Podcast Summary

OCD Recovery Podcast with Ali Greymond

Episode Title: Full OCD Recovery: Double The Speed Of Your OCD Recovery
Date: December 9, 2025
Host: Ali Greymond

Episode Overview

In this concise and practical episode, Ali Greymond, OCD specialist and founder of The Greymond Method, shares actionable strategies for accelerating OCD recovery. Building on two decades of experience in coaching and recovery from OCD, Ali focuses on how listeners can intentionally "double the speed" of their recovery by increasing their efforts in reducing ruminations, compulsions, and avoidances. The episode emphasizes the importance of tracking progress, maintaining accountability, and repeatedly choosing to disengage with intrusive thoughts.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Recovery Formula (00:15)

• Ali's Core Formula:

  "If we look at your ruminations plus your compulsions plus your avoidances equals your current level of anxiety and your current level of OCD. If that's your basic formula and that, that is the basic formula of how OCD operates..." (00:15)

  • OCD severity is determined by ruminations, compulsions, and avoidances.
  • Reducing each component decreases overall anxiety and OCD intensity.

2. Doubling Recovery Speed Through Reduction Targets (00:35–01:50)

• Ali's Challenge:

  • Instead of passively reducing compulsions and ruminations, set a goal to further decrease them—potentially doubling current progress.
  • Example: If you’re ruminating 10 minutes less each day, aim for 20 minutes less.

• Simple, Practical Approach:

  "This doesn't have to be precise. We're not pulling out timers and doing crazy things. We're just ballpark approximate trying to reduce from the previous day." (00:57)

  • The method is not about perfectionism or micromanagement but about continuous, mindful improvement.

3. Importance of Accountability and Tracking (01:00–01:40)

• Tracking OCD Behaviors:

  • Like finances or fitness, OCD recovery benefits from some form of measurement.
  • While compulsions are often easier to track, rumination is more subtle and requires deliberate attention.

• Ali's Guidance:

  "You need at least some ballpark data of how you are doing... especially when it comes to rumination, because compulsions are kind of like more factual... but with rumination, it happens on the fly." (01:10)

• Disregarding Intrusive Thoughts:

  "Thought came in, choose to disregard. Another thought came in, choose to disregard. Do this over and over and over again." (01:34)

4. Consistency and Commitment to Recovery Work (02:18)

• The Expert’s Advice:

  "The more recovery work you do, the faster you recover. I'm telling you this as an expert. I've done recovery work with clients for 20 years. This always works when you actually focus on doing it." (02:18)

  • Consistent effort yields real, measurable results.
  • Slips can happen, but overall commitment determines recovery speed.

• Key Actionable Takeaway:

  "Reduce and double the amount that you are reducing by in ruminations and compulsions and avoidance... and you will see the speed of your recovery double." (02:40)

5. Brief Note on Avoidance (00:15, 02:35)

• Avoidance is slightly different to target compared to compulsions and ruminations, but the principle of increasing exposure and engagement still applies.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Why do we count our finances, why do we count our steps?... Because if we have no idea, we start to drown, right? And it's the same thing with OCD." (00:57)
• "The more recovery work you do, the faster you recover." (02:18)
• "Reduce and double the amount that you are reducing by... and you will see the speed of your recovery double." (02:40)
• "Thought came in, choose to disregard. Another thought came in, choose to disregard, do this over and over and over again." (01:34)

Important Timestamps

• 00:15 — Introducing the OCD Recovery Formula
• 00:57 — The importance of approximate goal-setting, not perfectionism
• 01:34 — Practical mantra: Disregard intrusive thoughts repeatedly
• 02:18 — The direct correlation between effort and recovery speed

Tone & Closing Remarks

Ali’s approach is direct, reassuring, and practical. She underscores that OCD recovery is not about drastic, unsustainable changes, but about making consistent, measurable improvements. The episode is motivational, pushing listeners to take full ownership of their recovery journey:

"Take your recovery seriously. Double your effort, and you will double your results." (approx. 02:40)

For personalized coaching or more resources, Ali directs listeners to her website at younhubocd.com.