As parents, we want to rescue our kids from anxiety and OCD—but the truth is, some things are not within our control. And when we spend our energy trying to fix what isn’t ours to fix, we burn out, lose connection with our child, and unintentionally strengthen OCD. In this episode, I break down the critical difference between what is your role and what isn’t, so you can stop spinning your wheels and start creating meaningful progress for your child.

You’ll Learn What You Can’t Do (No Matter How Hard You Try):

• You can’t force your child to stop compulsions that don’t involve you
• You can’t create motivation or force insight
• You can’t speed up their progress or prevent new OCD themes from emerging
• You can’t make them share every intrusive thought

Trying to control these things only leads to power struggles and frustration—for you and your child.

Then We Shift to What You Can Do (and Where True Power Lies):

• Educate yourself and recognize new OCD patterns early
• Understand co-occurring struggles that impact progress
• Identify how you may be unintentionally feeding OCD
• Learn how to systematically pull back from accommodations
• Set healthy boundaries so OCD doesn’t run your home
• Incentivize your child to do the work instead of doing it for them
• Determine where your child is in their journey—trust, skills, or treatment—and start there

You do have influence. You do have a role. And when you lean into the things you can control, that’s when your child’s growth begins.

👉 Want hands-on guidance through this process? Join the AT Parenting Community, where I support parents step-by-step in building a therapeutic home environment and empowering their kids to take their life back from OCD. Doors close on Thursday, Nov 20th, 2025.

***

This podcast episode is sponsored by NOCD. NOCD provides online OCD therapy in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. To schedule your free 15 minute consultation to see if NOCD is a right fit for you and your child, go to

https://go.treatmyocd.com/at_parenting

This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the guidance of a qualified professional.

Parents, do you need more support?

🌸 Here’s are resources I offer parents 👇🏻❤️

Online classes for parents raising kids with anxiety and OCD:

https://atparentingsurvivalschool.com

Join the AT Parenting Community (A membership designed to support parents raising kids with anxiety or OCD):

https://atparentingcommunity.com

Take one of my FREE webinars:

www.Natashadaniels.com/webinars

Check out my books:

www.Natashadaniels.com/books

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you trying everything to help your child’s OCD… yet nothing seems to stick?

You’re not alone—and it’s not because you’re doing anything wrong.

In this episode, I’m breaking down the 7 most common mistakes parents make when trying to help OCD, and more importantly, what to do instead. These mistakes are incredibly common, even among well-meaning therapists, and understanding them is the first step to real progress.

We’ll talk about:

• Why logic and reassurance often make OCD stronger
• How accommodations quietly feed OCD’s power
• Why ERP isn’t just “facing fears”
• And the role parents must play in their child’s OCD journey

If your child has OCD, this episode will help you stop spinning your wheels and start using tools that actually work.

🧡 Want step-by-step guidance on how to help your child at home?

Register for my FREE video series Survival Tools for Parents Raising Kids with anxiety or OCD at atparentingsurvivalseries.com.

🧡 For this episode’s handout go to www.natashadaniels.com/handouts

Take my SPACE Study course at www.natashadaniels.com/space and learn about the AT Parenting Community at www.atparentingcommunity.com

***

This podcast episode is sponsored by NOCD. NOCD provides online OCD therapy in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. To schedule your free 15 minute consultation to see if NOCD is a right fit for you and your child, go to

https://go.treatmyocd.com/at_parenting

This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the guidance of a qualified professional.

Parents, do you need more support?

🌸 Here’s are resources I offer parents 👇🏻❤️

Online classes for parents raising kids with anxiety and OCD:

https://atparentingsurvivalschool.com

Join the AT Parenting Community (A membership designed to support parents raising kids with anxiety or OCD):

https://atparentingcommunity.com

Take one of my FREE webinars:

www.Natashadaniels.com/webinars

Check out my books:

www.Natashadaniels.com/books

🌸 Other social places I hang out:

http://www.facebook.com/ATparentingSurvival

http://www.pinterest.com/ATparentingSurvival

http://www.instagram.com/ATparentingSurvival

http://www.twitter.com/Parentingsurvival

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When your child can’t explain their OCD, it can feel impossible to know how to help. Many kids feel embarrassed, don’t have the words, or experience OCD as a feeling instead of a clear fear. Sometimes the compulsions come first, making it even harder to put into words.

In this episode, I’ll share why kids struggle to explain their OCD and what you can do instead of pushing for answers. You’ll learn how to spot patterns, identify themes, and support your child with both compassion and strategy.

✨ Want more step-by-step guidance? Join my free series, Survival Tools for Parents Raising Kids with Anxiety or OCD starting next week at www.atparentingsurvivalseries.com.

***

This podcast episode is sponsored by NOCD. NOCD provides online OCD therapy in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. To schedule your free 15 minute consultation to see if NOCD is a right fit for you and your child, go to

https://go.treatmyocd.com/at_parenting

This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the guidance of a qualified professional.

Parents, do you need more support?

🌸 Here’s are resources I offer parents 👇🏻❤️

Online classes for parents raising kids with anxiety and OCD:

https://atparentingsurvivalschool.com

Join the AT Parenting Community (A membership designed to support parents raising kids with anxiety or OCD):

https://atparentingcommunity.com

Take one of my FREE webinars:

www.Natashadaniels.com/webinars

Check out my books:

www.Natashadaniels.com/books

🌸 Other social places I hang out:

http://www.facebook.com/ATparentingSurvival

http://www.pinterest.com/ATparentingSurvival

http://www.instagram.com/ATparentingSurvival

http://www.twitter.com/Parentingsurvival

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Parents often rely on their usual parenting strategies to help their child with OCD — but those same strategies can actually backfire.

In this episode, I break down the most common approaches parents try and explain why they don’t work when it comes to OCD.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, repeating the same things without progress, this episode will help you understand why and what to do differently.

To get the PDF handout that supplements this episode go to www.natashadaniels.com/episode440

✨ Get 50% off all my courses and workshops until December 18, 2025 11:59pm in honor of OCD Awareness Week. Go to AT Parenting Survival School and use the coupon code OCDAWARENESS2025.

Links mentioned in podcast:

Podcast: Validation vs Accommodations in OCD

Podcast: Developing Effective Incentive Plans

Reel: Distraction vs Refocusing

***

This podcast episode is sponsored by NOCD. NOCD provides online OCD therapy in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. To schedule your free 15 minute consultation to see if NOCD is a right fit for you and your child, go to

https://go.treatmyocd.com/at_parenting

This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the guidance of a qualified professional.

Parents, do you need more support?

🌸 Here’s are resources I offer parents 👇🏻❤️

Online classes for parents raising kids with anxiety and OCD:

https://atparentingsurvivalschool.com

Join the AT Parenting Community (A membership designed to support parents raising kids with anxiety or OCD):

https://atparentingcommunity.com

Take one of my FREE webinars:

www.Natashadaniels.com/webinars

Check out my books:

www.Natashadaniels.com/books

🌸 Other social places I hang out:

http://www.facebook.com/ATparentingSurvival

http://www.pinterest.com/ATparentingSurvival

http://www.instagram.com/ATparentingSurvival

http://www.twitter.com/Parentingsurvival

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

OCD loves to change costumes. One week it’s germs, the next it’s harm or moral worries—and parents are left wondering, “Are we back at square one?” In this episode I explain why theme changes are common, what’s actually staying the same beneath the surface, and how to respond without chasing content.

You’ll learn:

• Why themes change (and why that doesn’t mean regression)
• 
  
• How to spot the OCD cycle across any theme
• 
  
• Practical ways to keep coaching and exposures on track when the fear looks “new”
• 
  
• Language you can use with your child when OCD suddenly pivots
• 
  

Want weekly free OCD parenting support delivered right to your inbox? Get on my newsletter by going to: www.Natashadaniels.com/newsletter.

Links Mentioned in This Episode:

Join the AT Parenting Community

Core Fear YouTube Playlist

OCD is an Octopus video

Offense and Defense video

Moral OCD YouTube Playlist

***

This podcast episode is sponsored by NOCD. NOCD provides online OCD therapy in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. To schedule your free 15 minute consultation to see if NOCD is a right fit for you and your child, go to

https://go.treatmyocd.com/at_parenting

This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the guidance of a qualified professional.

Parents, do you need more support?

🌸 Here’s are resources I offer parents 👇🏻❤️

Online classes for parents raising kids with anxiety and OCD:

https://atparentingsurvivalschool.com

Join the AT Parenting Community (A membership designed to support parents raising kids with anxiety or OCD):

https://atparentingcommunity.com

Take one of my FREE webinars:

www.Natashadaniels.com/webinars

Check out my books:

www.Natashadaniels.com/books

🌸 Other social places I hang out:

http://www.facebook.com/ATparentingSurvival

http://www.pinterest.com/ATparentingSurvival

http://www.instagram.com/ATparentingSurvival

http://www.twitter.com/Parentingsurvival

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this podcast episode, I sit down with Dr. Tamar Chansky to talk about the newly revised edition of her classic book, Freeing Your Child from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

Dr. Chansky has helped countless families better understand OCD and learn practical, compassionate strategies to support their children.

In our conversation, we discuss what’s new in this updated edition, how the field’s understanding of OCD has evolved, and the tools parents need today to help their kids face intrusive thoughts and compulsions.

Whether you’re just beginning your journey with OCD or looking for fresh tools to strengthen your child’s progress, this conversation will give you both hope and direction.

Get your updated version of Freeing Your Child from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

***

This podcast episode is sponsored by NOCD. NOCD provides online OCD therapy in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. To schedule your free 15 minute consultation to see if NOCD is a right fit for you and your child, go to

https://go.treatmyocd.com/at_parenting

This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the guidance of a qualified professional.

Parents, do you need more support?

🌸 Here’s are resources I offer parents 👇🏻❤️

Online classes for parents raising kids with anxiety and OCD:

https://atparentingsurvivalschool.com

Join the AT Parenting Community (A membership designed to support parents raising kids with anxiety or OCD):

https://atparentingcommunity.com

Take one of my FREE webinars:

www.Natashadaniels.com/webinars

Check out my books:

www.Natashadaniels.com/books

🌸 Other social places I hang out:

http://www.facebook.com/ATparentingSurvival

http://www.pinterest.com/ATparentingSurvival

http://www.instagram.com/ATparentingSurvival

http://www.twitter.com/Parentingsurvival

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

OCD can show up much earlier than most people realize — and often in ways parents don’t immediately recognize. For younger kids, compulsions might appear before they can even describe intrusive thoughts. You might see rigidity, controlling behaviors, repetitive actions, or big meltdowns over things that don’t seem to make sense.

In this episode, I’ll walk you through how OCD can look in young children and share practical strategies for helping them. From personifying OCD as “Mr. Bossy,” to creating superheroes who fight back, to slowly reducing accommodations and even gamifying the process — I’ll give you tools to make OCD something your child can actually face.

If you’ve ever wondered how to support a younger child with OCD, this episode will give you a roadmap to start.

Also, check out my new children’s picture book to help children with OCD: Chloe and the Bossy Cloud.

***

***

This podcast episode is sponsored by NOCD. NOCD provides online OCD therapy in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. To schedule your free 15 minute consultation to see if NOCD is a right fit for you and your child, go to

https://go.treatmyocd.com/at_parenting

This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the guidance of a qualified professional.

Parents, do you need more support?

🌸 Here’s are resources I offer parents 👇🏻❤️

Online classes for parents raising kids with anxiety and OCD:

https://atparentingsurvivalschool.com

Join the AT Parenting Community (A membership designed to support parents raising kids with anxiety or OCD):

https://atparentingcommunity.com

Take one of my FREE webinars:

www.Natashadaniels.com/webinars

Check out my books:

www.Natashadaniels.com/books

🌸 Other social places I hang out:

http://www.facebook.com/ATparentingSurvival

http://www.pinterest.com/ATparentingSurvival

http://www.instagram.com/ATparentingSurvival

http://www.twitter.com/Parentingsurvival

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.