What OCD is and how it develops

In this deeply informative episode, I'm joined by licensed marriage and family therapist Melissa Mose, LMFT, who brings 30 years of clinical experience to the table and a unique approach to treating OCD by integrating Internal Family Systems (IFS) with traditional methods like Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP).

Melissa shares how a personal experience—her daughter's sudden-onset OCD—propelled her into the world of OCD treatment and changed the direction of her career. We talk through how OCD manifests, why traditional ERP can be both life-changing and difficult for people, and how IFS can offer a more compassionate, effective way to approach healing by helping clients access their internal "Self."

We also discuss Melissa's new book for clinicians, her training work, and the upcoming OCD SoCal Conference happening online on November 15–16, 2025.

🧠 What We Discuss in This Episode:

• Melissa's unexpected path from literature and mythology to psychotherapy

• The sudden-onset OCD experience with her daughter that changed everything

• What OCD really is – beyond stereotypes – and why it's often misunderstood

• Core concepts of ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention)

• How Internal Family Systems (IFS) works and its 8 C's of Self-energy

• Why combining IFS and ERP may provide better outcomes for some people

• "Self-led ERP" – Melissa's integrative model for treating OCD

• Real-life examples of recovery using this compassionate framework

• The importance of identifying OCD early, especially in kids

• Training efforts to help clinicians recognize and effectively treat OCD

• Hope for those who feel "too far gone"

⏱️ Episode Chapters & Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro to Melissa Mose and IFS for OCD 03:00 – Melissa's background and shift from English literature to psychology 08:00 – Early career in teen and family systems therapy 11:00 – Her daughter's sudden-onset OCD and the diagnosis of PANDAS 14:30 – Navigating confusion, misdiagnosis, and treatment discovery 18:00 – What OCD actually is: the obsession-compulsion cycle 22:00 – How compulsions generalize and worsen OCD 24:30 – Introduction to ERP and how it works 29:00 – What is Internal Family Systems (IFS)? 34:00 – Comparing IFS to ACT and other models 42:00 – Mapping OCD symptoms to internal "parts" using IFS 48:00 – A self-led approach to ERP: empowering the Self 50:30 – Client success stories and examples 55:00 – The rise of IFS in the OCD world 58:00 – Is IFS evidence-based for OCD? 01:00:00 – Melissa's "Self-led ERP" model explained 01:02:00 – Workbook and practical tools coming soon 01:04:00 – How to get started with IFS 01:08:00 – Inside Out, visualization, and self-awareness 01:10:00 – Making IFS for OCD more accessible worldwide 01:12:00 – Final thoughts: hope and next steps for those struggling

📚 Resources & Links from the Episode

🔹 Melissa Mose's Website https://www.melissamosemft.com/

🔹 IFS for OCD Resources and Courses https://www.ifsforocd.com/blog

🔹 Melissa's Book: Internal Family Systems Therapy for OCD: A Clinician's Guide 📘 On Amazon: Buy here 📘 On Routledge: https://www.routledge.com/Internal-Family-Systems-Therapy-for-OCD-A-Clinicians-Guide/Mose/p/book/9781032583730

🔹 OCD SoCal 2025 Online Conference (November 15–16, 2025) 🌐 Full Program Info: https://ocdsocal.org/conference/ 🎟️ Register Here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2025-online-ocd-conference-a-global-event-tickets-1531193865069?aff=oddtdtcreator

🎧 Stay Connected with Me

• 💌 Email: duffthepsych@gmail.com

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