Understanding OCD, Postpartum Intrusive Thoughts, and Self-Guided EMDR with Natalia Aíza

This episode I’m joined by Natalia Aiza, an EMDR-trained therapist, writer, and mental health advocate, for an important conversation about OCD, postpartum OCD, and the challenges that often come with intrusive thoughts. Natalia shares her own experience with OCD, which began in childhood, and explains how hormonal changes during pregnancy, the menstrual cycle, and perimenopause can sometimes intensify symptoms. We also talk about how OCD goes far beyond the stereotypes many people associate with the condition, including fears around contamination, and can involve intrusive thoughts about harm, morality, and things that go against a person’s deepest values. Natalia explains why intrusive thoughts can be so frightening, especially when they involve something a person would never want to do, and how shame and fear of being judged can prevent people, particularly new mothers, from asking for help. We discuss the difference between having an unwanted thought and actually wanting something to happen, as well as treatment options such as exposure and response prevention (ERP) and EMDR. Natalia is also passionate about making mental health resources more accessible through self-guided workbooks, including her Self-Guided EMDR Workbook. We talk about the benefits of these resources, the limitations of trying to navigate everything alone, and why deeper trauma work should be approached carefully and with appropriate professional support. I hope this conversation helps anyone struggling with OCD or intrusive thoughts feel less alone, better understand what they’re experiencing, and recognize that effective support and treatment are available. Learn more about Natalia here: https://www.kairoswellnesscollective.com/natalia-aiea Purchase Natalia’s workbooks here: https://www.kairoswellnesscollective.com/books-workbooks I’d love to hear from you. If you have questions for me, topics you’d like discussed, or stories you want to share, please reach out through my website at judgingmeghan.com or send me a message on Instagram at @judgingmeghan. Your questions may be featured and answered in an upcoming episode. And if you’re enjoying the podcast, leaving a review really helps support the show and helps more people find these conversations. This podcast is a place for trauma survivors as well as their friends and family. This is a safe environment to be vulnerable but it's also a place for celebration and moving forward. Let's all start to embrace who we are becoming by #mentalhealth #selfcare #self #judgingothers #judgingmeghan #suicideawareness #suicideprevention #survivor #OCD #PostpartumOCD #IntrusiveThoughts #MentalHealthAwareness #OCDAwareness #EMDR #EMDRTherapy #ExposureAndResponsePrevention #ERP #PostpartumMentalHealth #MaternalMentalHealth #MentalHealthAdvocacy #TraumaHealing #MentalHealthSupport #BreakTheStigma #YouAreNotAlone #NataliaAiza Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices