Drinking Tea with Monsters

In this episode of Drinking Tea With Monsters, the podcast about OCD and other, less scary monsters, we dive into Famesick by Lena Dunham through the lens of OCD, What happens when ambition, anxiety, self-image, and obsession collide? We unpack the emotional undercurrents of fame culture, perfectionism, intrusive thoughts, the need to be seen, and the complicated relationship between authenticity and attention.This conversation moves beyond celebrity memoir discourse and into something more personal: the lengths we go to for approval, the stories we tell ourselves to stay in control, and the ways OCD can intertwine with creativity, shame, and visibility.Pour a cup of tea and join us for a thoughtful, messy, vulnerable discussion about obsession, art, and what it means to want connection while fearing exposure.Topics include: OCD, intrusive thoughts, fame culture, perfectionism, identity, anxiety, memoir writing, vulnerability, and compulsive behavior.Read...Famesick by Lena DunhamWatch...Tiny Furniture (HBO)Girls (HBO)Too Much (Netflix)OCDIOCDFLooking for another cozy listen?🎧 Check out Leela's other podcast, No Dating Till You're Married, an audiobook podcast. Gilmore Girls meets Crazy Rich Asians.Contact Us📱 IG: @drinkingteawithmonsters 📧 EMAIL: drinkingteamwithmosters@gmail.com

From the Kim and Kylie Kardashian, the Ross and Monica Geller, the David and Alexis Rose of OCD podcasting, in this week's Drinking Tea with Monsters, we’re catching up. From Dan Levy's Big Mistakes, to autobiographies we've read to the ones on our TBR. Leela share a surprisingly positive experience navigating OCD while traveling, where uncertainty didn’t win for once. And of course, no episode would be complete without a chilling tale: we’re diving into the eerie history of Summerwind Mansion, a place where reality feels just slightly… off. Pour yourself a cup and settle in, this one moves between fear, reflection, and a few ghosts that refuse to stay quiet.I'm Obsessed...Big Mistakes (Netflix)Deli Boys (Hulu)Mr. Blobby (Our nightmares)AutobiographiesOoh! What a Lovely Pair: Our Story by Ant and Dec Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna KendrickFamesick by Lena DunhamOCDIOCDFLooking for another cozy listen?🎧 Check out Leela's other podcast, No Dating Till You're Married, an audiobook podcast. Gilmore Girls meets Crazy Rich Asians.Contact Us📱 IG: @drinkingteawithmonsters 📧 EMAIL: drinkingteamwithmosters@gmail.com

In this episode of Drinking Tea with Monsters, we dive into chaos with snake yoga, because apparently stretching is better when there are snakes involved… but is it actually relaxing? Of course, us being us, we take a few detours into the world of Australian soaps (Neighbors and Home and Away anyone?) and The OC, and the Jungle Book. It all makes sense when you listen, I promise! From there, we explore the subtle, often overlooked ways OCD can show up. The thoughts that slowly evolve so you don't realize they are OCD. What might feel like overthinking, could be something more. From repeating thoughts, feeling just right, to indecision, we talk about how to recognize the thoughts, and the recognizing the differences between regular overthinking and OCD..We wrap things up with a chilling encounter with a ghost in a library, complete with eerie vibes and unexpected book recommendations.If you love weird wellness trends, mental health discussions, and spooky stories, this episode blends humor, curiosity, and the supernatural in true Drinking Tea with Monsters fashion.I'm Obsessed...Neighbors Home and AwayThe OCThe Jungle BookBook ListAnxious People by Fredrik BackmanA man called Ove by Fredrik BackmanBeartown by Fredrik BackmanMy Friends by Fredrik BackmanA Woman is No Man by Etaf RumOCDIOCDFLooking for another cozy listen?🎧 Check out Leela's other podcast, No Dating Till You're Married, an audiobook podcast. Gilmore Girls meets Crazy Rich Asians.Contact Us📱 IG: @drinkingteawithmonsters 📧 EMAIL: drinkingteamwithmosters@gmail.com

This week on Drinking Tea with Monsters, the podcast about OCD and other less scary monsters, we're back with part II of our interview with parenting OCD expert Elena Fasan. Elena tells us the OCD signs to look out for in children, how to get started on the journey to getting help, and what questions to ask a therapist.RecommendationsBooksThe Happiness Trap (2nd Edition) by Russ HarrisPodcastsThe OCD storiesFearcast podcastPurely OCDAT Parenting Survival SchoolOCDElena Fasan is a licensed clinical social worker who treats children, adolescents, and emerging adults diagnosed with OCD, anxiety disorders, and OC spectrum disorders. She founded and is the director of the Children’s OCD & Anxiety Collective in Los Angeles and has worked as an adjunct professor teaching child development classes. She also has lived experience with OCD, depression, and skin picking.Children's OCD and Anxiety CollectiveParenting OCDIOCDFIG: @parenting_ocdLooking for another cozy listen?🎧 Check out Leela's other podcast, No Dating Till You're Married, an audiobook podcast. Gilmore Girls meets Crazy Rich Asians.Contact Us📱 IG: @drinkingteawithmonsters 📧 EMAIL: drinkingteamwithmosters@gmail.com

This week on Drinking Tea with Monsters, the podcast about OCD and other less scary monsters, we share part 1 of our interview with parenting OCD expert Elena Fasan. Elena shares her personal journey living with OCD, growing up in the performing arts, and navigating the high-pressure worlds of ballet, theater, and Hollywood. We get into it all, from behind-the-scenes stories, including surprising run-ins with Tom Cruise, Oprah, and John Taylor of Duran Duran, to real talk about mental health.TangentsSexy Beast (Available to rent on Youtube, Amazon Prime, AppleTV)The Beast in Me (Netflix)OCDElena Fasan is a licensed clinical social worker who treats children, adolescents, and emerging adults diagnosed with OCD, anxiety disorders, and OC spectrum disorders. She founded and is the director of the Children’s OCD & Anxiety Collective in Los Angeles and has worked as an adjunct professor teaching child development classes. She also has lived experience with OCD, depression, and skin picking.Children's OCD and Anxiety CollectiveParenting OCDIOCDFIG: @parenting_ocdLooking for another cozy listen?🎧 Check out Leela's other podcast, No Dating Till You're Married, an audiobook podcast. Gilmore Girls meets Crazy Rich Asians.Contact Us📱 IG: @drinkingteawithmonsters 📧 EMAIL: drinkingteamwithmosters@gmail.com

A ghost who solved their own murder, the story of Gucci's reincarnation, and a deep dive into OCPD. This episode of Drinking Tea With Monsters blends true crime, psychology, and the paranormal in the most unsettling way.In honor of Friday the 13th, we explore the eerie lore behind one of the unluckiest days in history, where superstition, fear, and real-life stories collide. From haunted energy to chilling coincidences, this episode leans into everything that makes Friday the 13th so iconic.Then we deep dive into the fashion world, with the comeback of an icon, (and no, we’re not talking about The Devil Wears Prada 2). We tell you the story of Gucci's reincarnation, and we examine fashion from the iconic looks of George Costanza to the timeless classic looks of Miranda Priestly (and the ones she chooses for us).Then, we break down the Amy Poehler of disorders (it's not like the other disorders): Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD). What it actually is, how it differs from OCD, and why it’s often misunderstood.We finish this week’s episode with the story of Zona Heaster Shue, also known as the Greenbrier Ghost, believed to be the only ghost to help solve her own murder in court.If you love true crime, paranormal mysteries, psychology, and a touch of dark humor, this episode is for you.I'm, like, totally obsessed with...fashionMax AlexanderThe Devil Wears Prada 2And That's Why We Drink (Episode 271 on Barbro Karlén)OCDInternational OCD Foundation (IOCDF)Psychology TodayObsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) DTWMZona Heaster ShueLooking for another cozy listen?🎧 Check out Leela's other podcast, No Dating Till You're Married, an audiobook podcast. Gilmore Girls meets Crazy Rich Asians.Contact Us📱 IG: @drinkingteawithmonsters 📧 EMAIL: drinkingteamwithmosters@gmail.com

In the latest episode of Drinking Tea With Monsters, Pri is back from her break!We are totally obsessed with Broadway, Hollywood (and Bollywood) legend Jonathan Groff, star of stage, film, and television. We love him in "A Nice Indian Boy", "Frozen", "Hamilton", and we're looking forward to "Just in Time", and "As You Like It".Then we dive into the fascinating gut–brain connection, the science behind how your digestive system communicates with your brain, influencing mood, anxiety, and feel good chemicals like serotonin. We talk about how we can manage our OCD and support our mental health via food and nutrition.Finally, we step into the shadows of Mortemer Abbey to uncover the eerie legend of the ghosts that lurk within: white ladies, werewolves, and monks, oh my!Pour yourself a cup of tea and join us for a conversation that moves from Broadway to biology to the paranormal, exactly the kind of strange brew you’d expect on Drinking Tea With Monsters. ☕I'm, like, totally obsessed with...🎭 Jonathan Groff in:Frozen (Watch it on Disney+)Hamilton (Watch it on Disney+)Hamilton (on Broadway)Just in Time (on Broadway)As You Like It (Royal Shakespeare Company)A Nice Indian Boy (on Hulu)OCDInternational OCD Foundation (IOCDF)Psychology TodayCan Diet Affect Your OCD Symptoms? (NOCD)Diet and Nutrition Tips for Anxiety and OCD (OCD and Anxiety Centers)Supplements that work for us (NOT MEDICAL ADVICE. Please consult your doctor before taking any new supplements.)Calm MagnesiumMyo Inositol DTWM👻 Mortemer AbbeyLooking for another cozy listen?🎧 Check out Leela's other podcast, No Dating Till You're Married, an audiobook podcast. Gilmore Girls meets Crazy Rich Asians.Contact Us📱 IG: @drinkingteawithmonsters 📧 EMAIL: drinkingteamwithmosters@gmail.com

This week we welcome special guest April Grant, Resident Counselor at Authentic Connections Counseling and Founder of True North Therapy PLLC, specializing in ADHD and OCD. We get into the tech era conundrums surrounding AI. The good, the bad, and the autonomous. Then we deep dive into the neuroscience behind OCD. How is the neurodivergent brain wired? How does it work? And can we retrain it to work with us? Leela and April walk through Leela's experience living with OCD and discuss examples of the OCD brain IRL. We end this weeks episode with two spooky occurrences. One in Virginia and one in Michigan.This week on Drinking Tea with Monsters, we’re joined by April Grant, resident counselor at Authentic Connections Counseling LLC and founder of True North Therapy PLLC, specializing in ADHD and OCD.First, we tackle the tech-era monster on everyone’s mind: AI. Is it a revolutionary tool, an ethical dilemma, or something more autonomous than we’re ready for? We unpack the promises, the fears, and the very real questions shaping the future of technology.Then we take a deep dive into the neuroscience of OCD. What’s actually happening in the neurodivergent brain? How is it wired differently? And most importantly, can we retrain it to work with us instead of against us? April explains the science, breaks it down for us with real-life examples of how the OCD brain shows up day-to-day, and we talk through Leela's lived experience with OCD.And because no episode would be complete without a haunting tale, we close with two eerie encounters, one from Virginia and one from Michigan, that might make you question what energies surround us in the modern world.Brains. Bots. Ghosts. Let’s sip. ☕️I'm, like, totally obsessed with...🤖 the dystopian AI futureOCDInternational OCD Foundation (IOCDF)Psychology TodayApril GrantAuthentic Connections Counseling LLCTrue North Therapy PLLCDTWM👻 Our true life encounters.Looking for another cozy listen?🎧 Check out Leela's other podcast, No Dating Till You're Married, an audiobook podcast. Gilmore Girls meets Crazy Rich Asians.Contact Us📱 IG: @drinkingteawithmonsters 📧 EMAIL: drinkingteamwithmosters@gmail.com