Therapy Was the Last Thing She Wanted — But The Only Thing That Worked
Get to know OCD8 Touko 2025

Therapy Was the Last Thing She Wanted — But The Only Thing That Worked

Sabrina Eliano never thought she’d end up in therapy. Raised in a family where mental health wasn’t discussed — and where seeking help was seen as something only “crazy” people did — she carried that belief well into adulthood. Even as she struggled with obsessive thoughts and anxiety that began to take over her life, she convinced herself it wasn’t that bad. But when she found herself on a subway platform, overwhelmed by intrusive thoughts and wishing the train would hit her just to make the noise stop, something finally broke. She realized she had no one left to talk to — and no other option but to try the very thing she had spent her whole life avoiding.

What happened next didn’t just help her cope — it changed her life. Therapy, specifically Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), gave Sabrina the tools to stop fearing her thoughts and start reclaiming control. In this episode, she opens up about the cultural stigma that kept her silent, the physical toll OCD took on her body, and the moment she went from resisting therapy to pursuing a career in it.

0:00 Intro and mental health awareness month
2:55 Meet Sabrina
6:10 Sabrina goes to therapy after resisting it
10:33 Changing career paths because of her therapy experience
12:24 Ruminating on thoughts
15:46 Realizing your experience and thoughts have an explanation
17:39 OCD never gives relief — not even when you give in to it
18:30 Why OCD feels so real
23:33 How cultures and families think about therapy
28:20 Trying ERP without safety behaviors
32:57 Not being asked about mental health during the medical process
35:58 Advice from Sabrina to those struggling with OCD
37:57 Living the life you want to live — not OCD’s life
39:19 Why Sabrina never gave up on therapy
44:21 Sabrina’s takeaway message

Need help treating OCD? Our specially-trained therapists can help. Visit https://learn.nocd.com/podcast to book a free 15-minute consultation and explore options most suited for you.

Follow us on social media:

https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/

https://twitter.com/treatmyocd

https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tämä jakso on lisätty Podme-palveluun avoimen RSS-syötteen kautta eikä se ole Podmen omaa tuotantoa. Siksi jakso saattaa sisältää mainontaa.

Jaksot(242)

Is It Hoarding… Or OCD?

Is It Hoarding… Or OCD?

What's the difference between hoarding and OCD? Imagine two people who both refuse to throw away the same old birthday card. One keeps it because it holds a memory they’re afraid of losing. The other ...

11 Syys 5min

I’ve Treated OCD For 27 Years. Here’s What I’ve Learned

I’ve Treated OCD For 27 Years. Here’s What I’ve Learned

Dr. Patrick McGrath has been treating OCD for nearly 27 years, and there are still parts of the job that never get easier. He’s watched people suffer for years without the right diagnosis, receive tre...

7 Syys 7min

I’m A Psychologist And I Still Didn’t Know I Had OCD

I’m A Psychologist And I Still Didn’t Know I Had OCD

Santina Cilento works as a school psychologist, so she knew what OCD was. What she didn’t realize was that she had been living with it herself for years. The rigid rules, the need for certain numbers,...

3 Syys 39min

Why OCD Makes You Question Your Own Memories

Why OCD Makes You Question Your Own Memories

A memory feels a little fuzzy, and suddenly OCD wants an answer. Did that really happen? Did you miss something? Did you do something wrong without realizing it? What starts as a small doubt can turn ...

30 Elo 5min

Why OCD Makes You Feel Like You Have To Confess Everything

Why OCD Makes You Feel Like You Have To Confess Everything

OCD can take something as simple as honesty and turn it into a rule: if you don’t say every thought out loud, you’re hiding something. That pressure can make people feel like they have to confess intr...

27 Elo 6min

5 Pieces Of Advice That Can Make OCD Worse

5 Pieces Of Advice That Can Make OCD Worse

"Trust your gut” or “just stop thinking about it” — these might sound like helpful things to tell someone struggling with OCD, but they can actually make things worse. OCD already thrives on doubt, re...

23 Elo 8min

She Worked On Beetlejuice And Jurassic Park And Did Not Know She Had OCD

She Worked On Beetlejuice And Jurassic Park And Did Not Know She Had OCD

Lynette Eklund spent decades building creatures and effects for some of Hollywood’s most recognizable movies, including Beetlejuice and Jurassic Park. Behind that career, though, was something she did...

20 Elo 44min

My OCD Recovery Inspired Me To Become A Therapist

My OCD Recovery Inspired Me To Become A Therapist

Tandy Cyrus didn’t begin her career in mental health. She spent years working in juvenile probation, helping young people navigate difficult circumstances while slowly realizing she wanted to make a d...

16 Elo 16min

Suosittua kategoriassa Terveys ja hyvinvointi

unicast
aamukahvilla
psykopodiaa-podcast
rss-pitaisko-erota
vakeva-elama-viisaampi-mieli-vahvempi-keho
meditaatiot-suomeksi
tiedenaiset-podcast
voi-hyvin-meditaatiot-2
terapiassa
rss-kuumilla-aalloilla
paritellen
rss-pt-paahtio
katilon-kahvitunti
paaasia-podcast
rss-uplevel-by-sonja-hannus
rss-terapiaklubi
selviytyjat-tarinoita-elamasta
rss-vapaudu-voimaasi
rss-sanelunpurku-podcast
fitnesskuplassa