As both an answer to the long waiting times for OCD experts (most of us range from 3 months to 1 year) and a new option that is designed to accomplish quicker gains and connection with others who suffer, I am launching my first Intensive Kick Start to OCD treatment. Here are the initial details below (more to come, subject to brief screening questions by survey prior):
Date:
July 9th, all day (5 active hours)
Format:
- 1 Private 90 min Diagnostic Assessment (may be done on Thursday, July 8th, or the morning of July 9th) to establish initial diagnoses and plan. Utilization of the gold-standard Y-BOCS II assessment will establish client severity and personal recommendations.
- 3 Group Sessions, both didactic (teaching) and workshop (hands on), involving:
- Identifying your targets for treatment
- Additional consideration and support for comorbid conditions and goals (depression, anxiety, substance use, BFRB’s, etc.)
- Developing a hierarchy
- Identifying doable first practices
- Completion of exposure(s) with review
- Learn how to do effective exposure- what to do/not do
- Learn how to practice relapse prevention
- Learn how to not ruminate
- Learn mindfulness
- Learn how to personalize exposures
- Identifying homework and practices to continue
- Psychoeducation on CBT, ERP, medication, question and answer, open questions for others in the group if comfortable
- Sharing and connecting with others to decrease isolation and normalize/validate struggles
- Integration of values, beliefs, and goals, along with ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) tools and skills
- Identifying your targets for treatment
Who:
Those seeking Evidence-Based, CBT/ERP treatment for OCD (other disorders will be considered as your treatment plan is developed, but not directly treated during the day). Adults and Older Mature Adolescents (16+). May bring 1-2 significant supports (parent, spouse, significant other). Sessions involving hands-on workshops are limited to 6 clients plus their support. There may be an end of day educational session that is open to a larger group (TBD).
Limits:
Subject to advance questionnaires, those who attend certify they believe OCD to be their primary treatment concern.
- Each person attending certifies they have no known initial detours to treatment, including:
- unwillingness to practice exposures
- active suicidal ideation (a desire to act on suicidal thoughts)
- heavy substance use/abuse
- intense, overwhelming emotions that make it hard to function in day-to-day settings (e.g., cannot leave house without a panic attack, hearing someone sneeze results in inability to stay in the same room, another person sharing scary intrusive thoughts leads to overwhelming tearfulness)
- Each person/family must also consent to learn and practice in a group format and to keep others’ information private and confidential. If a person’s themes make them unable to do exposures near/around other people, this specific format is unfortunately not a fit, and it is recommended to pursue the normal private sessions.
- In the unusual event the format is not a fit for you after your initial private session, you will have the option to skip the group format and only pay for the normal rate of a 90 min. initial. You can then follow-up with individual sessions (subject to normal waitlist).
Safety protocol:
Masks are welcome but not required. I am fully vaccinated and will not be wearing a mask unless it is desired in private sessions when sitting closely.
Location:
Either my office conference room (pending renovation completion supposedly done in June) or Northwest Bible Church (across from Preston Center, Dallas).
Follow-up:
Because this format is meant to accomplish over a month of weekly 1 hour therapy in 1 day, it is understood that it is only a beginning to treatment and most individuals average around 16-20 hours of exposure therapy. Recommendations will be given for frequency of follow-up for each individual client.
Cost:
$500 per client (support attends free). Half the normal price for the hours, accomplishing over a month of treatment for those who follow the recommended course. PLUS you will get to connect with others in a format unusual for outpatient settings. I am out of network with insurance, but I’m happy to offer you a “superbill” to attempt to claim on out-of-network insurance benefits.
What I need from you to move forward:
1) Let me know if you would like to move forward with this option.
2) Complete all the information in the portal sent to you after.
3) Complete the advance questionnaires for screening purposes
I anticipate I will easily reach the minimum number of attendees (4). If not and the date must be changed, you will be notified by end of June.