Zachary Stockill's Retroactive Jealousy Course — An Honest Review
A thorough, honest review of Zachary Stockill's 'Get Over Your Partner's Past' course — what's inside, who it's for, what works, what doesn't, and whether it's worth the investment.
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If you’ve spent any time researching retroactive jealousy online, you’ve almost certainly encountered Zachary Stockill. He runs the website retroactivejealousy.com, hosts a YouTube channel with over 100,000 subscribers, wrote the book Overcoming Retroactive Jealousy, and offers a paid course called “Get Over Your Partner’s Past Fast.” He is, without question, the most visible name in the retroactive jealousy space.
The question most people arrive at eventually: is his course worth the money?
This review aims to answer that honestly. We’ll cover what’s publicly known about the course, what Stockill brings to the table, where the course has genuine strengths, where it falls short, and who should consider it versus who should look elsewhere.
Full disclosure: We are not affiliated with Zachary Stockill and receive no commission from his course. We do link to therapy platforms like BetterHelp and NOCD through affiliate partnerships, which is disclosed where relevant. Our goal here is to give you the information you need to make a good decision with your money and your recovery.
Who Is Zachary Stockill?
Zachary Stockill is a Canadian author, content creator, and coach who has built his career around retroactive jealousy. He experienced retroactive jealousy himself, found that almost no resources existed for the condition at the time, and started creating content about it in the early 2010s.
He deserves genuine credit for several things:
- He named the problem for thousands of people. Before Stockill started publishing content, most people suffering from retroactive jealousy had no name for what they were experiencing. His YouTube videos, blog posts, and book gave people language for something they thought was unique to them.
- He reduced isolation. His content showed people they weren’t alone, they weren’t broken, and this was a recognizable pattern with identifiable features. That alone has real therapeutic value.
- He created awareness. Therapists, partners, and the general public now have more understanding of retroactive jealousy partly because Stockill spent over a decade making content about it.
- He has helped thousands of people. The testimonials and comments across his platforms are extensive. Many people report meaningful improvement from his work.
None of that should be dismissed. In a space where clinical resources are limited and many therapists don’t know what retroactive jealousy is, Stockill filled a genuine vacuum.
At the same time, it’s important to note what Stockill is not: he is not a licensed therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist. He does not have clinical training. He is a coach and content creator who overcame his own retroactive jealousy and built a business around helping others do the same. This is relevant context, not a disqualification — but it matters when you’re deciding how to spend your recovery budget.
What’s in the Course?
The “Get Over Your Partner’s Past Fast” course is Stockill’s flagship product. Based on publicly available information and user reports, here is what the course generally includes:
- Video modules covering the psychology of retroactive jealousy, common triggers, and strategies for managing intrusive thoughts
- Guided exercises designed to reframe thinking patterns around a partner’s past
- Meditation and mindfulness components aimed at creating distance from obsessive thought loops
- Journaling prompts and self-reflection work
- A private community or forum where course members can discuss their progress and challenges
- Supplementary content including Q&A sessions and bonus materials
The course draws from a mix of cognitive-behavioral principles, mindfulness practices, acceptance-based strategies, and Stockill’s personal recovery experience. It is delivered primarily through video and is designed for self-paced completion.
Pricing has varied over time, but the course has historically been priced in the range of $200 to $400 USD, sometimes with different tiers or payment plan options. Check his current website for the most up-to-date pricing.
What Works Well
Specificity to Retroactive Jealousy
This is the course’s single greatest strength. Unlike general anxiety programs, therapy apps, or self-help books about jealousy in general, Stockill’s course is built from the ground up for retroactive jealousy specifically. Every example, every exercise, every scenario is about this particular problem.
For someone who has tried to explain retroactive jealousy to a therapist who doesn’t understand it, or who has read general jealousy advice that doesn’t quite fit, this specificity has genuine value. You don’t have to translate. You don’t have to explain why this is different from regular jealousy. The course speaks your language from the first module.
Accessibility and Structure
The self-paced video format is accessible. You don’t need to schedule appointments, sit in a waiting room, or explain your situation to a stranger. For people who are embarrassed about their retroactive jealousy — and most people are — this matters. You can work through the material privately, on your own schedule.
The structured format also gives people a clear path forward. When you’re in the grip of retroactive jealousy, the chaos of contradictory advice online can make everything worse. Having a defined program with steps to follow provides a sense of direction that many people find calming in itself.
Community
The community component gives people a space to share their experience with others who understand it. The therapeutic value of knowing you’re not alone in this is well-documented. For people who don’t have a therapist, a support group, or friends who understand retroactive jealousy, this community access may be one of the most valuable parts of the course.
Stockill’s Empathy and Authenticity
Stockill has lived with retroactive jealousy. That comes through in his content. He doesn’t talk about it from a clinical distance — he talks about it from experience. For many sufferers, this creates a level of trust and understanding that they don’t feel with professionals who haven’t experienced the condition.
Where the Course Falls Short
No Clinical Training Behind the Approach
This is the most significant limitation. Retroactive jealousy, particularly when it has OCD-like features — intrusive thoughts, compulsive checking, mental rituals, reassurance-seeking — responds best to evidence-based therapeutic approaches like Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
These are clinical modalities with decades of research behind them. They require specific training to deliver effectively. A well-meaning but clinically untrained approach can accidentally reinforce the OCD cycle — for example, by providing reassurance (which temporarily relieves anxiety but strengthens the compulsive loop) or by encouraging engagement with the content of intrusive thoughts rather than changing the relationship to them.
This doesn’t mean Stockill’s course is harmful. Many of his techniques overlap with evidence-based approaches. But there’s a difference between a course that incorporates some CBT-adjacent techniques and a treatment program designed and supervised by someone with clinical training in OCD-spectrum conditions.
One-Size-Fits-All Approach
Retroactive jealousy has multiple subtypes and root causes. For some people, it’s primarily an OCD-spectrum issue — intrusive thoughts, mental compulsions, and an anxiety loop that operates somewhat independently of relationship quality. For others, it’s rooted in attachment insecurity, low self-worth, or unresolved trauma. For many, it’s a combination.
A self-paced video course necessarily provides the same content to everyone. It can’t adjust to your specific subtype, your specific triggers, your specific history. A skilled therapist can. This isn’t a flaw unique to Stockill’s course — it’s a structural limitation of any pre-recorded program — but it’s worth understanding before you buy.
Commercial Incentives
Stockill has built a business around retroactive jealousy. His course, coaching packages, book, and content all generate revenue. This creates an inherent tension: his livelihood depends on people buying his products rather than pursuing alternatives.
To be fair, therapists also charge for their services, and having a commercial incentive doesn’t automatically make someone’s advice bad. But it’s worth noticing that Stockill’s content tends to position his course as the primary solution, rather than directing people toward clinical therapy when that might be more appropriate — particularly for severe cases or cases with clear OCD features.
It’s Not Therapy
This might seem obvious, but it’s worth stating explicitly: a video course is not therapy. It doesn’t provide clinical assessment, it doesn’t adapt to your responses in real time, it doesn’t catch warning signs that a trained clinician would notice, and it doesn’t provide the accountability and relational container that a therapeutic relationship offers.
For mild to moderate retroactive jealousy without significant OCD features, a self-guided approach may be sufficient. For moderate to severe cases, particularly those with OCD qualities, a course alone is unlikely to be enough.
Cost Comparison: Course vs. Alternatives
Here’s how Stockill’s course compares financially to other options:
| Option | Estimated Cost | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Stockill’s course | $200–$400 (one-time) | Self-paced video course, community access, exercises |
| NOCD therapy (OCD-specialized) | $60–$120/session (varies with insurance) | Licensed therapist trained in ERP, clinical assessment |
| BetterHelp (general therapy) | $65–$100/week | Licensed therapist, weekly sessions, messaging |
| Local OCD specialist | $150–$300/session (varies widely) | In-person clinical treatment, personalized care |
| Self-guided book recovery | $30–$80 total | 2-3 targeted books, self-paced |
| Free resources (this site, Reddit, etc.) | $0 | Articles, guides, community support, worksheets |
The course is cheaper than ongoing therapy but significantly more expensive than books and free resources. The question is whether the additional structure and community justify the price difference over self-guided alternatives.
Balanced Scorecard
| Dimension | Rating (1-10) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Specificity to RJ | 9 | Built entirely around retroactive jealousy |
| Clinical rigor | 4 | Incorporates some evidence-based ideas but lacks clinical training |
| Accessibility | 8 | Self-paced, private, available worldwide |
| Community support | 7 | Active community of fellow sufferers |
| Value for money | 5 | Decent for mild cases; expensive given alternatives |
| Personalization | 3 | Same content for everyone regardless of subtype |
| Evidence base | 4 | Draws from research but not clinically designed |
| Production quality | 7 | Well-produced video content |
| Overall | 5.9 | Good starting point, not a complete solution |
Who Should Buy This Course
The course is a reasonable investment if:
- Your retroactive jealousy is mild to moderate — bothersome but not consuming your entire day or destroying your relationship
- You don’t have access to a therapist who understands retroactive jealousy, and can’t find one through platforms like NOCD or BetterHelp
- You learn well from structured video courses and want a defined path rather than piecing together free resources
- You value community and want to connect with others who share your experience
- You’ve already tried books and free resources and want something more structured but aren’t ready for therapy
- You’re looking for a first step and want to understand retroactive jealousy better before pursuing clinical treatment
Who Should Skip It and Do This Instead
The course is probably not the best use of your money if:
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Your retroactive jealousy has clear OCD features — intrusive thoughts that feel uncontrollable, mental rituals, compulsive checking, reassurance-seeking that provides only temporary relief. In this case, you need ERP therapy from a trained OCD specialist. NOCD connects you with ERP-trained therapists who understand OCD-spectrum conditions. (Affiliate link — we may receive compensation if you sign up.)
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Your retroactive jealousy is rooted in attachment insecurity or past trauma. If the real issue is your attachment style, childhood emotional neglect, or unresolved trauma, a licensed therapist — whether through BetterHelp or a local practice — will serve you better than a video course. (BetterHelp link is an affiliate link.)
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Your retroactive jealousy is severe — consuming hours of your day, causing panic attacks, leading to relationship-threatening arguments, or accompanied by depression. Severe cases need clinical intervention, not self-guided content.
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You’re on a tight budget. If $200-$400 is a significant expense for you, consider starting with books like Overcoming Retroactive Jealousy by Stockill himself (much cheaper than the course), The Jealousy Cure by Robert Leahy, or Brain Lock by Jeffrey Schwartz. Combine those with the free articles and guides on this site. You can always upgrade to the course or therapy later.
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You’ve already done significant self-work and need the next level. If you’ve read the books, done the journaling, practiced mindfulness, and still struggle, you’ve probably reached the ceiling of what self-guided approaches can do. The next step is therapy, not another course.
The Bigger Picture
Zachary Stockill has done more than almost anyone to bring retroactive jealousy into public awareness. His course has helped thousands of people, and dismissing that would be unfair and inaccurate.
At the same time, the retroactive jealousy recovery landscape has matured significantly since Stockill started his work. There are now OCD-specialized therapy platforms, evidence-based treatment protocols, books by clinical psychologists, and free resources that didn’t exist a decade ago. Stockill’s course was once one of the only options available. That’s no longer the case.
The best approach for most people is not any single resource but a combination: education (books, articles, courses) to understand what you’re dealing with, community (forums, support groups) to reduce isolation, and clinical treatment (therapy) to address the condition at its roots. Stockill’s course can be a useful part of that picture — but it works best as a supplement to clinical care, not a replacement for it.
Your recovery is worth investing in. The question is where that investment will have the highest return for your specific situation. For some people, that’s Stockill’s course. For many, it’s therapy. For others, it’s starting with free resources and books to build understanding before spending money on anything.
Whatever you choose, choose based on your specific needs — not based on who has the biggest YouTube channel or the most polished sales page. Your recovery deserves better than marketing-driven decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Zachary Stockill’s course a scam?
No. Stockill is a legitimate content creator who has been working in the retroactive jealousy space for over a decade. His course contains real content and has genuinely helped many people. The question isn’t whether it’s a scam — it’s whether it’s the best use of your money given your specific situation and the alternatives now available.
Can I get a refund if the course doesn’t work for me?
Stockill has historically offered a money-back guarantee, though the specific terms and window may vary. Check the current policy on his website before purchasing.
Should I do the course AND therapy?
If you can afford both, this is actually a reasonable approach. The course can provide retroactive-jealousy-specific education and community, while therapy provides the clinical assessment, personalized treatment, and accountability that a course can’t offer. They serve different functions and can complement each other.
How does Stockill’s book compare to his course?
The book Overcoming Retroactive Jealousy covers much of the foundational material at a fraction of the cost. If you’re budget-conscious, start with the book. If you find it helpful and want more depth, structure, and community, the course is the logical next step.
Is this site a competitor to Stockill’s course?
Not directly. This site provides free educational content, book recommendations, and therapy referrals. We don’t sell a course or coaching program. We believe the best outcomes come from combining education with clinical treatment, and we try to help people find the right combination for their situation.