The OCD Whisperer Podcast with Kristina Orlova

Episode 172: ACT for OCD – The "Observer Self" Hack to Stop Intrusive Thoughts
Guest: Dr. Marisa Maza
Date: February 20, 2026

Episode Overview

In this third installment of a four-part series, host Kristina Orlova and guest Dr. Marisa Maza explore key concepts from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for OCD, focusing on "present moment awareness" and "self as context," sometimes called the "observer self." They break down practical strategies for responding to intrusive thoughts, explain the purpose and application of the observer self, and respond to common listener questions about the overwhelming nature of OCD and mindfulness. The conversation is warm, practical, and packed with takeaways for those struggling to stay present while living with OCD.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What Does "Being Present" Mean for Someone with OCD?

• Challenge of Being Present
  People with OCD often feel that being present is impossible due to the constant barrage of obsessions and compulsions. Kristina highlights the frequent listener confusion:

  “When they hear the word be present, they really can feel like this is a task that’s just too difficult to do because I’ve got too many obsessions or my compulsions are taking over.” (01:00)

• Dr. Maza on Present Moment Awareness
  You don’t need to be present 100% of the time. The point is gentle noticing:

  “It’s totally normal for the mind to wander during that act. ... The point is, is just to simply notice. Oh, wow, I’m future tripping right now ... and then ever so gently bringing yourself back to the here and now.” (02:11)

• Practical Mindfulness Exercise: 5-4-3-2-1 Technique
  Dr. Maza describes using sensory anchors to ground oneself:

  • 5 things you can see
  • 4 things you can feel (tactile, e.g. bracelet, hands, feet on ground)
  • 3 things you hear
  • 2 things you smell
  • 1 thing you taste (03:32)

2. Tailoring Mindfulness When Internal Focus Is Overwhelming

• If internal sensations are too intense (“I feel anxiety, like I’m going to crawl out of my skin”), redirect to tactile sensations:

  “What does my bracelet feel like as I rub it between my fingers? Or what do my feet feel like on the ground?” (03:47)

• For some, focusing on the breath or the feeling of feet on the ground works as an anchor (04:09).
• It’s normal for the mind to wander; practicing for even 1-2 minutes a day is beneficial (05:45).

3. Overcoming Overwhelm: Building Mindfulness Tolerance

• Start with brief practices—just 30 seconds to a minute (06:54).
• Try mindful movement, walking, yoga, or stretching, especially if you have excess energy or co-occurring ADHD (07:05).
• “There’s no right or wrong way to do this... This is hard. Having OCD is hard, but practicing present moment is hard.” (07:38)
• Use self-compassion:

  “Place your hand on your heart, say, this is a really, really hard moment. And it’s okay that I’m feeling anxious and it’s okay that I’m struggling.” (08:13)

4. Validating and Accepting Difficult Experiences

• Acknowledge what’s happening without trying to make it go away. This is not reassurance, but honest validation:

  “We’re not talking about reassurance. Like, you know, oh, it’s okay, I’m going to be okay. We’re talking about just owning and acknowledging what is here.” (08:36)

• Noticing what’s present allows for greater acceptance:

  “When we’re present, we’re able to say, oh, like there’s anger here or there’s frustration here, or there’s some kind of pain here. Right. What could it look like if I were willing to just experience this a little bit more than what I typically would?” (09:08)

5. The "Observer Self" / Self as Context

• Definition: The observer self is the part of you that notices your thoughts, feelings, urges, etc., without being defined by them (10:09).

  “Our observer self is the part of us that can kind of notice all of those experiences. So it’s bigger than any one experience." (10:09)

• Metaphor: The sky (observer self) vs. the weather (thoughts/feelings). The sky contains all weather, but is unchanged by it (10:45).

• For OCD: You are not your OCD. OCD is just one aspect of a much larger self. You have many identities, values, and life roles:

  “OCD is a part of you, but it’s not the whole you. ... Notice that there is a part of you that’s bigger than any one of these experiences.” (12:11)

• Zoom Out, Don’t Zoom In: OCD pulls you into the details. The observer self reminds you of your full self, including experiences beyond OCD (13:16).

6. How to Practice Self as Context / Observer Self

• It is not just about understanding, but practicing noticing from the observer perspective, even for a minute a day (14:01).
• Metaphor: Watch the tennis match (thoughts/urges) from the stands, rather than being trapped as a player on the court (14:47).

7. Applying These Skills During a Trigger

• Step 1: Notice and acknowledge—“This is a moment of suffering, the OCD is really loud” (16:58).

• Step 2: Diffusion Statement—"I’m noticing the OCD saying that..." or "I’m noticing the thought that..." (17:27).

• Step 3: Create space—observe your thoughts, but redirect some attention to sensory experiences (e.g., enjoying your meal, listening to friends) (17:37).

• Step 4: With this distance, you gain choice:

  “Can I also notice that besides this thought, here I am, I’m at a dinner table and really enjoying this steak or french fry, whatever it is.” (17:37)

• Over time, this noticing and naming interrupts the automatic spiral:

  “That gives you that kind of little leverage there, like a little buffer to say, yeah, wait a second. My brain is producing this thing called thoughts, which is what brains do, and I don’t have to then be so wrapped in it.” (18:21)

8. The Power and Freedom of Defusion

• Creating this distance lets you decide how to respond instead of compulsively reacting:

  “By creating distance... it then gives you that choice of like, okay, how do I want to proceed? ...That can be so freeing because oftentimes OCD doesn’t feel like a choice.” (19:58)

• Defusion is the process of unsticking yourself from your thoughts and moving into choice and self-compassion, or a values-based action (16:01).

9. Final Thoughts

• Practice, not Perfection:
  Kristina:

  “It’s not like some perfect science, but from what I hear, it’s. If we get better at that, it gives you more leverage.” (21:04)

• Capacity for Growth:
  Dr. Maza:

  “With practice and time, we get to know... that you are capable of having all of your experiences and still living a present full life.” (21:13)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Observer Self:

  “The observer self can be viewed as sort of like the sky, and our experiences can be viewed as the weather.”
  — Dr. Marisa Maza (10:09)

• On Facing Overwhelm:

  “Having OCD is hard, but practicing present moment is hard. ...Try a little bit of self compassion. Place your hand on your heart, say, this is a really, really hard moment.”
  — Dr. Marisa Maza (07:38)

• On Defusion:

  “‘I’m noticing the OCD saying that...’ Just simply by adding those words in front… allows us to create a little bit of space and choice.”
  — Dr. Marisa Maza (17:37)

• On OCD and Identity:

  “OCD is a part of you, but it’s not the whole you.”
  — Dr. Marisa Maza (12:11)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Present Moment Practice & 5-4-3-2-1 Exercise: 02:11–04:09
• Handling Overwhelm with Self-Compassion: 06:54–08:13
• Validating Experience (not Reassurance): 08:36–09:08
• Defining Observer Self/Self as Context: 10:09–10:54
• Applying Observer Self with OCD Intrusions: 11:26–12:11
• Practicing the Skills/Metaphor Use: 14:01–16:01
• Real-Time Use of Defusion and Noticing at Triggers: 16:58–18:21
• Summary of Gaining Leverage & Freedom: 19:58–21:13

Conclusion

This episode demystifies ACT strategies for OCD, breaking down self as context and present moment awareness into small, achievable steps. Kristina and Dr. Maza balance clinical wisdom with lived experience, repeatedly emphasizing that even a moment of mindful noticing provides leverage against OCD’s patterns. Their metaphors—being the sky, not the weather; or standing in the stands, not stuck on the court—make ACT concepts accessible. Listeners walk away with practical skills and reassurance that change, while gradual, is absolutely possible.

For more from Dr. Maza: choicetherapy.net
For Kristina’s resources: corresults.com