Evidence-Based Treatment Planning for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Beginning with a survey of the DSM criteria for OCD that includes specific definitions of symptoms, Bruce and Jongsma emphasize the intrusive nature of obsessive thoughts and the excessive amount of energy clients spend on unrealistic attempts to control them (using compulsive behaviors such as ordering, washing, or checking). The two practitioners offer a six-step treatment planning process for OCD, geared toward building a plan consistent with its empirically supported treatments (ESTs). A brief history of the EST movement provides further context.

Bruce and Jongsma also offer informative, practical commentary, taking you through the various stages of evidence-based case formulation alongside related clinical demonstrations. In a series of vignettes featuring a female client working through compulsive hand-washing based in contamination fears, you’ll watch her therapist make skillful interventions (including psychoeducation, cognitive restructuring, and hierarchical exposures) based on the approaches of Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Cognitive Therapy, and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy involving ERP. Behavioral definitions, short-term objectives, and long-term goals are covered too, making for a well-rounded set of tools you can start using immediately to support clients while meeting increasingly stringent professional standards.

Whether your goal is to build clinical confidence with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder or build evidence-based treatment plans aligned with the latest empirically supported methods, this video will be an essential addition to your library.