139. Values-Based Therapy for OCD: The Key to Psychological Flexibility

Living with OCD isn’t just about managing anxiety—it’s about reclaiming your life through your values. In this powerful episode of the OCD Whisperer Podcast, host Kristina Orlova welcomes OCD therapist Lennon Jones, founder of Golden Hour OCD and Anxiety, to explore how personal values bring clarity, purpose, and resilience to Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy.

 

ERP, first line treatment for OCD treatment, can often feel grueling, especially when it’s reduced to simply "sitting with anxiety." Lennon shares why this approach can feel torturous without an internal compass—and how integrating Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) shifts the focus from fear to meaning. Together, Kristina and Lennon unpack how clarifying your values (like connection, creativity, or service) can turn exposures from hollow tasks into empowering acts of self-trust.

 

They dive into psychological flexibility, the antidote to OCD’s rigid thinking, and offer real-life examples of how values-based actions—even small ones—can help you live with purpose, despite intrusive thoughts. Whether you're just starting treatment or navigating setbacks, this episode offers hope, compassion, and actionable guidance for building a life driven by what matters most.

 

Tune in to learn how to stop living for certainty—and start living for your values.

The 3 things you’ll learn in  today’s episode:

• What makes OCD treatment feel torturous—and how a simple mindset shift can change everything
• The surprising mistake many people make with exposure therapy (and what to do instead).
• Why saying “maybe I am a terrible person” might actually be the path to healing.

In This Episode

 

• [00:00:01] Introduction and guest welcome  
• [00:01:10] The importance of values in ERP  
• [00:03:57] Meaning behind exposures  
• [00:05:48] Blending ERP and ACT: Facing daunting thoughts  
• [00:09:25] Building a solid values base  
• [00:10:13] Evolution of ERP and incorporating values  
• [00:11:45] Values in relationship OCD  
• [00:12:33] Values are not perfection  
• [00:14:19] Introducing psychological flexibility  
• [00:15:13] CBT, ERP, and psychological flexibility  
• [00:18:33] Recognizing rigidity and all-or-nothing thinking  
• [00:20:17] Practical values-based tool  
• [00:24:05] Exposure to your true self  
• [00:25:41] Autonomy and making choices  
• [00:26:44] Trusting yourself and closing thoughts  
• [00:27:03] How to find Lennon 

 

Notable Quotes

 

• [02:15] "Exposure therapy should not be torture. And if it doesn't have those values, beliefs, that trust in yourself behind it, a lot of times it can be torturous for people." —Lennon

 

• [23:59] "Sometimes the exposure we’re trying to do is exposing yourself to who you really are.." — Lennon

 

• [11:48] "If I'm having a relationship-based OCD and not sure about my partner, but I know connection is a value for me, then yeah, maybe I’m going to go and spend time with my partner even though I'm feeling anxious and uncomfortable."— Kristina

 

• [12:47] "A value per se is not measurable. Like you can't reach a certain level of perfection in the value." — Lennon

 

• [13:59] "Psychological flexibility... is the goal of exposure therapy. We want to be more flexible in these situations. We want to just enjoy our lives." — Lennon

 

• [21:58] "I’m open about my OCD. There’s still a certain way I thought, and next thing you know, you’re right back in this anxious state that just feels horrendous.'." — Kristina

 

• [23:12] "Even in an area where your senses can't detect anything, the reasonable, rational way to live is to do that functional certainty thing and just to assume you're okay." — Mike Parker

Our Guest

 

Lennon Jones is a licensed OCD and anxiety therapist based in Southern Utah and the founder of Golden Hour OCD and Anxiety, a digital platform offering support and education for those navigating OCD re