171. OCD Recovery: 2 Skills to Stop Fighting Your Mind (OCD Defusion & Acceptance Tools)

2026-02-13

Can You Really Accept a Thought You Hate? 🧠 In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Dr. Marisa Mazza, a psychologist and expert in ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy). Together, they explore the "how-to" of diffusion and acceptance—the tools that transform your relationship with intrusive thoughts from a battle into a peaceful coexistence. [Dr. Mazza opens up about]: • The Thought Machine: Why your brain is hardwired to produce automatic, often negative ...

Can You Really Accept a Thought You Hate? 🧠

In this episode of The OCD Whisperer Podcast, Kristina Orlova speaks with Dr. Marisa Mazza, a psychologist and expert in ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy). Together, they explore the "how-to" of diffusion and acceptance—the tools that transform your relationship with intrusive thoughts from a battle into a peaceful coexistence.

[Dr. Mazza opens up about]:

• The Thought Machine: Why your brain is hardwired to produce automatic, often negative thoughts, and why you can't just "turn it off"

• The Velcro Effect: Understanding the evolutionary biology behind why negative thoughts stick while positive ones slide away

• Defusion Strategies: Practical ways to "unhook" from obsessions using labels, billboards, and even silly voices like Mickey Mouse

• True Acceptance: Why accepting a thought doesn't mean you like it, want it, or agree with it—it simply means you're willing to have it

By the end of this episode, you’ll realize that while you can’t control the "Thought Machine," you can absolutely control how you respond to it.

Whether you’re navigating OCD yourself or supporting someone, this episode offers tangible strategies and a mindset shift toward psychological flexibility.

📲 About Marisa Mazza (guest):

• PsyD, a faculty member of the Behavioral Therapy Training Institute, author of The ACT Workbook for OCD

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmazza/

• Web Page: https://www.choicetherapy.net/team

✂️ TIMESTAMPS:

[00:00] – The Cure Lie: Why thoughts are 100% automatic

[04:57] – Velcro Brain: Why your mind clings to the negative

[07:31] – The Unhooking Hack: Simple phrases to detach instantly

[08:56] – Mental Billboards: Stripping the power from intrusive thoughts

[12:31] – The OCD Compass: Your fears reveal your deepest values

[16:44] – The Acceptance Trap: Willingness vs. wanting the thought

[21:53] – Brain Labeling: Turning off the internal panic alarm

[26:07] – The 4-Step Script: How to handle a massive spike

[28:45] – Not Your Fault: Reclaiming your life from OCD

✅ Free Resources & Links

🎁 Free OCD Survival Kit & Classes → www.shorturl.at/KcTxM
📖 OCD CBT Journal → www.shorturl.at/7pUxB
🌐 Website → www.korresults.com/
✍️ OCD Academy→ www.ocdacademy.thinkific.com/

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✅ About OCD Whisperer

Welcome to OCD Whisperer! Each episode shares tools and insights for OCD recovery, managing intrusive thoughts, ERP therapy, CBT techniques, anxiety relief, and mindfulness practices. Join me for expert interviews and personal insights into overcoming OCD. Subscribe to find support, strategies, and hope for your OCD journey.

⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note while the host is a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in OCD and anxiety disorders in the state of California, this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for therapy.

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