Share

cover art for OCD Compulsions Parents Don’t See

AT Parenting Survival | Raising Kids with OCD & Anxiety

OCD Compulsions Parents Don’t See

•

Most parents think they know what their child’s OCD looks like. They see the washing. The checking. The obvious behaviors.

But what they’re usually seeing is just the tip of the iceberg.


OCD isn’t only handwashing or checking. It’s mental reviewing, silent debating, internal checking, trying to “neutralize” a thought, confessing, reassurance seeking, avoidance, symmetry rituals, and that constant need for things to feel just right. Many of the most powerful compulsions happen completely inside your child’s mind, which means you will never see all of them.


In this episode, we’re talking about how OCD really works, why you can’t be the OCD police, and how to shift from trying to catch compulsions to teaching your child the skills to delay and resist them. Because empowerment, not surveillance, is what actually builds long term resilience.


If you want detailed guidance on how to teach your child to handle OCD at home, you can learn more at www.natashadaniels.com/parentcourse.

If you are a parent who feels like you’re missing something but can’t quite see what OCD is doing behind the scenes, this episode is for you.

Get this week’s PDF handout at www.natashadaniels.com/handout


***

This podcast episode is sponsored by NOCD. NOCD provides online OCD therapy in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. To schedule your free 15 minute consultation to see if NOCD is a right fit for you and your child, go to

https://go.treatmyocd.com/at_parenting


This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the guidance of a qualified professional.


Parents, do you need more support?  


🌸 Here’s are resources I offer parents 👇🏻❤️


Online classes for parents raising kids with anxiety and OCD:

https://atparentingsurvivalschool.com


Join the AT Parenting Community (A membership designed to support parents raising kids with anxiety or OCD):

https://atparentingcommunity.com


Take one of my FREE webinars:

www.Natashadaniels.com/webinars


Check out my books: 

www.Natashadaniels.com/books


🌸 Other social places I hang out:


http://www.facebook.com/ATparentingSurvival 

http://www.pinterest.com/ATparentingSurvival

http://www.instagram.com/ATparentingSurvival

http://www.twitter.com/Parentingsurvival

More episodes

View all episodes

  • Moral OCD: What to Do When Your Child Keeps Confessing

    51:03|
    When a child with moral OCD keeps confessing, even small or uncertain things can start to feel like evidence that they’ve done something wrong. They may feel driven to tell a parent every detail, ask whether they’re a good person, or keep revisiting something they said or did until it feels settled. To a parent, it can be difficult to tell where a child’s conscience ends and OCD’s demand for certainty begins.The urge to confess can bring brief relief, but it often leaves the child needing to confess again the next time doubt shows up. Parents can feel caught between wanting to comfort their child and not wanting to strengthen that cycle. This episode explores how to meet that challenge with compassion while helping a child make room for uncertainty and move forward without waiting to feel completely sure.Resources discussed in episode:Free series: Survival Tools for Parents Raising Kids with OCDCourse: How to Teach Kids to Crush OCDCourse: Crushing OCD Class for Kids and TeensBook: OCD Sucks: A Survival GuideTherapy options:NOCDIOCDF DirectoryPodcast episodes:How to Create an Effective Incentive PlanHow to Use Reassurance CardsVideos for Kids on Moral OCD:What is Moral OCDHow Confessing is a CompulsionHow Reassurance Seeking is a Compulsion***This podcast episode is sponsored by NOCD. NOCD provides online OCD therapy in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. To schedule your free 15 minute consultation to see if NOCD is a right fit for you and your child, go tohttps://go.treatmyocd.com/at_parentingThis podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the guidance of a qualified professional.Parents, do you need more support? 🌸 Here’s are resources I offer parents 👇🏻❤️Online classes for parents raising kids with anxiety and OCD:https://atparentingsurvivalschool.comJoin the AT Parenting Community (A membership designed to support parents raising kids with anxiety or OCD):https://atparentingcommunity.comTake one of my FREE webinars:www.Natashadaniels.com/webinarsCheck out my books: www.Natashadaniels.com/books🌸 Other social places I hang out:http://www.facebook.com/ATparentingSurvival http://www.pinterest.com/ATparentingSurvivalhttp://www.instagram.com/ATparentingSurvivalhttp://www.twitter.com/Parentingsurvival
  • What Most Parents Get Wrong About OCD

    42:29|
    Parenting kids with OCD can be tough. Especially since much of how to navigate OCD is counterintuitive.After over two decades supporting parents raising kids, teens and young adults with OCD, I have consistently seen a pattern in what parents get wrong about OCD.In this episode I break down the six most common things parents get wrong, that delay long-term progress and keep families stuck. Resources Discussed:My parent course, How to Teach Kids to Crush OCDMy kids course, Crushing OCD Class for KidsMy booksMy new book OCD Sucks: A Survival GuideSPACE Study CourseFind a SPACE providerFind an OCD therapist at NOCDFind an OCD therapist from this directory***This podcast episode is sponsored by NOCD. NOCD provides online OCD therapy in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. To schedule your free 15 minute consultation to see if NOCD is a right fit for you and your child, go tohttps://go.treatmyocd.com/at_parentingThis podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the guidance of a qualified professional.Parents, do you need more support? 🌸 Here’s are resources I offer parents 👇🏻❤️Online classes for parents raising kids with anxiety and OCD:https://atparentingsurvivalschool.comJoin the AT Parenting Community (A membership designed to support parents raising kids with anxiety or OCD):https://atparentingcommunity.comTake one of my FREE webinars:www.Natashadaniels.com/webinarsCheck out my books: www.Natashadaniels.com/books🌸 Other social places I hang out:http://www.facebook.com/ATparentingSurvival http://www.pinterest.com/ATparentingSurvivalhttp://www.instagram.com/ATparentingSurvivalhttp://www.twitter.com/Parentingsurvival
  • Six Parenting Struggles No One Talks About When Your Child Has OCD

    50:52|
    Parenting a child with OCD can feel lonely in ways people don’t always understand. Even when you know what OCD is, know what you’re supposed to do, and are doing everything you can to help, there are parts of this experience that can feel overwhelming, confusing, and incredibly hard to talk about.In this episode, I’m getting into some of the parenting struggles that often happen behind closed doors when your child has OCD — the parts that don’t always make it into books, treatment plans, or conversations with other parents. If raising a child with OCD has ever left you thinking, “Surely I’m not the only parent dealing with this,” this episode will help you feel a lot less alone.Resources discussed in episode:My new book OCD Sucks: A Survival GuideSPACE Study CourseAT Parenting Community***This podcast episode is sponsored by NOCD. NOCD provides online OCD therapy in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. To schedule your free 15 minute consultation to see if NOCD is a right fit for you and your child, go tohttps://go.treatmyocd.com/at_parentingThis podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the guidance of a qualified professional.Parents, do you need more support? 🌸 Here’s are resources I offer parents 👇🏻❤️Online classes for parents raising kids with anxiety and OCD:https://atparentingsurvivalschool.comJoin the AT Parenting Community (A membership designed to support parents raising kids with anxiety or OCD):https://atparentingcommunity.comTake one of my FREE webinars:www.Natashadaniels.com/webinarsCheck out my books: www.Natashadaniels.com/books🌸 Other social places I hang out:http://www.facebook.com/ATparentingSurvival http://www.pinterest.com/ATparentingSurvivalhttp://www.instagram.com/ATparentingSurvivalhttp://www.twitter.com/Parentingsurvival
  • Why Doing the Right Thing for Your Child’s OCD Can Feel So Wrong

    41:38|
    Sometimes doing the right thing for your child’s OCD can feel completely wrong.When you start pulling back accommodations, your child may actually become more distressed, irritable, or angry. That can leave you wondering: Am I helping, or am I making this worse?In this week’s episode, I talk about why things can get harder when you stop participating in OCD, what that increased distress actually means, and how to support your child without accidentally getting pulled right back into the OCD cycle.Resources discussed: www.natashadaniels.com/space www.ATparentingcommunity.com www.atparentingsurvivalschool.com***This podcast episode is sponsored by NOCD. NOCD provides online OCD therapy in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. To schedule your free 15 minute consultation to see if NOCD is a right fit for you and your child, go tohttps://go.treatmyocd.com/at_parentingThis podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the guidance of a qualified professional.Parents, do you need more support? 🌸 Here’s are resources I offer parents 👇🏻❤️Online classes for parents raising kids with anxiety and OCD:https://atparentingsurvivalschool.comJoin the AT Parenting Community (A membership designed to support parents raising kids with anxiety or OCD):https://atparentingcommunity.comTake one of my FREE webinars:www.Natashadaniels.com/webinarsCheck out my books: www.Natashadaniels.com/books🌸 Other social places I hang out:http://www.facebook.com/ATparentingSurvival http://www.pinterest.com/ATparentingSurvivalhttp://www.instagram.com/ATparentingSurvivalhttp://www.twitter.com/Parentingsurvival
  • Why is My Child’s OCD So Much Worse at Home?!

    33:47|
    Maybe they can go to school, visit friends, or function fairly well outside the house, but the second they get home, OCD seems to take over. That can leave parents wondering why the rules, avoidance, contamination fears, or compulsions seem so much stronger in one environment than another.In this episode, I explain some of the reasons OCD can look different at home, including why home may become a “safer” place for compulsions, how contamination chains can build up over time, and why certain family members or spaces can become incorporated into OCD’s rules. I also talk about what can happen when families start believing that changing locations will solve the problem—and why OCD often finds a way to come along for the ride.If you’ve ever wondered, “Why is their OCD so much worse here?” this episode will help you understand what may be going on beneath the surface and what to do about it.Start building skills at home! Get my new book: OCD Sucks: A Survival Guide***This podcast episode is sponsored by NOCD. NOCD provides online OCD therapy in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. To schedule your free 15 minute consultation to see if NOCD is a right fit for you and your child, go tohttps://go.treatmyocd.com/at_parentingThis podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the guidance of a qualified professional.Parents, do you need more support?  🌸 Here’s are resources I offer parents 👇🏻❤️Online classes for parents raising kids with anxiety and OCD:https://atparentingsurvivalschool.comJoin the AT Parenting Community (A membership designed to support parents raising kids with anxiety or OCD):https://atparentingcommunity.comTake one of my FREE webinars:www.Natashadaniels.com/webinarsCheck out my books: www.Natashadaniels.com/books🌸 Other social places I hang out:http://www.facebook.com/ATparentingSurvival http://www.pinterest.com/ATparentingSurvivalhttp://www.instagram.com/ATparentingSurvivalhttp://www.twitter.com/Parentingsurvival
  • Understanding Your Child’s Sensory Needs with Laura Petix

    51:04|
    If your child seems to have big reactions to sounds, textures, clothing, food, transitions, or everyday experiences, sensory processing may be playing a bigger role than you realize.In this episode, I’m joined by occupational therapist Laura Petix, from The OT Butterfly and author of The Sensory Code.We talk about how parents can better understand their child’s unique sensory needs, recognize what may be happening underneath challenging behavior and big emotions, and respond with more empathy and less frustration.Laura also shares practical ways we as parents can help accommodate our child’s sensory issues while empowering them to help themselves. Pre-order Laura’s new book, The Sensory CodeWhen you pre-order, you’ll also receive three special bonuses from Laura.***This podcast episode is sponsored by NOCD. NOCD provides online OCD therapy in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. To schedule your free 15 minute consultation to see if NOCD is a right fit for you and your child, go tohttps://go.treatmyocd.com/at_parentingThis podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the guidance of a qualified professional.Parents, do you need more support?  🌸 Here’s are resources I offer parents 👇🏻❤️Online classes for parents raising kids with anxiety and OCD:https://atparentingsurvivalschool.comJoin the AT Parenting Community (A membership designed to support parents raising kids with anxiety or OCD):https://atparentingcommunity.comTake one of my FREE webinars:www.Natashadaniels.com/webinarsCheck out my books: www.Natashadaniels.com/books🌸 Other social places I hang out:http://www.facebook.com/ATparentingSurvival http://www.pinterest.com/ATparentingSurvivalhttp://www.instagram.com/ATparentingSurvivalhttp://www.twitter.com/Parentingsurvival
  • How Parents Can Cope While Raising a Child With Anxiety or OCD with Janine Halloran

    51:30|
    When you’re raising a child with anxiety or OCD, so much of your energy can go toward helping them cope that it’s easy to forget that you need coping skills too.In this episode, I’m joined by Janine Halloran, author of Coping Skills for Everyone: A Workbook to Get Unstressed, Recharge, and Stay Calm in a Chaotic World, to talk about coping skills for adults.We talk about what it looks like to take care of yourself when parenting feels stressful, overwhelming, or emotionally exhausting, and why the coping strategies that work for one person may not work for another.If you spend a lot of time thinking about what your child needs but rarely stop to think about what helps you regulate, recharge, and keep going, this conversation is for you.Learn more about Janine and her new book: Coping Skills for Everyone: A Workbook to Get Unstressed, Recharge, and Stay Calm in a Chaotic WorldCheck out Janine’s website here.***This podcast episode is sponsored by NOCD. NOCD provides online OCD therapy in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. To schedule your free 15 minute consultation to see if NOCD is a right fit for you and your child, go tohttps://go.treatmyocd.com/at_parentingThis podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the guidance of a qualified professional.Parents, do you need more support?  🌸 Here’s are resources I offer parents 👇🏻❤️Online classes for parents raising kids with anxiety and OCD:https://atparentingsurvivalschool.comJoin the AT Parenting Community (A membership designed to support parents raising kids with anxiety or OCD):https://atparentingcommunity.comTake one of my FREE webinars:www.Natashadaniels.com/webinarsCheck out my books: www.Natashadaniels.com/books🌸 Other social places I hang out:http://www.facebook.com/ATparentingSurvival http://www.pinterest.com/ATparentingSurvivalhttp://www.instagram.com/ATparentingSurvivalhttp://www.twitter.com/Parentingsurvival
  • The Three Skills I Wish Everyone With OCD Knew

    44:07|
    If I could sit down with every person who has OCD and teach them just three skills, these are the ones I would choose.In this episode, I’m sharing the three skills I come back to again and again when helping people change their relationship with OCD. They’re simple concepts, but learning how to actually use them when OCD is loud, convincing, and demanding is another story.I’ll talk about why these skills matter, how they work together, and why you don’t have to feel confident or ready before you start practicing them.These ideas are also at the heart of my new book, where I break down OCD recovery in a practical, easy-to-understand way without getting lost in clinical jargon.Learn more about my new book, OCD Sucks: A Survival Guide:www.ocdsucks.net***This podcast episode is sponsored by NOCD. NOCD provides online OCD therapy in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. To schedule your free 15 minute consultation to see if NOCD is a right fit for you and your child, go tohttps://go.treatmyocd.com/at_parentingThis podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the guidance of a qualified professional.Parents, do you need more support?  🌸 Here’s are resources I offer parents 👇🏻❤️Online classes for parents raising kids with anxiety and OCD:https://atparentingsurvivalschool.comJoin the AT Parenting Community (A membership designed to support parents raising kids with anxiety or OCD):https://atparentingcommunity.comTake one of my FREE webinars:www.Natashadaniels.com/webinarsCheck out my books: www.Natashadaniels.com/books🌸 Other social places I hang out:http://www.facebook.com/ATparentingSurvival http://www.pinterest.com/ATparentingSurvivalhttp://www.instagram.com/ATparentingSurvivalhttp://www.twitter.com/Parentingsurvival
  • How Much Should Parents Be Involved in OCD Treatment?

    43:07|
    When your child has OCD, treatment doesn’t happen in a vacuum. OCD comes home with them. It impacts routines, relationships, school, behavior, and often the way the entire family functions.So why are parents sometimes left on the sidelines of OCD treatment?Parents can be one of the most powerful resources in a child’s OCD recovery. You see what happens between therapy sessions, you’re often the one navigating accommodations and difficult behaviors, and you’re in a unique position to help your child practice the skills they’re learning.In this week’s episode of the AT Parenting Survival Podcast, I talk about what healthy parent involvement in OCD treatment can look like, what information you should have, when it makes sense for a therapist to protect your child’s privacy, and some red flags that may indicate you’re being left out more than you should be.I also talk about how this changes once your child turns 18 and how parents can continue to be a valuable source of support while respecting their adult child’s privacy and autonomy.If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re too involved, not involved enough, or whether you should be advocating for a bigger role in your child’s treatment, this episode is for you.🎓 Learn more about my online courses for parents and kids with anxiety and OCD: www.ATparentingsurvivalschool.com⭐ Join the waitlist for the AT Parenting Community: www.ATparentingcommunity.comGet the free PDF handout for this episode at: www.natashadaniels.com/handouts***This podcast episode is sponsored by NOCD. NOCD provides online OCD therapy in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. To schedule your free 15 minute consultation to see if NOCD is a right fit for you and your child, go tohttps://go.treatmyocd.com/at_parentingThis podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the guidance of a qualified professional.Parents, do you need more support?  🌸 Here’s are resources I offer parents 👇🏻❤️Online classes for parents raising kids with anxiety and OCD:https://atparentingsurvivalschool.comJoin the AT Parenting Community (A membership designed to support parents raising kids with anxiety or OCD):https://atparentingcommunity.comTake one of my FREE webinars:www.Natashadaniels.com/webinarsCheck out my books: www.Natashadaniels.com/books🌸 Other social places I hang out:http://www.facebook.com/ATparentingSurvival http://www.pinterest.com/ATparentingSurvivalhttp://www.instagram.com/ATparentingSurvivalhttp://www.twitter.com/Parentingsurvival