Hosted by therapist Alexandra Hoerr 

Intrusive thoughts can be jarring and distressing, especially if they stick in your mind! Pete Marlow is a therapist at Optimum Joy and works to normalize intrusive thoughts as something everyone has. However, they can inhibit your life! Pete empathizes around the pain of intrusive thoughts and offers recommendations to get unstuck. Enjoy the whole interview, or skip to a segment of interest detailed below.

Time Stamps:

00:00-01:50 Introduction to Intrusive Thoughts
01:50-03:30 What are intrusive thoughts?
03:30-06:00 The brain behind intrusive thoughts
06:00-07:36 Anxiety is good for you until it inhibits your life.
07:36-09:25 What are the voice in our head: Worried Voice, False Comfort, & Wise Mind
09:25-10:33 Wise Mind as a Mindfulness Practice
10:33-12:15 Categories of Intrusive Thoughts: Morally Distasteful, Big Issue Thoughts, Questioning Reality, Nonsensical Thoughts
12:15-14:10 Let’s normalize intrusive thoughts & empathize around how disturbing it can feel
14:10-17:29 Recommendations: Observe without judgement, seek therapy geared towards “exposure work” to prove to yourself you’re safe, read “Overcoming Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts”
17:29-18:01 Intrusive thoughts can feel shameful and embarrassing so we have to talk about them!

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Articles by Pete