Podcast Summary: OCD Recovery – You Are In OCD Training Process (Don't Be Harsh On Yourself)

Host: Ali Greymond
Date: November 2, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Ali Greymond, author and OCD recovery coach, addresses listeners who are currently working through their OCD recovery journey. She emphasizes that recovery is a process of training the brain, encourages self-compassion, and provides practical advice for handling setbacks without resorting to perfectionism. Greymond draws from her experience both as a coach and someone who has recovered from OCD, offering a supportive and realistic approach.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. OCD Recovery is a Training Process

• Ali likens OCD recovery to training:

  “It’s important, it’s very important actually for you to understand that currently you are in OCD training. This is training.” (00:18)

• The core skill under development is teaching your brain how to respond to intrusive thoughts.

2. Intrusive Thoughts: Meaning and Response

• Intrusive thoughts are made intrusive by our reaction:

  “We are the ones who make intrusive thoughts intrusive. Without us, intrusive thought is just a bunch of words.” (00:28)

• What is intrusive for one may not be for another, highlighting its subjective nature.
• The goal is to learn to see these thoughts as just “passing thoughts,” whether they are related to OCD or general anxiety.

3. Changing Reactions and Retraining the Brain

• The approach: refrain from entertaining or overreacting to unusual thoughts.

  “Something comes into your brain, it wants you to entertain, wants you to overreact. You are going to make the choice not to overreact.” (01:09)

• The process is about gradual change: “Little by little your brain starts to learn that this is how we behave when we get a thought that’s unusual.” (01:23)

4. Embrace Mistakes—Progress Over Perfection

• Mistakes are expected and are a natural part of developing the skill to handle OCD thoughts.

  “Will you fall down as you develop this ability? Probably, yeah. There’s going to be times when you fall down and that’s also okay. There’s no perfectionism.” (01:36)

• The aim isn’t perfection but progress.

5. Measuring Improvement: The 25% Rule

• Ali shares her method for client progress:

  “With clients, my job is to get them to 25% better than, than the week before. So if you’re doing this on your own, that should be your goal. Not that you’re going to be perfect next week, but you’re going to be 25% better because in a month that’s 100%.” (01:48)

• The process is incremental—reducing anxiety step by step.

6. Self-Reflection and Learning from Setbacks

• Setbacks are learning opportunities, not failures:

  “When you start to feel better out of it, try to kind of look back and see, okay, let’s look at this objectively. Where did I go wrong? And kind of review where you started to veer so then you don’t make that same mistake again.” (02:26)

• Example: Recognizing unhelpful responses like online reassurance seeking, and planning how to respond differently next time.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the nature of intrusive thoughts:

  “There is no, no such thing as really an intrusive thought. There’s just a thought that by our extreme reaction we make intrusive.” (00:43)

• On recovery goals:

  “Don’t be tough on yourself, but don’t be perfection-level hard. Don’t be overthinking recovery, getting into meta OCD. Just view this as I'm developing the ability...” (02:06)

• On analysis after setbacks:

  “Treat it as a learning experience.” (02:50)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Understanding Training Mindset: 00:18 – 01:23
• What Makes Thoughts Intrusive: 00:28 – 00:43
• Handling Setbacks and Progress Measurement: 01:36 – 01:48
• 25% Progress Principle: 01:48 – 02:06
• Self-Reflection After Setbacks: 02:26 – 02:50

Tone and Approach

Ali Greymond maintains a warm, compassionate, and practical tone. She reassures listeners that setbacks are to be expected and that progress is incremental. The focus is on training, learning, and growth rather than on achieving perfection or quick fixes.

Takeaways

• View OCD recovery as an ongoing process of training your brain.
• Intrusive thoughts only gain power through your reaction.
• Mistakes are expected; progress should be gradual (aim for 25% improvement rather than perfection).
• Use setbacks as opportunities for learning and adjustment, not as reasons for self-criticism.
• Approach the journey with self-compassion and patience.