Instructor

10-11:30 AM (1.5 hr)

 What is OCD
o What are obsessions and compulsions?
o The different manifestations of OCD
o Contamination obsessions and decontamination rituals
o Responsibility obsessions, checking, and reassurance-seeking rituals
o Taboo obsessions, mental rituals, and neutralizing strategies
o The need for symmetry and exactness and repeating rituals
o Clinical case examples
11:30-12:00 – Lunch Break
12:00-1:30 PM (1.5 hr)
 What is OCD and What is Not

o DSM-5 and confusion about where to put OCD
o How to distinguish OCD from other anxiety disorders and why it can be difficult to tell
o How to distinguish OCD from other Obsessive Compulsive Spectrum Disorders and OCPD
o Clinical case examples

 1:45-3:00 PM (1.25 hr)
 Keys to Understanding OCD: Biology, Behavior, and Beliefs
o OCD and the brain
o How genetics does and does not play a role in OCD
o Behavioral and conditioning factors in OCD
o The role of cognition in OCD
o Treatment implications

10-11:30 AM (1.5 hr)

 The First Sessions
o Common first session concerns of clients and how to handle them
o Establishing the diagnosis of OCD versus other problems with repetitive thinking and behavior
o Is your patient a good match for treatment?
o Introducing OCD to your clients and helping them get on board with treatment
o Discussing treatment options
o Demonstration of talking with a client about their OCD diagnosis and treatment options
 The Critical Role of Assessment
o Why is assessment so critical to successful treatment?
o How to use the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale Interview
o Using self-report measures to assess the severity of OCD
o Conducting a thorough behavioral analysis of OCD symptoms
o Self-monitoring of rituals
o Assessing cognitive factors in OCD

11:30-12:00 – Lunch Break
12:00-1:30 PM (1.5 hr)
 Creating a case conceptualization
o The importance of case conceptualization
o How to develop a conceptualization
o Case formulations for different manifestations of OCD
o How to present the conceptualization
o How to present the treatment rationale in a way that increases buy-in
o Common client questions and how to respond
 Exposure and Response Prevention Part I
o What is exposure and how does it work?
o Habituation vs inhibitory learning: What’s the difference?
o Developing an exposure list to address what the client needs to learn
o Developing exposure lists for different manifestations of OCD
o Finalizing the treatment plan

 1:45-3:00 PM (1.25 hr)
 Exposure and Response Prevention Part II
o What is expectancy tracking?
o Getting the most out of situational (in vivo) exposure
o Using imaginal exposure to treat obsessional thoughts
o Implementing response prevention
o Assigning between-session practice to vary up exposures
o Exposure and Response Prevention for different manifestations of OCD
o Demonstrations of exposure and response prevention

10-11:30 AM (1.5 hr)

 Using ACT and Acceptance-Based Strategies to Enhance ERP
 What is ACT and how does it apply to OCD?
 Acceptance exercises
 De-fusion exercises
 Implementing exposure and response prevention from an ACT perspective
 Demonstrations
 Working with Couples and Families to Enhance ERP
 Understanding OCD from an interpersonal perspective
 Identifying partner/family involvement in OCD symptoms
 Training partners and family members as coaches
 Reducing accommodation using couple/family-based exposure and response prevention
 Strengthening relationships outside of OCD

11:30-12:00 – Lunch Break
12:00-1:30 PM (1.5 hr)
  Ending Treatment and Preventing Relapse
o When is treatment over?
o Preparing for the end of treatment
o Planning for continued exposure and response prevention
o Discussing lapse versus relapse
 When Client Motivation is Low
o Understanding treatment refusal
o Clarifying the pros and cons
o Clarifying values
o Working with family members to increase incentives
 Tricky Obsessions and Compulsions
o “Pure obsessions”
o Mental rituals
o Fears of long-term disasters
o Scrupulosity
o No feared consequences (disgust, “not just right”)
o Excessive reassurance-seeking

 1:45-3:00 PM (1.25 hr)
 Common Therapist Mistakes and How to Avoid (or Fix) Them

o Debating about risk
o Backing down from high anxiety
o Reassurance-giving
o Emphasizing habituation
o Using cognitive therapy
o Missing mental rituals