Show notes
Subscribe to my new YouTube Channel HERE and watch this episode on YouTube. What if you're not avoiding the object, but you're avoiding how you expect to feel when you decide what to do with it? A box of keepsakes, your child's old things, or a sweatshirt you never wear can bring up more than a simple question of what to keep. It can bring up guilt, uncertainty, fear of regret, and the urge to put off the decision. In this conversation, Amber sits down with Jenna Overbaugh, a licensed professional counselor who specializes in OCD and anxiety. Jenna shares how anxiety can turn an ordinary decision into something that feels loaded—and why the goal isn't to wait until you feel completely calm or certain before you act. Jenna has spent years helping people work with anxiety and OCD. In graduate school, she also helped develop FAM Training, a program designed to help family members support loved ones who hoard. She brings that experience to a thoughtful conversation about clutter, avoidance, and the meaning we attach to our things. One of Jenna's most useful reminders: you can feel anxious and still take a step that matters to you. As you practice making decisions without waiting for perfect certainty, you can begin building trust in yourself. Jenna also shares personal stories about anxiety, motherhood, and the decisions that helped her move toward the life she wanted. Her perspective is a reminder that you don't have to feel certain before you begin. Sometimes the next step is simply the smallest one you can take today. For more from Jenna: Website: https://jennaoverbaughlpc.comInstagram: @jenna.overbaugh Book: Making Peace with a Noisy Mind — coming February 2027 In this episode: 00:00 Meet Jenna 10:02 Why decisions about clutter can feel so loaded 14:35 Is OCD a spectrum? 19:18 Facing what feels difficult 21:35 Start with one small step 26:17 "Is this constructive thinking?" 31:06 Stepping back from a thought 38:18 Making choices based on your values 47:24 Why motivation can follow action 49:52 Building self-trust 52:12 Jenna's sweatshirt story 57:00 Three ways to work with avoidance 59:23 "Choose your hard" 1:01:43 Today may be the easiest day to begin This conversation is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for individualized mental health care. Watch this episode on YouTube.