Resources for Understanding and Treating OCD
It does seem that OCD is coming out of the closet and we are seeing more and more treatment programs, more intensive treatment programs and more self-help books being published. I thought that I would list some of the recent offerings of local programs in the Portland, Oregon area where I live and work, recent books on OCD that I think are well worth considering, a look at a newer non-profit in Oregon designed to help people suffering from OCD – OCDOregon.org and a look at the OCD Stories podcast.
Intensive Treatment Options
Sometimes the usual once a week therapy hour is not sufficient to help people get better at managing their OCD and a more intensive treatment program is required. There are three basic levels of intensive treatment programs: intensive outpatient programs (IOP), partial hospitalization programs and inpatient hospitalization programs. IOP programs typically are offered several hours a day 3 to 5 days a week and people often stay for a minimum of three or more weeks in these programs. The partial hospitalization programs typically offer 5+ hours of treatment per day five days a week and clients often stay in these programs at least 2 to 3 and often more weeks. The most intensive treatment program options are the inpatient programs where patients are hospitalized 24/7 (https://iocdf.org/clinics). For the purposes of this post I’m going to focus mainly on the IOP programs, a little on the partial authorization programs and leave the inpatient programs to a subsequent post.
For people outside of the Portland, Oregon area who are seeking a more intensive treatment option for their OCD I would suggest checking out the options listed on the International OCD Foundation website. For people in Oregon or Southwest Washington, there is a newer nonprofit designed to help people find resources and get help for their OCD - OCDOregon. OCDOregon’s mission is as follows:
“OCD Oregon is an affiliate of the International OCD Foundation. Established in January, 2017, OCD Oregon was created to increase awareness, education, and provide resources to those who live with OCD. As an affiliate of IOCDF, OCD Oregon promotes inclusiveness among those with OCD and their family members. The board of directors is made up of individuals who have lived with OCD, expert clinicians in Oregon, and other mental health professionals.”
In the last few years at least two anxiety clinics have emerged in Portland, Oregon offering treatment for the full range of anxiety disorders, but for purposes of this post we will just focus on the treatment options offered for OCD. First, is the Northwest Anxiety Institute; phone: 503-542-7635; fax: 503-296-2262) where they offer individual and group treatments for children, adolescents, and adults with OCD. They also offer an intensive outpatient program (IOP) called the Focus Program which is described as follows: “The Focus Program is an intensive outpatient program (IOP) designed to focus on your treatment through daily therapy and individually-tailored treatment. Get faster results without the distractions of daily life.”
The second anxiety clinic to offer treatment for OCD in Portland is the Portland Anxiety Clinic; phone: 503.894.9630; fax: 503.208.3085) where they also offer treatments for the full range of anxiety disorders for children, adolescents and adults and also have an Intensive Outpatient Program and will soon offer a Partial Hospitalization Program (for more information check out their web page). In addition, the Portland Anxiety Clinic has offices both in Portland, Oregon and Bend, Oregon.
Of course, a third option exists at my clinic, the Anxiety and Panic Treatment Center, LLC. At my clinic we offer treatments for individuals 18 and above for the entire range of anxiety disorders but have a particular specialty in treating OCD. We offer individual therapy for OCD as well as two OCD groups, one of which has met weekly for the past 11 years, and the other is a maintenance program and is offered once a month. We also offer a weekend intensive program which involves meeting on two consecutive weekends for six hours a day on both Saturday and Sunday and is designed for people who are unable to come to therapy programs Monday through Friday because of other obligations such as work.
Recent Books
We are seeing more and more excellent self-help books being published on OCD and while there are many good options available, I have listed below some of my favorites:
1) Overcoming Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts by Sally Winston and Martin Seif; 2017; New Harbinger Press.
2) Everyday Mindfulness for OCD: Tips, Tricks, and Skills for Living Joyfully by Jon Hershfield and Shayla Nicely; 2017; New Harbinger Press.
3) The Mindfulness Workbook for OCD: A Guide to Overcoming Obsessions and Compulsions Using Mindfulness and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy by Jon Hershfield and Tom Corboy; 2013; New Harbinger Press.
4) Getting Over OCD: A 10-Step Workbook for Taking Back Your Life (second edition) by Jonathan S. Abramowitz; 2018; The Guilford Press.
5) When a Family Member Has OCD: Mindfulness and Cognitive Behavioral Skills to Help Families Affected by Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder by Jon Hershfield; 2015; New Harbinger Press
6) Overcoming Harm OCD: Mindfulness and CBT Tools for Coping with Unwanted Violent Thoughts by John Hershfield; 2018; New Harbinger Press
7) Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t at least mention my short book How to Find a Therapist to Treat Your Anxiety Disorder. This book covers a variety of strategies to find a therapist who has the necessary training to use evidence-based treatments to treat an anxiety disorder.
If you click on the above links and make a purchase from Amazon I will get a small affiliate commission. This will not increase the price you pay for your Amazon purchase.
Podcasts
A relatively new addition to our tool chest for better understanding and managing OCD is a recent podcast called the OCD Stories which is also available through a YouTube channel both of which were started in 2015 by Stuart Ralph. Stuart readily admits that he has OCD and his podcast has been a big hit. In fact, he won the “Hero Award” last year from the International OCD Foundation which recognizes an individual somewhere in the world who has made a significant contribution to the understanding and treatment of OCD. Stuart has interviewed many of the best-known clinicians and researchers in the world on his podcast and I highly recommend it as a useful resource.