I’m happy to have a special guest returning to the podcast—Grace, one of my OCD and Anxiety Recovery Blueprint students. Grace joined us a few months ago to share her incredible journey of recovery, highlighting the challenges she faced, the tools she’s used, and the progress she’s made. Today, we’re diving into an important topic: managing OCD and life’s big changes.

It’s one thing to practice recovery strategies when life feels steady, but how do you maintain progress when everything shifts? Grace has faced some significant changes recently, and her story offers valuable insights into navigating uncertainty and staying on track with recovery.

If you’re dealing with OCD and wondering how to handle life’s curveballs, this conversation is packed with relatable experiences, advice, and practical tools to help you along the way. Let’s get started!

We discuss:

• Handling unexpected OCD manifestations
• Maintaining progress without private therapy
• Facing avoidance triggers
• Embracing uncertainty

Introducing Grace

Grace, a student of the OCD and Anxiety Recovery Blueprint, has navigated significant challenges with resilience and determination. Diagnosed with OCD in 2022 after her therapist identified OCD tendencies, Grace quickly embraced ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) therapy and medication. Her compulsions, including visible behaviors like checking and redoing tasks, responded well to ERP, allowing her to make significant progress.

However, it was a major life change that pushed Grace to reevaluate her recovery and take her growth to the next level. After earning her master’s degree, she found herself in a job she felt comfortable in but wasn’t challenging her. Then, in May of this year, Grace was diagnosed with severe hearing loss in both ears—a condition she couldn’t control and one likely to worsen over time.

This diagnosis shifted Grace’s perspective. Instead of focusing on what she couldn’t change, she chose to focus on what she could. She began challenging herself daily—not just with ERP but by intentionally stepping out of her comfort zone and finding ways to fully embrace life as it is right now.

Grace’s story is one of resilience, growth, and the power of adapting to life’s uncertainties while staying committed to recovery.

How do you think therapy, and other skills you have built in recovery, impacted how you handled these changes with OCD and life’s big changes?

OCD can manifest in unexpected ways, especially during life changes, and it’s different for everyone. For me, it started with needing hearing aids. Now, I always have about $10,000 in my ears, which is stressful and a big expense. When I was first diagnosed and started using them, I constantly checked to make sure the hearing aids were still in place. I did this repeatedly for about two weeks. Adjusting to the diagnosis felt overwhelming.

Eventually, I stepped back and asked, “What is this constant checking really doing? Is it anxiety-driven? What’s behind this?” I realized it was likely an OCD ritual. Recognizing that was huge—I stopped the pattern before it spiraled, something checking rituals have done to me before. Having coping skills in place allowed me to break the cycle early.

One thing that helps me is checking in with myself every couple of weeks. Since I’m no longer in private therapy, I mark a check-in on my calendar. I ask myself questions a therapist might ask, like whether I’ve been engaging in rituals or facing major stressors. I reflect on whether my behaviors are helpful and, if not, figure out what changes I need to make. It’s a simple but effective way to stay mindful.

I’ve also worked on challenging myself to face things I used to avoid—anything triggering my OCD. For example, tonight I’m going to a concert. It’s anxiety-inducing, but there was a time when I couldn’t do things like this and really missed them. Even though it’s uncomfortable, I push through. It’s not about ignoring the anxiety but recognizing the bigger picture.

How have you been able to distinguish between anxiety and OCD and concerns with something new like wearing hearing aids?

When I told my family I’d be going to a concert after my hearing loss. That was their first question. Technology in the hearing aids that I have is really advanced, so I have, they’re called inner ear canal hearing aids, so they are actually really small. They don’t have anything behind their ear, it just sticks in the ear. And they have some special settings on them, and one of them is for, if you’re at a concert, it reduces the bass and that loud noise of the instrument, but enhances the sound of the singer. 

I agree that you need to rely on legitimate information that has been provided to you by a doctor, or other professionals that work with the hearing aides. 

How do you help yourself with the change and uncertainty that comes with a job change? 

I realized that I was feeling comfortable at my job. I knew what to expect, and it didn’t make me anxious. Additionally, I had good relationships with my managers and supervisors, so I was never nervous about approaching them. But I didn’t love the work I was doing, and I always felt I could do more. I was held back by anxiety—the “what if” thoughts: “What if I’m not good enough?” or “What if I somehow mess up catastrophically? What would happen to me?” I was definitely stuck in that mindset for a while. But eventually, I took a step back and realized I wasn’t happy. I wanted to be happier, and the only way to make that happen was by making a concrete change.

So, I took a contract job, which wasn’t very reliable—it was just a three-month contract. Luckily, things worked out, but starting a new job was scary. No one knew my abilities or what I was capable of, and I found myself trying to prove myself. I took everything seriously. If I got an email with corrections on something I’d done—even if it was polite—I’d take it as a personal attack. I began attaching too much of my self-worth to my job and how productive I was, which isn’t a healthy mindset. So, I took another step back and focused on values-based activities that made me feel good. I realized my success isn’t measured by my productivity at work. I needed to change how I viewed work and my career. I’m not just my job; I have other things going on in my life as well.

How would you describe uncertainty and accepting uncertainty to people? How do you truly embrace uncertainty versus just accepting it?

When I first got that job and my contract was coming to an end, I remember I was texting my partner and I was pretty upset because I didn’t know what was next. I feel like I’ve always been the person that’s been able to plan my life at least a year in advance, being able to think of where I will be. So I remember I was texting him and I was upset and I was saying “I don’t know what I’m going to be doing next month”. I sent the text and I was just looking at it and looking at it, and my brain thought, okay, but that could be a good thing if I just stuck to the same things.

There would never be this opportunity for me to try new things. So I was trying to just switch my mindset a little bit . It’s scary not to have certainty for sure, but also that’s what creates new opportunities for you. So really embracing what comes from the uncertainty. I think about all the big things that have happened in my life, good things. I think all those moments had moments of uncertainty in it. And if I didn’t just go forward and challenge myself, I might never have been in those positions. 

What would you say to someone who is struggling to stay consistent with their recovery during emotional stressors or life changes? 

I think it’s hard, but I like the idea of being able to check in with yourself and go back and honestly say, have I been engaging in any safety behavior? What have my compulsions been like? Has this new stressor caused any kind of new behaviors popping up? I think another important part for me has been having a support system.

So my partner is a great support. Being able to have that honest conversation with the people that support you, that if they do notice that maybe you’re engaging in these behaviors instead of accommodating it gently calling you out on it and working on it together. But I think awareness is a really big piece, and a lot of that came from my support system. 

What is one practice or belief that you feel is really essential for managing OCD and life’s big changes?

I have a tattoo on my wrist and it says doubt, D-O-U-B-T, but then the UBT is crossed out, so it just reads DO. I kind of have that as a little reminder. That’s my little mantra, that doubtful voice always creeps in the back of my head, but just to overcome that. 

Sign Up For My 7 Day Breakthrough Challenge!

Ready to take on anxiety and OCD? My Seven-Day Breakthrough Challenge begins January 1, 2025! For only $17, you’ll receive daily videos, tools, and a personalized plan to break free from cycles of fear and uncertainty. Sign up by December 30th for access to an exclusive live Q&A where I’ll help you build momentum and prepare for success. Make 2025 your breakthrough year—don’t miss this chance!

Managing OCD and Life’s Big Changes

This story beautifully highlights what recovery truly looks like. So many people start this work hoping to quickly eliminate intrusive thoughts, but life is unpredictable and often stressful. The key isn’t striving for perfection or expecting every day to feel amazing—because there will be plenty of “meh” days and challenges along the way.

Recovery is about building the skills to navigate those in-between moments and life’s big stressors without letting fear and anxiety control you. It’s about staying committed to values-based living, even when things aren’t perfect, and choosing to face life head-on rather than staying in a bubble of avoidance. That’s where true growth happens.

If you enjoyed this conversation with Grace and want to hear more about her journey, you can listen to her first podcast episode with me here.

Keep doing all the hard things. Bye for now.

💥 Ready to break free from anxiety and intrusive thoughts? Join my Seven-Day Breakthrough Challenge!: https://jennaoverbaughlpc.com/breakthrough

💪 Ready to conquer OCD/anxiety? Explore The OCD and Anxiety Recovery Blueprint – with or without a therapist: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jennaoverbaughlpc.com/blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

👏 Unlock your free 40-minute video on “5 Must-Know Strategies for Handling Anxiety and Intrusive Thoughts”: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jennaoverbaughlpc.com/strategies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🧠 Start your transformation today with the Mental Compulsion Mini Course referenced in this episode: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jennaoverbaughlpc.com/mental-compulsions⁠

DISCLAIMER: Please keep in mind that Jenna is not your therapist. She does not provide you with individualized recommendations or advice. The information provided is intended as educational information only. Jenna cannot tell you what you should do, what you shouldn’t do, or give recommendations based on your unique situations or circumstances. Nothing on this page or Site should be construed as therapeutic recommendation or personalized advice. If you are in need of such services, please consult with a physician or other medical provider right away to determine the best course of action for you. We are not responsible for your use of this page, this website, or the contents within. NEVER DISREGARD PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE OR DELAY SEEKING MEDICAL TREATMENT BECAUSE OF SOMETHING YOU READ OR ACCESSED THROUGH THIS WEBSITE AND CONTENT. For more information, please read the Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, and Disclaimer. Your continued use of this platform, this page, and the contents within constitutes as your agreement with this agreement.

© 2024 Jenna Overbaugh, LLC, All Rights Reserved

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠jennaoverbaughlpc.com/terms⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠jennaoverbaughlpc.com/privacy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠jennaoverbaughlpc.com/disclaimer⁠⁠