212. Stuff That’s Loud: OCD and Anxiety with Lisa Coyne and Ben Sedley

by Debbie SorensenAugust 25, 2021

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Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is frequently used as an adjective to describe fastidious or punctilious behavior. Far from this usage, OCD can have long-lasting detrimental effects on quality of life and is currently one of the most misunderstood and misrepresented mental illnesses affecting us today. Vulnerable populations such as children can be particularly impacted by OCD, with symptoms beginning as early as 3-years-old and causing life-long issues for both the child and their family. Drs. Lisa Coyne and Ben Sedley, authors of Stuff That’s Loud, have spent years studying OCD, ACT, and mental health in young people. In this episode of POTC, Debbie talks with Lisa and Ben about anxiety, spiraling behavior, and much, much more. Listen in to learn practical strategies for facing your fears and stopping the spiral today!

Listen and Learn:

Debbie and Yael’s experiences with anxiety spirals in both their professional and personal lives
The story behind Lisa’s and Ben’s passion for working with young people
Experts’ descriptions of OCD, spiraling, and how they impact young people
Useful, behavioral examples of how spiraling might show up for teens
Unhelpful ways you might be responding to spiraling and practical advice for changing those response patterns for the better!
An expert breakdown of exposure and its usefulness in combating symptoms of OCD
Steps you can take today toward facing your fears
The surprising benefits of playfulness and creativity for clinicians working with anxiety
Common challenges clinicians and clients face when engaging in exposure work
Families’ roles in both maintaining OCD practices and supporting combative therapeutic strategies

Resources:

Buy Lisa and Ben’s book, Stuff That’s Loud: A Teen’s Guide to Unspiraling When OCD Gets Noisy!
Take Lisa and Ben’s training, Stuff That’s Loud: Integrating ERP and ACT for Youth with Anxiety and OCD
Attend Lisa and Dr. Evelyn Gould’s workshop, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with Parents
Lisa’s book with Dr. Amy Murrell, The Joy of Parenting: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Guide to Effective Parenting in the Early Years
Atlantic Article on Childhood in an Anxious Age
Attend Diana’s Values-Rich Living Retreat!
Grab your copy of all our favorite books at bookshop.org/shop/offtheclockpsych.
Check out Debbie, Diana, Yael, and Jill’s websites to access their offerings, sign up for their newsletters, buy their books, and more!

About Lisa Coyne and Ben Sedley:

Lisa Coyne, PhD, has been a Clinical Psychologist since 2005 and has been an ACT trainer for a few years longer than that. Her specialty is working with young people and families, as well as work with anxiety disorders and OCD. As an ACT trainer, she has been lucky to have had the opportunity to train nationally and internationally, and has worked with individuals and entire organizations using a “train the trainers” model originally developed by the fabulous Fredrik Livheim in Sweden. In addition, Dr. Coyne has developed a parenting protocol that she and others are currently evaluating via clinical research. At present, she is the Senior Clinical Consultant and Founder of the McLean OCD Institute for Children and Adolescents and an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School. She also has a private practice in the Boston area (The New England Center for OCD and Anxiety, offices in Cambridge, Melrose, West Boyleston, and Los Angeles). Purchase her latest book, Stuff That’s Loud: A Teen’s Guide to Unspiraling When OCD Gets Noisy today!

Ben Sedley, PhD, is a Clinical Psychologist based in Wellington with over fifteen years’ experience working with adults and adolescents. He has used ACT in his practice for most of his career and frequently draws on its methods and techniques when faced with bad days or difficulties in life. Dr. Sedley enjoys taking the theory of ACT and working with people to develop explanations and metaphors that make sense to them. He is currently New Zealand’s only peer-reviewed ACT Trainer and has trained hundreds of clinicians in ACT. Grab a copy of his two books, Stuff That Sucks: A Teen’s Guide to Accepting What You Can’t Change and Committing to What You Can and Stuff That’s Loud: A Teen’s Guide to Unspiraling When OCD Gets Noisy today!