What if the person treating your OCD has lived through it too?
In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Andrea Gutiérrez-Glik, LCSW, an OCD, anxiety, and complex PTSD specialist who also has lived experience with OCD. Together, they explore OCD, trauma, lived experience, I-CBT, and what it means to find treatment that actually fits the person behind the diagnosis.
This honest conversation dives into:
• How trauma and OCD can become entangled, and why trauma isn’t necessarily the sole cause of OCD
• Why OCD can be especially difficult to recognize in marginalized communities
• The differences between ERP and Inference-Based CBT (I-CBT) and why a more trauma-informed approach may be helpful for some clients • How OCD can be experienced both viscerally in the body and cognitively through doubt and rumination
• What healing can look like when the sources of trauma are still present in your life
• Andrea’s concept of compassion, community, and freedom as important elements of healing
• Why lived experience can teach therapists things that textbooks cannot fully capture
• How to recognize when you may need a therapist who provides specialized OCD treatment
• Why medication can sometimes help people who feel stuck and make it easier to engage in therapy
Whether you’re navigating OCD yourself, supporting someone with OCD, or looking for a therapist who truly understands the disorder, this episode offers validation, practical insight, and hope...and a reminder that there may be more effective treatment options available than simply talking about what you’re going through.
📲 About Andrea Gutiérrez-Glik (guest):
• Webpage: https://www.andreaglik.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/somaticwitch/
• Book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/740123/healing-the-oppressed-body-by-andrea-gutierrez-glik/
✂️ TIMESTAMPS:
[00:00] – How Does Having OCD Change the Way You Show Up as a Therapist?
[02:45] – How Do Trauma and OCD Become Entangled, Especially in Marginalized Communities?
[05:59] – Why Is Inference-Based CBT (I-CBT) Controversial, and Who Can It Help?
[07:40] – Is OCD Experienced More Viscerally or Cognitively—and Does Treatment Differ?
[09:40] – If I-CBT Targets Obsessional Doubt, What Are You Actually Exposing Yourself To?
[10:38] – What Does Healing Look Like When the Source of Trauma Is Still in Your Life?
[11:57] – What Does “Healing the Nervous System” Actually Mean?
[16:10] – What Can Clinicians With Lived Experience Understand That a Textbook Can't Teach?
[17:06] – Do You Have to Have Lived Experience to Be a Good Therapist?
[19:19] – What Would You Tell Someone Who Feels Stuck in OCD Treatment?
[20:48] – How Do You Know When It's Time to Find an OCD Specialist?
[21:24] – Where Can People Find Andrea and Her Work?
✅ Free Resources & Links
📲 Stay Connected
📩 Business Inquiries: info@theocdwhisperer.com
✅ About OCD Whisperer
Welcome to OCD Whisperer! Each episode shares tools and insights for OCD recovery, managing intrusive thoughts, ERP therapy, CBT techniques, anxiety relief, and mindfulness practices. Join me for expert interviews and personal insights into overcoming OCD. Subscribe to find support, strategies, and hope for your OCD journey.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note while the host is a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in OCD and anxiety disorders in the state of California, this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for therapy.
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