The OCD Stories
A weekly interview podcast offering hope and practical advice for those affected by OCD, hosted by a UK-based therapist with his own recovery story.
This is a focused resource for the OCD community, blending deeply personal recovery stories with expert clinical discussions. Host Stuart Ralph uses his own therapeutic training and lived experience to guide conversations that are both empathetic and technically detailed. Episodes often tackle specific, challenging subtypes of OCD (e.g., self-harm, sexual, relationship themes) and explore evidence-based treatments like ERP, ACT, and Compassion-Focused Therapy.
“What stands out is the host's dual role as a practicing therapist and a person with his own OCD recovery story. This allows for a unique depth of questioning that bridges clinical theory with the felt experience of recovery, creating a uniquely safe and informed space for guests to share vulnerably.”
Who hosts this show
The OCD Stories is a weekly podcast hosted by Stuart Ralph, a UK-based counsellor and psychotherapist specializing in OCD. Launched in 2015, the show features interviews with leading clinicians, researchers, and individuals with lived experience to educate and inspire listeners. Ralph, who has his own history with OCD, received the Hero Award from the International OCD Foundation in 2018 for his advocacy work. The podcast has been downloaded over 8 million times globally.
Credentials & credits
- Counsellor and Psychotherapist (MBACP Accred)
- MA, Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy for Children, Adolescents and Families, University of Roehampton
- MSc, Mental Health: Psychological Therapies, Queen Mary University of London
- Co-founder, The Integrative Centre for OCD Therapy
- 2018 Hero Award recipient, International OCD Foundation
Other ventures
- The Integrative Centre for OCD Therapy
- Private practice psychotherapy for children and young people
- Public speaking on OCD and anxiety
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- uk
When new episodes drop
- 01
- 02Jonny Say: Self-compassion in OCD recovery (Ep543)Jun 21, 2026 · 43 min
- 03Blakely Hunze-Austin: OCD and Sex (Ep542)Jun 14, 2026 · 40 min
- 04
- 05Alex Habens: A Therapist's journey with OCD and Compassion Focused Therapy (Ep540)May 31, 2026 · 46 min
- 06Katie d’Ath: OCD therapeutic communities and groups (Ep539)May 24, 2026 · 48 min
- 07Dr Ronald Nicholson: Sensory OCD (Somatic/Sensorimotor OCD) (Ep538)May 17, 2026 · 38 min
- 08Story: Shannon (existential themed OCD and postpartum OCD) (Ep537)May 10, 2026 · 37 min
Notable episodes
- 01Story: Brad Stulberg (Self-harm-themed OCD, writing, and his book The Way of Excellence) (Ep541)
A powerful and vulnerable account of severe self-harm intrusive thoughts from a bestselling author, including a detailed description of an intense ERP exercise involving a knife.
- 02Blakely Hunze-Austin: OCD and Sex (Ep542)
A focused, clinical discussion on the intersection of OCD and sexuality, a topic often surrounded by shame, featuring a therapist who also has an OCD diagnosis.
- 03Jonny Say: Self-compassion in OCD recovery (Ep543)
Provides a clear explanation and practical exercises for integrating self-compassion into standard OCD treatment, a key theme in modern therapy.
What you'll be asked on this show
Stuart Ralph's interview style is patient and narrative-driven. He often opens with a broad invitation for the guest to "share their OCD story," allowing them to speak uninterrupted for a significant period to establish their journey. [a1nn6IEVhFE] Following this narrative, his questions become more specific, probing the guest's internal experience during pivotal moments (e.g., "What allowed you to push through that terrifying exposure?") and clarifying the mechanics of their therapeutic process (e.g., "How long were you in weekly therapy before...?"). [a1nn6IEVhFE] He frequently paraphrases a guest's points to ensure understanding and uses collaborative language ('we', 'us') to build rapport and create a safe, non-judgmental space for discussing sensitive topics like intrusive thoughts and shame. [FE_TTBBPMkM, adaOTojInhM]
Host Stuart Ralph maintains a calm, empathetic, and collaborative tone. Episodes begin with a standard musical intro and a clear statement of the podcast's mission. [FE_TTBBPMkM, adaOTojInhM] He often opens interviews by inviting guests to share their personal "OCD story" at length before diving into specific questions. [a1nn6IEVhFE]
Questions the host keeps coming back to
11 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when the host reaches for it.
origin
2- Q.01
“Would you be willing to share your OCD story in as much detail as you'd like?”
This is his signature opening for guests with lived experience, allowing them to frame their own narrative from the beginning.
- Q.02
“What's your background and what got you into working therapeutically with OCD?”
This is the common opening question for therapist and researcher guests to establish their expertise and connection to the field.
process
4- Q.01
“How does OCD or anxiety get in the way of [sex, relationships, etc.]?”
He uses this framework to introduce and explore the episode's central theme.
- Q.02
“Did you feel at that point that you just truly trusted your therapist?”
This question explores the critical role of the therapeutic alliance in successful treatment.
- Q.03
“What do you make of that?”
A collaborative, open-ended question used to seek a guest's elaboration on a shared clinical observation.
- Q.04
“How long were you in therapy before you saw a significant change?”
He asks this to ground the recovery story in a realistic timeline for listeners.
advice
2- Q.01
“How do you help clients deal with [specific issue like disgust, body image, etc.]?”
This question is used to elicit concrete therapeutic techniques and advice from professional guests.
- Q.02
“How can we, as a society, start normalizing conversations about [difficult topic]?”
This question broadens the scope from individual recovery to wider societal change and advocacy.
mindset
1- Q.01
“What allowed you to push through with a terrifying exposure when so many others might resist?”
He asks this to uncover the internal mindset and motivation required for difficult recovery work.
personal
1- Q.01
“Was your insight low, or did you feel you might actually [act on the intrusive thought]?”
A gentle but direct question to clarify the guest's internal experience of their obsessions during their worst moments.
technique
1- Q.01
“What are some of the benefits of integrating [compassion, ACT, etc.] with ERP?”
He asks this to explore how different modalities can be combined to enhance standard OCD treatment.
Signature segments
- · Opening with "You're listening to The OCD Stories..."
- · Asking guests to share their "OCD story"
- · Standardized mission statement in the intro
- · Host outro thanking the guest and listeners
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are typically either licensed therapists, psychologists, and authors specializing in OCD, or individuals sharing their personal stories of diagnosis and recovery. Many professional guests are leaders in the field, while story-based guests often include high-achievers who have navigated severe OCD.
- Nicole Sophiaon Story: Nicole Sophia (Suicidal, Sexual Orientation, & Relationship themes of OCD) (Ep544)
- Jonny Sayon Jonny Say: Self-compassion in OCD recovery (Ep543)
- Blakely Hunze-Austinon Blakely Hunze-Austin: OCD and Sex (Ep542)
- Brad Stulbergon Story: Brad Stulberg (Self-harm-themed OCD, writing, and his book The Way of Excellence) (Ep541)
- Alex Habenson Alex Habens: A Therapist's journey with OCD and Compassion Focused Therapy (Ep540)
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The podcast is consistently sponsored by NOCD, an online therapy provider specializing in OCD treatment. The advertising angle is a direct appeal to listeners seeking accessible, evidence-based therapy from trained professionals. [FE_TTBBPMkM, adaOTojInhM, a1nn6IEVhFE, 9]
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
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People also ask
- Who is the host of The OCD Stories?
- The host is Stuart Ralph, a UK-based counsellor and psychotherapist who also has lived experience with OCD.
- Is The OCD Stories podcast still active?
- Yes, it is an active podcast that releases new episodes on a weekly basis.
- What is the format of the show?
- The show is primarily a long-form interview podcast. The host, Stuart Ralph, interviews OCD experts, therapists, and people with personal recovery stories.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- The podcast is available on its official website, theocdstories.com, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and other major podcast platforms.
- Does the podcast feature personal stories or expert advice?
- Both. The podcast alternates between episodes featuring individuals sharing their personal OCD recovery stories and episodes with therapists and researchers discussing clinical approaches and treatments.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]Official Websitetheocdstories.com
- [02]Stuart Ralph - Personal Psychotherapy Websitestuartralph.com
- [03]Stuart Ralph - The Integrative Centre for OCD Therapy Bioicocd.com
- [04]Stuart Ralph - Psychology Today Profilepsychologytoday.com
- [05]The OCD Stories - Apple Podcastspodcasts.apple.com
- [06]Gathering Gold - Exploring the Depths of OCD with Stuart Ralphgatheringgold.com
- [07]Proper Mental Podcast - Interview with Stuart Ralphpodbean.com
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