Just Checking

About Just Checking

OCD therapists talk intrusive thoughts, scary themes, and why your brain can be a dick. If you are looking for reputable information that comes from some good friends then come and join us; Laura Mole and Jessica Hayes. Get involved by emailing ocdcollectiveuk@gmail.com and following us on Instagram or TikTok @justcheckingpod to contribute towards features and to request that we cover what you want to hear. Disclaimer: This podcast provides educational information only and is not a substitute for professional mental health support.

Publisher

OCD Collective

Category

health & fitness

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

17 Feb 2026

Latest episode

20 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

36 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   20 Oct 2026

   Mental Contamination OCD Explained - Guilt, Shame & Why ERP Isn't Enough

   Ever felt "dirty" after a memory, a thought, or being around a certain person, even though you haven't touched anything? That's mental contamination, and it's one of the most commonly missed presentations of contamination OCD. In the third episode of our contamination OCD series (following physical and disgust-based contamination), Jess and Laura unpack what mental contamination is, how it can show up, and why it so often goes unrecognised - by sufferers and clinicians alike. We explore the subtypes, the link with trauma, the central role of guilt and shame, and how treatment differs from standard ERP, including how combining therapeutic approaches can help. We also look at the measurement scales used to assess mental contamination. Plus: Laura shares some very embarrassing Brain Spam, a Listener Question, this week's Weekly Win, and a new Exposure Lab challenge. Has mental contamination affected you? We'd love to hear your experience - get in touch. Podcast by: Laura Mole, Adv. Dip, MBACP OCD specialist therapist and Jessica Hayes, Msc PGDip, BABCP Accred OCD and perinatal specialist therapist Edited by Christian Nickson Time Stamps: 00:40 Episode overview 01:20 Hello and introduction 07:30 Mental contamination plan 08:25 We are winging it 10:50 Brain Spam 14:04 What is mental contamination 16:40 Subtypes of mental contamination 18:00 Trauma link with mental contamination 19:50 Mental contamination is often missed 20:30 How can mental contamination look? 25:35 How treatment differs from ERP 31:10 Mental contamination measurement scales 37:25 Guilt and shame 47:00 Combining types of therapy 48:40 Mental contamination subtypes described 55:00 Call out for experience-sharing 56:25 Listener Question 58:15 Weekly Win 59:29 Exposure Lab 1:01:10 Goodbyes Get in Touch: Got intrusive thoughts to share or questions for us: Email us at ocdcollectiveuk@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram and Tiktok: @justcheckingpod For our individual OCD pages, you can find Laura on Tiktok and Instagram as @ocdtherapylaura and Jess as @jess_helps_your_ocd Please check out our privacy policy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YJZ4Sdh4OpxjRR9twGY6dOMH9n55Mq6qTqLBxOtN3Fw/edit?usp=sharing Content Warnings: We do reference some thoughts that people may find distressing so please listen with caution if this is you, and take a break if you need to. Disclaimer: This podcast provides educational content only and is not a substitute for professional mental health support, please contact a mental health professional for advice and support.

2. 

   13 Oct 2026

   Pure O, Intrusive Thoughts & Writing Characters with OCD; With Author Louis Urbanowski

   What happens when your intrusive thoughts end up on the page? This week we're joined by author Louis Urbanowski to talk about his experience of "Pure O" OCD, what actually helped him, and how he now uses his obsessive brain in his writing. His books feature characters with OCD. We talk about why the "Pure O" label can be misleading, the hidden mental load of OCD, and the overlap between OCD, neurodivergence and shame. Louis also explains how writing became a place to put intrusive thoughts, why "good enough" is okay, and how a partner can support someone with OCD. We also cover sensory differences, getting diagnosed, the jobs that suit an OCD brain, and Louis' honest reflections on wishing he'd been braver. As always, we finish with a listener question, this week's win and the Exposure Lab. ⚠️ Content note: this episode includes discussion of suicidal thoughts (46:45). If you're struggling, contact Samaritans on 116 123 (UK, free, 24/7). Podcast by: Laura Mole, Adv. Dip, MBACP OCD specialist therapist and Jessica Hayes, Msc PGDip, BABCP Accred OCD and perinatal specialist therapist Edited by Christian Nickson Featuring Louis Urbanowski, author To Follow Louis: https://linktr.ee/Urbwrites?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAb21jcAU5vXVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBwZG9mAnNydGMGYXBwX2lkDzU2NzA2NzM0MzM1MjQyNwABpxl_cisqLbDburKiLFcODOMPd1QqiUkPQpAUprJOTGqViB2vS09X4CrH6UnD_aem_ByThqUt8ymBZtrRI85wGEg https://www.instagram.com/urbwrites?cplk=aDBidHUzYm0zZWs1 (https://www.instagram.com/urbwrites?cplk=aDBidHUzYm0zZWs1) Time Stamps: 00:39 Introduction to the episode 01:42 Louis introduction to himself 04:54 Brain Spam 10:40 Writing as a place to put intrusive thoughts 13:07 Louis' OCD story 15:12 Good enough is okay 16:45 Writing and OCD 18:45 We all have different needs 22:10 The mental load of OCD 23:20 Misleading Pure O name 25:10 Spinning OCD to be useful 26:25 Neurodivergence cost 29:00 OCD, neurodivergence and shame 34:00 Using an obsessive brain 35:10 Louis changed how he wrote 37:30 Jobs for an OCD brain 39:10 Being yourself and sensory differences 40:00 Diagnoses 43:00 How a partner can support OCD 46:45 Suicidal thoughts 49:40 Louis wishes he was braver 52:07 Louis book descriptions and where to find 52:54 Listener Question 56:20 Weekly Win 58:15 Exposure Lab 1:01:20 Goodbyes Get in Touch: Got intrusive thoughts to share or questions for us: Email us at ocdcollectiveuk@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram and Tiktok: @justcheckingpod For our individual OCD pages, you can find Laura on Tiktok and Instagram as @ocdtherapylaura and Jess as @jess_helps_your_ocd Please check out our privacy policy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YJZ4Sdh4OpxjRR9twGY6dOMH9n55Mq6qTqLBxOtN3Fw/edit?usp=sharing Content Warnings: We do reference some thoughts that people may find distressing so please listen with caution if this is you, and take a break if you need to. Disclaimer: This podcast provides educational content only and is not a substitute for professional mental health support, please contact a mental health professional for advice and support.

3. 

   6 Oct 2026

   Contamination OCD: Not Just a Desire to Wash Your Hands

   Contamination OCD is so much more than liking things clean. In this episode of Just Checking, OCD specialists Jess and Laura unpack what contamination OCD really is, how it differs from everyday cleanliness, and why it can leave people feeling like nowhere is ever truly safe. We explore the different types of contamination fear, the lasting impact of the pandemic, the role of shame, and the hidden secondary consequences that affect daily life and relationships. We also tackle the big worry for many people: what does therapy actually look like? From where ERP (exposure and response prevention) starts to how family accommodation can keep OCD going, we walk through recovery step by step. Plus, Jess shares how she used ERP with her seven-year-old, Laura makes an admission, and we discuss neurodivergence and chronic illness in contamination OCD. Brain Spam brings Laura's spicy intrusive thought and Jess' unfortunate mum fail. We finish with a listener question, our Weekly Win and this week's Exposure Lab challenge. Whether you live with OCD, love someone who does, or support clients as a clinician, this episode will help you understand contamination OCD with warmth, honesty and a bit of humour. Podcast by: Laura Mole, Adv. Dip, MBACP OCD specialist therapist and Jessica Hayes, Msc PGDip, BABCP Accred OCD and perinatal specialist therapist Edited by Christian Nickson Resource from the Show: Asbestos fear blog: Asbestos OCD: Understanding the Challenges and Rewards of Treatment – Southampton CBT Therapy Services (https://southamptontherapyservices.com/2025/01/30/asbestos-ocd-understanding-the-challenges-and-rewards-of-treatment/) Time Stamps: 00:37 Episode overview 02:30 Why contamination OCD now 06:40 Brain Spam 14:20 Contamination OCD vs wanting to be clean 20:20 The impact of the pandemic 27:00 Anxiety equation impact on fear 29:05 Types of contamination fear 32:35 Never feeling safe 34:05 Contributory factors to this theme 35:50 The practical impact of this OCD theme 37:40 Shame and contamination fears 38:20 Secondary consequences 41:20 Fears of what therapy can look like 45:50 Where does therapy start? 48:00 How do things look through therapy? 52:28 Family accommodation 56:05 Why OCD therapists love this 58:00 Jess used ERP with her 7 year old 58:55 Laura's admission 1:00:00 Over-correcting 1:02:00 Did you get ill? 1:03:40 Neurodivergence and chronic illness in contamination OCD 1:07:18 Listener Question 1:09:20 Weekly Win 1:10:40 Exposure Lab 1:11:10 Goodbyes Get in Touch: Got intrusive thoughts to share or questions for us: Email us at ocdcollectiveuk@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram and Tiktok: @justcheckingpod For our individual OCD pages, you can find Laura on Tiktok and Instagram as @ocdtherapylaura and Jess as @jess_helps_your_ocd Please check out our privacy policy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YJZ4Sdh4OpxjRR9twGY6dOMH9n55Mq6qTqLBxOtN3Fw/edit?usp=sharing Content Warnings: We do reference some thoughts that people may find distressing so please listen with caution if this is you, and take a break if you need to. Disclaimer: This podcast provides educational content only and is not a substitute for professional mental health support, please contact a mental health professional for advice and support.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.8 / 5

5 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

27 ratings

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Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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