In this episode of Life Beyond Labels, Kelsey sits down with Tom Smalley, MS, CMPC, for a candid conversation about mental health, OCD, and turning pain into purpose. Tom opens up about his diagnosis with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and the impact it’s had on his life, including a time when he faced a toxic environment and bullying from coaches. Tom shares how he took that struggle and turned it into strength: launching his own mental performance coaching practice, pursuing Olympic weightlifting, and becoming a successful speaker and advocate. Kelsey and Tom also dive into topics like therapy, faith, speaking, and people who have inspired them. If you're looking for real talk about mental health, resilience, and finding strength in your story, this one’s for you.
What to Expect:
This episode contains sensitive content including the mentioning of suicidal thoughts and mental health challenges. If you or someone you know are experiencing mental health challenges, please call the 988 Crisis Hotline or seek individual services from a professional.
- What is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)?
- The benefits and challenges of therapy
- Turning struggle into strength
- How to keep a “North Star” during challenging times
- Navigating toxic environments
- Becoming a speaker and advocate
- Why it is important to tell our stories
Socials: @s2sfof
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Let’s Connect! Credits
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by the individuals in this episode are individual opinions and do not reflect the opinions of the International OCD Foundation or their respective professions. This content does not replace therapy or mental health services.
What is Life Beyond Labels?
Life Beyond Labels is a space to embrace all the qualities, emotions, and stories that connect us as humans—beyond the labels that often define us. We all have them: jobs, titles, roles in relationships, and other parts of our outer identity. But here, we’re digging into what it means to go beyond those labels and dive into topics that affect us and connect us, regardless of the labels we wear.
Join Kelsey O’Connor as she shares insights from her own life and brings on guests for authentic conversations. Together, we’ll dive into stories and experiences that connect us as human beings, encourage us to live more openly, more authentically, and embrace who we are at our core!