176. The Hardest "No": Why I Stopped Fixing My Child’s OCD

Can you stop being a "fixer" and start building your feeling muscle?

In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Dr. Jenn Rapkin, a Naturopathic Physician, bodyworker, and author of The Feeling Muscle. Together, they explore the powerful intersection of mindfulness, parenting a child with OCD, and learning how to sit with the "just right" discomfort that keeps so many of us stuck in rituals.

Dr. Jenn opens up about:

• Her hidden battle with OCD as an adolescent in the 70s and 80s

• The heartbreaking moment her 8-year-old son was swallowed by "Just Right" OCD

• Why she had to go against every motherly instinct to stop accommodating his rituals

• The reality of residential treatment and finding the "recipe" for her son's recovery

Whether you’re navigating OCD yourself, supporting a child through treatment, or struggling to sit with uncertainty, this episode offers a profound roadmap for building the emotional strength to outlast the storm.

📲 About Jenn Rapkin (guest):

• Naturopathic physician & bodyworker

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjennrapkin/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575991456912

• Web Page: https://drjennrapkin.com/

✂️ TIMESTAMPS:

[00:00] – The Secret to Outlasting Pain: Can you build a "muscle" for your emotions?

[01:57] – The 1970s Silent Struggle: Growing up in a "crowded" mind before OCD had a name.

[04:38] – The Barcelona Nightmare: How COVID triggered an 8-year-old’s "Just Right" trap.

[06:33] – The Resistance: Why adults (and kids) would rather ritual than feel.

[08:49] – The Nuclear Option: When outpatient care fails and residential is the only way out.

[10:32] – The Nurturer’s Dilemma: Why "helping" your child is keeping the OCD alive.

[12:53] – The Grief of Parenting: Admitting your marriage and life have become "small."

[14:58] – The Trigger Loop: What happens when a parent’s OCD meets their child’s.

[18:58] – The Whiteboard Revelation: The "Bell Curve" secret to sitting with discomfort.

[21:44] – The "Handshake" Method: A step-by-step guide to practicing with frustration.

[26:07] – The Fleeting Truth: Why we trust our joy but believe our pain is permanent.

[29:20] – The Witness vs. The Fixer: How to hold space for someone else’s storm.

✅ Free Resources & Links

• 🎁 Free OCD Survival Kit & Classes → www.shorturl.at/KcTxM
• 📖 OCD CBT Journal → www.shorturl.at/7pUxB
• 🌐 Website → www.korresults.com/
• ✍️ OCD Academy→ www.ocdacademy.thinkific.com/

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✅ About OCD Whisperer

Welcome to OCD Whisperer! Each episode shares tools and insights for OCD recovery, managing intrusive thoughts, ERP therapy, CBT techniques, anxiety relief, and mindfulness practices. Join me for expert interviews and personal insights into overcoming OCD. Subscribe to find support, strategies, and hope for your OCD journey.

⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note while the host is a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in OCD and anxiety disorders in the state of California, this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for therapy.

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