OCD Newsletter Volume 33 | Number 1 Spring 2019
IN THIS ISSUE EXPERIENCE AUSTIN, TX FROM THE FOUNDATION Letter From the IOCDF Board President by Susan Boaz...... 3 AT THE 26TH ANNUAL Experience Austin, TX at the 26th Annual OCD Conference! by Narisa Trammell...... 4 OCD CONFERENCE! IOCDF Partners with PsyberGuide by Narisa Trammell to Share OCD App Reviews...... 6 Join Our Online Community Forum: HealthUnlocked ...... 8 2019 Strategic Partner Highlight – UNSTUCK: an OCD kids movie...... 9
FROM THE FRONT LINES Living on Edge: Beating OCD One Exposure at a Time by Epifania Gallina...... 10 Running Through Hell from the Demon Within by Daniel N. Jones..12
THERAPY COMMUNITY Ineffective and Potentially Harmful Psychological Interventions for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder by Dean McKay, PhD; Jonathan Abramowitz, PhD; & Eric A. Storch, PhD...... 14 Institutional Member Updates..... 19
RESEARCH NEWS The Roles of Bullying and Victimization in OCD and BDD: An International Sample by Fugen Neziroglu, PhD, ABBP, ABPP; Tania Borda, PhD; Sony Khemlani-Patel, PhD; & Brittany Bonasera...... 23 Research Participants Sought...... 25
Will you be joining us for the 26th Annual OCD Conference FROM THE AFFILIATES Affiliate Updates...... 26 in Austin, TX? We asked Narisa Trammell of Visit Austin to share what makes Austin such a unique and exciting city to visit. Read her article inside and start planning your trip! CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
290340 IOCD NL.indd 1 2/12/19 3:06 PM The OCD Newsletter is published by the International OCD Foundation, Inc. President, IOCDF Board of Directors: Susan Boaz Chair, IOCDF Scientific & Clinical Advisory Board: Michael Jenike, MD Newsletter Editor-in-Chief: Jeff Szymanski, PhD Newsletter Managing Editor: Meghan Buco Copy Editor: Tiia Groden, MA Proofreading: Elijah Peterson Layout Design: Fran Harrington The mission of the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) is to help all individuals affected by obsessive compulsive disorder and related disorders to live full and productive lives. Our aim is to increase access to effective treatment, end the stigma associated with mental health issues, and foster a community for those affected by OCD and the professionals who treat them. CONTACT THE IOCDF: Phone: (617) 973-5801 Fax: (617) 507-0495 Email: [email protected] Website: iocdf.org Facebook.com/IOCDF Twitter: @IOCDF Instagram: @IOCDF
Mailing Address: International OCD Foundation P.O. Box 961029 Boston, MA 02196 DISCLAIMER: The IOCDF does not endorse any of the medications, treatments, or products reported in this newsletter. This information is intended only to keep you informed. We strongly advise that you check any medications, products or treatments mentioned with a licensed treatment provider. Copyright 2019 by the International OCD Foundation, Inc.
290340 IOCD NL.indd 2 2/8/19 9:08 PM Spring 2019 President’s Letter by Susan Boaz One of the key issues we Our answer, in part, was to begin focusing on political advocacy. In focus on at the IOCDF is how service of this, we joined the Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) to make effective treatment based in Washington, D.C. The MHLG is a coalition of mental accessible for everyone with health-related organizations that work together to increase access OCD. Yes, OCD is a difficult and to mental health care within the United States. This partnership sometimes debilitating illness, allows us to band together as a united mental health community but with proper treatment, to help advocate for federal policies with the goal of increasing the there is hope for all those who accessibility of mental health treatment. Since joining the MHLG, the are suffering. However, in some IOCDF has already added our community’s support to several bills. areas of the country, finding an The first bill is incredibly exciting. The “Mental Health Telemedicine effective therapist can be very Act” proposes the following: challenging. Over 100 million • Allow Medicare beneficiaries to access certain mental health people live in an area of the country that has a shortage of mental services through telemedicine regardless of where they live, as health providers. In many areas, sufferers must travel hundreds of opposed to only geographic regions with provider shortages. miles just to find a therapist, let alone a provider who is trained to • Allow Medicare beneficiaries to access these mental health treat OCD. If you begin to look at trained pediatric OCD specialists, services through telemedicine in their own home, as opposed this issue is magnified times ten. to only at a qualified “originating site” such as a doctor’s office. Confronting this challenge takes creativity and a long view into Passage of this bill would allow patients to seek out the most the future. Our flagship program, the Behavior Therapy Training qualified providers in the treatment of OCD, regardless of where Institute (BTTI), was launched almost 25 years ago with this in they are located. Additionally, for patients who are unable to mind. The program’s objective is to help address the nationwide leave their homes, innovative treatment delivery techniques such shortage of therapists properly trained in using Cognitive behavioral as telemedicine would allow access to care even in the most therapy (CBT) to treat OCD. We enroll therapists from around the rural settings. country in a three-day training program to learn the fundamentals A second bill is also desperately needed, as we attempt to motivate of the therapies for OCD and related disorders. We are proud of new mental health providers to work in our most underserved the fact that we have developed a training model that is intensive, areas. The “Mental Health Professionals Workforce Shortage Loan comprehensive, and clinically useful, but is also short enough to be Repayment Act” would: accessible to therapists with active practices. Last year, thanks to the • Authorize a new loan repayment program for mental health generosity of our donors, we were able to increase the number of professionals who agree to practice in an area with a shortage BTTI sessions from 5 trainings a year to 8. These 8 training sessions of mental health professionals. took place in locations all across the country (and included our first • Repay one-sixth of a professional’s educational debt for each session outside North America in Reykjavik, Iceland), and we were year of service — up to $250,000 over six years. able to train 230 therapists in CBT treatment for OCD! In tandem, these bills would increase services to those who suffer We have also partnered with the Peace of Mind Foundation to with OCD and help motivate young people to enter the field in offer several BTTI scholarships for therapists of color, therapists underserved areas. They both expired during the 2017-2018 session of who practice in languages other than English, and therapists who Congress without a vote, but we expect them to be reintroduced this primarily work with underserved patients (e.g. patients of color, those spring with renewed urgency and support! with public insurance, those of a low socioeconomic status, etc.). To If you have walked with us, attended an Annual OCD Conference, learn more, visit our website at iocdf.org/btti. shared your story, been an OCDvocate, donated funds, or helped Yet even with these efforts, it is still difficult for individuals struggling someone else find treatment, then you are part of a revolution that with OCD to find proper treatment. Recently, I was helping another is leading us into a world with increased access to mental health parent search for treatment providers in our area, but we couldn’t care. Every step you take on the path with us is a step closer to a day find anything within an hour’s drive for her child. Fortunately, she is when everyone has easy access to qualified care. And it is better to able to make the commitment to travel and I was grateful to be able take these steps together as a community. to help find care for her at all. However, I know that many people In our next OCD Newsletter, watch for our new “Advocacy Corner,” are not able to travel that far on a regular basis. I was reminded of which will provide ideas for how you can further help advocate for my own efforts to find help for our daughter 10 years ago when we OCD, and elaborate on how to call your elected officials to support called 20 different therapists, all of whom declined to treat someone these bills. Thank you for your courage in advocating with us, and so young. We ended up driving two and a half hours to find proper we hope you enjoy this newsletter! help for my daughter. With love, Despite our best efforts to increase the number of trained clinicians Susan Boaz in the U.S., we are still coming up short. Acknowledging this, we have to ask ourselves, “Are we, as an organization, doing everything we can to solve this problem?”
IOCDF Board President and Mom 3
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FROM THE FOUNDATION Experience Austin, TX at the 26th Annual OCD Conference! by Narisa Trammell
As a native Texan and a local and proud representative of If you have the time, I highly recommend exploring our Visit Austin, I’m thrilled to welcome the 26th Annual OCD live music scene, local restaurants, entertainment districts, Conference to the capital of Texas! Austin is one of the shopping, and our beautiful outdoors — all of which you can country’s most popular cities — one which has the ability learn more about by visiting our website at VisitAustin.org. to appeal to a diverse set of interests. Austin is down-home, As the gateway to the Texas Hill Country, with rolling hills yet sophisticated. Laid-back and bustling with energy. and wide-open landscapes, Austin has been called a “hymn Traditional and avant-garde. Austinites (as the locals are to the outdoors.” Surrounded by three lakes and dozens of known) and visitors alike embrace the city’s unique identity parks, Austin offers the perfect environment for enjoying the and appreciate the values it was founded upon. best of nature. Speaking of nature, did you know Austin is I had the pleasure of attending the 25th Annual OCD home to Mexican free-tailed bats? Just before sunset, you Conference last July in Washington D.C. and found it to can watch them head out into the night sky. be one of the most amazing experiences of my life. After Since you’ll be visiting in the middle of summertime, be sure chatting with fellow exhibitors, getting to know attendees, to beat the heat by visiting one of our natural, local swimming and hearing many of your stories, I am so excited to be able holes. Visit Barton Springs Pool, Deep Eddy Pool, Hamilton to introduce you to this great city. My goal is to make your Pool Preserve in Dripping Springs, or extend your weekend time in Austin one of the most memorable experiences of and make the 45-mile trek to Schlitterbahn, a family-friendly your lives. water park in New Braunfels, Texas. You also can’t go wrong GETTING TO KNOW AUSTIN with a frozen, sweet treat from Sno Beach Austin, or any of the Amy’s Ice Cream Shops located throughout the city. If staying indoors is more your style, don’t miss our fabulous museums. Immerse yourself in Texas history at the Texas State Capitol or the Bullock Museum of Texas State History, get presidential at the LBJ Presidential Live music performed at Austin club Library, or catch As the Live Music Capital of the World®, Austin echoes with a movie in the the sounds of country, rock, blues, and Tejano. Fans discover birth city of Alamo live music in nearly 250 venues throughout the city. This small Drafthouse at one university town where Willie Nelson crafted his own style of our six theaters. has become a big city with a glittering skyline and 2 million people in the metropolitan area. Bullock Museum
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FROM THE FOUNDATION
Experience Austin, TX at the 26th Annual OCD Conference! (continued)
EXPLORING THE CONFERENCE HOTEL PLANNING YOUR TRIP This year’s host hotel, Whatever your interests, the JW Marriott Austin, preferences, or budget, brings an unparalleled Austin has something for upscale hotel experience everyone. to downtown Austin. Don’t miss out on special Situated in the heart of discounts with our Austin the city, this sprawling Insider Deals. And don’t urban resort features forget to check out the the largest guest rooms Austin Visitor Center, in Austin with floor to JW Marriott Austin where you can take one ceiling windows, seven of our fabulous tours and bars, three restaurants, Starbucks, the posh Spa by JW, the pick up a souvenir to take Mexican Free-Tailed Bat brand-new Edge Pool Bar & Cabanas, and the ever-popular a piece of Austin home Burger Bar, a food truck without wheels. JW Marriott Austin with you. Explore our website to learn about all of our special is a 2018 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Award winner deals and Visitor Center tours! and only a 15-minute drive from Austin International Airport. Experience all things Austin at VisitAustin.org
Pre-Conference Activities July 18 ocd2019.org
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FROM THE FOUNDATION IOCDF Partners with PsyberGuide to Share OCD App Reviews
Mental health smartphone applications are • Trending apps on social media and popular news becoming more and more common, with the hope • App developers that these apps provide accessible and affordable • Through their partner organizations & networks tools to help individuals manage their OCD and/ To ensure that they are reviewing applications that people or related disorders. These apps can be used on are actually using, when PsyberGuide identifies a new app their own, in a transition to or from face-to-face to potentially review, they use the number of user ratings treatment, or as an add-on to therapy. While it has in the iTunes and Android app stores to prioritize much more research is needed, some preliminary its review. Once they determine which apps to evaluate, results have shown that apps may help people PsyberGuide provides an app rating based on three manage mental health problems. Furthermore, metrics: with so many apps available, it can be difficult to 1. Credibility: The Credibility score is a measure of the know which one to use. research support and clinical expertise backing an app or digital tool. This measure aims to give users an idea Beginning in 2018, the IOCDF has partnered with of how likely it is that it will work and lead to mental PsyberGuide, a non-profit website that reviews health benefits. Apps are scored based on the level of smartphone applications and other digital mental health research support they have, the level of expert clinical products. Through this partnership, PsyberGuide and the input in their development, and how specific the IOCDF aim to provide the community with ongoing reviews intervention the app proposes is. of apps targeted towards OCD. We believe that by working with PsyberGuide, we have the potential to address the 2. Data Transparency: Transparency scores relate to growing need for unbiased, reliable reviews of digital information regarding an app’s data storage and supports for OCD and are confident that we can achieve far collection policies and how readily available this more together than we could alone. information is to users. We believe that developers should be as transparent as possible with privacy ABOUT PSYBERGUIDE information so that users can be fully informed of how PsyberGuide is a non-profit website whose goal is to help their data is used and stored. people make responsible and informed decisions about the technologies they use to manage their mental health. 3. User Experience: “User Experience,” sometimes referred PsyberGuide is committed to ensuring that this information to as just UX, is the overall experience of using an app is available to all, and that it is free of preference, bias, or program, in terms of how easy and engaging it is or endorsement. PsyberGuide discovers new apps in a to use. The Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS) is used number of different ways, including: to assess the quality of the user experience based on engagement, functionality, aesthetics, and information. • Research papers and published reviews of apps • Searches on iTunes and Google Play app stores 6
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FROM THE FOUNDATION
IOCDF Partners with PsyberGuide to Share OCD App Reviews (continued)
REVIEW OF OCD APPS common comorbidities with OCD, nOCD will connect them In November 2018, the IOCDF published PsyberGuide’s first to one of its network partners, companies that specialize in reviews of OCD related apps on the IOCDF website, which treating more advanced cases. included: Guy Doran, creator GG OCD • nOCD The GGApps platform was developed in order to provide an • GGOC: OCD Relief accessible cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) training platform • OCD Understood that would allow individuals with a range of difficulties • iCounselor OCD better deal with negative self-talk. It is important to note that platform is not a stand-alone intervention, but rather an You can learn more about each of the app ratings by viewing adjunct to CBT therapy. PsyberGuide’s chart below. Our platform is based on the principles of CBT. According to CBT models, negative self-talk, or an individual’s ongoing interpretations of the self, others, and the world, maintains psychological difficulties such as obsessive preoccupation, low mood, and maladaptive behaviors. In OCD, for instance, individuals’ negative self-talk often relates to fear of harming themselves or others, making mistakes, etc. Individuals with such fears may continuously say to themselves (in their heads) phrases such as “Maybe I’ve harmed someone” or “I may have made a mistake.” Such negative self-talk, of course, ultimately increases doubts/fears, intensifies negative mood, and often provokes compulsive behaviors. Our applications are designed to 1) increase individuals’ awareness of negative self-talk, 2) train individuals to better identify and challenge negative self-talk, 3) increase individuals’ access to neutral and positive self-talk, and 4) increase the We asked Steve Smith, creator of the nOCD app, and Guy automaticity of the above processes. Doran, creator of the GG OCD app, to tell us about how these The core gameplay of the training is simple: individuals are apps can help those struggling with OCD presented with “blocks” featuring self-talk statements, such Stephen Smith, creator of nOCD as “I am proactive,” “I can face my doubts,” or “I am a loser,” and have to respond by pulling the statement blocks that nOCD is a mobile platform for iOS and Android that helps are inconsistent with negative beliefs towards themselves people with OCD do evidence-based treatment and connect (i.e., embracing them) and throwing away from themselves to tiers of support based on their condition’s severity. Members statement blocks that are consistent with maladaptive beliefs can download the app for free and access 24/7 in-episode ERP (i.e., rejecting them). As the game progresses, users pass through guidance, customizable ERP treatment plans, real-time progress thematically relevant issues such as dealing with doubts, facing reports, always-on community support, and content that can uncertainty, overcoming perfectionism, and fear of self. help them live healthier. In addition, if members in select locations need more care, FUTURE APP REVIEWS they can subscribe to access a nOCD Pro, a licensed mental Beginning in 2019, the IOCDF will continue to post four new health professional in their state who’s specifically trained app reviews from PsyberGuide every two months. The next and credentialed by nOCD to treat OCD using evidence-based app reviews are already posted and include Vital Tones protocols. Inside the nOCD app, premium members can send Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Talkspace Counseling & their nOCD Pro an unlimited number of messages each day Therapy, iCBT, and Anxiety Coach. and are guaranteed at least one quality response from them To view our PsyberGuide app reviews, visit iocdf.org/apps. within 24 hours. The nOCD Pro service is HIPAA compliant. Finally, if nOCD members need more care and are significantly at risk for abusing substances or becoming depressed, two 7
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FROM THE FOUNDATION Join Our Online Community Forum: HealthUnlocked
The IOCDF has partnered with HealthUnlocked, Once you join the My OCD Community, you will have the a social networking service for health, to launch ability to: a new peer-to-peer online community called My • Post to the community with personal stories, advice, or questions. OCD Community! This free online forum is a safe • Respond to posts from other community members. space for anyone who has been affected by OCD • Message community members privately. or a related disorder to share their stories, access • Pose questions to the IOCDF both publicly and privately. information and resources, contribute to ongoing • Chose to share your location to connect with other conversations about OCD and related disorders, and community members in your area. find support in a worldwide, virtual community. • Access videos and resources shared by the IOCDF. WHY JOIN MY OCD COMMUNITY? INTERESTED IN JOINING MY OCD COMMUNITY? IT’S EASY: Having a peer community to share experiences with and 1. Go to HealthUnlocked.com and click the blue “Join” turn to for support can be invaluable. HealthUnlocked is button. the world’s largest social network for health-related issues. It creates a peer-to-peer support network where patients, 2. Choose whether you want to join with Facebook, Google, caregivers, and health advocates can connect safely online or email (none of which will ever be publicly displayed). with guidance from credible organizations and institutions 3. Choose an anonymous username to safely share your such as the IOCDF. My OCD Community is administered experiences. You will always be able to change this later if and monitored by the IOCDF. In addition to interacting with you choose. other members of the community, you will be able to pose questions to the IOCDF and view posts and updates from 4. On the Find Communities page, search for “My OCD us. My OCD Community is open to all members of the OCD Community” in the search box, click “Follow” when it and related disorders community, including individuals comes up as a result, and then “Finish” at the top right. living with OCD, their family members and friends, and You will then be brought to the My OCD Community landing professionals who treat OCD. page to get started! Post to introduce yourself, ask questions, HOW IT WORKS: or share your experiences. Remember, you can always edit your profile settings and privacy controls to share as much, or Joining My OCD Community on HealthUnlocked is simple little, about yourself as you would like. and free. Users can choose to join anonymously and maintain complete control over what personal information is shared We’re so excited to be able to offer a safe, welcoming space for with the community. There are no advertisements, and there those affected by OCD and related disorders to get the support is no spam. Instead, the site offers suggestions of content or and information they need online. We look forward to getting connections that are relevant to those affected by OCD and to know more of our community members through this new related disorders. forum — see you there! 8
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FROM THE FOUNDATION 2019 Strategic Partner Highlight – UNSTUCK: an OCD kids movie
In 2017, the screening of a portion of UNSTUCK: our film discussing topics like their first exposure, concerns An OCD Kids Movie, followed by a Q&A with about therapy, and naming their OCD. We’re so glad the its featured kids and teens, served as the Keynote IOCDF thought these five videos could enhance the Anxiety in the Classroom experience, and we can’t wait until they Address at the 24th Annual OCD Conference are live on the website! in San Francisco, CA. The film received an Q: Do you have plans to continue to grow and expand on overwhelmingly positive response, and over the UNSTUCK in the next few years? past two years, UNSTUCK creators Chris Baier and A: Yes! Last summer, we launched streaming on our site, Kelly Anderson have continued to use the film so now anyone can see the film. We created a Community to educate more people about OCD and related Screening Program to showcase events screening the film disorders, particularly as they relate to children. across the country, and also had UNSTUCK subtitled in: We asked Chris and Kelly to update us on what French, Spanish, Greek, and Portuguese. they have been working on and what they have The film has also given us a platform to do more. Chris has planned for 2019. used Facebook for a live video series entitled OCD Kids Speak Out that lets more kids share their stories. We’ve Q: UNSTUCK has continued to gain attention over the past also used our channels to talk with and promote therapists two years — what has this growth been like for you? and advocates. For example, Kelly recently shared the film A: It’s been so fulfilling and challenging! Since our premiere with therapists and educators at the National Association of at the 2017 Annual OCD Conference, we’ve been asked to Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP) conference in share UNSTUCK across the world, from London to Athens San Antonio. And of course, we’ll be in Austin, TX for this to Montreal to UAE to Moscow. The challenge has been year’s Annual OCD Conference, where we hope to screen continually trying to raise awareness with parents and get the film again…perhaps along with some other fantastic the film in places like schools and therapy offices. Kids are OCD films. being diagnosed every day and we’re trying to reach them to Q: What would you like our community to know about the give them hope and solidarity. work that you are doing? Q: What accomplishments have you been most proud of? A: We are doing our best to get parents, kids and teens, What has surprised you? and adults alike educated about what it means to have A: We’re most proud that the film is helping others and has OCD, and to connect families with therapists so they can become a go-to treatment resource for many therapists. begin fighting obsessions and compulsions. We want OCD We’re continually humbled and touched by the reaction defeated, but there’s a limit to what two working parents people have after watching the film. But it’s the heartfelt can do each day. We’re so thankful for folks like the Peace of messages people send us directly via email, Facebook, and Mind Foundation, IntrusiveThoughts, OCD Action, PANDAS Instagram that get us emotional. When a parent sends us a Network, and others who have spread the good word about note saying UNSTUCK convinced their child to get back into our film. The IOCDF has been an instrumental partner since therapy saying, “If these kids can do it, so can I” — that’s UNSTUCK was just an idea on paper. just amazing. We could never have predicted that. Q: How can our community members learn more about Q: You’ll be partnering with the IOCDF to provide videos UNSTUCK and support your work? for the “For Students” section of the Anxiety in the A: Our main hub is ocdkidsmovie.com. Here you can stream Classroom website, which is scheduled to come out in late the film, find tons of OCD resources and links, get help for 2019. Can you tell us more about these videos and how siblings, and more. Therapists, educators, librarians, and they will be a resource for students with anxiety/OCD? anyone wanting to do public screenings can also buy the A: Well, one issue with making a short film is that lots of film via our distributor, NewDay.com. We’re quite active on good stuff is left on the cutting room floor. Shortly after Facebook and Instagram at @ocdkidsmovie. If you’re reading the film debuted, Kelly had the idea of creating some short this, please connect with us — and see you in Austin! videos aimed at tackling problems kids have when starting therapy. The UNSTUCK: Extra Help videos feature the kids in
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FROM THE FRONT LINES Living on Edge: Beating OCD One Exposure at a Time by Epifania Gallina
When I was a little girl, I dreamt about them hope; that was my dream, and it came true that day. It becoming like Mother Teresa, and if that sounds was the first time I truly felt free; the first time I realized that I could speak out and make a difference. After the session, presumptuous, just know that I am Catholic. I exchanged numbers with five people and met a fellow Unfortunately, my dreams were later crushed by advocate, Morgan Rondinelli, who became my best friend. the realization that to become like Mother Teresa, The experience led me to create my online support group, I had to be a nun and — with all due respect to called Living on Edge, taking back your life through ERP, just their faith — that wasn’t my calling. Despite this, a week later when I returned to Brooklyn. It began small, I continued to have a desire to give back, and was with only about twenty members to start. I made sure that privacy settings were put in place and that the group constantly drawn to careers that involved helping guidelines were clear in stating it was a “non-compulsive others in some capacity. It was after years of zone.” This does not mean that people are not allowed to suffering with OCD and finally finding treatment express their worries or compulsive acts, but rather that with exposure and response prevention (ERP) that I people who are not in remission and want to comment to seek reassurance know that it is not allowed. The primary discovered, not only did I want to give back to the and most important goal of the group was to be sure that community, but that I also had a deep passion for people felt welcomed, supported, and loved. In addition, the workings of the mind and brain. I decided that I would provide people with tools, both Everyone who knows me now knows that I am a from my experience studying therapy and my personal neuroscience nerd. Today, I am currently going through the experience treating my OCD. process of applying to clinical psychology PhD programs with Since the beginning, I have found that the biggest challenge the goal of becoming an OCD and anxiety disorder specialist. with managing the group has been creating boundaries. While I am thrilled about the career path I am currently on, It was important for me to make it clear that I was not my passion for helping those with OCD find hope actually participating as a therapist, just a friend and peer advocate. started in Boston in 2015, after I was lucky and blessed to My role was to help guide members to find treatment, find my way to the International OCD Foundation’s Annual give them information on types of therapies, and explain OCD Conference. It was while attending the Conference that the recommended therapy, ERP. Managing the group has I found a renewed sense of hope. I quickly realized that I at times been overwhelming, but over the course of three could provide both this hope and support to other sufferers years it has been one of the most rewarding journeys of by creating an online support group. my life. I did not start the support group with the intention The idea of creating my support group came to me while of getting anything in return, but it has given me the joy of speaking at one of the Conference sessions. I remember giving back and the satisfaction of seeing people recover. standing in front of the crowd and telling them about my Three years later, the Living on Edge community is still ERP treatment and how it helped me defeat my severe OCD thriving! With the help of some friends who co-manage the and go into remission. To see people’s faces light up, to give group, we continue to post articles, tips, and tools on a daily 10
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FROM THE FRONT LINES
Living on Edge: Beating OCD One Exposure at a Time (continued)
basis. From time to time I also host a Facebook Live video August with the arrival of my daughter Emma, who is the with information on how to tackle specific aspects of OCD or love of my life. My goal is to continue to advocate and make anxiety. Living on Edge has 219 members today and anyone a difference in this community as well as in the mental who wants to join can message me on Facebook and ask to health field. My dream is that along with being healthy, my be added. daughter grows to be the type of person who tackles stigma Each October, we celebrate OCD Awareness Week on daily and who also loves to pay it forward. I am thankful to Living on Edge and post #OCDweek videos. It’s always the IOCDF for always being there for us, and for my Living an extremely emotional and powerful week for everyone on Edge family. I hope that you will continue to support involved. We talk about our experiences and about how each other and help to support me on this journey of mental we can come together to continue to help the community health that has brought us together. and each other. It is a time of sharing thoughts, videos, and IOCDF posts, but mostly it’s a time where you can feel the Epifania Gallina lives in New York City with her husband, growing presence of a loving community. daughter, and family. She spends most of her spare time reading and writing fun stories and also serves as a volunteer As I mentioned, my goal is to become a clinical psychologist Ambassador for the IOCDF. Her daughter Emma is the light of specializing in treatment of OCD. In May, I graduated with her life. my master’s in clinical psychology and I am now applying to programs in New York City. In addition to this milestone, For more information on starting a support group in your my life changed in an even more grandiose way this past community or online, visit iocdf.org/supportgroups.
June 2019
Through the Charity in Bloom program, Winston Flowers is proud to contribute 20% of the proceeds from this custom-designed arrangement to the IOCDF for the month of June. Please join us in raising money for the IOCDF by ordering this beautiful, hand-picked flower arrangement for yourself or someone special! Starting June 1st, simply go to winstonflowers.com and click on “Charity in Bloom” to place your order. *Floral arrangement will be similar to one shown in photo
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FROM THE FRONT LINES Running Through Hell from the Demon Within By Daniel N. Jones
The demon of OCD was always in me. Perhaps and after I stepped onto the track — especially for “hard that is why, from very early on, I wanted to be a days” or “track meets”— the dread was inescapable. I developed massive depression. I wanted to die. I even psychologist. In elementary school, little rituals planned a way I would want to go: I envisioned pushing got in the way of reading. Having to stop after myself in one last massive ritual and dying near the woods reading a sentence or a page in a book in order where I grew up. I also developed physical symptoms. I had to look at a picture or repeat a phrase devastated irritable bowel symptoms after hard workouts and track meets, so much so that I would need to lie in bed for hours my academic life. Other rituals included reaching after these events because of the pain. I damaged tendons, from the floor to the ceiling in ritualistic ways. burst vessels in my eyes, and had numerous track injuries, Embarrassed, I explained these actions away as such as ligament damage in my knee and shin splints. practicing movements for football or prayer. My mother was the first to identify OCD as a potential It was not until high school that the OCD demon grew explanation. Despite this, I vehemently denied my issue noticeably strong. Obsessed with contamination and and resisted therapy until my brother convinced me that the need to be a disciplined, strong, and tough person, I allowing life to continue as it was, simply was not an option. developed two-part rituals. The first was “removing” the At their urging, I saw a counselor, but I insisted I would contamination through washing rituals that would last fix this and figure it all out (mostly) by myself. After all, I hours at a time, scrubbing until my hands were cracked and wanted to be a psychologist. How was I going to help others bleeding. The second was putting myself to the “test” with overcome this demon, if I could not conquer it myself? I just ritualistic exercise. Only until I pushed myself to what was had to be stronger, or so I thought. my perceived limit would I know that the washing ritual My OCD demon grew stronger, but I vowed to conquer it. succeeded. Only until I was able to collapse in exhaustion One night, in abject frustration, I kneeled on the bathroom was I certain that I had not lost myself, my identity, my floor, literally trying to rip my hair out in frustration. I could soul. Each day, walking into the gym, onto the track, or not do the ritual, but I could not not do the ritual. I felt even into a locked bedroom to do exercises on the floor, as though this was the end — I had given up. My quest was a “moment of truth,” meaning a failure would seem to overcome OCD had failed. As a future psychologist, I like the end. I lived in fear and panic. A failed ritual would failed. My mother simply said one thing to me: hospital or most certainly mean that who I was had ceased to be. If medication, your choice. interrupted, I would lash out in violent anger. The ritual had The medication, although a blessing in the long run, was like to be completed. Interruptions meant it must start again. ingesting steroids for the OCD. Rituals became as severe as I ran track and cross country with OCD — sports where the OCD wanted. Intrusive thoughts came as frequently as my pushing my limits was encouraged by coaches and breath, and my strength to fight them was all but gone. I tried teammates. However, for me, it was not a sport. It was a everything my psychiatrist suggested: Luvox, Xanax, Zyprexa, test. With that test came the dread of the failure of a ritual Prozac, even the old tricyclics like Anafranil and Nortriptyline. that might spell the end of me. In the days before, during, On these, I gained 30 pounds, coupled with exhaustion and 12
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FROM THE FRONT LINES
Running Through Hell from the Demon Within (continued)
all possible side effects. With A second turning point came each new medication that I when I finally realized that I tried, I would undergo a 2-3 I ran track and cross country did not have to engage in this month adjustment period struggle alone. Trust those where I would suffer intense with“ OCD — sports where pushing around you. Invest in people OCD symptoms. my limits was encouraged by who will rally around you My mouth, so raw and irritated coaches and teammates. However, and hold you up. It is okay to from scrubbing, couldn’t be for me, it was not a sport. It was a doubt and be weak. I found opened even wide enough for strength in God, through a sliced kiwi fruit. My hands, test. With that test came the dread faith. I found strength in my cracked and bleeding, needed of the failure of a ritual that might family, who never gave up on gloves so as not to disturb those spell the end of me. In the days me. More importantly, they around me. My fingers, unable were wise. They were on the to grip a pencil due to persistent before, during, and after I stepped outside, and sometimes they and pervasive OCD thoughts, onto the track — especially for provided insights in ways that led to grades in the D to F range. “hard days” or “track meets”— I could not see because I was My mother wrote my college blinded by my OCD demon. the dread was inescapable. essay for me because I could There was also a phenomenal not hold a pencil. She filled ” psychology teacher (Richard out the bubbles and forms. Epstein) in my high school Many teachers and guidance who learned of my disease. I counselors, suspecting defiance, threatened that my college told him that I was going to “fight it” and this was a struggle may relinquish admission because of my plummeting within me. He sat me down immediately and told me it grades. Fortunately, these were mostly empty threats. was a medical condition like any other. When I persisted, he Thought it took time, my symptoms finally stabilized simply smiled and said, “I understand, but some may argue on a combination of Effexor and Abilify. Along with that energy is best spent elsewhere.” the medication, intensive therapy was necessary. I was WHAT MY STRUGGLE WITH OCD TAUGHT ME extremely lucky to find a therapist in Arizona who knew how to effectively treat OCD. Together, we practiced I believe that through your struggle against your OCD, you cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), relaxation and systematic work harder to earn, and have a greater appreciation for, the desensitization, and other techniques to help get to the happiness and the joy that you experience in your life. In a core of my issues. One day at a time, the medication and way, this is your gift for living with OCD. It is a gift that I pray therapy began to ease my symptoms, and I began to heal. you receive. To be free of OCD and make the most of your life. Although I’ve never been completely symptom-free, my life Realize your life is lived now and that help and support are is enjoyable and I have found peace. available. Don’t give up on your dreams. In spite of the above, I received my PhD in psychology in November of 2011 and am TURNING POINTS currently working as a full-time, tenure-track professor. I wondered how much more I could have become without Finally, retire if you can from your fight with OCD. You have OCD. More of a scholar if I wasn’t distracted by all of those suffered enough. The fight for life is noble, the fight towards book rituals. More of an athlete if I could focus on the the light is noble. The fight with the demon will only drain present moment. For me the question became, “What does that life, your demon is not noble. Be free and live your life. this all mean?” However, the realization that these are the cards I was dealt, not the cards I wish I were dealt, ended Daniel Jones is a tenure track assistant professor in up being a turning point. I was able to answer my own Management and Social Psychology at the University of question with the answer, “All of this: It doesn’t have to Nevada Reno. He is married with a daughter, and is in close mean anything.” contact with his family.
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THERAPY COMMUNITY Ineffective and Potentially Harmful Psychological Interventions for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Dean McKay, PhD; Jonathan Abramowitz, PhD; & Eric A. Storch, PhD
James sought treatment with one of us for his This encounter was perhaps the most extreme in someone severe obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). demonstrably requesting ERP, but for this clinician, it is not an isolated incident. A client with true OCD comes seeking His symptoms were primarily intrusive images therapy after seeking consultation with other providers of harming others, as well as concerns with claiming they will deliver CBT, and specifically ERP, only to contamination that led to lengthy hand-washing receive some other intervention. The client then terminates rituals. James is very successful professionally, he treatment either with no symptom relief, or possibly with symptoms worse than when they began, as well as reduced is well-educated, and he arrived for treatment hope that they can get better and a loss of faith in the armed with extensive knowledge of what mental health profession. treatment he needed based on his understanding With OCD affecting around one to two percent of the of the research into psychological interventions population, and an increase in the recognition of this for OCD. During his initial evaluation, he asked problem, many clinicians have begun to hold themselves repeatedly if he would receive exposure with out to the treatment-seeking public as healthcare providers for this disorder, even if their knowledge of OCD and response prevention (ERP). The dialog went appropriate interventions are not consistent with the approximately like this: current science. The aim of this article is to highlight how James (J): I’ve done research on your work, and see that inappropriate, non-evidence-based treatment may be you have published on ERP. Do you promise, now that ineffective at best, and even harmful in some instances. you’ve assessed me and know I have OCD, that you will In medicine, it is routine to hear about side effects, including provide this treatment? those that may cause a worsening of symptoms or cause Clinician (C): Yes, of course. other negative outcomes that could be so severe that the medication is unwarranted. Side effects and possible negative J: Now, I hate to seem pushy about this, but really, can you outcomes are rarely discussed in psychotherapy12, and even re-assure me that you will, without question, provide ERP? less frequently studied systematically7. However, there are C: Yes, without a doubt, you are an ideal candidate for ERP. some treatments that are known to be harmful for OCD, or at J: Look, I’ve been told this by three prior therapists, that the least not likely to benefit individuals seeking treatment. they would deliver ERP, but when it came time to do so, POTENTIALLY HARMFUL TREATMENTS FOR OCD they didn’t. So, I’m not sure how easily you can convince me, but I cannot go through this disappointment again. Here we discuss treatments that have documented harmful Will you swear you will deliver ERP? effects. We have grouped these together into those identified as cognitive-behavioral, and non-cognitive-behavioral. C: I can 100% guarantee you will receive ERP.
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THERAPY COMMUNITY Ineffective and Potentially Harmful Psychological Interventions for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (continued)
INTERVENTIONS OFTEN LABELED AS “COGNITIVE- actually shows that many people with OCD compulsively BEHAVIORAL THERAPY” suppress their thoughts — that is, thought-stopping can Exposure actually be a and response ritual. Thus, this prevention Side effects and possible negative outcomes are “treatment” (ERP) is a form rarely“ discussed in psychotherapy (McKay et al., 2018), essentially of cognitive- and even less frequently studied systematically amounts to behavioral helping people therapy (CBT) that (Lilienfeld, 2007). However, there are some treatments with OCD do is well-studied that are known to be harmful for OCD, or at the least rituals, which and known to not likely to benefit individuals seeking treatment. is the opposite be particularly of what we effective for ” know works as a reducing OCD treatment for OCD. symptoms. In fact, it is the most effective overall treatment Thought-stopping, therefore, is based on a misunderstanding for OCD (OCRDs; see Abramowitz, McKay, & Storch, 2017). of the psychological mechanisms of OCD. In fact, effective However, it is important to understand that ERP is only one treatments for OCD, such as ERP, are beneficial precisely type of cognitive-behavioral intervention. because they ask clients to do the opposite of thought- CBT is an approach to understanding and treating stopping. When someone with obsessions purposely psychological disorders, and it encompasses a large provokes these thoughts and “leans into them,” they have the universe of techniques and interventions. Thus, the label opportunity to learn that these experiences do not need to be “CBT” can mean many things. Indeed, there are some CBT stopped or suppressed because they are not dangerous. interventions that, while effective for some problems, COGNITIVE THERAPY are either of limited value or may worsen the symptoms of OCD. What follows next is a description of CBT-based Cognitive therapy is an approach to psychological treatment interventions that do not have support in treating OCD. based on the idea that overly rigid and exaggerated thoughts and beliefs, rather than situations, are what largely THOUGHT-STOPPING cause negative emotions. For example, if I fail an exam, It sounds simple enough — start by applying a mild I become depressed not because of my grade per se, but unpleasant stimulus every time an unwanted thought rather because of what I might tell myself about the grade enters consciousness, usually a rubber-band snap on the (e.g., “I am a failure”). The aim of cognitive therapy is to wrist. Move to less unpleasant experiences, such as saying help the person gather evidence for or against such faulty “STOP!” out loud and then moving to simply saying “STOP” thinking patterns (e.g., “I might have failed the exam, but I to oneself. The approach was derived from basic behavioral succeed in many other things; I can learn from this failure”) principles of aversive conditioning, and while the theoretical to develop more helpful ways of thinking that lead to more underpinnings are fairly sound, the evidence suggests this appropriate and helpful emotional responses (e.g., “Failing approach will lead to worsening of symptoms. This has been the test is disappointing; it means I need to work harder if I fairly well known for a long time now (see Christensen, et want to pass next time”). al., 1987), and so bona fide experts in OCD are unlikely to This type of evidence-gathering is called the Socratic method offer this procedure. and there is plenty of research showing that cognitive The reason for the ineffectiveness of thought-stopping therapy is extremely useful in the treatment of problems comes from the now well-understood problems associated such as depression, anger, and anxiety. There are also with thought suppression9. Specifically, when a person tries empirically supported cognitive therapy protocols for OCD to suppress a thought, the accessibility of that very thought (i.e., Wilhelm & Steketee, 2006), derived from basic research paradoxically increases. Consequently, there is a “rebound into the specific cognitions that are associated with OCD, effect” whereby the previously unwanted thoughts are such as the tendency to overestimate threat and responsibility, present more frequently, and at a higher intensity13. Research as well as the importance of intrusive thoughts. Continued on next page >> 15
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THERAPY COMMUNITY Ineffective and Potentially Harmful Psychological Interventions for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (continued)
Unfortunately, however, many therapists are unfamiliar reason — this form of treatment fosters doubt, which is a with the OCD-specific version of cognitive therapy and end root problem in OCD. Remember James from earlier? Well, up getting drawn in to “helping” their patients with OCD he also recounted a typical dialog with a prior therapist, gather evidence for or against their obsessional fears (e.g., before he learned that he needed ERP: “Let’s figure out the likelihood that you will actually get sick J: Over the past week, my thoughts have been really from touching the floor”) — which is not how the OCD- intense. I had to avoid my son for fear I would get the urge specific version of cognitive therapy is used. The problem to harm him, especially when we were in the kitchen near here is that this type of “gathering evidence” is very similar the stove. to what people with OCD are already doing: trying to find a guarantee or trying to get reassurance. At a minimum, C: I see. Tell me, have you been feeling hostility toward your this approach is frustrating since the vast majority of people son of late? You mentioned last week that you had to punish with OCD recognize that the thoughts surrounding their him. symptoms are unreasonable or exaggerated. But at worst, J: Um, I get frustrated with him like any parent does with the cognitive therapist is again merely contributing to their six-year-old, but I don’t want to burn him by grabbing helping the person perform a reassurance-seeking ritual. his hand and pressing it to the stove! In fact, we have had some patients tell us how they’ve C: Yes, yes. But, you have to sometimes think of how much (unknowingly) hijacked cognitive therapy and turned it into easier life was when you did not have children. a ritual (e.g., “My therapist told me that less than 1% of Dialog such as this fuels a sense of doubt about one’s people get sick from touching toilets, so as long as I say that intentions. Research has demonstrated that there are to myself over and over, I can use the bathroom without several key cognitive areas that are relevant to OCD. Two in having to shower afterwards”). This is merely substituting particular – intolerance of uncertainty and over-importance one ritual for another, and not a useful long-term treatment of thoughts – are emphasized when psychodynamically- for OCD! It is, however, important to remember that oriented approaches are adopted. This stands in contrast some aspects of cognitive therapy may help, for example to the aforementioned cognitive model16. Quantitative externalizing intrusive thoughts, or focusing on learning evidence also shows that psychodynamic approaches from ERP. But, the typical Socratic methods used in the worsen symptoms of OCD3. treatment of other psychological problems have in fact proven to be of limited use in the treatment of OCD. INTERPERSONAL PSYCHOTHERAPIES NON-COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS The interpersonal psychotherapies (IPT) have shown significant benefits in the treatment of depression and other As anyone who has sought psychotherapy will tell you, there conditions8, but the connection between interpersonal are a lot of different “brands” of therapy on the open market. difficulties and OCD is not well developed. Further, it has not The majority of these also have limited evidence to support been shown to be a mechanism of symptom presentation their use in the treatment of OCD. The following are a few that or improvement. IPT may be useful to alleviate depressed may be harmful rather than helpful or even benign. mood that frequently accompanies OCD, but as a stand- PSYCHODYNAMIC/PSYCHOANALYTIC THERAPY alone treatment it is likely to contribute to a worsening of symptoms for the same reasons as noted above for Sometimes also referred to as “general psychotherapy,” psychodynamic therapies. the goal of this treatment is to achieve insight into the underlying nature of the presenting problem. The clinician INEFFECTIVE TREATMENTS FOR OBSESSIVE does not offer any definitive answers, and clients are left COMPULSIVE AND RELATED DISORDERS to speculate about possible connections between their The focus thus far on treatments that lead to worsening symptoms and some other prior events or personal history. symptoms is not the only negative outcome that can occur While this may be fine for some conditions (see Thoma et when individuals with OCD seek therapy. Seeking treatments al., where quality of study was more indicative of outcome that can be expected to provide limited or no benefit has than theoretical approach in the treatment of depression), been previously described as harmful due to resource loss, in the case of OCD it can be harmful. There is a compelling frustration/demoralization, and potential worsening of symptoms due to the natural course of an untreated condition4. 16
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THERAPY COMMUNITY Ineffective and Potentially Harmful Psychological Interventions for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (continued)
RELAXATION THERAPY LIFE COACHING Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) is a classic behavioral There is no single unifying theory or approach for life intervention that was developed for anxiety problems. coaching. The training involved is highly variable, but It was commonly administered as part of systematic more importantly, there is no connection between this and desensitization17. However, as exposure methods became alleviation of symptoms of OCD. It is important to list this more refined, PMR specifically and systematic desensitization area of practice here because there are many individuals in general became less commonly practiced, since symptom offering life coaching as part of a plan of treatment for OCD. relief is achieved more slowly and with less durability11. A search of the research literature showed no research for Currently, PMR is typically used as a control treatment life coaching to alleviate anxiety disorders or OCD (search condition in research trials, and while some limited relief may conducted January 6, 2019). be attained, OCD symptoms remain quite significant after RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CONSUMERS treatment (as shown in Greist et al., 2002). The reason PMR fails to reduce symptoms is because rather than address the There are many clinicians offering their services, and many specific problem that leads to anxiety (intrusive thoughts), of these clinicians state that they treat OCD. While it may be it only alleviates the anxiety that results from it. While all too easy to say “buyer beware,” there are some things relaxation is pleasant, unlike ERP it does not address the that can help the treatment-seeking individual make an primary causal symptom that leads to anxiety and distress. informed choice when selecting a psychotherapist. ENERGY THERAPIES INVESTIGATE THE TREATMENTS The basic premise that underlies the energy therapies is Once you’ve been diagnosed, check to see what treatments that people are imbued with a basic energy system around are recommended for your condition. Check the IOCDF the physical space, and that psychopathology emerges from website for information regarding available interventions. disruption in this system. The clinician works to adjust the See if treatment guidelines have been developed, and if so, energy field through tapping specific points on the body what the first, second, and possibly third-line treatments (so-called “meridian points”) or engage in other minor may be for the disorder. physical contact in order to “adjust” the field, typically ASK “HARD” QUESTIONS while the treatment-seeking individual visualizes some aspect of their problem. Each of the authors here welcome questions about how the client’s presenting symptoms will be treated, what outcomes At present, there is no compelling evidence that these can be expected, how our approach to implementing CBT hypothesized energy fields exist, that there is any will be specific to the broad presenting problem, and what connection to psychopathology (not just OCD), or that the kind of outcome might be reasonably expected. If a particular 10 physical tapping has any benefit . At best, the visualization method other than ERP is being recommended, a clear component could be construed as a mild form of exposure justification is offered that ties specifically to the individual’s therapy, but it is typically not of sufficient duration or presenting problem based on knowledge of the whole person. intensity to lead to any beneficial outcome. Despite the lack This is the least anyone should expect of their clinician. of scientific evidence to support their use, energy therapies enjoy a surprising measure of popularity among clinicians14. When seeking a provider who says they offer CBT, ask them how they will address OCD, and specifically how they will EQUINE (AND OTHER ANIMAL-ASSISTED) THERAPY administer ERP. Be persistent on this issue, too. If the clinician In places where there is ready access to horses, equine seems unwilling to describe how they approach treatment, therapy may be a more common intervention. In a survey or if they are apparently unfamiliar with the current best of mental health professionals who offered anxiety disorder practices for your condition, it may be best to seek a different services in Wyoming, Hipol and Deacon6 found that a large provider. While it may be frustrating, the frustration is greater proportion of providers offered equine therapy. While when treatment is begun that is ineffective. engaging with horses is often quite pleasant and even Our illustrative James from earlier started treatment relaxing, the evidence that a successful program of therapy with five providers over a five-and-a-half-year period can be built around this is, at present, non-existent2. Continued on next page >> 17
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THERAPY COMMUNITY Ineffective and Potentially Harmful Psychological Interventions for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (continued) before finding someone who was familiar with the proper REFERENCES treatment for his condition. In between each failed therapy, 1. Abramowitz, J.S., McKay, D., & Storch, E.A. (editors, 2017). The Wiley he waited four to six months before trying again due to the Handbook of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders. New York: Wiley- demoralization from failing to benefit from therapy. Blackwell. 2. Anestis, MD, Anestis, J.C., Zawilinski, L.L., Hopkins, T.A., & Lilienfeld, CONTINUE TO ASK QUESTIONS S.O. (2014). Equine-related treatments for mental disorders lack Once you are confident you have found a provider and begin empirical support: A systematic review of empirical investigations. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 70, 1115-1132. treatment, continue to ask questions during the course of 3. Christensen, H., Hadzi-Pavlovic, D., Andrews, G., & Mattick, R. treatment. Inquiring about progress, the speed/pace of (1987). Behavior therapy and tricyclic medication in the treatment treatment, how outcome is being assessed, and whether of obsessive-compulsive disorder: A quantitative review. Journal of there are adjustments in the time course expected for Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 55, 701-711. treatment to complete, are all worth asking. Similarly, asking 4. Dmidjian, S., & Hollon, S.D. (2010). How would we know if about the role of loved ones — especially for children and psychotherapy were harmful? American Psychologist, 65, 21-33. adolescents — is very important to build a team to battle 5. Greist, J.H., Marks, I.M., Baer, L., Kobak, K.A., Wenzel, K.W., Hirsch, M.J., Mantle, J.M., & Clary, C.M. (2002). Behavior therapy for against OCD, similar to how one would fight against cancer obsessive-compulsive disorder guided by a computer of by a clinician or other chronic physical illnesses. compared with relaxation as a control. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 63, 138-145. CONCLUSIONS 6. Hipol, L.J., & Deacon, B.J. (2013). Dissemination of evidence-based practices for anxiety disorders in Wyoming: A survey of practicing As noted at the outset, there is limited research on side psychotherapists. Behavior Modification, 37, 170-188. effects and negative outcomes in therapy for OCD, or for 7. Lilienfeld, S.O. (2007). Psychological treatments that cause harm. most psychological conditions. Complicating matters, there Perspectives on Psychological Science, 2, 53-70. are many treatments, and the practitioners offering these 8. Lipsitz, J.D., & Markowitz, J.C. (2013). Mechanisms of change in interventions claim effectiveness, even when there is little interpersonal psychotherapy. Clinical Psychology Review, 33, 1134-1147. research to support these claims. Although these clinicians 9. Magee, J.C., Harden, K.P., & Teachman, B.A. (2012). Psychopathology are generally well-meaning and genuinely wish to alleviate and thought suppression: A quantitative review. Clinical Psychology Review, 32, 189-201. the symptoms of those suffering, the methods employed 10. McCaslin, D.L. (2009). A review of efficacy claims in energy may fall short, or may cause harm. The list of treatments psychology. Psychotherapy, 46, 249-256. discussed here are ones that OCRD sufferers should 11. McGlynn, F.D., Mealiea, W.L., & Landau, D.L. (1981). The current status consider avoiding in light of the risk of worsening, or at best of systematic desensitization. Clinical Psychology Review, 1, 149-179. remaining unchanged. 12. McKay, D., Jensen-Doss, A., Lilienfeld, S.O., Teachman, B., & White, B. It is our hope that more systematic research will accumulate (2018). Assessing harms and benefits in psychological interventions: Update from the Coalition for the Advancement and Application of to document potential harms in treatment. At the moment, Psychological Science (CAAPS). the Behavior Therapist, 41, 291-293. the best that can be offered are some guidelines to identify 13. Purdon, C. (2004). Empirical investigations of thought suppression in practices and practitioners who are familiar with the proper OCD. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 35, evidence-based interventions for OCD. 121-136. 14. Sharp, I.R., Herbert, J.D., & Redding, R.E. (2008). The role of critical thinking skills in practicing clinical psychologists’ choice of intervention techniques. The Scientific Review of Mental Health Practice: Objective Investigations of Controversial and Unorthodox Claims in Clinical Psychology, Psychiatry, & Social Work, 6, 21-30. 15. Thoma, N.C., McKay, D., Gerber, A.J., Milrod, B.L., Edwards, A.R., & Kocsis, J.H. (2012). A quality-based review of randomized controlled trials of cognitive-behavioral therapy for depression: An assessment and meta-regression. American Journal of Psychiatry, 169, 22-30. 16. Wilhelm, S., & Steketee, G. (2006). Cognitive therapy for obsessive- compulsive disorder: A guide for professionals. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger. 17. Wolpe, J. (1990). The practice of behavior therapy (4th ed). Elmsford: Pergamon.
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THERAPY COMMUNITY Institutional Member Updates
Institutional Members of the International OCD Davis School of Medicine, and is the Co-Instructor of Record Foundation are programs or clinics that specialize for the Adolescent Course for Child Psychiatry Fellows. She in the treatment of OCD and related disorders. For has been honored with a Distinguished Fellow status in the American Psychiatric Association and has board certifications a full list of the IOCDF’s Institutional Members, in General Psychiatry, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and please visit iocdf.org/clinics. Addiction Medicine. Dr. Chassity Angeny-Showalter, PsyD, has also joined the AMITA HEALTH CENTER FOR ANXIETY AND OCD AND THE ATC staff. Dr. Angeny-Showalter has extensive experience SCHOOL ANXIETY / SCHOOL REFUSAL PROGRAM working with anxiety disorders, eating disorders and ABBHH, 1650 Moon Lake Blvd chemical dependency treatment in outpatient, intensive Hoffman Estates, Illinois 60169 outpatient, partial hospitalization, and residential settings. (847) 755-8566 More recently, she was the Clinical Director at Eating [email protected] Recovery Center and at Aspire Wellness Center. She takes AMITAHealth.org an integrative approach to treatment, utilizing cognitive behavioral therapy, exposure response prevention, DBT, ACT, AMITA HEALTH FOGLIA FAMILY FOUNDATION RESIDENTIAL and self-compassion therapy. TREATMENT CENTER The ATC will continue to support the 1 Million Steps 4 OCD 801 Gloucester Dr. Walk, this year held on June 1, 2019 at Southside Park in Elk Grove Village, Illinois 60007 Sacramento, CA! A popular location over the years, we hope (847) 981-5900 to have over 200 people join us for this exciting annual event. [email protected] AMITAHealth.org BEHAVIOR THERAPY CENTER OF GREATER WASHINGTON The AMITA Health Behavioral Medicine Institute’s new Charles Mansueto, PhD, Director Professional Development series is out and there are several 11227 Lockwood Drive OCD and anxiety-related talks for the public, in addition to Silver Spring, Maryland 20901 CEU events for Clinicians coming up in the Chicago area. For (301) 593-4040 the most up-to-date information on our talks, webinars, [email protected] and trainings, please visit: bit.ly/2WtanyC. Many talks www.behaviortherapycenter.com feature Dr. Patrick B. McGrath, IOCDF Scientific Advisory Board Member and A.V.P. of the Foglia Residential Treatment The year 2019 has been an exciting one so far at BTC! We Center for OCD, Anxiety, PTSD, and Addictions. are thrilled about our newest clinical staff member, Kevin Young, PhD, who incorporates his extensive DBT training into THE ANXIETY TREATMENT CENTER OF SACRAMENTO, his work with OCD and anxiety disorders. ROSEVILLE, AND EL DORADO HILLS More people are participating in our intensives for OCD than 10419 Old Placerville Road, Suite 258 ever before, some traveling overseas to make a brave stand Sacramento, California 95826 in overcoming their symptoms using our evidence-based, 1899 East Roseville Pkwy Suite 140 team approach. Roseville, California 95661 BTC continues in our research collaboration with 5000 Windplay Drive, Suite 2 American University, in the second phase of validating El Dorado Hills, Ca 95762 the Comprehensive Behavioral Treatment (ComB) for body-focused repetitive behaviors. In this phase, a ComB (916) 366-0647 treatment group will be compared with a minimal attention [email protected] control group. www.anxietytreatmentexperts.com Dr. Gloria Mathis and Dr. Michael Lent are running an The ATC is pleased to introduce Dr. Mina Hah, MD, as exposure group for anxiety disorders and OCD that the newest psychiatrist to join our team! Dr. Hah is the involves “field trips” for In vivo exposure activities. Dr. Psychiatry Clerkship Director and Associate Professor at Noah Weintraub runs our Disruptive Behavior Management California Northstate School of Medicine, teaches at UC Program, intended for children with OCD, Tourette’s or Continued on next page >> 19
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THERAPY COMMUNITY
Institutional Member Updates (continued)
anxiety disorder in combination with disruptive behaviors, local residents in the greater Houston area. Admission will and is appropriate for families in which PANS/PANDAS is expand to the general public later this year. Please visit our suspected. This program involves both individual sessions and online portal for more information: houstonocdprogram. a structured parenting group. Professionally-assisted GOAL org/bergen-4-day-treatment. OCD support group held every other Wednesday from 7-9pm. For adolescents, we will continue to offer our Spring Break Please contact Julia Goolsby, PhD at (301) 593-4040, Ext. 230 Brief Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Program (AIOP), which for inquiries about our services. offers CBT skills groups, staff-assisted exposure/response prevention, and individual & family therapy sessions for CHILD MIND INSTITUTE INTENSIVE OCD PROGRAM adolescents with moderate to severe OCD and other anxiety- 101 East 56th Street related disorders. Dates for our Spring Break AIOP are March New York, NY 10022 11-15, 2019. Please call or email for more information! (646) 625-4252 [email protected] MCLEAN HOSPITAL OCD INSTITUTE childmind.org/intensive-ocd-treatment 115 Mill Street The Child Mind Institute’s Intensive OCD Program has Belmont, Massachusetts 01886 expanded to offer evaluation and treatment for Spanish- (617) 855-2776 speaking families. This growth is due to the recent hire of [email protected] Arlnado Martinez, MS, a behavior technician within the www.mcleanhospital.org/programs/ocd-institute Anxiety Disorders Center. Mr. Martinez provides individual The OCD Institute is happy to welcome our newest exposure therapy to children and adolescents in the postdoctoral fellow, Edmund LaBarbara, who joined us this Intensive OCD Program and conducts intellectual, academic fall. Eddie received his PsyD from Chatham University in and other cognitive assessments. Pittsburgh, PA. His predoctoral training was at Riverview In addition to the growth of our OCD program, the Child Psychiatric Center in Augusta, ME. We are pleased to have Mind Institute is pleased to announce the opening of a new him on board! clinical center in the San Francisco Bay Area in Fall 2019. For We also congratulate our Administrative Research Director more information about our new center and open positions, Dr. Martha Falkenstein on being awarded an IOCDF Young please visit childmind.org/careers Investigator Award. Martha’s $40K grant, entitled “Neural Mechanisms of Avoidance in Exposure and Response HOUSTON OCD PROGRAM Prevention for OCD,” will hopefully help to shed light on 708 E. 19th Street how to improve outcomes for our most treatment refractory Houston, Texas 77008 patients by specifically focusing on addressing avoidance (713) 526-5055 behaviors in people with OCD. [email protected] The OCDI will be represented at the annual ADAA meeting www.houstonocdprogram.org in March by several of our staff doing presentations and posters, as well as with an exhibit booth. Please stop by OCD AND ANXIETY PROGRAM OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA and say hello! We are also already looking forward to the 2656 29th Street, Suite 208 IOCDF Conference in Austin this summer and are lining up Santa Monica, California 90405 our presentation and poster submissions as we speak. We (310) 488-5850 expect a big OCDI turnout this summer, and hope to see [email protected] many of you there! www.socalocdprogram.org The year 2019 marks 10 years of service for the Houston OCD Program! We have evolved throughout the years, but have stayed true to our mission of Quality Care. Compassionate Environment. What better way to celebrate 10 years, than to launch our newest program? The Bergen 4-Day Treatment (B4DT) will begin this June for adults with OCD who are 20
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Institutional Member Updates (continued)
MOUNTAIN VALLEY TREATMENT CENTER For more information on our individual, couples, family, and 703 River Road group therapy, please feel free to email or call us. Plainfield, New Hampshire 03781 (603) 989-3500 RENEWED FREEDOM CENTER FOR RAPID ANXIETY RELIEF [email protected] 1849 Sawtelle Blvd, Suite 710 www.mountainvalleytreatment.org Los Angeles, California 90025 Mountain Valley Treatment Center has completed its move (310) 268-1888 from Pike to our new campus in Plainfield, NH. The new [email protected] campus is located 30 minutes from Hanover, NH, near www.RenewedFreedomCenter.com Dartmouth College. Renewed Freedom Center would like to welcome Dr. In conjunction with OCD NH and NH Psychological Jennifer Lynch, PsyD back to our team. Dr. Lynch trained at Association, the 4th Annual Seacoast Anxiety (and OCD) the Renewed Freedom Center as a pre-doctoral practicum Symposium is scheduled for Tuesday October 8, 2019 in intern in 2012 – 2013, and has extensive experience treating Portsmouth, NH. adults and children diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder and related anxiety disorders. She utilizes a OCD NH and Mountain Valley are sponsoring the October CBT approach, incorporating mindfulness when working BTTI in Portsmouth, NH. Dates are October 18-20th. with children, adults, and families. In addition, she is credentialed in Evidence-Based Treatments including Trauma PALO ALTO THERAPY Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Child Parent 407 Sherman Avenue, Suite C Psychotherapy. Palo Alto, California 94306 RFC is also excited to announce our new weekly social 940 Saratoga Ave. Ste. 240 anxiety group for teens & young adults, beginning March San Jose, California 95129 2019 with rolling enrollment. To inquire about joining or (650) 461-9026 referring someone to our new group, please contact us at [email protected] [email protected]. www.paloaltotherapy.com/ocd ROGERS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH At Palo Alto Therapy, we specialize in CBT and have many 34700 Valley Road years of experience helping children and adults overcome Oconomowoc, Wisconsin 53066 anxiety, depression, OCD, panic, social anxiety, and other (800) 767-4411 stress related problems. [email protected] Our Newest Additions: We are glad to introduce our www.rogersbh.org newest members. Monica Burford, LMFT offers services Rogers–Miami is now open to patients, providing specialized in both English and Spanish, and we also have a new care intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization care for coordinator, Jessica Krcik. We are excited to have them both children, teens, and adults with OCD and anxiety disorders. join our ever-growing practice with their unique experience It’s the system’s first fully bilingual location, serving both and backgrounds. English- and Spanish-speaking patients. Anxiety to Wellness Class: Our 8-week class will be offered In spring 2019, Rogers will open two new clinics in San Diego for teens and adults in April and we are open for enrollment. and the Twin Cities. Rogers–San Diego is expected to open This CBT class consists of teaching and practicing anxiety- in April with partial hospitalization programs for children, reducing techniques and group support. adolescents, and adults with OCD and anxiety disorders. We Are Hiring! We are actively hiring for new therapists so Rogers–St. Paul, located in nearby Woodbury, is expected to that we can create a quality team that will match the success open in late spring with a partial hospitalization program for of the incredible therapists that we already employ. If you children, adolescents, and adults with OCD and anxiety. happen to be, or know of any good candidates for us, please Rogers–Appleton launched its first child and adolescent send them our way! programs, including an OCD and anxiety intensive outpatient program. Rogers–Madison will begin treating Continued on next page >> 21
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Institutional MemberArticle Title Updates (continued) by line children and adolescents in late March with an OCD and STRESS & ANXIETY SERVICES OF NJ, LLC anxiety partial hospitalization program. A-2, Brier Hill Court Rogers–Philadelphia clinical director Martin Franklin, PhD, East Brunswick, New Jersey 08816 co-authored the recently-released textbook and training 195 Columbia Turnpike Suite 120 manual “Treating OCD in Children and Adolescents: A Florham Park, New Jersey 07932 Cognitive-Behavioral Approach.” Reviews have called it a (732) 390-6694 “‘must-have’ guide for any clinician who works with youth.” [email protected] Rogers–Philadelphia added intensive outpatient programs www.StressAndAnxiety.com for children and adolescents, and one for adults with OCD and anxiety in November. Stress and Anxiety Services of New Jersey is proud to announce that all 9 of our licensed clinicians in both office STANFORD TRANSLATIONAL OCD PROGRAM - locations have completed training and are now certified to RODRIGUEZ LAB provide telehealth services by the Telebehavioral Health 401 Quarry Rd Institute. TBHI is one of the most comprehensive and Stanford, California 94305 respected training programs in the country for the delivery (650) 723-4095 of mental health services over the Internet. [email protected] We are also proud to announce that, with Drs. Zachary http://rodriguezlab.stanford.edu Infantolino and Rachel Gross completing their training at the The Stanford Translational OCD program utilizes an Behavior Therapy Training Institute (BTTI) in February 2019, interdisciplinary approach to find new treatments for every one of our 9 licensed clinicians in both office locations patients suffering from OCD and hoarding disorder. We invite are now BTTI alumni. The BTTI is the 3-day intensive training you to find out more about our current research studies by program in OCD run by IOCDF. calling (650) 723-4095 or emailing ocdresearch@stanford. After a one year hiatus, we have restarted our weekly OCD edu or [email protected]. We also invite you to Tips video clips programming. Go to the Youtube platform follow us on Twitter and Facebook @RodriguezLabSU. and simply type in “Stress and Anxiety NJ” in the search bar We are pleased to welcome the latest additions to our team! —we are the first channel listed. You can subscribe to be Dr. Hannah Raila and Dr. Kelley Anderson have joined us as alerted whenever a new video clip is posted. new postdoctoral fellows and Natalie Rog-Wilhelm, RN, BSN In February, our Director, Dr. Allen Weg, presented in as our newest assistant clinical research coordinator. Atlantic City at the annual conference of the New Jersey In other news, Dr. Rodriguez presented on advances in Association of Student Assistant Professionals. “Addressing OCD research at the World Economic Forum in Davos, OCD in the Educational Setting” was the topic. He also Switzerland, as part of the Stanford IdeasLab team provided a full day presentation on “OCD and other pediatric presentation “The Dawn of Precision Psychiatry.” anxiety difficulties in the school setting” for Professional Development Day at the Westfield School District. At the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) meeting in Hollywood, Florida, Dr. Rodriguez Finally, Stress and Anxiety Services of New Jersey once presented “Exploring BDNF Val66Met polymorphism and again participated in the holiday card program sponsored Extinction Learning-Based Treatment Outcome in OCD: by IOCDF. Cards that were created by persons affected by A Pilot Study” (Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, OCD were collected by IOCDF, and sent (among other places) January/February 2019) and Dr. van Roessel presented to our facility, where the therapists shared them with our “Clutter Blindness As An Insight Proxy In Hoarding Disorder: active OCD clients and their families. It was a wonderful A Pilot Study.” experience for us as well as for our clients
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RESEARCH NEWS The Roles of Bullying and Victimization in OCD and BDD: An International Sample by Fugen Neziroglu, PhD, ABBP, ABPP; Tania Borda, PhD; Sony Khemlani-Patel, PhD; Brittany Bonasera
When it comes to the role of trauma in obsessive HOW THE STUDY WAS PERFORMED compulsive disorder (OCD) and body dysmorphic We collected data from a sample of 219 children between disorder (BDD), we still know very little. There is the ages of 7 and 10 from three elementary schools some research to suggest that individuals with these in Buenos Aires, Argentina7. Children were screened disorders are somewhat more likely to have a history for psychiatric illness using the Mini International of abuse than the average person. Additionally, Neuropsychiatric Interview for Children and Adolescents (MINI), which is a short interview that can diagnose the individuals with BDD report abuse more often than is 30 most common disorders in pediatric mental health8. reported by individuals with OCD1. Additionally, children were given the Body Dysmorphic There have also been reports in which individuals Disorder Questionnaire (BDDQ)9, which is a brief self-report with BDD indicated that they were often teased as measure used to screen for BDD. children2,3. However, it is plausible that individuals Children were then grouped into one of four categories: with BDD are more likely to recall these events due to 1. BDD (children with BDD features/emerging BDD rejection sensitivity and heightened anxiety, which are symptoms) common features of the disorder. Nonetheless, being teased or bullied in childhood has been shown to be 2. OCD traumatic and can have long lasting physiological, 3. clinical controls (children with depressive disorders, psychological, and even biological effects on victims4,5. attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, and anxiety disorders not otherwise Previous research on social relations in children with specified) OCD4, as well as research suggesting a link between being teased in childhood and developing BDD later 4. healthy controls (children with no psychiatric diagnoses) on in life2,3, led us to look further into the relationship After the children were categorized, they were given the between bullying and these disorders. In order to study Peer Interaction in Primary School Questionnaire (PIPS)10, this relationship, we considered bullying as a form of which is a 22-question measure designed to identify bullying trauma, and measured its prevalence in a group of and victimization experiences in elementary school children. school aged children in Buenos Aires, Argentina. STUDY RESULTS OVERVIEW The results on the PIPS provided some interesting findings: The purpose of this study was to look at a sample of young • Children with BDD experienced more bullying than the healthy control group, supporting hypothesis #1. children during their school years — when bullying is most common — to see if there was a relationship between • Contrary to hypothesis #2, children with BDD did not bullying and the emergence of BDD symptoms7. experience more bullying than those in the clinical control group, and experienced significantly less bullying We hypothesized that: than children in the OCD group. 1. Children with emerging BDD would be victims of • Children in the OCD group were more bullied than those bullying more so than children without any mental in any other group. health diagnosis; and An additional finding was that children in the BDD group were more likely to be bullies than children in any of the 2. Children with OCD and other clinical diagnoses would other three groups. Within the OCD, clinical control, and be victims of bullying, but not to the same degree as nonclinical control groups, children were more likely to be children with emerging BDD. victims than bullies. However, children with emerging BDD were just as likely to be bullies as they were victims.
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The Roles of Bullying and Victimization in OCD and BDD (continued)
Within the OCD, clinical control, and nonclinical control groups, children were more“ likely to be victims than bullies. However, children with emerging BDD were just as likely to be bullies as they were victims. ”
STUDY CONCLUSIONS This study provided an interesting insight into the nature The results of this study suggest an interesting relationship of BDD and how it impacts social functioning in children. It between bullying, victimization, and BDD. Perhaps more seems that interpersonal conflict from a young age is related broadly, the results suggest a relationship between BDD and to emerging BDD and is seen in the form of bullying and 7 interpersonal conflict7. victimization . Future studies on early BDD development and symptoms may use this information to help identify However, there were some limitations of this study that are youth who are at risk of developing this chronic and serious worth noting. One limitation was that since this study only disorder. Additionally, these results could help inform future looked at children during one point in time, we cannot know interventions for school-aged children with OCD. Catching BDD what came first: the bullying or the BDD symptomology. early on could potentially lead to more successful treatment Therefore, children who were bullied may have already had outcome, and the results of this study hopefully provide clinical symptoms before being bullied, or they may have researchers with the first steps to do so. developed symptoms as a result of the bullying — both scenarios are equally as likely. Another limitation was that the REFERENCES diagnoses given to the children were based upon standardized measures alone and administered briefly in the school setting. 1. Neziroglu, F., Khemlani-Patel, S., & Yaryura-Tobias, J.A. (2006). Rates It would have been helpful to have their diagnoses confirmed of abuse in body dysmorphic disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Body Image, 3, 189–193. from parental interviews as well, especially to highlight any 2. Buhlmann, U., Wilhelm, S., Glaesmer, H., Mewes, R., Brähler, E., characteristics that may not have been captured within the & Rief, W. (2011). Perceived appearance-related teasing in body measures used to determine the diagnoses. dysmorphic disorder: A population-based survey. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy, 4(4), 342-348. 3. Weingarden, H., Curley, E.E., Renshaw, K.D., & Wilhelm, S. (2017). Patient-identified events implicated in the development of body dysmorphic disorder. Body Image, 21, 19–25. KEY TAKEAWAYS: 4. Newman, M. L., Holden, G.W., & Delville, Y. (2005). Isolation and the Rates of psychiatric illness, bullying, and bullying stress of being bullied. Journal of Adolescence, 28, 343-357. victimization were measured in a sample of 219 elementary 5. Carney, J. V. (2008). Perceptions of bullying and associated trauma school students. during adolescence. Professional School Counseling, 11(3), 179–188. 6. Borda, T., Feinstein, B. A., Neziroglu, F., Veccia, T., & Perez-Rivera, • Children with OCD were more likely to be victimized R. (2013). Are children with obsessive-compulsive disorder at risk for by bullying when compared to children with BDD, problematic peer relationships? Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and healthy children, and the average child with any other Related Disorders, 2(4), 359-365. psychiatric illness. 7. Neziroglu, F.,Borda, T., Khemlani-Patel, S., & Bonasera, B. (2018). Prevalence of Bullying in a Pediatric Sample of Body Dysmorphic • Children with BDD were more likely to be bullied than Disorder. Comprehensive Psychiatry 18, 12-16. healthy children, but were also more likely to engage 8. Sheehan, DV, Lecrubier, Y, Sheehan, KH, Amorim, P, Janavs, J, in bullying behaviors than children in any of the 3 Weiller, E, Dunbar, GC. (1998). The Mini-International Neuropsychiatric other groups studied. Interview (M.I.N.I): The development and validation of a structured • Interpersonal conflict from a young age is related diagnostic psychiatric interview for DSM-IV and ICD-10. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 1998; 59(20): 22-33. to emerging BDD and is seen in the form of bullying 7 9. Phillips, KA. The Broken Mirror: Understanding and treating body and victimization . Future studies may use this dysmorphic disorder. New York, NY: Oxford University Press; 2005. information to help identify youth who are at risk 10. Tarshis, TP, Huffman, LC. Psychometric properties of the peer of developing BDD. interactions in primary school (PIPS) questionnaire. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics 2007; 28: 125–132.
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RESEARCH NEWS Research Participants Sought The IOCDF is not affiliated with any of the following studies, although we ensure that all research studies listed on this page have been reviewed and approved by an Internal Review Board (IRB). The studies are listed alphabetically by state, with online studies and those open to multiple areas at the beginning. If you are a researcher who would like to include your research listing in the OCD Newsletter, please email Alex Bahrawy at [email protected] or visit iocdf.org/research.
CALIFORNIA Funding: National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) Stanford IRB# 34622 Understanding How Ketamine Brings About Rapid Improvement in OCD NCT02843308 NCT02624596, IRB-34622 For more information contact: [email protected] PI: Carolyn Rodriguez, MD, PhD 650-723-4095 The Stanford Translational OCD Research Program is looking rodriguezlab.stanford.edu for adults 18-55 years old, with OCD, to take part in a study Participant’s rights questions, contact 1-866-680-2906. providing these possible benefits: • Free Diagnostic Evaluation A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of • Free Picture of Your Brain adjunctive BHV-4157 in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder • Free Test of Your Memory and Attention NCT03299166, Central IRB SSU00043779 – Stanford IRB- • Compensation of up to $400 after study completion 43360 • Your choice of free OCD psychotherapy or pharmacology after study completion PI: Carolyn Rodriguez, MD, PhD Purpose: Sponsor: Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, Inc To understand how a new drug brings about rapid The Rodriguez Lab at Stanford is looking for individuals with improvement in OCD symptoms OCD not satisfied taking standard medication treatment Contact: (SSRI). (650) 723-4095 You may be eligible to participate in a study with an [email protected] investigational medication that would be added onto your current treatment. Enhancing Treatment of Hoarding Disorder with If you would like to learn more information contact us at: Personalized In-home Sorting and Decluttering Practice [email protected] Purpose: To understand if personalized in home sorting 650-723-4095 and decluttering practice can help enhance treatment of For Participant’s rights questions please contact 1-866-680- hoarding symptoms 2906 Do you have difficulty with clutter? Feeling overwhelmed and needing help? Are you 18-65 years old? Not taking medications or willing to work with your primary doctor for a trial off your medications? You may be eligible to receive evidenced-based treatment. There is no cost to participate. Physician Investigator: Carolyn Rodriguez, MD, PhD, Stanford Medical Center https://med.stanford.edu/profiles/carolyn- rodriguez?tab=bio
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FROM THE AFFILIATES Affiliate Updates
Affiliate Updates Our affiliates carry out the mission of the IOCDF at the local level. Each of our affiliates is a non-profit organization run entirely by dedicated volunteers. For more info, visit: iocdf.org/affiliates State with Affiliate Affiliate Forming
OCD GEORGIA education on OCD to the community and area providers, www.ocdgeorgia.org seeking sponsors to begin support groups in the area, and OCD Georgia has successfully sponsored our first BTTI working to fine tune an Exposure House event in hopes of training, which was held in Atlanta in February 2019! We making it happen during OCD Awareness Week. Please check thank our partners for helping us bring this important us out on Facebook at @OCDLouisiana and on Twitter at training to the southeast. Our OCD Georgia Advocacy Group @LouisianaOCD for updates! continues to meet monthly via conference call, and has welcomed individuals from other states who are interested OCD MASSACHUSETTS in helping individuals and families affected by OCD (find our www.ocdmassachusets.org call-in information on the OCD Georgia Facebook page). We OCD Massachusetts welcomes Bethany Burke and Meghan filmed a segment for a local PBS series called “Your Fantastic Schreck, PhD, to our board! Bethany is a senior project Mind” focused on OCD, which will air in March. We will be management analyst at a healthcare research and data hosting a 4-part workshop series for teens with OCD and their company in Boston. She has a BA in Biochemistry with a parents, beginning in February. minor in Psychology from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where she was part of an organization that promotes mental OCD KANSAS health awareness and tries to break down stigma for college www.ocdkansas.org students. She is currently pursuing a graduate degree in OCD Kansas is excited to announce that Joi McNeley-Phelps, public health and plans to continue studying destigmatizing PhD (a prior board member), is now serving in the role of mental health disorders and promote accessibility to secretary and treasurer. We are also proud to announce treatment. Meghan Schreck, PhD, is a behavior therapist that we will be offering a scholarship to clinicians in Kansas and researcher at the OCD Institute at McLean Hospital. Dr. seeking to attend a BTTI. Please visit our website for more Schreck received her BA in Economics from Brown University information about this and other 2019 activities! and her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Vermont. In addition to her work at McLean Hospital, Dr. OCD LOUISIANA Schreck treats children, adolescents, and adults at CBTeam, a www.facebook.com/OCDLouisiana group practice in Arlington, MA. Greetings from OCD Louisiana, the most recent IOCDF Affiliate In December, OCDMA partnered with the Arlington Youth to come aboard! We are excited to make our entrance and Counseling Center for a screening of the kids documentary, provide a brief update on our activities. Much of our recent UNSTUCK. A panel discussion followed with AYCC staff, effort has focused on the nitty gritty, including establishing a members of OCDMA and two youngsters who have been committee of interested people, completing bylaws, listing through extensive OCD treatment. We are very thankful for with the Louisiana Secretary of State, opening our bank all who attended and those who helped put this successful account, and signing our first Affiliate Agreement. Additionally, event together. We are especially grateful for Camy and we created Facebook and Twitter pages and hosted our first Jenna who talked about their personal experiences with OCD. official 1 Million Steps 4 OCD Walk in New Orleans with a Both of you are an inspiration! great turnout. We met with interested individuals for pizza, Mark your calendars for the annual 1 Million Steps 4 OCD hosted a meeting at a local library to better understand our Walk on Saturday, June 1st. It will be at a new location, DCR’s community’s needs and interests, and provided information Mother’s Rest at Carson Beach in Boston, MA. OCDMA will on OCD during a Tulane basketball game focused on mental have a Walk team and we look forward to having many new health in the community. We are currently working to provide
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FROM THE AFFILIATES
Affiliate Updates (continued)
faces join us! For up-to-date information and event news, and public event allowed attendees to ask any OCD-related please follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter and questions from the panel members. visit our website. On Sunday, March 3rd, OCD New Jersey hosted their 19th annual luncheon and conference. Our featured presenter was OCD MID-ATLANTIC Dr. Alec Pollard, who spoke on “Academic and Occupational www.ocdmidatlantic.org Perfectionism: When Striving for Just-Right is Just Wrong.” Dr. OCD Mid-Atlantic is going through yet more changes this year Pollard is on the Scientific and Clinical Advisory Board of the and we would like to welcome our new board members: IOCDF and chairs the BTTI training. He was the recipient of psychiatrist Dr. Michael Labellarte, psychologist Dr. Margaret the Service Award at the IOCDF’s Annual OCD Conference in Liftik, and parent Dr. Deborah Topol Rosenberg. We look Washington, D.C last year. The event also had a “Living with forward to their input as we move forward with activities. We OCD” panel, where persons who live with OCD talk about are also proud to announce that we will be co-sponsoring a their journey and take questions from the audience. Visit our BTTI in Baltimore in 2019. Stay tuned to our website for more website for more info on our conference. information about this and other 2019 activities! OCD RHODE ISLAND OCD MIDWEST www.ocdri.org www.ocd-midwest.org OCD Rhode Island hosted its first OCD Midwest is already working on our OCD Walk for June public fundraiser at the Flatbread of 2019. We want you to be a part of the planning committee Company in Providence, RI! We had with us. Please email Patrick McGrath at Patrick.mcgrath@ a great turn out and would like to amitahealth.org for volunteering in Chicago or Charles thank all those who attended and Brady at [email protected] in Ohio for details made this night a success! Special specific to your state. We hope to see you all in June to have thanks to our Vice President Carla very successful walks again this year. Kenney for her creativity and hard work in making the benefit night banner featured above. OCD NEW HAMPSHIRE The OCD and Related Disorders Lecture Series at Butler www.ocdnewhampshire.org Hospital in Providence, RI is well into its second year and The Hanover, NH area support group was featured in regional attendance is steadily increasing each month. Please join us media highlighting the group that Dr. Seoka Salstrom and Dr. the first Wednesday of each month from 6-7pm. For a full list Chris Spofford organize: www.vnews.com/Support-Group- of lectures visit our website and Facebook page. Spotlight-Hanover-Group-Provides-Support-for-People- Mark your calendars for Saturday, June 1st to join us for the With-OCD-22182339. annual Boston 1 Million Steps 4 OCD Walk at DCR’s Mother’s OCD New Hampshire, New Hampshire Psychological Rest at Carson Beach in Boston, MA, and consider joining our Association, and Mountain Valley Treatment Center will hold Walk team to raise awareness for OCD and funds for the local the 4th Annual Seacoast Anxiety (and OCD) Symposium in RI community! Portsmouth on October 8, 2019. OCD New Hampshire, along with Mountain Valley Treatment Center, have been approved OCD SACRAMENTO to sponsor the October 2019 BTTI in Portsmouth, NH on www.ocdsacramento.org October 18-12, 2019. Visit iocdf.org/btti to learn more. OCD Sacramento will be hosting its 6th Annual 1 Million Steps Congratulations to Dr. Szu-Hui Lee, past President of OCD NH 4 OCD Walk! Each year, this event brings the community on the arrival of her second child, Emma Grace, on January 9th. together to raise awareness for OCD and reduce stigma Dr. Beth Ohr delivered a New Hampshire Psychological associated with anxiety disorders and related conditions. Association continuing education workshop on March 11th, A tradition has been to hold our walk at Southside Park, entitled “Treating Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.” For more centrally located in downtown Sacramento with easy access info visit, nhpsychology.org/event/treating-obsessive- and beautiful scenery. The walk will start at 9am. Visit compulsive-disorder. iocdf.org/walk for more information. OCD Sacramento is also pleased to welcome Mallory OCD NEW JERSEY Eastman, LMFT, to our board. Mallory is a therapist at The www.ocdnj.org Anxiety Treatment Center of Sacramento and holds an MA On December 10th, 2018, OCD New Jersey hosted an Ask the Experts Panel, consisting of OCDNJ board members, Drs. Rachel Strohl, Rob Zambrano, and Jordan Levy. This free Continued on back cover >> 27
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FROM THE AFFILIATES
Affiliate Updates (continued)
in Marriage and Family Therapy from the California School The IOCDF’s Annual OCD Conference will be held in Austin, of Professional Psychology after receiving a bachelor’s in TX from July 19-21, and OCD Texas is looking forward to Psychology from William Jessup University. Mallory’s desire participating in this annual event. Please check us out at our to reach out to the community to support awareness for booth at the IOCDF conference in Austin to learn more about anxiety disorders makes her a perfect fit for our board. our programs and plans in the works. We look forward to seeing you there! OCD SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA OCD Texas continues to expand, with Jelani Daniel, LPC, www.ocdsocal.org as our newest board member. Jelani is an OCD treatment OCD Southern California’s specialist and an Instructor at Baylor College of Medicine, 4th annual conference will OCD Program. Welcome aboard, Jelani! be held Saturday, March 30th at the Mariners Church in OCD WISCONSIN Irvine, CA from 10am-5pm. www.ocdwisconsin.org The conference will feature an Promoting OCD Awareness interactive keynote with the Week in October, OCD co-founder of PeaceLove, Jeff Sparr. Jeff Sparr is a man on an Wisconsin staged screenings of audacious mission: to help millions of people create peace of the documentary UNSTUCK: mind through expressive arts and storytelling. A family man, an OCD kids movie. OCD WI self-taught artist, and teacher, Jeff is above all a survivor, promoted the event widely on battling OCD much of his life. The hands-on keynote is perfect social media and welcomed for everyone and will allow attendees to use expressive arts diverse audiences of parents, school counselors, clinicians, provided by PeaceLove as part of Jeff’s talk! The event will and community members to engage with expert panels at also feature presentations from local treatment providers each event. These sessions were well-received and we are and OCD sufferers on topics including medications, creating planning to add live sites for similar community education an “OCD toolbox,” DBT/ACT skills, ERP, facing roadblocks formats in 2019, We are also investigating the cost and during treatment, and more. At the conference, clinicians and logistics to do a live streaming model targeted at school members of the OCD community will have an opportunity to health professionals. take a more active role as an advocate on behalf of OCD SoCal Also in October, we exhibited at the “Mental Health in through volunteering on one of our subcommittees, which Primary Care” conference, with over 150 pediatric primary include being part of our event planning team, advocating in care providers in attendance. Clinicians received continuing SoCal schools, early identification (pediatricians, OBGYNs, and medical education and maintenance of certification credits for post-partum OCD), and advocacy in the community. the two-hour session on anxiety, depression, and ADHD. Due to popular demand, OCD SoCal now has merchandise! We held our first accredited training conference in November, Pictured are our mugs and buttons available for purchase at focusing on a brief introduction and beginner-level training our conference. All funds raised support our effort to hold in CBT for mental health professionals who treat individuals future educational and community building events. We are with OCD and related disorders. OCD Wisconsin partnered also creating OCD SoCal T-shirts in time for the conference! with Rogers Behavioral Health for the one-day training, led Lastly, OCD SoCal is gearing up for the 1 Million Steps 4 OCD by three topic experts for didactic and breakout sessions. The Walk to be held in early June. There will be simultaneous goal was to begin the process of education and awareness of walks held in Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego. CBT for a broader audience than can typically attend a more We are looking for members of the local OCD community in-depth event. Over 40 clinicians participated, and we will interested in holding a walk in other Southern California plan an expansive rollout of the effort in 2019. areas, including Santa Barbara and the Inland Empire. Please contact us to find out more information about the conference, Follow us on Facebook and Twitter at @OCDWisconsin! OCD Walk and more!
OCD TEXAS www.ocdtexas.org OCD Texas is excited to host IOCDF’s 1 Million Steps 4 OCD Walk in Houston, Austin, and Dallas! The walk is scheduled for Saturday, June 1, 2019. Reach out to [email protected] if you or your organization is interested in participating within the state of Texas. 28
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