anxiety by focusing on living according to your values rather than the presence or absence of intrusive thoughts or setbacks.

He shares practical steps — aim for small, consistent wins, practise returning to the present, and build habits that create helpful neuroplasticity — and mentions a 12-week self-guided or coached program available on his website

Disclaimer:

Robert James Pizey (of Robert James Coaching) is not a medical professional and is also not providing therapy or medical treatment. Robert James Pizey recommends that anyone experiencing anxiety or OCD to seek professional medical help straight away to get a medical opinion and rule out other conditions or illnesses. The comments and opinions as written on this site are simply that and are not to be taken as professional medical opinions. Robert James Pizey provides coaching, education, accountability and peer support around Anxiety through his own personal experiences.

Ready for real help with OCD or anxiety? Book a free discovery call with me — no pressure, no obligation: https://robertjamescoaching.com/book-discovery-call/

Prefer to work at your own pace? My 12-week programs are available self-guided:
Break Free from OCD: https://robertjamescoaching.com/self-guided/
Sensorimotor OCD: https://robertjamescoaching.com/sensorimotor-self-guided/

New here? Start with my free course: https://robertjamescoaching.com/free/

In this episode Robert James challenges the idea that OCD means you are fundamentally broken. He explains how OCD functions as a learned habit, how the inner critic fuels the story of brokenness, and why neuroplasticity gives real hope for change.

Robert outlines practical steps—small exposure actions, pausing before compulsions, and living by values—that help rewire your brain over time and reduce OCD's control

Disclaimer:

Robert James Pizey (of Robert James Coaching) is not a medical professional and is also not providing therapy or medical treatment. Robert James Pizey recommends that anyone experiencing anxiety or OCD to seek professional medical help straight away to get a medical opinion and rule out other conditions or illnesses. The comments and opinions as written on this site are simply that and are not to be taken as professional medical opinions. Robert James Pizey provides coaching, education, accountability and peer support around Anxiety through his own personal experiences.

Ready for real help with OCD or anxiety? Book a free discovery call with me — no pressure, no obligation: https://robertjamescoaching.com/book-discovery-call/

Prefer to work at your own pace? My 12-week programs are available self-guided:
Break Free from OCD: https://robertjamescoaching.com/self-guided/
Sensorimotor OCD: https://robertjamescoaching.com/sensorimotor-self-guided/

New here? Start with my free course: https://robertjamescoaching.com/free/

Robert James shares his journey from crippling relationship OCD to preparing for marriage, explaining how doubt and overthinking once ruined relationships and how he learned to live with uncertainty. He discusses the strategy of postponing decisions, stopping compulsive analysis, and focusing on steady partnership qualities like kindness and support.

The episode offers practical takeaways—observe anxious thoughts without ruminating, make space for discomfort, and prioritize quiet, reliable connection over constant emotional certainty—showing recovery means being able to move forward even without complete certainty

Disclaimer:

Robert James Pizey (of Robert James Coaching) is not a medical professional and is also not providing therapy or medical treatment. Robert James Pizey recommends that anyone experiencing anxiety or OCD to seek professional medical help straight away to get a medical opinion and rule out other conditions or illnesses. The comments and opinions as written on this site are simply that and are not to be taken as professional medical opinions. Robert James Pizey provides coaching, education, accountability and peer support around Anxiety through his own personal experiences.

Ready for real help with OCD or anxiety? Book a free discovery call with me — no pressure, no obligation: https://robertjamescoaching.com/book-discovery-call/

Prefer to work at your own pace? My 12-week programs are available self-guided:
Break Free from OCD: https://robertjamescoaching.com/self-guided/
Sensorimotor OCD: https://robertjamescoaching.com/sensorimotor-self-guided/

New here? Start with my free course: https://robertjamescoaching.com/free/

Robert James and OCD specialist Jenna Overbaugh explore relentless "what-if" questions, rumination, and subtle mental compulsions, sharing how personal experience shaped her clinical approach.

They discuss ACT-based defusion, exposure and response prevention, building self-efficacy, and practical steps to reduce safety behaviors so you can live a bigger, more meaningful life despite uncertainty

Disclaimer:

Robert James Pizey (of Robert James Coaching) is not a medical professional and is also not providing therapy or medical treatment. Robert James Pizey recommends that anyone experiencing anxiety or OCD to seek professional medical help straight away to get a medical opinion and rule out other conditions or illnesses. The comments and opinions as written on this site are simply that and are not to be taken as professional medical opinions. Robert James Pizey provides coaching, education, accountability and peer support around Anxiety through his own personal experiences.

Ready for real help with OCD or anxiety? Book a free discovery call with me — no pressure, no obligation: https://robertjamescoaching.com/book-discovery-call/

Prefer to work at your own pace? My 12-week programs are available self-guided:
Break Free from OCD: https://robertjamescoaching.com/self-guided/
Sensorimotor OCD: https://robertjamescoaching.com/sensorimotor-self-guided/

New here? Start with my free course: https://robertjamescoaching.com/free/

Robert James explores how the labels we use for OCD and anxiety can become limiting identities, and why distinguishing between having a condition and being defined by it matters.

The episode covers narrative identity, practical approaches like ERP and ACT, and the idea that small, consistent actions — even when you don’t fully believe them — can create new experiences that reshape your story.

Listeners are encouraged to notice strengths alongside struggles, reallocate energy from compulsions to meaningful life activities, and try one small change to begin building a different future

Disclaimer:

Robert James Pizey (of Robert James Coaching) is not a medical professional and is also not providing therapy or medical treatment. Robert James Pizey recommends that anyone experiencing anxiety or OCD to seek professional medical help straight away to get a medical opinion and rule out other conditions or illnesses. The comments and opinions as written on this site are simply that and are not to be taken as professional medical opinions. Robert James Pizey provides coaching, education, accountability and peer support around Anxiety through his own personal experiences.

Ready for real help with OCD or anxiety? Book a free discovery call with me — no pressure, no obligation: https://robertjamescoaching.com/book-discovery-call/

Prefer to work at your own pace? My 12-week programs are available self-guided:
Break Free from OCD: https://robertjamescoaching.com/self-guided/
Sensorimotor OCD: https://robertjamescoaching.com/sensorimotor-self-guided/

New here? Start with my free course: https://robertjamescoaching.com/free/

In this episode Robert James explores the “just right” feeling that drives many compulsions in OCD—how the pursuit of certainty and repeated checking steals your ability to tolerate uncertainty and move on.

He offers simple, practical steps to start resisting the urge to seek that perfect feeling, such as noticing small moments of checking, choosing to return to life despite discomfort, and practicing acceptance without needing it to feel perfect

Disclaimer:

Robert James Pizey (of Robert James Coaching) is not a medical professional and is also not providing therapy or medical treatment. Robert James Pizey recommends that anyone experiencing anxiety or OCD to seek professional medical help straight away to get a medical opinion and rule out other conditions or illnesses. The comments and opinions as written on this site are simply that and are not to be taken as professional medical opinions. Robert James Pizey provides coaching, education, accountability and peer support around Anxiety through his own personal experiences.

Ready for real help with OCD or anxiety? Book a free discovery call with me — no pressure, no obligation: https://robertjamescoaching.com/book-discovery-call/

Prefer to work at your own pace? My 12-week programs are available self-guided:
Break Free from OCD: https://robertjamescoaching.com/self-guided/
Sensorimotor OCD: https://robertjamescoaching.com/sensorimotor-self-guided/

New here? Start with my free course: https://robertjamescoaching.com/free/

Robert James explores how imagination can both trigger and transform OCD and anxiety, drawing on ideas from Cassandra Vieten's Imagine That. He explains how spontaneous mental images and deep-diving thoughts create real emotions and fuel rumination.

The episode offers practical ways to respond: notice and return to the present with mindfulness, practice deliberate visualization of small, realistic steps toward what you want, and accept anxiety as you move forward rather than trying to eliminate it first

Disclaimer:

Robert James Pizey (of Robert James Coaching) is not a medical professional and is also not providing therapy or medical treatment. Robert James Pizey recommends that anyone experiencing anxiety or OCD to seek professional medical help straight away to get a medical opinion and rule out other conditions or illnesses. The comments and opinions as written on this site are simply that and are not to be taken as professional medical opinions. Robert James Pizey provides coaching, education, accountability and peer support around Anxiety through his own personal experiences.

Join the Sensorimotor OCD Cohort - 22 September :

https://robert-james-coaching-ocd.circle.so/checkout/sensorimotor-ocd-live-cohort

This episode explains what "recovered from OCD" means in everyday life: how reading, relationships and simple pleasures can be enjoyed again while difficult moments still happen.

It describes practical strategies—mindfulness, acceptance, ERP-informed thinking, the "spotlight" metaphor and repeated practice—that let healthier responses become habitual, how setbacks fit into recovery, and how to take back control of attention and choices

Disclaimer:

Robert James Pizey (of Robert James Coaching) is not a medical professional and is also not providing therapy or medical treatment. Robert James Pizey recommends that anyone experiencing anxiety or OCD to seek professional medical help straight away to get a medical opinion and rule out other conditions or illnesses. The comments and opinions as written on this site are simply that and are not to be taken as professional medical opinions. Robert James Pizey provides coaching, education, accountability and peer support around Anxiety through his own personal experiences.

Join the Sensorimotor OCD Cohort - 22 September :

https://robert-james-coaching-ocd.circle.so/checkout/sensorimotor-ocd-live-cohort

Robert James interviews Eric about his lived experience with anxiety and centri-motor OCD, from a health scare and spiralling rumination to finding relief through meditation, grounding, and a structured three-step approach.

Eric explains the role of values, acceptance, self-compassion, and how to handle setbacks, and highlights a 12-week cohort for people struggling with centri-motor OCD

Disclaimer:

Robert James Pizey (of Robert James Coaching) is not a medical professional and is also not providing therapy or medical treatment. Robert James Pizey recommends that anyone experiencing anxiety or OCD to seek professional medical help straight away to get a medical opinion and rule out other conditions or illnesses. The comments and opinions as written on this site are simply that and are not to be taken as professional medical opinions. Robert James Pizey provides coaching, education, accountability and peer support around Anxiety through his own personal experiences.

Ready for real help with OCD or anxiety? Book a free discovery call with me — no pressure, no obligation: https://robertjamescoaching.com/book-discovery-call/

New here? Start with my free course: https://robertjamescoaching.com/free/

In this episode Robert James explains OCD as a faulty alarm system: intrusive thoughts trigger intense anxiety, and compulsions (checking, reassurance-seeking, rumination) only reinforce the alarm. It’s not about logic but about a hypersensitive system demanding certainty.

Robert outlines how exposure and allowing uncomfortable emotions—rather than fighting them—recalibrate that alarm, reduce triggers over time, and help you live by your values. He also mentions a 12-week program and a free discovery call for anyone seeking additional support.

Disclaimer:

Robert James Pizey (of Robert James Coaching) is not a medical professional and is also not providing therapy or medical treatment. Robert James Pizey recommends that anyone experiencing anxiety or OCD to seek professional medical help straight away to get a medical opinion and rule out other conditions or illnesses. The comments and opinions as written on this site are simply that and are not to be taken as professional medical opinions. Robert James Pizey provides coaching, education, accountability and peer support around Anxiety through his own personal experiences.

Ready for real help with OCD or anxiety? Book a free discovery call with me — no pressure, no obligation: https://robertjamescoaching.com/book-discovery-call/

Prefer to work at your own pace? My 12-week programs are available self-guided:
Break Free from OCD: https://robertjamescoaching.com/self-guided/
Sensorimotor OCD: https://robertjamescoaching.com/sensorimotor-self-guided/

New here? Start with my free course: https://robertjamescoaching.com/free/

In this episode Robert James shares a personal morning when anxiety and OCD flared up unexpectedly and how he used practical tools to let go and return to the present.

He outlines key steps: accept that bad days happen, make space for difficult emotions and the negative story, then ground yourself with breathing, sensory checks and refocusing on values and valued activities.

Robert also mentions a 12-week self-directed and coached program available on his website for listeners seeking structured support

Disclaimer:

Robert James Pizey (of Robert James Coaching) is not a medical professional and is also not providing therapy or medical treatment. Robert James Pizey recommends that anyone experiencing anxiety or OCD to seek professional medical help straight away to get a medical opinion and rule out other conditions or illnesses. The comments and opinions as written on this site are simply that and are not to be taken as professional medical opinions. Robert James Pizey provides coaching, education, accountability and peer support around Anxiety through his own personal experiences.

🔴 FREE LIVE WORKSHOP — TUESDAY 8 SEPTEMBER 2026 Break the Sensorimotor OCD Loop: Free Live Workshop Join me live at 7:00 PM CEST / 1:00 PM ET:

https://robert-james-coaching-ocd.circle.so/c/live-workshops-q-a/break-the-sensorimotor-ocd-loop-free-live-workshop

In episode 643 of the OCD and Anxiety Podcast, Robert James discusses Sensorimotor OCD and how the stories we tell ourselves trap us in ongoing awareness of bodily sensations. He explains how anxiety-driven narratives escalate monitoring and rumination, and offers an invitation to a free workshop that will cover practical strategies to loosen this cycle.

Register through the link in the show notes to join the special workshop focused on managing Sensorimotor OCD

Disclaimer:

Robert James Pizey (of Robert James Coaching) is not a medical professional and is also not providing therapy or medical treatment. Robert James Pizey recommends that anyone experiencing anxiety or OCD to seek professional medical help straight away to get a medical opinion and rule out other conditions or illnesses. The comments and opinions as written on this site are simply that and are not to be taken as professional medical opinions. Robert James Pizey provides coaching, education, accountability and peer support around Anxiety through his own personal experiences.

Ready for real help with OCD or anxiety? Book a free discovery call with me — no pressure, no obligation: https://robertjamescoaching.com/book-discovery-call/

Prefer to work at your own pace? My 12-week programs are available self-guided:
Break Free from OCD: https://robertjamescoaching.com/self-guided/
Sensorimotor OCD: https://robertjamescoaching.com/sensorimotor-self-guided/

New here? Start with my free course: https://robertjamescoaching.com/free/

In this episode, Robert James explores how listening to OCD and anxiety podcasts can unintentionally become a compulsive reassurance-seeking loop. He explains why one more video or episode rarely provides lasting certainty and how repeated content consumption can replace meaningful action and connection.

Robert offers a simple experiment: watch one useful idea, notice the urge to search for more, allow the uncertainty, and return to your life. He also suggests planning podcast listening ahead of time, reconnecting with the present, and choosing content as a tool for recovery rather than a way to avoid discomfort

Disclaimer:

Robert James Pizey (of Robert James Coaching) is not a medical professional and is also not providing therapy or medical treatment. Robert James Pizey recommends that anyone experiencing anxiety or OCD to seek professional medical help straight away to get a medical opinion and rule out other conditions or illnesses. The comments and opinions as written on this site are simply that and are not to be taken as professional medical opinions. Robert James Pizey provides coaching, education, accountability and peer support around Anxiety through his own personal experiences.

Ready for real help with OCD or anxiety? Book a free discovery call with me — no pressure, no obligation: https://robertjamescoaching.com/book-discovery-call/

Prefer to work at your own pace? My 12-week programs are available self-guided:
Break Free from OCD: https://robertjamescoaching.com/self-guided/
Sensorimotor OCD: https://robertjamescoaching.com/sensorimotor-self-guided/

New here? Start with my free course: https://robertjamescoaching.com/free/

In this episode, Robert James explores how OCD can intensify social anxiety, turning normal worries about interactions into compulsive rumination and reassurance-seeking. He explains the OCD loop, the role of the inner critic, and why demanding certainty makes things worse.

Robert shares practical strategies—tolerating uncertainty, mindful curiosity about anxiety, postponement, values-based refocusing, and small exposure steps—to break the cycle and regain control. He also mentions a 12-week program and offers a discovery call for those seeking more help

Disclaimer:

Robert James Pizey (of Robert James Coaching) is not a medical professional and is also not providing therapy or medical treatment. Robert James Pizey recommends that anyone experiencing anxiety or OCD to seek professional medical help straight away to get a medical opinion and rule out other conditions or illnesses. The comments and opinions as written on this site are simply that and are not to be taken as professional medical opinions. Robert James Pizey provides coaching, education, accountability and peer support around Anxiety through his own personal experiences.