The Hardcore Self-Help Podcast with Duff the Psych

In this deeply informative episode, I'm joined by licensed marriage and family therapist Melissa Mose, LMFT, who brings 30 years of clinical experience to the table and a unique approach to treating OCD by integrating Internal Family Systems (IFS) with traditional methods like Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP).

Melissa shares how a personal experience—her daughter's sudden-onset OCD—propelled her into the world of OCD treatment and changed the direction of her career. We talk through how OCD manifests, why traditional ERP can be both life-changing and difficult for people, and how IFS can offer a more compassionate, effective way to approach healing by helping clients access their internal "Self."

We also discuss Melissa's new book for clinicians, her training work, and the upcoming OCD SoCal Conference happening online on November 15–16, 2025.

• Melissa's unexpected path from literature and mythology to psychotherapy

• The sudden-onset OCD experience with her daughter that changed everything

• What OCD really is – beyond stereotypes – and why it's often misunderstood

• Core concepts of ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention)

• How Internal Family Systems (IFS) works and its 8 C's of Self-energy

• Why combining IFS and ERP may provide better outcomes for some people

• "Self-led ERP" – Melissa's integrative model for treating OCD

• Real-life examples of recovery using this compassionate framework

• The importance of identifying OCD early, especially in kids

• Training efforts to help clinicians recognize and effectively treat OCD

• Hope for those who feel "too far gone"

00:00 – Intro to Melissa Mose and IFS for OCD 03:00 – Melissa's background and shift from English literature to psychology 08:00 – Early career in teen and family systems therapy 11:00 – Her daughter's sudden-onset OCD and the diagnosis of PANDAS 14:30 – Navigating confusion, misdiagnosis, and treatment discovery 18:00 – What OCD actually is: the obsession-compulsion cycle 22:00 – How compulsions generalize and worsen OCD 24:30 – Introduction to ERP and how it works 29:00 – What is Internal Family Systems (IFS)? 34:00 – Comparing IFS to ACT and other models 42:00 – Mapping OCD symptoms to internal "parts" using IFS 48:00 – A self-led approach to ERP: empowering the Self 50:30 – Client success stories and examples 55:00 – The rise of IFS in the OCD world 58:00 – Is IFS evidence-based for OCD? 01:00:00 – Melissa's "Self-led ERP" model explained 01:02:00 – Workbook and practical tools coming soon 01:04:00 – How to get started with IFS 01:08:00 – Inside Out, visualization, and self-awareness 01:10:00 – Making IFS for OCD more accessible worldwide 01:12:00 – Final thoughts: hope and next steps for those struggling

In this heartfelt and candid episode, I'm joined by Chef Chris Valdes—TV personality, cookbook author, and lifelong culinary artist—to talk about his powerful personal journey through the culinary world and the mental health struggles he's faced along the way. From growing up in a Cuban restaurant in Miami to rising to national TV fame, Chris has seen both the bright lights and the dark corners of the kitchen. He shares stories of family, grief, hustle, and healing—including why he took a year off from everything to rediscover himself.

Whether you're in food service, struggling with burnout, or just love a good story with heart and spice, this one's for you.

Timestamps / Chapters:

[00:00:00] Intro & Chris's background [00:03:00] Earliest food memory: the flan and whipped cream incident [00:06:45] Growing up in a family restaurant [00:08:30] Father's imprisonment and family disruption [00:13:00] Early entrepreneurial spirit (orange hustling!) [00:17:00] High school struggles & turning point with Le Cordon Bleu [00:23:00] Launching his catering company at 19 [00:26:00] First experience with depression & thoughts of ending it [00:29:00] Hitting a wall after a breakup & GMA meltdown [00:33:00] Psychedelic healing ceremony in Malibu [00:38:00] Rediscovering self through solitude, therapy, and boundaries [00:43:00] Toxic kitchen culture and normalizing mental health discussions [00:47:00] Holiday catering chaos and internal pressure [00:52:00] Advice on rest, recovery, and choosing yourself [00:56:00] What's next: books, new management, and the slow lane [00:57:00] Signature nostalgic dish [00:59:00] Go-to Latin spices (cumin, garlic, cilantro) [01:01:00] What young Chris would say to 2025 Chris [01:02:30] Where to follow and final thoughts

Friends, welcome back to the Hardcore Self Help Podcast. This is my first interview back after a bit of a journey. I thought there was no better way to kick off this next phase of the podcast than by introducing you to a friend and brilliant human that I met in the interim.

Dr. Amy Andrea Martinez is a professor of sociology with a focus on Chicano gang culture, incarceration, and abolition. She is a total badass, and she gets vulnerable about her experiences in this conversation. We discuss how her younger brother's arrest, the development of her identity as a Xicana woman, her experiences with depression and suicidality, and her decision to build armor around her heart this year before diving back into the heart of academia and book-writing. I really hope you enjoy this one.

In this deeply personal solo episode, Dr. Duff returns to the mic after a hiatus to share what's been going on behind the scenes with The Hardcore Self Help Podcast. He opens up about an almost-acquisition of the show by a larger mental health organization—a deal that initially looked promising but ultimately fell through. With transparency and vulnerability, Dr. Duff reflects on the emotional and professional impact of that experience, explains why the podcast paused, and announces the exciting new direction it's headed in.

• Why the podcast went quiet for a while

• A behind-the-scenes look at the attempted acquisition of the show

• The emotional and logistical toll of being let down by a potential deal

• Reflections on past professional disappointments outside of clinical work

• What's next: rebranding, new episode formats, and a stronger emphasis on interviews

• Why connection and personal stories will be the heart of the podcast moving forward

• Dr. Duff's renewed commitment to amplifying diverse voices and lived experiences

• Updates on the "Bipolar Answers" audiobook and Substack content

• Thoughts on staying consistent while prioritizing quality over quantity

• 00:00 – 00:52 — Welcome back! What this episode is about

• 00:52 – 02:00 — The podcast was almost sold—here's how it started

• 02:00 – 03:26 — Meeting the company, expectations, and initial excitement

• 03:26 – 06:04 — Multiple meetings and flying out to pitch in person

• 06:04 – 08:00 — In-person meetings and positive vibes, but no details yet

• 08:00 – 10:24 — Delays, excuses, and finally: the deal falls through

• 10:24 – 12:25 — Processing the disappointment and reflecting on past letdowns

• 12:25 – 13:21 — Token compensation offered, but trust was broken

• 13:21 – 14:00 — What's next: staying open to future partnerships

• 14:00 – 15:22 — New focus: interviews over general Q&A

• 15:22 – 16:48 — The unique value of human connection in storytelling

• 16:48 – 17:15 — Rebranding plans and more diverse guest features

• 17:15 – 18:17 — Finishing the audiobook, editing, and prepping new interviews

• 18:17 – 19:05 — Where to find Dr. Duff in the meantime and the new YouTube direction