7 Episodes of Seen to Listen to This OCD Awareness Month
Updated: Oct 9
OCD is one of the most misunderstood mental health conditions. People often treat it as a joke about tidy desks or colour-coded wardrobes. In reality it can be a draining cycle of intrusive thoughts, doubt and compulsions that nobody else can see.
Seen with Pandora Morris is a podcast of "bold, brave, honest conversations about what it means to live inside the human mind and body." A safe, judgement-free space for Pandora and guest speakers to talk openly about their struggles, sometimes for the first time. Over the series, previously known as Hurt to Healing, Pandora has covered PTSD, anxiety, addiction, eating disorders, trauma, imposter syndrome and more.
OCD is personal for Pandora. She has lived with it since she was 12, and over the years Seen has built up a collection of honest, hopeful conversations about it. Some are with well-known faces and some are with advocates and founders. One is just Pandora, telling her own story. For OCD Awareness Month, we've gathered seven of them in one place. Whether you live with OCD, love someone who does, or simply want to understand it better, start here.
1. OCD awareness week special: living with OCD
This solo episode is the best place to start. Pandora talks openly about her own OCD, which began when she was 12. She explains what the condition really is beyond the stereotypes: the intrusive thoughts, the compulsions and the exhaustion. She also takes us through her long road through therapy and medication, and how she found real hope with Exposure Response Prevention (ERP). Recovery, she says, doesn't always mean the thoughts go quiet. It means freedom, and learning to live alongside them.
2. Kimberley Nixon on Postnatal OCD and the Reality Behind Myths
Actor Kimberley Nixon joins Pandora to talk about the side of OCD people rarely discuss: the peri- and postnatal OCD she experienced after her son was born. They describe OCD as "the disorder of doubt", with intrusive thoughts you don't choose and compulsions others can't see. Kimberley talks honestly about the fear and the shame, and about what actually helped. Pandora and Kimberley also explain why reassurance can keep you stuck, how ERP works, and the small, doable steps that start to bring your life back.
3. HEALING 101: What Actually Helps with OCD Spikes with Kimberley Nixon
This is a short, practical bonus episode to go with Kimberley's main interview. It covers what helps when an OCD spike hits. Pandora and Kimberley talk about moving from hiding away to reaching out, bringing shame into the open, "dropping the rope" in the tug-of-war with your own mind, and the tiny wins that count on the hardest days. There's also useful advice for friends and family on how to support recovery without feeding the OCD.
4. Bryony Gordon on What OCD Really Feels Like & How She Learned to Live with It
Writer and mental health campaigner Bryony Gordon has done a huge amount to change how we talk about OCD. In this conversation she talks about intrusive thoughts and the way OCD shapeshifts, often latching onto the things we love most. She and Pandora also cover perfectionism, self-acceptance and the resilience it takes to keep showing up. It's honest, moving and often funny. It's also the conversation that led Pandora to name her own OCD "Penelope", a name she admits sounds far too polite for the chaos she causes.
5. Dr Alex George on ADHD, OCD and His 'Am I Normal?' Journey
Dr Alex George talks about his book Am I Normal? and what it's like to grow up feeling different without knowing why. He covers his ADHD diagnosis at 31, living with OCD, grief, and the "what if?" loops that can quietly run your life. He and Pandora recognise a lot of themselves in each other, from rejection sensitivity and rumination to needing structure just to feel safe. It's a kind, grounding listen about reducing shame and working with your brain rather than against it.
6. Understanding OCD Loops, Intrusive Thoughts & ADHD with Melanie Lawson
Melanie Lawson, founder of Bare Biology, talks about how OCD can change shape over time. She describes what intrusive thoughts and compulsions feel like in the body, especially when you're tired, stressed, hormonal or going through big changes. She and Pandora also look at how OCD overlaps with ADHD and rejection sensitivity, how it shows up in motherhood and relationships, and the practical habits that stop it taking over. This one is for anyone caught in loops of doubt and self-blame.
7. Zachary Tucker: 'Reassuring Someone With OCD Is The Worst Thing You Can Do'
OCD advocate and content creator Zachary Tucker shares his experience of relationship OCD and health anxiety, and the misconceptions he still meets. He and Pandora talk about the roles of fear and doubt, why OCD targets the things we care about most, and the tools that helped Zack build a life that anxiety no longer controls. He also explains why reassuring someone with OCD can backfire. That makes it a must-listen for anyone supporting a loved one.
Looking for support?
If you or someone you love is struggling with OCD, you're not alone, and OCD is treatable. OCD Action offers information, support and community at ocdaction.org.uk. You can also text Shout, the UK's free 24/7 mental health text service, any time. If there is an immediate risk to life, call 999.
For more conversations like these, listen to Seen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube. You can also subscribe on Substack for the latest episodes, transcripts and news.
Let's keep changing the conversation about OCD, one honest story at a time.
