Episode 76: OCD (Part 2): Exposure Therapy—You Don’t Have to Lick Toilets [featuring Aiden Reis]
OCD is often misunderstood and can manifest in many forms from a variety of experiences that create associations with a compulsion and an outcome.
In this episode, Patrick Casale and Dr. Megan Anna Neff, two AuDHD mental health professionals, are joined by Aiden Reis, a trans, Autistic therapist who specializes in OCD, anxiety, phobias, and panic. They discuss practical strategies for effectively managing OCD through Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy using a value-driven and neurodivergent-affirming approach.
Top 3 reasons to listen to the entire episode:
- Learn practical strategies for rebuilding self-trust after anxiety-inducing experiences, drawing from Aiden Reis’s invaluable insights into Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy adapted for neurodivergent individuals.
- Discover the importance of accommodating sensory needs in therapy without reinforcing anxiety, and understand how to effectively differentiate between sensory sensitivities and anxiety responses.
- Gain a richer appreciation of how addressing "what if" scenarios and unhooking from distressing thoughts can lead to profound empowerment and emotional resilience, helping you live a good life despite potential challenges.
OCD can be challenging, but there are ways to manage it, and ERP done using a neurodivergent-affirming approach, can be an effective tool in managing OCD for neurodivergent individuals.
More about Aiden:
Aiden is a trans and autistic, private practice therapist based in Massachusetts. Working with Autistic and ADHDer clients, he is passionate about providing neurodivergent-affirming and LGBT-positive therapy. He specializes in OCD, anxiety, phobias, and panic. Aiden is a member of the International OCD Foundation.
- Website: www.divergecounseling.com
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Mentioned in this episode:
The Autistic Burnout Workbook
I'm Dr. Megan Anna Neff, owner of Neurodivergent Insights, and I'm excited to announce the release of my book, The Autistic Burnout Workbook. I'm running a special deal for those who support my work. After you order, you will get a coupon code that you can use toward our store for the same amount. For example, the workbook costs $18.99, so after purchase, you'd get a credit of $18.99 to use in our digital shop or in our Etsy shop, which gets you another digital workbook of your choosing for free. This is technically a pre-order promotion that was originally set to end on March 10th, but for listeners of the podcast, I'm going to extend this deal, so if you buy the book in the next month, you can also redeem this special. Thank you for supporting my work. It means so much to me and I hope that you will find this a helpful resource for you as you continue to build a life that is a bit more resilient to autistic burnout. Use the following link to grab this offer: https://neurodivergentinsights.notion.site/17ea17a4bb8b8034ab2bf9b03c560a64 After this deal ends, you can use this link to purchase this workbook: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Autistic-Burnout-Workbook/Megan-Anna-Neff/9781507223062
