Your brain has been running this show long enough.
From a therapist with almost 20 years of experience: an easy read with a real plan to stop living by the relentless "what if"s and intrusive thoughts.
PRE-ORDER NOW
Have you Googled something at 2 AM.. just to do it again at 2:15 AM? Do you replay one conversation until you find the exact sentence that ruined everything? Did your brain just hand you a thought so awful you'd never say it outloud, and now you're wondering what it says about you?
Hi. Welcome. You're in the right place.
You're not broken, and you're definitely not the only one. You didn't cause this, but you can change it. It's doable, and I'll walk you through it.
This is the book for OCD, anxiety, and intrusive thoughts, written by me - Jenna - a therapist who's been treating them since 2008 and lived with them, too.
Everything I've learned in almost 20 years, explained the way I'd explain it to a friend.
the handbook for when your brain is stuck on repeat
you've tried everything
this is different
How to trust yourself again, even when you can’t trust your thoughts
Illustrations and exercises throughout, so you’re doing the work, not just reading about it
How to go after what you care about instead of whatever your anxiety or scary thoughts are yelling about
What to do the second a thought hits and you want to check, Google, ask, or ruminate
How to trust yourself again, even when you can’t trust your thoughts
Illustrations and exercises throughout, so you’re doing the work, not just reading about it
How to go after what you care about instead of whatever your anxiety or scary thoughts are yelling about
What to do the second a thought hits and you want to check, Google, ask, or ruminate
How to trust yourself again, even when you can’t trust your thoughts
How to go after what you care about instead of whatever your anxiety or scary thoughts are yelling about
What to do the second a thought hits and you want to check, Google, ask, or ruminate
Illustrations and exercises throughout, so you’re doing the work, not just reading about it
for anyone who
hides how loud it can get in their head
just wants to swap brains with anyone else
says “I’m fine” when anxiety is running the show
has intrusive thoughts and instantly wonders what they mean
Has been waiting for the thoughts to stop before they start living
can’t move on until thoughts are 100% resolved
thinks they're the only one with these thoughts
“Intrusive thoughts have a way of convincing you that you’re the only one who hears them knocking. Overbaugh meets OCD on its own terms, naming its particular tricks with precision and guiding readers out with warmth instead of shame.”
Judson Brewer MD PhD
New York Times Bestselling Author
of Unwinding Anxiety
"Rather than promising a life without difficult thoughts and feelings, Making Peace with a Noisy Mind shows readers how to change their relationship with them -- making room for discomfort, stepping out of unhelpful cycles, and moving toward what genuinely matters."
Steven C. Hayes, Phd,
Originator of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Author of A Liberated Mind
Reid Wilson, PhD, author, Quiet Your OCD Brain: A Game-Changing Metacognitive Workbook to Defeat Obsessions and Compulsions
"Jenna Overbaugh has done the rare thing of writing from both sides — combining clinical expertise with lived experience leaving readers feeling deeply understood while also equipped with skills they can use right now. In a world that has become obsessed with healing our anxiety, Making Peace with a Noisy Mind gives us a well needed reality check."
Amanda White, LPC, author of Not Drinking Tonight
"If you’ve ever felt trapped by your own thoughts, you’ll recognize yourself in Jenna Overbaugh’s remarkably insightful and reassuring approach. Jenna has the rare ability to write like both a highly skilled expert and a friend who truly understands what it’s like to live with a noisy mind."
"Jenna Overbaugh has a gift for making the complexities of OCD and anxiety feel easy to understand, deeply relatable, and surprisingly fun to read. This is one I’ll be recommending to clients again and again."
Carrie Howard, LCSW, author of Why Your Brain Won’t Shut Up
"Not only is it crammed with key strategies to help readers find relief, but her extensive clinical experience, down-to-earth approach and willingness to share stories from her own life provide what many people need most when they are considering treatment: the courage to begin."
Jennifer Reid, MD, psychiatrist and author of Guilt Free: Reclaiming Your Life From Unreasonable Expectations
“FINALLY. A book about OCD that leaves you feeling less overwhelmed by OCD, not more. Jenna has a way of making something incredibly complicated feel understandable and, more importantly, doable!”
RYANN NICOLE, LPC, AUTHOR OF FOOD NOISE
"This is such a welcoming book. It drew me in with its accessible tone and humor and kept me reading. At the end of it, I felt like I had just had a cup of tea and a chat with a (very knowledgeable) friend."
birthe macdonald, phd, cognitive neuroscientist and science communicator
"A complete guide to navigating recovery from OCD and struggles with intrusive thoughts. It’s got not only the tools, but the real personal and clinical experience of applying them."
MARK FREEMAN, AUTHOR OF YOU ARE NOT A ROCK
I know it feels like you’re broken. I know your brain can get loud and convincing and relentless. But this isn’t a defect. I actually see it as a pattern your brain learned, and the good news is you can learn new patterns. You’re not too far gone, you’re not the exception, and I’m willing to bet you just haven’t been shown how to do this in a way that actually works. Yet.
i’ve treated OCD AND ANXIETY for nearly 20 years
more of my story
Hi, I’m Jenna, and I’ve been treating OCD and anxiety since 2008. I’ve worked with some of the most severe, life-consuming cases in the world - the kind that takes over everything, the kind most people don’t know what to do with. That doesn’t intimidate me - in fact, I know exactly what to do next, and that’s what this book is.
I’m putting everything I’ve learned into these pages - almost 20 years in the field, in research, and in the trenches with OCD and anxiety personally - and giving it to you straight. How anxiety actually works, how mental compulsions and rumination keep you stuck, and exactly what to do to break the pattern. Real, evidence-based strategies that get to the root of what’s driving the cycle, teach you to respond differently, and then walk you through doing the work until it freaking sticks - so you don’t need someone else to figure this out for you.
The map out of your own head
Our Final Session 277
Conclusion
This Is Who I Am Now-Recovery as Way of Life 241
chapter 17.
Shit Happens: What to Do When You Slip Up 247
chapter 18.
Your Personal Recovery Blueprint: Therapy in Your Own Hands 258
chapter 19.
A Life Beyond OCD 268
chapter 20.
Part 3. Your Path Forward
Doing the work
Reframing the Narrative 123
chapter 7.
chapter 6.
Breaking the Cycle 97
119
Before We Go Further
Choose to Be Driven by Purpose, Not Panic 131
chapter 8.
Ready to Commit? Willingness Is the Secret Ingredient 222
chapter 15.
The Practice of Presence-No Yoga Mat Required 141
chapter 9.
Embracing Uncertainty: Maybe Is Enough 153
chapter 10.
Accept That the Uninvited Guest Arrives. The Party Goes On. 166
chapter 11.
Resisting Compulsions: Don’t Feed the Beast 177
chapter 12.
When It’s All in Your Head: Breaking the Thought Spiral 193
chapter 13.
Exposure Therapy: Experiments in Misbehaving 203
chapter 14.
Part two
Not My Type: The Subtype Trap 41
chapter 2.
chapter 1.
Thoughts Gone Wild, aka Intrusive Thoughts 27
Core Fears: It’s (Literally) Not What You Think 53
chapter 3.
The Myth of Coping Skills: Why You’re Doing All the “Right” Things and Still Spiraling 69
chapter 4.
Tricks Your Mind Plays on You 83
chapter 5.
the foundation
Part three
Part one
Doing the work
Part three
Part one
Part two
Reframing the Narrative 123
chapter 7.
chapter 6.
Breaking the Cycle 97
119
Before We Go Further
Choose to Be Driven by Purpose, Not Panic 131
Ready to Commit? Willingness Is the Secret Ingredient 222
chapter 15.
The Practice of Presence-No Yoga Mat Required 141
chapter 9.
Embracing Uncertainty: Maybe Is Enough 153
chapter 10.
Accept That the Uninvited Guest Arrives. The Party Goes On. 166
chapter 11.
chapter 8.
Resisting Compulsions: Don’t Feed the Beast 177
chapter 12.
When It’s All in Your Head: Breaking the Thought Spiral 193
chapter 13.
Exposure Therapy: Experiments in Misbehaving 203
chapter 14.
I’m putting everything I’ve learned into these pages - almost 20 years in the field, in research, and in the trenches with OCD and anxiety personally - and giving it to you straight. How anxiety actually works, how mental compulsions and rumination keep you stuck, and exactly what to do to break the pattern. Real, evidence-based strategies that get to the root of what’s driving the cycle, teach you to respond differently, and then walk you through doing the work until it freaking sticks - so you don’t need someone else to figure this out for you.
The map out of your own head
Our Final Session 277
Conclusion
This Is Who I Am Now-Recovery as Way of Life 241
chapter 17.
Shit Happens: What to Do When You Slip Up 247
chapter 18.
Your Personal Recovery Blueprint: Therapy in Your Own Hands 258
chapter 19.
A Life Beyond OCD 268
chapter 20.
Your Path Forward
Part three
Doing the work
Part two
Reframing the Narrative 123
chapter 7.
chapter 6.
Breaking the Cycle 97
119
Before We Go Further
Choose to Be Driven by Purpose, Not Panic 131
chapter 8.
Ready to Commit? Willingness Is the Secret Ingredient 222
chapter 15.
The Practice of Presence-No Yoga Mat Required 141
chapter 9.
Embracing Uncertainty: Maybe Is Enough 153
chapter 10.
Accept That the Uninvited Guest Arrives. The Party Goes On. 166
chapter 11.
Resisting Compulsions: Don’t Feed the Beast 177
chapter 12.
When It’s All in Your Head: Breaking the Thought Spiral 193
chapter 13.
Exposure Therapy: Experiments in Misbehaving 203
chapter 14.
the foundation
Part one
Not My Type: The Subtype Trap 41
chapter 2.
chapter 1.
Thoughts Gone Wild, aka Intrusive Thoughts 27
Core Fears: It’s (Literally) Not What You Think 53
chapter 3.
The Myth of Coping Skills: Why You’re Doing All the “Right” Things and Still Spiraling 69
chapter 4.
Tricks Your Mind Plays on You 83
chapter 5.
I've had a noisy brain since I was a kid. Almost 20 years of treating this stuff later, I wrote down everything I wish more people knew, so you don't have to figure it out alone anymore.
You know those books that make you laugh while they tell you to get your life together, and the ones that hand you a plan you can actually follow? This is that book - for OCD and anxiety. It's an easy read, written the way I talk, with illustrations and exercises along the way. Read it on the couch with your favorite snack or beverage (or several), and still know what to do the next time your brain starts yelling.
I can't wait for you to read it.
Easy to read.
Hard to put down.
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Available February 16, 2027. Pre-order and get a head start.
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this is where it starts
frequently asked questions
WHERE CAN I BUY THE BOOK?
The book will be available worldwide! Click here for a list of US retailers. If you're in the UK, click here for your list of retailers. If you're outside of those areas, you can try looking on Amazon in your country. To purchase outside of Amazon, here's a list of international buy links. It's not guaranteed that retailers in this doc will carry the book, nor can we guarantee when international retailers will begin selling or shipping the book, but hopefully that gives you some options!
HOW DO I GET MY PRE-ORDER BONUSES?
Pre-order "Making Peace with a Noisy Mind" at any retailer, then fill out the information on this form. The digital wallpapers, PDF download, and code for 3 months on Substack will be available to access and download on the confirmation page.
is this book therapy?
While I'm a therapist, I'm not your therapist. If you are experiencing a medical or health emergency and are in the United States, call 911 or the appropriate emergency medical services. You should never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment because of something you read or accessed through this book or website.
is this book only for ocd?
Nope. This book is for anyone with OCD (diagnosed or undiagnosed), anxiety, intrusive thoughts, a spiraling brain, or thoughts that just won't quit. If it's loud in there, this book is for you.
IS THIS SAFE TO READ WHEN I'M ALREADY SPIRALING?
Reading about intrusive thoughts can feel uncomfortable at first. Go at your own pace and come back when you can. If you're in crisis, please reach out to a licensed professional or emergency services in your area.