What happens when the qualities that help someone succeed- discipline, determination, routine, and attention to detail begin working against them?
In this episode of The Hanley Effect, hosts Dr. John Dyben and Dr. Rachel Docekal welcome Dr. Cali Werner, Ph.D., LCSW-S, Director of Business Development and Behavior Therapist at the OCD Institute of Texas, founder of Athlete Rising, LLC, accomplished distance runner, researcher, and author of the children’s book Anxious Annie.
The conversation begins by examining an important distinction: anxiety itself is not necessarily a problem. Anxiety is a normal part of being human. The concern arises when anxiety begins consuming significant amounts of time or interfering with a person’s ability to function. Dr. Werner challenges the cultural message that uncomfortable feelings should always be eliminated, emphasizing instead the importance of developing the ability to tolerate distress.
Dr. Werner also explores how OCD can be difficult to recognize in athletes and other high performers. Behaviors that initially look like dedication, preparation, superstition, or perfectionism may become increasingly rigid and time-consuming. Drawing from her own running career, she describes how seemingly small pre-race rituals eventually expanded into hours of compulsive behavior and contributed to burnout.
Ultimately, this conversation is about much more than OCD. It is about changing our relationship with discomfort. Whether someone is a child experiencing anxiety, a parent trying to help, an athlete pursuing excellence, or an adult living with OCD, Dr. Werner reminds us that the goal is not to create a life without anxiety. It is to develop the flexibility and confidence to experience difficult feelings without allowing them to control our choices.
In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
- How Dr. Werner’s experience with OCD and competitive running inspired her career in mental health
- When everyday anxiety may become an anxiety-related disorder
- Why trying to eliminate all anxiety can sometimes make it more powerful
- How parents can support anxious children without unintentionally reinforcing compulsive behavior
- What Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is and why it is used in OCD treatment
- How reassurance can become part of the OCD cycle
- The differences between OCD, perfectionism, routines, and athletic superstition
- Why high-performing athletes may be particularly vulnerable to unhealthy perfectionism and burnout
- How athletes can develop greater flexibility and learn to recover from mistakes
- When someone with OCD may benefit from a higher level of care
- Why family involvement can be an important part of effective OCD treatment
- How evidence-based treatment can help people reclaim freedom from behaviors that once controlled their lives
About Cali Werner, Ph.D., LCSW-S
Cali Werner, Ph.D., LCSW-S, is Director of Business Development and Behavior Therapist at the OCD Institute of Texas and founder of Athlete Rising, LLC, where she works with athletes experiencing OCD, anxiety, perfectionism, and performance-related challenges.
Resources
If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or a co-occurring mental health disorder, help is available.
Learn more about Hanley’s treatment, family support, and recovery programs at HanleyCenter.org or call 844-502-4673.
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