Justin’s Blog: “The Jog”
120+ Articles Driven by Research and Practice
How Community Needs To Be Part Of Treatment- Guest on FearCast Podcast with Kevin Foss, MFT
As we close to 2022, I am reflecting with gratitude on the community I have in my life—personally and professionally. Anything good links back to many unseen ways I am supported. I hope you find yourself connected in community or growing towards that end. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year! Kevin Foss, MFT […]
Read More >Treatment for OCD: Who Gets Better, How Much, and How Fast?
Is ERP for OCD beneficial? Don’t most people drop out? Isn’t it too intense? Don’t very few people ever have long-term success? Confusing, So Confusing Starting treatment for something so impairing as OCD is already a challenge. Beth* expressed typical hesitations in pursuing ERP for OCD: Won’t focus on something terrible result in something bad? […]
Read More >Why You Should Not Gamble If You Have OCD—Guest Article Dr. Ana Maria Pereira de Souza
Sometimes it may feel like the odds are stacked against you. For those with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), this can seem especially true. For years, while working with hundreds of people with OCD, I have observed severe struggles with decision-making. Recent research reveals a lot more about this—and its relation to Executive Function (EF). In […]
Read More >“Incorporating clients’ faith in counseling” – Check out the new article
Growing research and practice is acknowledging the vital role of faith, religion, and spirituality in counseling practice. Lisa Rhodes, a senior writer at the American Counseling Association’s Counseling Today magazine, reached out to interview me and several others for feedback on how faith integration can happen in therapy sensitively and respectfully. Check it out! […]
Read More >Principles of Effective And Religiously-Sensitive Exposures
By Ted Witzig, Jr., PhD, Updated for Clinicians by Justin K. Hughes, MA, LPC This edited article is updated for mental health clinicians to consider implementing effective and sensitive exposures for any client of faith. The original article (found here) was written for Christian individuals with OCD. Hopefully this document can guide you in developing […]
Read More >TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) for OCD
Are you confused about what treatment to pursue for OCD? You’re not alone. On the consumer side, it can seem perplexing. Fortunately, it’s all more manageable with a little guidance of those in the know! If you’re looking for a specialist in your area, go HERE. While I am a strong proponent of the gold […]
Read More >“I Don’t Want to Do This”—The Starting Point for Exposure, Discipline, and Conquering Fear
An enduring reality of life: we all have to do things we don’t want or like. An enduring principle of life: discipline builds strength and character. A curious paradox of life: doing disciplined things we don’t like often leads to greater contentment. An enduring joy of life: experiencing discipline and seeing it pay dividends brings […]
Read More >Being in a Relationship with Religious Scrupulosity- FREE Livestream
Faith & OCD Roundtable October 18 at 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm EDT Topic: Being in a Relationship with Religious Scrupulosity Join Lead Advocate Rev. Katie O’Dunne and clinicians Dr. Caitlin Clagget Woods & Justin K. Hughes, LPC, along with Carolyn Ringenberg of the Faith & OCD Task Force to discuss the topic of being […]
Read More >#OCDWeek 2022
The IOCDF and its Advocates invite you to celebrate OCD Awareness Week, October 9–15, 2022! “#OCDWeek began in 2009 to share knowledge and reduce stigma around OCD and related disorders. Each year in October, individuals, community groups, service organizations, and clinics around the world celebrate with OCD-inspired educational talks, youth events, grassroots fundraisers, yoga, creative […]
Read More >Family Accommodation in OCD- Addressing Specific and Systemic Accommodations
Everyone Loses Lucas* regularly expressed frustration about his parents’ “nagging” him. Though he is a young adult, he lives out home and is mostly dependent on his parents for all essentials. He gave permission to involve his parents in treatment, which is ideal in many cases. It was frustrating for his compulsions to impair his […]
Read More >Medications for OCD
Medications for OCD are often straightforward. Usually, they involve SSRIs at often double the dosing compared to treating anxiety and depression. No one thing is known to cure OCD. The average adult sees a maximum 40-60% improvement in symptoms (which by the way, is less on average than the therapy, Exposure and Response Prevention, or […]
Read More >Connection- The Importance of Not Walking Alone
Sitting at the Annual International OCD Foundation’s (IOCDF) OCDCon2022, I am struck by the power of connection. The conference is really strange- in a good way. As my family and I reflected on it, we all noted the unique nature of bringing together professionals and researchers with sufferers, family members, siblings, youth, young adults, parents, […]
Read More >Faith & OCD Resource Center
Over a year in the making, the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) launched its Faith & OCD Resource Center. I have had the privilege to serve on the Task Force and to be a regular contributor to this and the Annual OCD & Faith Conference. While many of my readers most certainly know of the specific […]
Read More >FREE Live stream- Scrupulosity: When OCD Gets Tangled in Religious and Moral Matters- June 23rd 12-2 pm CST
Join me for a FREE Live stream with all questions allowed! I will be using the highly respected presentation created and given prior by Dr. Ted Witzig, who has graciously allowed its reproduction. We’ll cover all things OCD, scrupulosity, faith integration with treatment, and 10 differences between Healthy Faith and OCD. Who: Me! Justin K. […]
Read More >NEW VIDEOS: Understanding Scrupulosity at its Core & ERP Treatment Strategies for Scrupulosity
They’re here! The International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) provided these recordings for two panels at the OCD & Faith Conference from earlier last week. It covers a broad spectrum of faith, moral, spiritual, and religious concerns. I hope it helps you or a loved one who suffers with OCD to better identify what is OCD and […]
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