A Voice and Beyond

#193 OCD, Anxiety and Life Beyond the Diagnosis with Renee Zukin

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On this week’s transformative episode of A Voice and Beyond, Marisa sits down with Renee Zukin, author, educator, writing coach, mental health advocate, and the courageous voice behind the book Every Day, I’m Brave, which is part memoir, part manifesto, and entirely a call for radical bravery.

Renee’s story blends personal struggle with psychological insight. She lived for decades with crippling anxiety, masking her internal chaos with achievement, productivity, and perfectionism, until she was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in adulthood.


In this deeply compassionate and raw conversation, Renee opens up about:

  • Growing up with undiagnosed OCD and high-functioning anxiety
  • The cost of pretending to be okay — and what happens when we stop
  • How procrastination and self-sabotage are often fear in disguise
  • Healing after a late-in-life diagnosis
  • How to take courageous action even when fear doesn’t disappear
  • Why honesty is the most powerful mental health tool we have
  • Why “trust your gut” is dangerous advice for anxious minds
  • The hidden ways fear shapes our relationships, identity, and choices

If you’ve ever lived with anxiety, masked your needs, or felt afraid to take up space, this episode will touch your heart, speak to your story, and remind you that you are not alone.


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