Dr Sorcha O'Connor: The PsilOCD study investigating low-dose psilocybin for OCD (#532)
The OCD Stories
Stuart
4.8 • 933 Ratings
🗓️ 5 April 2026
⏱️ 50 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In episode 532 I chat with Dr Sorcha O'Connor. Sorcha is a neuroscientist and PhD graduate from Imperial College London, where she led the PsilOCD study investigating low-dose psilocybin for OCD.
We discuss Sorcha's background that led her to this work, what is psilocybin, the background to the study, what the actual study looked like for participants, the outcomes of the study, what's happening in the brain during a dose of psilocybin, future studies, how psychedelics may improve learning, integration sessions with a therapist, what people with OCD can take from this study, limitations of the study, and much more. Hope it helps.
Show notes: https://theocdstories.com/episode/sorcha-532
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | You're listening to The OCD Stories podcast, hosted by me, Stuart Ralph. |
| 0:05.5 | The OCD Stories is a podcast dedicated to raising awareness and understanding around obsessive, |
| 0:11.1 | compulsive symptoms. I do this for interviewing inspired therapists, psychologists, and people |
| 0:16.8 | who have experienced OCD. Welcome to the OCD Stories. |
| 0:24.6 | And welcome to episode 532 of the podcast. |
| 0:32.0 | And in this one, I interviewed Dr. Sautia O'Connor. Sorsha is a neuroscientist and PhD graduate from Imperial College London, where she led the SIL-O-CD study investigating low-dose psilocybin for OCD. |
| 0:40.6 | Now I've wanted to get someone on from this study for quite a while, so it's great to finally |
| 0:45.6 | get Sautia on and discuss the study with her. So we talk about her background that led her to |
| 0:51.3 | this work. What is psilocybin, the background to the study, |
| 0:55.8 | what the actual study looked like for participants, the outcomes of the study, what's happening |
| 1:01.1 | in the brain during a dose of psilocybin, future studies, how psychedelics may improve learning, |
| 1:07.5 | integration sessions with a therapist, what people with OCD can take from this study, |
| 1:12.9 | limitations of the study, and much more. And thanks to our podcast partners, NoCD. If OCD is interfering |
| 1:20.9 | with your life, No CD can help. Their licensed therapists specialize in exposure and response prevention |
| 1:27.1 | therapy, the most |
| 1:28.4 | proven therapy for OCD. |
| 1:30.4 | With NoCD, effective treatment that is 100% virtual is available for children and adults with |
| 1:35.9 | OCD. |
| 1:36.8 | And most members can get started within seven days on average. |
| 1:40.2 | No hassle, just real, science-backed help and support between sessions. |
| 1:44.8 | Begin your journey at nocd.com or I'll put the link in the episode description. |
| 1:49.5 | So thank you so much to you guys for listening as always. |
... |
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