Obsessive Compulsive Disorders - Challenges and Solutions: A Manual for Treating Professionals (Paperback)

Often misunderstood, Obsessive Compulsive Spectrum Disorders are now thought to be genetically determined disorders aggravated by immune, hormonal and life stress events. While research into these fascinating mind/body disorders has made great advances, treatment innovations have lagged far behind. Many OC patients go undiagnosed. Even those patients fortunate enough to receive attention find there are few practitioners with the expertise to provide high quality treatment or understand the subtle effects the disorder has on the individual's lifestyle, learning abilities, relationships, career choices and even spirituality. This training manual for professionals has been presented to thousands of physicians and counselors in over 100 cities across the United States. Developed by an internationally recognized expert in Obsessive Compulsive Spectrum Disorders the manual provides a broad overview of the field including significant aspects of diagnosis, comorbid issues, neurology, immunology, treatment planning, psychoactive and alternative medications, anxiety reduction and lifestyle management strategies. The course will also provide a complete package of treatment skills for conducting effective behavioral treatment with OCD, Trichotillomania, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Compulsive Hoarding, and Tourette's Disorder and others. You will learn to: Effectively diagnose and differentiate between all of the major Obsessive Compulsive (OC) Spectrum disorders. Master the current brain research, genetic findings, and biological basis underlying obsessive-compulsive behavior. Discover how to create optimal relief for the 30-50% of OC patients not helped by traditional medication and cognitive-behavioral approaches. Learn to command a wide range of cognitive and behavioral interventions for symptom reduction and remediation. Recognize the five reasons why behavior treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorders often fails and how to avoid these pitfalls. Learn to use a Seven-Step plan for working through difficult OCD situations and exposure and response prevention behavior therapy. Arm yourself with powerful, research-proven Integrative Healthcare options for augmenting psychoactive medications and behavior therapy. Learn dozens of tools for anxiety reduction lifestyle management and self-care that can be applied to any anxiety disorder. Master highly effective tools for dealing effectively with more challenging obsessive compulsive situations including "pure" obsessions, Body Dysmorphic Disorder and compulsive hoarding.