# 191. The Reason You Keep Second-Guessing Yourself (OCD Explained)

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-ocd-whisperer-podcast-with-kristina-orlova-1214844/191-the-reason-you-keep-second-guessing-yourself-ocd-explained
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-ocd-whisperer-podcast-with-kristina-orlova-1214844/191-the-reason-you-keep-second-guessing-yourself-ocd-explained.md
Podcast: [The OCD Whisperer Podcast with Kristina Orlova](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-ocd-whisperer-podcast-with-kristina-orlova-1214844)
Published: 2026-06-27T15:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://ocdwhisperer.podbean.com/e/191-the-reason-you-keep-second-guessing-yourself-ocd-explained/
Audio file: https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/ftbuq6w8u5b5q9hq/ep_191_A_ONLY6h9yd.mp3
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Duration seconds: 2001

## Resource

What if the thing you trust most… your own mind… is the very thing that's tricking you? In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Catherine Goldhouse, therapist and ICBT expert. Together, they explore one of the most confusing parts of OCD recovery: how OCD pulls you away from reality and convinces you to trust your imagination instead. Catherine opens up about: • Why people with OCD don't actually struggle with certainty—they struggle with second-guessing themselves • How OCD creates obsessional doubt by making you distrust your senses and your own mind • Why compulsions keep OCD alive by reinforcing the idea that you can't trust yourself • How reality sensing helps you reconnect with what you already know to be true This conversation also dives into: • The moment OCD pulls you into "Yeah, but what if..." thinking • Why feelings and sensations are not always evidence of danger • How imagination can become so convincing that it feels more real than reality itself • The powerful difference between OCD and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) • Why recovery isn't about finding perfect certainty—it's about learning to trust yourself again If you've ever thought: "I know this doesn't make sense… but what if?" This episode is for you. Whether you're navigating OCD yourself or supporting someone you love, this conversation offers hope, practical tools, and a completely different way of understanding why OCD feels so real. 📲 About Catherine Goldhouse (guest): • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/icbttherapist/ • Website: https://www.catherinegoldhouse.com/ • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherinegoldhouse/ ✂️ TIMESTAMPS: [00:00] – What Is Reality Sensing in ICBT? [04:16] – Why People with OCD Second-Guess Themselves [06:42] – The Choic…

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