How Carrie Berk Built Her Dream Life While Fighting Her Darkest Thoughts
Get to know OCD13 Mai 2025

How Carrie Berk Built Her Dream Life While Fighting Her Darkest Thoughts

Carrie Berk has been battling a spiraling mind for as long as she can remember. As a child, she kept her OCD rituals secret. As a teen, her anxiety took over during the silence of the pandemic. And even now — as a published author, popular content creator, and mental health advocate — the intrusive thoughts haven’t gone away. But instead of waiting to be “cured,” Carrie chose something else: to live, to create, and to speak out.

In this raw and revealing conversation, she shares what it means to build a life with anxiety as your shadow — and why she refuses to let it steal her voice. From her new book Mindfire to her journey through therapy and self-discovery, Carrie opens up about the hardest thoughts she’s had, the tools that helped her move forward, and the truth that changed everything: it’s not about being cured — it’s about learning how to live with what’s still there.

0:00 Intro
2:28 Meet Carrie
3:30 Why Carrie’s book is called Mindfire
4:27 Early signs of having OCD
7:54 Feeling you are alone
9:16 Self-harm and suicidal thoughts are not the same
11:31 Listen to your gut
15:24 Why OCD feels so real
17:47 Carrie’s book is a roadmap for OCD
20:54 Advice if you’re struggling
22:25 You’ll never “cross the finish line” with OCD
25:41 How OCD safety behaviors affected Carrie
31:17 What Carrie does when OCD cuts into her passions
33:41 OCD is misunderstood
36:10 How to talk about your OCD with someone else
37:17 How friends and extended family members react to Carrie’s OCD
42:10 You need to want to get better
44:18 Outro

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.

Episoder(201)

The Surprising Truth About Seasonal OCD

The Surprising Truth About Seasonal OCD

Is OCD seasonal? Not exactly — but it can FEEL that way. In this episode, Dr. Patrick McGrath explains how OCD often ramps up during high-stress times like the holidays, not because of the calendar, b...

3 Aug 20257min

Most Therapists Are NOT Trained To Treat OCD — These Two Are Changing That

Most Therapists Are NOT Trained To Treat OCD — These Two Are Changing That

Most therapists don’t get formal training in how to treat OCD. In fact, many graduate programs barely mention it at all. That leads to years of misdiagnosis, missed symptoms, and patients getting the ...

31 Jul 202549min

1 Year of OCD Conversations Later, Here’s What Stuck With Us

1 Year of OCD Conversations Later, Here’s What Stuck With Us

One year ago, the Get to know OCD podcast launched with a simple goal: share real stories from people living with OCD. What happened next was bigger than anyone expected. Each week, guests opened up a...

27 Jul 20259min

Sending Hope To People With OCD — One Letter At A Time

Sending Hope To People With OCD — One Letter At A Time

The Not Alone project began with a simple, powerful idea: send handwritten letters to people struggling with OCD to remind them they’re not alone. Founded by Molly Fishback and Morgan Rondinelli, the ...

24 Jul 202536min

I Lived with OCD for 19 Years Before I Knew What It Was

I Lived with OCD for 19 Years Before I Knew What It Was

Megan spent most of her life thinking something was just wrong with her. She was six years old when the compulsions started — counting, checking, rituals she didn’t understand — all fueled by the fear...

17 Jul 202548min

Therapist Reacts To OCD Portrayals In Movies & Shows

Therapist Reacts To OCD Portrayals In Movies & Shows

For years, movies and TV shaped how people understood OCD — and for a long time, the portrayals got it ALL wrong. In this video, therapist Dr. Patrick McGrath sits down to watch some of the most well-...

13 Jul 202535min

Eva Gutowski Thought She Was Just “Weird” — It Was Actually OCD

Eva Gutowski Thought She Was Just “Weird” — It Was Actually OCD

Eva Gutowski spent most of her life thinking something was just... off. She had intense fears (including of ketchup), strict rules in her head, and thoughts that wouldn’t leave her alone — but no one ...

10 Jul 202546min

OCD, Relationships, And The Tradeoffs No One Talks About

OCD, Relationships, And The Tradeoffs No One Talks About

Mental health doesn’t just affect the person who has it — it affects their partner too. In this conversation, therapist Eli Weinstein talks about the quiet tradeoffs couples make when OCD or other men...

3 Jul 202544min

Populært innen Helse

lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
fastlegen
hvordan-har-du-det-mann
rss-gukild-johaug
psykodrama
leger-om-livet
relasjonspodden-med-dora-thorhallsdottir-kjersti-idem
rss-garne-damer
foreldreradet
hjernesterk
rss-lopedrommen
morten-ramm-lar-kakla-ga-til-du-sovner
bak-fasaden-en-reise-i-livet-med-sykepleier-ine
g-punktet
hormonelle-frida
klimaks
rss-kull
helsetipspodden
rss-sunn-okonomi
treningsprat