9:00am – 10:30am Hoarding Overview For Everyone
10:30am – 10:45am Break
10:45am – 12:00pm Breakout Groups:
12:00pm – 1:00pm Lunch on your own
1:00pm – 3:00pm Breakout Groups:
3:00pm – 3:30pm Professional Networking Coffee Break
3:30pm – 5:00pm Breakout Groups:
The purpose of the Professional Consultation Group Program is to provide therapists who treat OCD and related disorders with additional opportunities to further develop their clinical knowledge and skills. The IOCDF has invited 6 highly experienced clinicians with complementary areas of expertise in the field of OCD and related disorders. During this program, participants will be able to attend 2 group consultation sessions, each lasting 1 hour and 45 minutes. Group members may ask the consultant any question relevant to the treatment of OCD and related disorders, including questions about general conceptual issues or specific cases. The consultant group leader will try to allow equal time for each group member.
The program schedule is provided below. Bios of consultant group leaders, including special clinical interests, are included so that attendees can become familiar with each consultant prior to selecting a group. Attendees will sign-up for groups on site at the beginning of the course. The sign-up table will be in the hallway just outside the meeting room. Sign-up will open one half hour before the program begins. Group size is limited and group assigments will be determined on a first-come, first-serve basis. There will be an extended coffee break between group sessions to allow attendees to network.
Program Agenda:
1:30pm – 2:00pm Group Sign-Up Period
2:00pm – 3:45pm Introduction/Consultation Session 1
3:45pm – 4:15pm Professional Networking Coffee Break
4:15pm – 6:00pm Consultation Session 2/Wrap-Up
The purpose of this group is to offer support for parents and family members living with a child suffering with OCD and anxiety. OCD can affect the entire family system, and therefore, it is important for family members to learn how to effectively provide and receive support from others. This group, facilitated by two clinicians specializing in OCD, will serve to offer support, education, and guidance to families as it relates to the treatment of OCD and anxiety disorders. Attendees can expect to interact with experienced OCD treatment providers, as well as offer and receive support to and from other parents and family members with a child diagnosed with OCD.
Join this social activity to meet other adults affected by OCD, and get competitive with this team trivia game. Sign up as a team (up to 6 people), or come as an individual and we will find a team for you. Open to all conference attendees, age 21+.
BDD symptoms (i.e., social avoidance) negatively impact relationships, which, in turn, affect the outcome of psychological treatments for BDD. By employing a partner as a resource in treatment, a couple-based intervention for BDD has the potential to reduce accommodation, target maladaptive communication patterns, and enhance relationship functioning. This cognitive-behavioral treatment involves working with the couple using standard exposure and response prevention (ERP) techniques, training the partner to provide support during treatment, learning to express thoughts and feelings, and shifting maladaptive patterns of behavior (e.g., accommodation). We will discuss the ill-effects of relationship issues on BDD and its treatment, present a clinical example, and describe how to address these issues in a couple-based BDD treatment program.
OCD wears many hats! It is a highly complex disorder with many different types of obsessions and compulsions. Most clinicians, families, and the general public know the more common content areas of OCD, such as contamination and arranging obsessions. Yet, some symptoms are puzzling and knowing when they do or do not fall under the OCD umbrella can be quite challenging. This presentation will provide examples of symptoms of OCD that may easily be confused with other diagnoses. We will help distinguish the OCD patterns from other difficulties, including behavioral concerns, eating restrictions, suicidal thoughts, aggressive tendencies, body focused repetitive behaviors, tics, and interests or preferences.
Led by the IOCDF’s spokespeople, this orientation is for adults with OCD, family members, social supports, and treatment providers. The presenters will discuss the logistics of the conference: the who, what, where, why, and how. Presenters will also answer questions about the IOCDF, specific sessions, and anything else related to the conference.
This panel will discuss some of the different therapeutic strategies that can help to increase success in working with individuals struggling with hoarding issues. Topics will include how to reduce resistance and engage the individual in the decluttering process; how to involve the family in the most effective way; motivational challenges that people with hoarding disorder face and why it's so difficult to commit to the process; and principles of motivational interviewing. Time will be allotted for Q&A.
In this interactive workshop for people with OCD, attendees will practice identifying obsessions and trying out various exercises to change how they relate to them. Drawing from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a newer cognitive behavioral approach with research support for OCD, attendees will learn strategies for transforming how they experience their obsessions. ACT focuses on changing the context in which thoughts are experienced in order to change the function of them, and to help create mental distance from unhelpful thinking. Attendees will practice several ACT exercises for addressing distressing thoughts in novel ways. Attendees will also learn to how to use technology (e.g., smart phone apps) to create low intensity exposure exercises for common obsessions.
This session is for kids and teens, as well as their parents. The presenters will discuss the logistics of the conference and provide an overview of the presentations, workshops, and activities designed specifically for kids and teens. Presenters will also answer questions about the IOCDF, specific sessions, and anything else related to the conference.
Standard first-line treatments for OCD include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), pharmacotherapy with serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs), and their combination. Unfortunately, these are ineffective in up to 1/3 of patients; there is thus an urgent need for alternative treatments. Much interest has focused on modulators of the brain's glutamate system. This symposium will summarize recent work on glutamate modulators in the treatment of refractory OCD. Current data implicating glutamate as a possible contributor to the pathophysiology of OCD will be summarized, as will specific studies on the glutamatergic drugs ketamine and riluzole. Early data on the combination of glutamate modulators with psychotherapy will be presented, along with prospects for and obstacles to progress in this area in the near term.
Presented by practitioners and teens who have met their OCD in battle, this presentation will help you build a life you love, even while you are struggling. All too often, we believe we must get rid of OCD before we can build lives that matter to us. This workshop will show how to live richly and flexibly, even if things are tough. We will teach core skills from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to give a new perspective on living and thriving. We will also introduce the "MEOW" model, developed by a teen with OCD, to help you grow. Using both lecture and chances to practice skills, we will provide opportunities to make meaningful changes in your lives – one step at a time.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects approximately 2% of American school-age youth, and its core features – social and communicative deficits, and repetitive and/or stereotyped behaviors – are associated with multidimensional impairment persisting into adulthood. In the roughly 1/3 of youth with ASD who have comorbid obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a synergistic effect is often observed on psychosocial impairment beyond that predicted by a diagnosis of ASD alone. Beyond exacerbation of impairment, there are numerous issues unique to this population which complicate effective assessment and treatment. This panel will present evidence-based modifications to assessment and treatment of individuals with OCD and comorbid ASD.
Three OCD advocates come together to discuss their journey from severe OCD sufferance to advocacy. In this presentation, they will explore the singular nature of OCD with relevant examples drawn from their experiences, while explaining how each OCD sufferer has an individual nature that works as a key component of successful treatment. In addition, they will share how they started their own support groups and pages to enhance the communication between sufferers, foundations, and organizations. Most importantly is their message that good therapy is available and that you are never too young to be an advocate.
View slides here: http://www.slideshare.net/IOCDF/epifania-gallina-the-journey-from-illness-to-advocacy
and here: http://www.slideshare.net/IOCDF/bowen-zheng-the-journey-from-illness-to-advocacy-overcoming-ocd-and-finding-your-voice
This presentation features four recent findings on the psychopathology and treatment of BDD. First, Ms. Weingarden will present data examining general shame and body shame as predictors of BDD severity and outcomes. Second, Dr. Cougle will share his findings on "not-just-right-experiences" (uncomfortable feelings of incompleteness, imperfection, or perceptions that the environment is not as it should be), and discuss their role in BDD. Third, Dr. Phillips will present data on motives for drug use in BDD. Lastly, Dr. Wilhelm will present findings on mechanisms underlying symptom change in cognitive-behavioral therapy for BDD. Dr. Fang will moderate the discussion and draw key themes across these studies to advance our understanding of BDD mechanisms and treatment.
It has been nearly 50 years since Lopez-Ibor published the clinical observation that clomipramine appeared effective in OCD. In 1976, Yaryura-Tobias hypothesized that clomipramine’s effects on serotonin were central to its efficacy in OCD. In 1986, the IOCDF was formed in the context of large-scale clinical trials of clomipramine and other randomized controlled studies of what was then a new generation of SSRIs, such as fluvoxamine. Given that this year marks the 30th Anniversary of the IOCDF, this talk will reflect on what we have learned about medication treatment for OCD and chart a path to the future. The number of available research-proven options are few, and thus the panel of experts will focus mostly on strategies for future drug and device development.
We talk a lot about the stuff we’re struggling to let go, but how about the stuff we’re keeping – a lot of it is really cool! How about we show and tell each other about something we brought to the conference? It could be anything – a charm, a hat, a pen, a photo, a ring, etc. Choose a special item, and bring it to our workshop. We'll photograph your item and project the image onto the big screen for the group to enjoy while you describe what it means to you. You don't have to have a "stuff problem" to participate, and you're also welcome to attend as an observer. You'll be glad you did! We're going to have fun!
ERP is an effective, yet demanding treatment for OCD, making motivation essential to its success. Unfortunately, misconceptions about motivation can make it difficult for individuals to stay engaged. In order to help those with OCD enhance treatment motivation, panelists will present a framework for conceptualizing motivation as a skill, examining the common roadblocks, and identifying specific strategies for maintaining motivation across treatment and beyond. Presenters will integrate current research/clinical insights with lessons learned from their own experiences going through OCD treatment to provide attendees with practical, tailored motivational skills. Strategies for reframing attitudes towards anxiety and using the "greater good perspective shift" to enhance motivation will be provided. Overall, this panel will provide an interactive and inspirational venue for those with OCD to enhance treatment motivation.
Fighting back against OCD and winning the battle is not easy; however, exposure with response prevention (ERP) is an effective treatment option for children. In this experiential workshop, children will receive an overview of OCD and, in a child-friendly manner, they will be introduced to ERP and learn how to fight back against OCD. Children will be introduced to the metaphor of a toolbox that they fill with a number of different ERP tools, including naming OCD, fear thermometers, and fear ladders. Children will learn how to apply each tool when fighting back against OCD. Children will have an opportunity to create their own fear ladders (hierarchy of triggers) and use these new tools to take the first steps at applying ERP to fight OCD.
Three psychologists and a psychiatrist who specialize in pediatric OCD will answer FAQ's like: What is ERP, how does it work, and how long will it take? What can I expect during treatment? How can I help my child through treatment? How do I handle meltdowns? Can I do CBT with my child on my own? What do we do when our child refuses therapy? My child can't finish homework – should we tell the school? How did my child get OCD? How do I know if medication is the right choice? My child's OCD has returned – are we back to square one? Will we be living with OCD for the rest of our lives? Bring your questions to ask the experts!
The new category of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders (OCRD), a group of disorders with overlapping yet distinct phenotypic features, is consistent with new discoveries of cross-disorder genetic risk factors. We will present new genomic and phenomic findings in OCRD, including an update on Error Related Negativity as an endophenotype, novel findings from a study of copy number variants in OCD, and a genome-wide association study of hoarding traits in a large community-based sample of children and adolescents. We will discuss current gaps and future directions in research, including a recently NIMH funded five year grant that will greatly expand our knowledge about patients with OCRD.
Many people with OCD suffer from obsessions focused on topics that are rarely shared with others – aggressive impulses, sexual thoughts, and bathroom behavior. However, effective ERP for these symptoms requires both therapist and patient to discuss such topics in detail, and to use this information to maximize treatment. This presentation will discuss topics related to treating taboo symptoms in OCD, including: (1) how to thoroughly assess the functional relationship between obsessions and compulsions, (2) conducting exposures that are appropriate, without being gratuitous, and (3) addressing taboo topics in children with OCD. Unique to this presentation, an OCD sufferer whose symptoms involved taboo content will share the details of his challenging, yet effective, treatment to illustrate these topics.
In general, OCD symptoms are thought to present across common themes. However, ethnic, racial, and sexual minorities with OCD are underrepresented in research, and thus little is known about how minority status may influence symptom manifestation and treatment issues. This panel will cover issues related to cross-cultural presentations of OCD symptoms, including manifestations of OCD in ethnic, racial, and sexual minorities. Differences in symptom presentation will be covered, as core OCD fears can be embedded within ethnic, racial, and sexual minority concerns. Discussion will cover lack of minority inclusion in randomized controlled trials for OCD. Barriers to treatment will be discussed, including negative opinions about mental health in many minority populations. Furthermore, the presentation will provide suggestions for treatment of OCD in these various minority groups. Clinicians will highlight these unique presentations through the use of case examples.
"What if I get my partner pregnant?" "No one will want to date/marry me because of my OCD." These are often the difficult thoughts associated with OCD and relationships. Relationships can make OCD worse, and OCD can make individuals feel ostracized. At worst, OCD can scare people away from dating and marriage entirely. This talk will discuss how OCD interferes in dating and marriage, when to introduce a partner to OCD, how to handle being triggered by a partner, and the tools used to overcome these difficulties. Presenters will engage attendees in a discussion designed to help participants address relationship challenges more effectively. We will also present an interactive speed dating roleplay for participants to see the tools in action.
Throughout this conference weekend, attendees will be offered many opportunities to learn about the treatment of choice for OCD: Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). Challenging? Anxiety provoking? Stressful? Yes, those words are often used to describe the process, but so are rewarding, life-changing, and transformative. In this workshop, the role of exposure therapy will be discussed specifically as it relates to the treatment of BDD. While the presenters will provide a brief overview of how it works, the primary focus will be on experiential learning. Participants will be strongly encouraged to participate, whether they have BDD or are helping someone who does. This will all take place in an environment that is both supportive and respectful.
It has been 50 years since the first study on exposure and response prevention (ERP) treatment for OCD was published. Since that time, OCD has been transformed from an unmanageable problem to a largely treatable condition. This panel assembles experts in the field of ERP for OCD to discuss developments in this treatment approach over the past 50 years. Panelists will reflect on the most significant contributions to the field as it has evolved, the impact of recent advances and findings in the field (e.g., inhibitory learning approaches), and their predictions for what the next 50 years will hold regarding ERP and the treatment of OCD. Audience participation and questions will be encouraged.
This research panel will highlight four studies focused on the psychopathology of hoarding. Dr. Mogan will present on key variables in the cognitive-behavioral model of hoarding across a range of clinical and non-clinical cohorts. Ms. Shaw and Dr. Timpano will discuss a multi-method examination of the role of emotional processes in individuals with hoarding. Dr. Frost will examine reasons underlying saving, focusing on an exaggerated sense of moral responsibility for the care and disposition of possessions. Finally, Dr. Siev will present a study examining the relationship between hoarding and scrupulosity, taking into account shared risk factors. Dr. Steketee will serve as discussant; findings will be discussed from a risk factor perspective, as well as treatment implications.
View the slides here: http://www.slideshare.net/IOCDF/randy-frost-research-advances-in-hoarding
Because OCD does not distinguish between countries, languages, gender, race, age, or background, we are committed to building a global advocacy network. In this presentation attendees will learn what the IOCDF is doing to spread the word about OCD awareness internationally. We will discuss differences and similarities between countries (or cities, or ethnicities) in access to diagnosis and treatment, and in the forms in which stigma manifests itself. We will learn how to widen our circle of compassion while at the same time we get inspired by making connection with new individual stories from all over the world. Let's all become global warriors of hope!
When caring for loved ones, we rely on our intuition, helping them feel safe and secure – an approach more than adequate for most loved ones. However, did you know that assisting the OCD sufferer in escaping and avoiding distress actually strengthens their OCD? Research supports that most families of OCD sufferers engage in excessive accommodation, with the most common behaviors being providing reassurance and "co-ritualizing." In this workshop, you will learn the counterintuitive approach to facilitate the OCD sufferer's treatment and re-establish a healthy relationship with your loved one. This presentation is for parents, relatives, and spouses/partners of an adult sufferer. The audience will be given ample opportunities for input and questions appropriate to the topic, with roleplaying and other learning exercises.
About 60% of individuals with OCD report sensory symptoms. One type is sensory over-responsivity (SOR), an impairing intolerance to sensations such as certain sounds, smells, and textures. This presentation will discuss whether SOR and Obsessive Compulsive (OC) traits meaningfully classify the population. A non-clinical sample of 252 adults completed a sensory questionnaire about auditory, visual, taste, smell, touch SOR and an OCD inventory (i.e., obsessive, neutralizing, washing, doubting, hoarding, checking, ordering). Sensory and OC scores yielded four distinct clusters: High OC and SOR traits, Moderate SOR and no OC, Moderate OC and no SOR, and No OC and SOR. Implications for understanding the intervention needs of a subtype of individuals with co-morbid sensory and OC symptoms will be discussed.
View slides here: http://www.slideshare.net/IOCDF/ayelet-ben-sasson-sensory-overresponsivity-and-ocd
Being a teenager is hard enough, but being a teenager with OCD can, at times, seem overwhelming. This panel is made up of teens who have dealt with OCD, physical illness, and other mental health issues and have, in the end, succeeded in challenging their OCD. They will share with you what worked and what did not work so that you may benefit from their trials and their wins.
Although scrupulosity is often responsive to established OCD treatments, special clinical challenges are associated with religious and moral obsessions. Failure to address these challenges can jeopardize treatment adherence and outcome. The purpose of this workshop is to discuss clinical strategies for addressing the challenges of treating scrupulosity. Particular attention will be given to a method developed by the presenter to help scrupulous patients clarify and commit to a set of adaptive religious/moral beliefs prior to initiating exposure and response prevention. Topics will include how to navigate around psychological barriers like ambivalence, the quest for certainty, difficulties in discriminating between feelings and beliefs, and other issues. The workshop will include lecture, slides, and case discussion.
This workshop will help therapists enhance ERP through capitalizing on recent research in inhibitory learning, and to nurture willingness to engage in exposure-based treatment for OCD. Presenters will address treatment resistance from both Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and ERP perspectives. Using didactic and experiential modalities, we will demonstrate for and engage participants in a number of motivational techniques, including the use of mindfulness, defusion, and values interventions, to shape willingness to engage in treatment. We will move beyond understanding to the nuts and bolts of practice. Finally, we will offer consultation to therapists on how best to work with clients or family members who are reluctant to seek and accept help for their OCD.
This panel will focus on what comes after intensive treatment. Panelists will share their suggestions to prevent relapse and maintain post-treatment goals, the importance of aftercare, and how to become one's own therapist. Learn how to turn everyday life into exposures! Most daily activities have the potential to raise anxiety and can be viewed as exposures. Panelists and volunteers from the audience who have maintained treatment goals will share their strategies for success. This may include continuation of therapy, planned exposures, development of support systems, awareness of stressors, and planning for self-care. Attendees will receive an outline of a relapse prevention plan and will be encouraged to create a plan of their own.
The expert panelists will present advances in specialized treatments for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), focusing on complex interventions for difficult-to-treat or intransigent symptoms characteristic of each disorder. Specific impediments to optimal treatment response and challenges when providing combined treatments will be addressed. Advances in specialized cognitive therapy and behavioral interventions to improve collaboration, promote resilience, and optimize long-term outcome will be discussed and illustrated. New pharmacologic approaches for each disorder will also be highlighted. Substantial time will be allocated to discussion among the presenters and with the audience.
Many OCD sufferers struggle in silence because their compulsions are silent or covert. This can lead to feeling isolated even within the OCD community, to misdiagnosis, and inadequate treatment. Understanding the role mental rituals play in all forms of OCD can be the key to accessing and using the right CBT tools. This panel consists of OCD specialist therapists who will discuss the research and clinical applications for addressing mental rituals, as well as personal reflections from those who have struggled and developed mastery over those rituals. Several common mental rituals will be identified and explained, and specific treatment interventions will be described, followed by a Q&A session.
View slides here: http://www.slideshare.net/IOCDF/jon-hershfield-mind-washing-mastering-the-unique-challenges-of-metal-rituals
After the challenging work of ERP, you want to be done. But, you will slip – slipping is a normal process, and it happens for any behavior one tries to change (e.g., diets, exercise programs, smoking cessation, etc.). If slipping meant OCD returned in full force and propelled you back to dysfunction, that would be devastating. But, this isn't the case. The trick is early detection of warning signs and quick response to slips. In this interactive workshop attendees, will identify the triggers leading to slips. Roleplays will help them learn to recognize the OCDemon, who tries to trick you into turning small lapses into full scale relapse. Attendees will be interactively guided through the process of developing their own relapse prevention/recovery plan.
This workshop introduces Family-As-Motivators (FAM) Training, which was designed for empowering family members with the goal of increasing treatment-seeking behavior and readiness among individuals with compulsive hoarding (CH), as well as enhancing the wellbeing of family. FAM Training is a 10-session training program that consists of four modules: Psychoeducation, Motivational Interviewing, Harm Reduction, and Family Accommodation Prevention. In addition to providing an overview of FAM Training, this workshop will carve out time for demonstrating techniques via role play. This will be carried out by the trainers who deliver the program as part of a current randomized waitlist controlled trial. Time will also be reserved for answering questions pertaining to FAM Training and, more generally, family support and intervention.
View slides here: http://www.slideshare.net/IOCDF/gregory-chasson-family-support-and-intervention-for-hoarding
In recent years there's been growing awareness of the unique issues associated with OCD and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In response, the IOCDF created our OCD/ASD Special Interest Group (SIG), whose members have backgrounds in psychiatry, psychology, and behavior analysis. As a group we aspire to give individuals and families affected by OCD/ASD the attention and support that they deserve. This Town Hall will showcase the strength and courage of those affected by OCD/ASD and their families by sharing inspiring stories from our own practices. We hope audience members will share their own positive (or funny) experiences. What does it mean to live your best life anyway, despite OCD/ASD? Please join us for this important Town Hall and find out!
Children and adolescents with OCD often experience “bad” thoughts that are violent or sexual in nature. These thoughts can be particularly embarrassing and difficult for them to disclose to others, including parents and therapists. Further, parents may feel uncomfortable discussing their children's obsessions. In this workshop, we will provide information about intrusive thoughts to help normalize these obsessions, discuss faulty beliefs that reinforce the suppression of “bad” thoughts and further the OCD cycle, and lead group activities and games focused on increasing participants' comfort in discussing these thoughts. Overall, this workshop will help participants to 1) gain a better understanding of intrusive thoughts, 2) challenge faulty beliefs, and 3) practice openly discussing intrusive thoughts in an effort to normalize them.
OCD can present significant problems for most students when symptoms interface with the academic demands of organization, homework, studying for tests, or completing projects. This experiential workshop will explain the scientific research showing deficits in organizational skills and planning for OCD sufferers. A description of behaviors resulting from OCD symptoms will be provided. We will demonstrate how OCD students can be taught to compensate for deficits with cognitive retraining in organizational and study strategies. Attendees will examine student-centered and teacher-centered supports for OCD students. Hands-on tools will be provided for immediate use by elementary through high school students. Parents will be given ideas on instrumentation, accountability, and trouble-shooting. Students will learn how to make school easier, faster, and more fun.
View slides here: http://www.slideshare.net/IOCDF/kathleen-norris-study-and-organizational-skills-for-students-with-ocd
This talk provides research updates on pediatric OCD research by an expert panel of researchers, with time for audience questions/discussion. Dr. Lebowitz will present data on the influence of maternal hormonal levels in shaping parent reports of OCD symptoms. Dr. Stewart will present data on distress tolerance among parents of OCD-affected youth and an intervention to influence it. Dr. McGuire will present data on fear extinction in childhood OCD and discuss treatment implications. Dr. Lewin will present treatment outcome data from his IOCDF-funded stepped-care CBT trial. Dr. Storch will present treatment outcome data on his clinical trial that investigates using D-cycloserine in conjunction with CBT.
Research on learning and memory has led to new ways of implementing ERP for OCD that challenge traditional methods. This “inhibitory learning approach” is geared towards maximizing longer-term outcomes and preventing relapse. In our advanced workshop, we will cover strategies derived from this framework that can be applied in the treatment of OCD, including: (a) how and why to promote fear tolerance as opposed to habituation during exposure; (b) the best way to combine cognitive therapy with exposure; (c) the timing and spacing of exposure sessions; and (d) the pros and cons of using an exposure hierarchy. We will include participant interaction, video demonstrations, and adhere to the latest research and conceptual work on exposure and response prevention for OCD.
If this is your first time at the conference, or you are early on in the treatment process, it is easy to become overwhelmed. In the first part of this workshop, young adults who have successfully completed treatment will detail their experience with therapy, focusing specifically on how they achieved success. The second half of this workshop involves pairing attendees and volunteers in a mentoring partnership. Each mentor will make himself available at certain times during the conference, such as lunch breaks or the Saturday Night Social, to answer questions, encourage young adult interaction, and help make the conference experience a pleasant one. This will be the beginning (or the expansion) of a young adult support system.
This presentation will provide the opportunity to ask questions about OCD and get answers from two leading OCD experts. Dr. James Claiborn, and Dr. Michael Jenike will attempt to answer any questions about OCD and related topics in a live exchange with the audience.
Our talk will consist of an informative presentation by a forensic psychiatrist on the rights of people with OCD and related disorders under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and on the options they have based on how severe their OCD may be. We will then discuss the path to implementing those rights at school, college, and the workplace. We will share examples from several people about the hoops they had to endure before these rights were granted, and will present the outcomes of the requests and some helpful tips from lessons learned. Audience members will be encouraged to share their experiences and ask questions.
People struggling with hoarding issues typically have a lot of trouble resisting urges to purchase or acquire items. Learning to resist the impulse to acquire is an important part of helping individuals who are struggling with this condition. In this experiential workshop, expert therapists will accompany individuals with hoarding disorder on a non-shopping excursion. With the support of the therapists and other attendees, participants will learn strategies to resist the urge to purchase by direct exposure on an excursion to local shops near the conference.
Panelists will explore challenges related to the experience and treatment of scrupulosity. First, panelists will give brief presentations on scrupulosity. A therapist-audience dialogue will follow, consisting of a Q&A about symptoms and treatment obstacles, and an open conversation about unique challenges that arise when OCD becomes entangled with religion or morality. Sample issues include: What role does religion have in OCD? How can someone with OCD be religious but not scrupulous? Can one engage in exposures without violating religious law? How can scrupulous individuals interact with clergy in a way consistent with their values and still healthy in terms of OCD? In discussing these questions, the conversation will remain grounded in practical treatment issues and clinical application.
Children and adolescents with OCD and related disorders often act out or react with anger to treatment. This can be difficult for parents to manage, and can lead to both treatment dropout and conflict at home. This workshop will present practical strategies that families can use to deal with children's anger. Topics covered will include managing tantrums, what to do when a child refuses to participate in treatment or school, how to handle suicide threats, and managing verbal and physical aggression towards others. Presenters will also help parents explore thoughts and feelings that may be holding them back from implementing effective strategies. This workshop will include discussion and role play as well as video.
During this discussion of compassion focused therapy (CFT) for the treatment of OCD, we will explore how the science of self-compassion can be used to enhance both clinical work and personal recovery. Recent research demonstrates that compassion is a significant, active process in psychotherapy. This experiential workshop is specifically designed to help deepen our understanding and practice of compassion. Participants will learn the basics of imagery and psychotherapy techniques designed to generate the compassionate strength and psychological flexibility we need to face the challenge of living well with anxiety and intrusive thoughts.
Is it wise to tell your friends that you have OCD? How about your teachers or coaches? You want them to understand, but will they make fun you or use it against you? If they know, will they support you, or will they see you as different? If you're a teen with OCD, you've probably wondered whether you should tell, and if so, to whom and how much. Choosing to share about having OCD is a personal and, often, painstaking decision that requires thorough consideration. Each person's experience and reasons for sharing is unique. This interactive workshop will address the pros and cons of disclosing, and tackle various factors to consider when trying to decide: “Should I tell?”
As a young adult, school should be an exciting adventure. For people with OCD, it's a time of anxiety, embarrassment, failure, and setbacks. Welcome to the definitive guide on how to survive high school and college! The audience will meet four young adult “professors” who will help their “students” navigate the school campus. Audience members will be introduced to disabled student services, school counselors, and accommodations. Attendees will be prepared for dorm life and staying over with friends. A discussion will focus on exams, test tips, and special accommodations allowed. Finally, participants can discuss how to fit in – joining clubs, making friends, playing a sport, and building a social life. Come participate in the campus orientation you won't get elsewhere!
As OCD therapists, we're good at asking our clients to put themselves in unusual, sometimes uncomfortable, positions — usually in terms of how they think and behave. What if we could boost that by doing the same with their bodies? Learn about a novel approach to OCD treatment that incorporates yoga, which does more than just relax the body, it strengthens the brain's executive functioning skills (even more so than traditional physical activities). Get tips on how to incorporate yoga with your CBT/ERP practice and learn first-hand by participating in a mini-session led by a certified yoga instructor and LPC who will guide the group through yoga's three basic elements: Posture, breathing & meditation. Q&A opportunity to follow the practice.
YOGA MATS WILL BE PROVIDED (OR YOU CAN BRING YOUR OWN)!
¿Por qué un tratamiento "contra-intuitivo" da resultados en el TOC? ¿Por qué debo de sentir ansiedad para mejorar? ¿Por qué tengo que exponerme a mis miedos si es algo que llevo tanto tiempo evitando? Todas estas preguntan surgen cuando los terapeutas explicamos las bases del tratamiento. Esta platica te ayudará a comprender por qué funciona la exposición y prevención de respuesta y lo que hay detrás de dicho enfoque. Así como las diferentes modalidades de dicho tratamiento. Uno de ellos es la terapia intensiva, una modalidad potente para aquellas personas con TOC severo o que por algún motivo tienen pocos avances en su recuperación o no encuentran a un psicólogo especialista en su área de residencia. Es importante dar a conocer este tipo de terapia a los asistentes, incluso a los profesionales para tomarla en cuenta en sus tratamientos, así como el uso de de Mindfulness y otras técnicas.
Why does a counterintuitive treatment get results for OCD? Why should I feel my anxiety in order to get better? Why do I have to expose myself to my fears if that’s something I spend so much time avoiding? All these questions come up when therapists explain the basis of treatment to their patients. This talk will help people to understand why ERP works and what evidence exists in support of it, as well as discussing the different ways ERP can be used. One way in particular will be highlighted – intensive therapy. Intensive treatment is a powerful method for those with severe OCD, those who are seeing little success in their recovery, and/or those who are not able to find an OCD specialist in their area. This talk will be useful for patients, families, and professionals alike, and will also include a discussion of the incorporation of mindfulness and other techniques.
Clients who struggle with chronic clutter and hoarding issues may express great enthusiasm during the initial phone call or consultation, only to seem resistant when the decluttering efforts actually begin. One great frustration - for family members, therapists, organizers, and clients - is when it feels like the therapeutic process is one of forcing individuals to make the changes they indicated wanting for themselves. In this presentation, we review reasons why clients may seem resistant to change when they actually may be dealing with other struggles, and how to engage them. By helping to build your clients' readiness for change, you can clear the way for a less cluttered space.
Guilt is one of the chief hallmarks of OCD, and figures into many forms of the disorder, such as hyper-responsibility, scrupulosity, and morbid obsessive thoughts. At its most severe, it can be crippling, and can lead to seemingly endless compulsions. This talk will help sufferers to better understand what it is, how it affects them, how it may fit in to the larger picture of their disorder, and what can be done to confront and overcome it.
The past year has brought many advances in the recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of PANDAS/PANS and acute-onset OCD in children and adolescents. It has also been a year of scientific discoveries, culminating in an animal model demonstrating how strep infections might produce OCD and other symptoms. In addition to presenting highlights of these exciting investigations, the session will review recently developed guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of PANDAS/PANS.
Family responses to OCD have gained great attention over the past decade, and predict treatment outcome. This symposium represents leading clinical researchers investigating the impact that OCD has on family and how family responses play an important role in treatment outcome for both pediatric and adult samples. Newly validated instruments for measuring family accommodation will be discussed, as well as how accommodation predicts treatment outcome. Strategies for family-based intervention will be suggested, including novel family approaches for intensive OCD treatment and how to advise family when the person with OCD refuses treatment. A brief presentation by each expert will be followed by a discussant summary and audience Q&A.
Take part in this game show-inspired workshop where you will team up with your peers to prove you can be just as knowledgeable and effective as therapists when it comes to creating your own exposures, challenging and reframing distorted thoughts, and using positive coping skills to bounce back from lapses or low moods. Find out what works for others with OCD and help others out by sharing your success story. The prize? Bragging rights to show your parents and therapist how effective you can be when it comes to managing your own OCD! Teens with any amount of OCD treatment experience (including none!) are invited to join us.
Interoceptive exposure (IE), wherein clients confront feared body sensations, is a valuable yet underused OCD treatment technique. For some OCD clients, in vivo and imaginal exposures might be insufficient for complete fear extinction and could leave them vulnerable to relapse. The aim of this interactive workshop is to give clinicians another weapon in their therapeutic arsenal against OCD – namely, IE. This presentation will discuss the rationale for using IE to treat OCD, help therapists identify which patients and symptoms are most appropriate for the use of IE, demonstrate the implementation of IE using actual and videotaped illustrations, discuss common therapist concerns and troubleshooting, and facilitate attendee Q&A.
View slides here: http://www.slideshare.net/IOCDF/shannon-blakey-interoceptive-exposure-an-underused-weapon-in-the-arsenal-against-ocd
Evidence-based treatments for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), namely exposure with response prevention, cognitive therapy, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, have been well established for many years. However, research has also made it clear that there is a large proportion of sufferers who only partially respond to treatment or fail to benefit from intervention. This panel will cover methods of treating complex presentations of OCD using available evidence-based psychosocial and medical interventions. Among the complicating symptom presentations that will be covered include: atypical obsessions, trauma associated with OCD, OCD with accompanying tic disorders, and treatment refractory symptoms. The panelists are all recognized experts in each of the prevailing evidence-based interventions for OCD.
Estoy convencido que parte del proceso de recuperación: Controlar al TOC y no dejar que él te controle, lleva consigo una serie "turbulencia" en el camino. Momentos difíciles, querer rendirse, volver al "estatus quo" previo al tratamiento, enojo, desesperación, así como satisfacción, alegría, seguridad en mi mismo y motivación al cambio. Es por esto que compartir ambas caras es de suma importancia, ya que el progreso no necesariamente es lineal y es un trabajo de día a día.
I am convinced that part of the recovery process – controlling OCD and not letting it control you – does not happen without “turbulence” along the way. Difficult moments, including wanting to surrender and return to your pre-treatment “status quo,” and feelings of anger and despair, happen alongside feelings of satisfaction, joy, and gaining a new confidence in oneself and a motivation to change. This talk seeks to share all aspects of the journey to recovery, the good and the bad, since progress is not linear and is hard work day after day.
Heighten your anxiety in order to lower your anxiety. If you need to leave, you need to stay. Do on purpose what you are afraid you'll do by accident. Gain control by letting go of control. The understanding and treatment of OCD is full of counterintuitive concepts that are difficult for most people, at least initially, to understand and accept. This presentation reviews how “thinking backwards” not only makes sense in the treatment of OCD, but that it is the most powerful strategy for undermining the disorder and moving towards recovery. Multiple illustrations from actual OCD cases will be reviewed so that participants may clearly see specific applications in the real world of OCD.
Individuals with OCD often battle drug and/or alcohol addiction, depression, and thoughts of suicide and self-harm. This discussion is dedicated to the memory of Riley, who was an integral part of speaking out and bringing awareness to the comorbidity of OCD and addiction. His mother, Margaret, will share Riley's story including his struggles with both OCD and addiction. Chris will speak to his experiences with OCD, depression, and a suicide attempt. Liz will speak about her battles with suicidal ideation and depression due to her OCD. This panel is for individuals, families, and professionals, and will focus on removing stigma, asking for support, and getting the proper treatment in these tough situations.
Unable to make changes for the better with my hoarding for years, I was disappointed and angry with myself. And stuck. Specialized treatment for Hoarding Disorder is relatively scarce and very costly. Few have access to or the financial resources for treatment such as CBT and ERP. Not until facing the shame over my Hoarding Disorder was I able to begin accepting myself – flaws and all. Doing so enabled me to open up to others, which in turn eased me in to accepting help from the outside. In this presentation, I will share what I've learned so far in my journey. If we can shed some of our shame, come out of hiding, and engage in compassionate discourse – there is hope!
View slides here: http://www.slideshare.net/IOCDF/susan-c-coming-out-of-the-hoarding-closet
It can almost seem as if OCD doesn't want you to have a social life. Extreme self-consciousness, anxiety, perfectionism, fear of rejection - and OCD symptoms like germ phobia - can make dealing with the everyday social interactions that other people take for granted feel like torture. Join Dr. Spielman on a guided “social experiment” adventure, in which participants will have the opportunity to learn more constructive strategies to deal with OCD-related social obstacles that are naturally (and perhaps not-so-naturally) occurring in and around the hotel conference setting. With support of fellow attendees, and your embarrassing guides, you'll have a good time making social mistakes together. Remember: no social risk, no social reward!
Join us as we transform into OCD Superheroes! Kids will first attend Superhero School, where they will learn how ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) can give kids special powers to take on their OCD enemies. In Superhero School, kids will identify their own values and make masks that represent their superpowers. Once kids have the strength of values behind them they will test their skills by facing their OCD Supervillians. Different OCD Supervillians will try to weaken the OCD Superheroes, but kids will use their newly developed powers to live their best life while facing anxiety, fear, and doubt. Join us for a fun-filled exposure workshop where kids will have the opportunity to use ACT skills to boost their OCD-fighting skills.
Witnessing a loved one suffering from OCD is one of the most baffling experiences in life. What happens when he/she does not want to engage in treatment or outright refuses help? What if, no matter how difficult the situation gets, treatment becomes even more scary than OCD itself? Family intervention could be the only hope. Taking the correct steps could make the difference between recovering or utter deterioration. But decisions that may upset a loved one who is already suffering may feel impossible, even when they are clearly right. In fact, despite better judgment, family members will actually become part of the problem by participating in rituals or other behaviors, thus becoming entangled in OCD's web. This workshop will teach family members several strategies that to get out of OCD’s web and help their loved ones.
The aim of this presentation is to provide an overview of the state of the field regarding OCD and pregnancy, including core features of obsessions/compulsions among those with perinatal or postpartum OCD (pOCD), risk factors, comorbidity with other psychiatric disorders, differentiating pOCD from psychosis, treatment considerations, and challenges and barriers when treating pOCD. In addition, much of the literature focuses on pOCD symptoms during a single pregnancy or retrospectively. This presentation will share results from a case series regarding the trajectory of obsessive and compulsive severity levels among two mothers who were treated for pOCD and had a subsequent pregnancy. The presentation will end with recommendations for future research. Participation and discussion from the audience is highly encouraged.
Though mindfulness can be an invaluable part of treatment, traditional CBT tools, including cognitive restructuring and exposure with response prevention (ERP), are often still the most effective interventions for producing measurable change. So how can we as clinicians enhance these trusted tools with the development of mindfulness skills in our clients? In this talk, therapists treating OCD can develop a comprehensive understanding of the role mindfulness plays within CBT for OCD. Topics will include how to present mindfulness concepts specifically to clients with OCD and related disorders, how to make traditional tools such as the automatic thought record more effective (and less compulsive) by infusing mindfulness principles, and how to promote active engagement in ERP with mindfulness skill development.
View slides here: http://www.slideshare.net/IOCDF/jon-hershfield-applying-mindfulness-to-traditional-cbt-tools-how-to-enhance-what-works-in-terms-your-clients-understand
Relationship obsessions are a relatively new OCD symptom cluster, previously misdiagnosed as a basic character trait of the individual as one who is dependent and controlling in an interpersonal relationship. The OCD sufferer obsesses about whether they truly love their partner, are they a good enough mother, are they genuinely enjoying time with their family, etc.? Topics covered include differential diagnosis, rituals embedded in interactions, underlying scrupulosity and perfectionism obsessions, and obsessing about obsessing. Strategies for treatment include imaginal scripts, conversations with family members, in vivo parenting, technology enhanced ERPs, and addressing familial issues following treatment.
El desarrollo de las habilidades sociales es esencial en la vida de cualquier persona. La conexión e interrelación con otros es un factor que genera cambios positivos en la intimidad de cada individuo. Los síntomas del trastorno obsesivo compulsivo pueden crear obstáculos para fomentar esas habilidades. Las investigaciones confirman la eficacia del entrenamiento de las habilidades sociales para el mejoramiento de muchos trastornos mentales persistentes, entre ellos, el trastorno obsesivo compulsivo. Este taller proveerá los componentes claves del enseñamiento efectivo de las habilidades sociales para el TOC. Mostrará la utilidad y practica de la asertividad. En resumen, esta pequeña charla estará dedicada a mostrar cómo se puede implementar y practicar eficazmente estas habilidades en la vida de los individuos.
The development of social skills is essential in every person’s life. Connection and interaction with others is a factor that creates positive change in each person. OCD symptoms can create obstacles to developing these skills. Research confirms the efficacy of social skills training for the improvement of many persistent mental health disorders, including OCD. This workshop will provide the key components of effective social skills training for OCD, including the usefulness and practice of assertiveness. In sum, this talk will be dedicated to showing attendees how they can effectively implement and practice these skills in individuals’ lives.
In the past, OCD characterized primarily by intrusive, unwanted, troubling thoughts of a harming, sexual, or religious/moral nature, with no observable rituals, was considered difficult or impossible to treat. Sufferers were often misdiagnosed, not properly treated, and left feeling tormented and ashamed. In fact, primarily obsessional OCD can be successfully treated. This workshop – geared toward mental health professionals but also valuable for individuals with OCD – will address using CBT, including Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) approaches in treating primarily obsessional OCD. It will also include a roleplay demonstration using an imaginal exposure.
View slides here: http://www.slideshare.net/IOCDF/patricia-perrin-cbt-for-ocd-characterized-primarily-by-intrusive-thoughts-using-erp-and-act-approaches
We should all begin addressing OCD with the least expensive and least time-consuming intervention, and progress to costlier treatment as needed. One initial step is a simple, active, paradoxical self-help protocol that lets patients generate their own set of homework assignments to challenge the dominance of the disorder moment-by-moment. The four components of this model will be presented. “Step Back” refers to the ability to gain perspective in the moment of distress. “Want It” emphasizes the intention to access an emotional state counter to fear. “Step Forward” implies the typical assignment of exposure, while adding this new point of view. “Be Cunning” suggests specific tactics in the moment of doubt and distress.
View the slides here: http://www.slideshare.net/IOCDF/reid-wilson-step-back-want-it-step-forward-be-cunning
Workshop participants will be invited to interact with the presenters and each other while applying specific treatment skills to address hoarding and cluttering behaviors. Experiential activities include motivational enhancement, goal setting, changing beliefs about possessions, harm reduction strategies, sorting and discarding, and non-acquisition.
Are you constantly questioning your relationship and/or your loved one's characteristics? Do you want to call it quits, but want to know with a 100% certainty that it's the right thing to do? Do you keep opening doors to find answers but discover more uncertainty? Are you experiencing extreme guilt, anxiety, frustration, and/or regret? This workshop will help attendees to learn how to identify relationship OCD (rOCD) and to recognize their compulsions. We will practice therapy strategies to start accepting feelings brought in by rOCD. Attendees will prepare a short, mild script and participate in an imaginary exposure, if they would like. The goal of this workshop is to give people hope and the knowledge that they can have a meaningful and loving relationship without having to open the doors of uncertainty.
View slides here: http://www.slideshare.net/IOCDF/annabella-hagen-relationship-ocd-and-the-doors-of-uncertainty
With studies suggesting that over 25% of treatment seeking individuals with OCD suffer from substance use disorders (SUDs), the need for an effective, coherent treatment has never been greater. This panel presentation will use a lively interactive format mimicking that of Chicago Public Radio's popular “Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me!” show. Using games similar to “This Week’s News” and “Bluff the Listener,” participants will learn the similarities and differences between OCD and SUDs. Audience members may participate as contestants and will laugh as they learn. Members of the panel will elaborate on the correct answers to help the audience gain a deeper knowledge of the issues relevant to successful treatment and recovery for someone suffering these co-occurring disorders.
We will discuss expert treatment of repetitive behaviors in several disorders. First, we will discuss results of a recent trial of deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in the treatment of OCD. We will then discuss the results of a placebo-controlled, double-blind study of paliperidone augmentation of SRI treatment in OCD. We will then focus on BDD and discuss clinical features, complications, and the latest in treatment approaches. We will also review newly obtained pilot data on more recently developed psychosocial treatments for BDD, including internet-based CBT and acceptance-based exposure therapy. Finally, we will compare the evidence for state-of-the-art biological and behavioral treatment approaches for OCD, hoarding disorder, BDD, autism-spectrum disorders, trichotillomania, and skin picking. Audience participation and discussion will be encouraged.
Everyone says that your high school years are supposed to be the best years of your life, but when you're a teenager with OCD, they can seem like the worst. From doing exposures to fighting compulsions, it can be hard to feel like a “normal” teenager. Three young adults discuss the difficulties they faced in their teenage years, from feeling isolated from their peers to not being able to be fully present in their own lives due to OCD. Part of being a teenager with OCD is accepting that you may not have the stereotypical teenager experience, but also remembering you have the power to make these years into what you, not your OCD, want them to be.
Getting kids, teens, and parents to actually engage in ERP can present numerous challenges for clinicians. The goal of this talk is to expand therapists’ tool boxes in helping children, teens, and families engage in the ERP work. Four experts who work with the toughest pediatric OCD cases will share their personal tools and tricks that they use to help overcome some of the resistance and challenges that can be inherent in ERP treatment. These strategies will encompass many of the salient domains of exposure work, including pre-planning strategies and tools, actual exposure work and time, post-processing of exposures, and increasing homework compliance and practice outside of therapy time.
This talk is for clinicians working with families who are knowledgeable about OCD. The families have read and have tried numerous forms of treatment, including family therapy, without much relief. Yet, they find themselves hostage to the OCD rules which they often experience as intentional on the sufferer's part. The families often report feeling overrun by the OCD rules and they are frustrated and angry. We will talk about working with these angry, frustrated families. The focus will include what treatment with an elephant in the room – the elephant being the untreated OCD – should look like, as well as appropriate goals for treatment.
View slides here: http://www.slideshare.net/IOCDF/perrie-merlin-working-with-fristrated-families
Este taller comienza con una revisión de las respuestas de la familia al TOC y el impacto de estas respuestas. En un esfuerzo por hacer frente a situaciones difíciles, las respuestas de la familia al TOC pueden empeorar los síntomas y hacer sentirse frustrados a todos. Vamos a introducir el concepto de contrato conductual, una intervención basada en la familia, para unir a las familias en un proceso terapéutico de trabajar juntos para reducer los síntomas del TOC. Después de la presentación, los participantes califican a su acomodación familial. Además se dividirán en grupos pequeños con facilitadores profesionales que conducen a los participantes en un ejercicio de contratación. Este es un taller interactivo y experimental, ideal para familias. Incluso si su familia/persona con TOC no está presente, se puede participar.
This bilingual workshop begins with a presentation reviewing family responses to OCD and the impact these responses have on OCD. In an effort to cope with challenging situations, family responses to OCD can worsen the symptoms, leaving family members and individuals with OCD feeling frustrated. We introduce the concept of behavioral contracting, a family-based intervention, to unite families in a therapeutic process to work together to reduce OCD symptoms. After the presentation, participants rate their family accommodation, then will divide into small groups with professional facilitators who lead participants in a contracting exercise. This is an interactive and experiential workshop, ideal for families. Even if your family/person with OCD is not present, you can participate.
Taboo obsessions are called “taboo” for a reason – they embarrass those who suffer from them, causing them to hide their pain in shame, sometimes for decades. Their fear of being judged and ostracized keeps them silent, often until they finally understand that the thoughts can be treated under the diagnosis of OCD. Panel participants have all struggled with taboo thoughts and managed to largely overcome them – but not without some confusion and pitfalls along the way. They'll share their personal stories as well as their strategies for success, and will take questions from the audience.
The DSM V created a brand new category for diagnoses – OCD and Related Disorders. This category includes OCD, Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), Hoarding Disorder, Hair Pulling Disorder (trichotillomania), and Skin Picking Disorder (excoriation). Each disorder shares the commonality of repetitive behaviors, though the specific nature of each disorder varies. What these disorders do share is a limited response to medication. Treatment resistant OCD and Related Disorders are almost the norm rather than the exception. While there is overlap in the pharmacologic treatment of these disorders, there are also important difference. The panel will discuss pharmacologic approaches to treatment resistance in all OCD and Related Disorders. This will be followed by audience Q&A.
Our research panel will present studies aimed at discussing treatment advances for hoarding. Topics will include the resource needs and interventions associated with hoarding across the domains of housing, healthcare, and public safety; research on case management activities and their application to the problem of hoarding by four communities; the Family-As-Motivators Training, a training program for family members aimed to increase treatment-seeking behavior among hoarding patients, and enhance family members' well-being; and the nature of hoarding among youth with high functioning autism spectrum disorders, as well as its response to cognitive-behavioral treatment. The presenters will synthesize these studies and discuss future directions.
Contamination is a common theme in the world of OCD and can encompass a number of different categories. In environmental contamination, for example, individuals fear power lines, radiation, WiFi, microwaves, and other energy based sources they fear can cause a life threatening illness. Others fear household and other chemicals such as cleaning products, gasoline, oils, even soap based supplies. These profiles appear differently than individuals who fear contamination from eating certain foods, or from dirt and germs. This presentation will discuss these varying contamination categories in detail, how they differ, treatment plans, and case examples. Time will be allotted for audience Q&A.
OCD may be bullying you, but you can disarm it with your Bully Proof Vest. This workshop combines expressive arts, games, and ACT skills. We'll first decorate our vests and then play games. Care to juggle a few balls or play catch? Discover the difference between your “observing self” and your “thinking self” as you play. Prefer to go fishing? Not so quick! You may end up being the fish and getting hooked by OCD! That's okay. You can learn to get unhooked. Develop awareness of thoughts and feelings. Learn how to change your relationship with OCD. Remember fighting, ignoring, arguing, and/or tolerating is short-lived. Instead, come practice making room within you for OCD and whatever it may bring!
The treatment of OCD in patients with Substance Use Disorder (SUD) presents unique challenges for OCD specialty programs and individual therapists treating OCD. Many of the aspects of OCD treatment, including engagement, education, treatment planning, ERP, and medication management, require different approaches for this population. The unique treatment issues related to the treatment for these co-occurring disorders will be addressed with case examples. Strategies provided to attendees will include sample treatment protocols, program development strategies for incorporating evidence informed OCD-SUD treatment into a practice/program, a brief overview of evidence-based treatments for SUD to enhance concurrent treatment outcomes, and other resources for clinicians and patients. Time will be allotted for audience Q&A.
View slides here: http://www.slideshare.net/IOCDF/stacey-conroy-treating-ocd-and-sud-tools-for-effective-treatment
Family dynamics are crucial in assuring success for the OCD patient in treatment. However, the actions of family members often end up making the situation worse. Some family members may not understand OCD, may be continually angry at the person with OCD, or may be hindering the treatment process by providing excessive accommodation. Find out how to educate your loved ones about OCD, to articulate what you need from them, and how to deal with the anger that comes up within the household. Learn to fight OCD as a team! To end the session, we will set up a “Family Feud” game show that allows audience members and their loved ones to learn more about OCD and have some fun.
Children and teens may be afraid to engage in exposure to intrusive thoughts, religious and moral issues, and just-right OCD, and therapists may find it challenging to help them work through their reluctance. This workshop offers therapists a systematic and proactive clinical approach to preparing young clients to tackle particularly difficult symptoms, and to reducing reluctance and drop-out. The importance of cultivating treatment readiness in youngsters prior to exposure, and of clarifying the right versus the wrong goal of treatment will be highlighted. The creative application of cognitive and behavioral strategies to build readiness will be presented, with case examples and video clips. Attendees will participate in developing exposure hierarchies for each manifestation of OCD. Questions and discussion are welcomed.
When David Adam published a book in 2014 about his experiences with OCD, he was not prepared for what came next. Hundreds of people with the condition got in touch, schools asked him to talk to their children, the International OCD Foundation gave him an award and his book was discussed by academics and used as an example of how a new generation is determined to challenge the stigma of mental illness. And all David thought he had done was, as a journalist, to try to tell an honest story. What does it say about the state of the media and public understanding that simple truths are heralded in this way? Join David for an illuminating and entertaining tale of his journey through OCD — from a patient to accidental advocate for others.
The force within you is stronger than your OCD! It is time to get tough with OCD, and this workshop will show you how to do it. Change and treatment can sound scary at first, but we will discuss how to get prepared to stand up to OCD by building your confidence, and learning some really cool Jedi mind skills! Jedi's must learn skills like mindfulness and calming breath to prepare themselves for a duel. These skills can help when it is time to do ERP exercises. Kids will have the chance to practice skills and make some great friends on the good side of the force.
OCD sufferers who experience persistent hyper-awareness of bodily sensations or body vigilance are often overlooked. This preoccupation or focus on automatic bodily processes or discrete physical sensations can range from frustrating to totally debilitating, depending on severity. Sufferers are often misdiagnosed, very depressed, and fear that this type of OCD is untreatable.
This workshop will examine common sensorimotor obsessions seen in practice: swallowing, blinking, breathing, pulse/heartbeat, ear ringing, visual distractions, awareness of specific body parts, and others. Case examples will illustrate successful treatment techniques. Attendees may address specific sensation concerns and leave with new-found hope that their distress can, indeed, be treated.
Before the Conference excitement wears off, let’s celebrate the highlights of this year’s conference program while also discussing ways to stay connected to each other throughout the year. Hosted by the IOCDF Spokespeople, this Podcast will give attendees the chance to contribute their own highlights from the Conference. We will be asking questions on social media throughout the Conference weekend leading up to the broadcast — using the #OCDcon hashtag — about the biggest takeaways you learned at this year’s conference, what your favorite parts of the conference were, and more. And we will talk about strategies for creating and nurturing your own network after the conference, whether that network is online, in a support group, or via a local affiliate.
Obsessive doubts about sexual identity have increasingly come out of the closet, and are now better recognized as common symptoms of OCD. Despite this, sufferers still frequently lack accurate information about the symptoms and treatments. This presentation will outline typical symptoms of this problem, as well as present and explain a range of cognitive and behavioral techniques that can be used to effectively treat them. In addition, a presentation will be made by an individual who has made a successful recovery, outlining the experience of his disorder, before, during, and after treatment.
View slides here: http://www.slideshare.net/IOCDF/fred-penzel-but-i-thought-i-was-straight
Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs) affect millions of people worldwide. As many as 1 in 50 people engage in non-cosmetic hair pulling that results in significant hair loss. Other body focused behaviors, such as skin picking and nail biting, affect a greater percentage of the population resulting in scaring, infections, and sometimes plastic surgery. This workshop will provide an overview of BFRBs and will outline current research regarding children and adolescents with these disorders. The current state-of-the-art treatment for these disorders will be presented, with a focus on treatment of young people under the age of 18. Case vignettes of children at different developmental stages will illustrate how to implement treatment consistent with the needs at each level.
View the slides here: http://www.slideshare.net/IOCDF/ruth-golomb-clinical-treatment-of-children-and-adolescents-with-trichotillomania-and-other-body-focused-repetitive-behaviors
