OCD Recovery Podcast – Episode Summary

Podcast: OCD Recovery
Host: Ali Greymond
Episode: How To Get Through Bad OCD Day
Date: November 21, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Ali Greymond addresses the common struggle of experiencing “bad days” during OCD recovery. Drawing on her personal journey and 19 years of coaching experience, she reassures listeners that recovery is not a straight path, but one that includes both setbacks and progress. Ali emphasizes the importance of tracking behaviors, staying accountable, and consistently reducing compulsions, ruminations, and avoidances using her Greymond Method. This episode serves as both a motivational boost and a practical guide for anyone facing tough days in their OCD recovery journey.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bad Days Are Normal – Don’t Give Up

• Recovery is not linear. Everyone has setbacks.
  • "You're gonna have good days and you're gonna have bad days." [00:23]
• Measure progress by comparing the number of good days now to earlier in your recovery, not before you started working on recovery.

2. How To Assess Your Recovery Progress

• Instead of focusing on bad moments, look for patterns of improvement week-to-week or month-to-month.
  • "Look for...since you got into doing recovery work, are you seeing increasingly more good days week to week or month to month?" [00:37]
• If things are stagnant or worsening, investigate ongoing behaviors that “keep OCD alive”:
  • Ruminations
  • Compulsions
  • Avoidances

3. Immediate Steps for Tough Days

• Cut down on feeding OCD, especially:

  • Internet research about OCD and symptoms
  • Seeking reassurance from others
  • Engaging in compulsions or avoidant behaviors

• "Probably the lowest hanging fruit...would be no more Internet research, no more asking for reassurance from other people." [01:23]

4. The Importance of Tracking and the Greymond Method

• Use tracking tools (apps, journals, etc.) to monitor ALL types of compulsions, not just one.
• Reducing only a single compulsion at a time is not effective; OCD will shift to another compulsion if given the chance.
  • "You want to make sure that you are reducing compulsions in general...otherwise...it never ending." [02:06]
• The Greymond Method:
  • Tally the total number of compulsions daily.
  • Systematically reduce this number (e.g., from 100 today, to 99 tomorrow, and so on).
  • "If you did, let's say 10 compulsions today, or let's say a hundred, tomorrow is 99 and then 98 and then 97. And then in a hundred days you will be at zero." [03:10]
  • Tracking brings accountability and clearer progress.

5. Accountability and Consistency Lead to Results

• Continue tracking even after reaching zero compulsions to “cement” new habits.
• Progress varies, but many clients see significant changes within 1 to 3 months with serious effort.
  • "Depending on the severity of your situation...but you're not that far away." [04:08]
• Don’t dwell on bad days; forgive yourself swiftly and recommit.
  • "Whatever life happens, don't blame yourself. Don't get caught up in this blame game and discouragement and all of that. Dust yourself off and like, okay, whatever yesterday happened, how it happened, I'm getting back on track." [04:45]

6. Evidence and Encouragement

• Ali highlights her extensive experience and success with clients as evidence of the method’s effectiveness.
  • "I have now so much data, so much proof that this works...because pretty much with every client, we're seeing positive results." [05:07]
• The key is seriousness and full commitment to the method, not “modified” approaches.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On recovery’s ups and downs:
  • "Recovery process is not linear." [00:18]
• On measuring true progress:
  • "You wanna look for...are you seeing increasingly more good days week to week or month to month?" [00:37]
• On addressing all compulsions:
  • "You want to address it from how I suggest in the Greymond Method, where we count the total number of compulsions." [02:20]
• On moving past setbacks:
  • "If you had a bad day, fine. Whatever life happens, don't blame yourself. Don't get caught up in this blame game and discouragement...I'm getting back on track. That's how you need to be with it." [04:45]
• On the Greymond Method's effectiveness:
  • "I guarantee you, you do this, you will start to see a reduction in anxiety. Because I do this every day with clients and I have now so much data, so much proof that this works." [05:08]

Important Timestamps

• 00:18 – It's normal to have bad days in OCD recovery; focus on broader patterns, not isolated setbacks.
• 01:23 – Quickest wins: cut out internet research and asking for reassurance.
• 02:20 – Reduce all compulsions, not just one category, for faster and more lasting progress.
• 03:10 – Explanation of the Greymond Method for tracking compulsions.
• 04:45 – Advice on handling discouragement and recommitting after setbacks.
• 05:07 – Reassurance: The method works, based on extensive client data and Ali’s experience.

Summary

Ali Greymond’s advice for coping with bad OCD days centers on staying the course, tracking all compulsions and behaviors with honesty and consistency, and not being derailed by the natural ups and downs of recovery. Her Greymond Method gives listeners a clear, practical plan for systematically overcoming OCD, and her straightforward encouragement offers hope and motivation for anyone facing difficult times on their recovery path.