Daring to Challenge OCD: Overcome Your Fear of Treatment and Take Control of Your Life Using Exposure and Response Prevention

by Joan Davidson PhD, Jeff Bell (Foreword by)

Overview

If you have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), you may suffer from obsessive thoughts and anxiety, and use compulsions to alleviate your distress. You know, more than anyone, how debilitating this condition can be. But you may also be reluctant to start treatment due to fears and misconceptions regarding therapy—particularly exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy. You may even think of a number of reasons not to go, or to drop out, but if you are committed to getting better, you need to take that important step toward healing.
 
ERP is a proven-effective treatment that can help people with OCD break free from the constraints of their disorder; however, starting treatment can feel frightening. Many people wonder what treatment will be like and how they will ever face some of their worst fears. They want to hear from others who have successfully completed therapy. In Daring to Challenge OCD, anxiety specialist Joan Davidson, PhD, gives a thorough overview of ERP, what to expect during treatment, and offers gentle guidance to help you finally overcome the common fears and obstacles that can stand in the way of getting the help you need. Three clients with different OCD symptoms share their personal stories and insights about OCD and treatment.
 
If you are considering treatment, you may ask yourself, What will my therapist expect me to do? Will treatment be too difficult for me to handle? Will I be asked to do things that put me at risk?What are realistic expectations for recovery? This book will demystify treatment for OCD so that you can face your fears and start changing your life. And if you are a therapist helping clients build motivation to engage in ERP, this book offers real treatment stories and exercises for clients, making it an invaluable resource for therapists and wonderful suggested reading for clients building motivation to commit to treatment.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781608828616
Publisher:	New Harbinger Publications
Publication date:	08/01/2014
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
Sales rank:	475,018
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Joan Davidson, PhD, is codirector and founding partner of the San Francisco Bay Area Center for Cognitive Therapy and assistant clinical professor in the clinical science program at the University of California, Berkeley. For over twenty years she has worked as a cognitive behavioral clinician specializing in the treatment of adults with mood and anxiety disorders. In addition, she teaches, writes, and provides clinical consultation and supervision to students and licensed professionals. Davidson is founding fellow of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy and an Academy of Cognitive Therapy Certified Trainer/Consultant. She is the coauthor of A Transdiagnostic Road Map to Case Formulation and Treatment Planning: Practical Guidance for Clinical Decision Making (New Harbinger, 2014), as well as The Essential Components of Cognitive-Behavior Therapy for Depression (American Psychological Association, 2001) and videotape series of the same name.

Foreword writer Jeff Bell is author of Rewind, Replay, Repeat: A Memoir of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and When in Doubt, Make Belief: An OCD-Inspired Approach to Living with Uncertainty. He serves as a national spokesperson for the International OCD Foundation and is founder of The Adversity 2 Advocacy Alliance. Bell lives in Benicia, CA.
Joan Davidson, PhD, is codirector and founding partner of the San Francisco Bay Area Center for Cognitive Therapy and assistant clinical professor in the clinical science program at the University of California, Berkeley. For over twenty years she has worked as a cognitive behavioral clinician specializing in the treatment of adults with mood and anxiety disorders. In addition, she teaches, writes, and provides clinical consultation and supervision to students and licensed professionals. Davidson is Founding Fellow of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy and an Academy of Cognitive Therapy Certified Trainer/Consultant. She is the author of Daring to Challenge OCD: Overcome Your Fear of Treatment and Take Control of Your Life using Exposure and Response Prevention (New Harbinger, 2014) and coauthor of The Essential Components of Cognitive-Behavior Therapy for Depression (American Psychological Association, 2001) and videotape series of the same name.
Jeff Bell is an author, health advocate, and radio news anchor. His two books, Rewind, Replay, Repeat and When in Doubt, Make Belief, have established Bell as a leading voice for mental health awareness and “Greater Good” motivation. Bell serves as a national spokesperson for the International OCD Foundation. In 2011, he cofounded the nonprofit A2A Alliance (http://a2aalliance.org), aiming to showcase and foster the power of turning adversity into advocacy. Bell is a twenty-year veteran of broadcast news and currently coanchors the KCBS Afternoon News, winner of the 2014 Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Newscast in America.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments vii

Foreword ix

Introduction 1

1 Understanding OCD 7

2 The OCD Cycle 31

3 Getting the Help You Need 51

4 Why Treatment Is Worth It 75

5 Getting Started with Exposure and Response Prevention 95

6 Putting Exposure and Response Prevention into Action 121

7 Overcoming Obstacles 143

8 Realistic Expectations for Recovery 165

Resources 181

References 183

Interviews

Joan Davidson lives in Berkeley, CA.

Editorial Reviews

If you or someone you know is suffering from the agonizing symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), read this book! You’ll learn that you are not alone—and you’ll learn about a proven and effective treatment for OCD: exposure and response prevention (ERP). Joan Davidson explains in clear and accessible language, with plenty of practical exercises, what to expect and how to prepare for treatment. What makes this book truly unique is that Davidson includes the stories of three very different people who regained control over their lives through this treatment. Their stories are authentic, inspiring, and full of hope. This straightforward and compassionate approach to ERP is a real contribution for clients—and for clinicians, this text is an invaluable resource for improving our skills at helping clients commit to treatment.”
—Laura B. Mason, PhD, clinical professor in the department of psychology at University of California, Berkeley and associate director of the UC Berkeley psychology clinic


“Exposure and response prevention is the most effective treatment technique for OCD. Davidson makes these scientifically proven strategies very accessible in this excellent book. Working through it on your own, or with the help of a professional, should reduce obsessions and compulsions.”
—Jonathan S. Abramowitz, PhD, professor and associate chair of psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill



“Practical and matter-of-fact, yet simultaneously deep and compassionate, Daring to Challenge OCD is made-to-order for anyone plagued by obsessions and compulsions, including family members and loved ones. Loaded with wisdom, science, and clear case examples, it authoritatively documents what OCD is and how to treat it. To my mind, this is the go-to book on the topic across the entire field. Run, don't walk, to get this book and read it!”
—Stephen P. Hinshaw, PhD, professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and vice-chair of psychology in the department of psychiatry at University of California, San Francisco


“Davidson, with the help of her brave and articulate clients, illuminates a healing path for those suffering from OCD and the therapists who want to help them. I recommend this book to anyone who struggles with the problem or who cares about someone who does.”
—Mary Pipher, PhD, author of Reviving Ophelia and The Green Boat


“A fantastic book about obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and its gold standard treatment! This book provides answers to anyone struggling to understand OCD and offers a blueprint for what to expect in treatment. It describes the experiences of three individuals—each with a different kind of OCD—and provides hope and motivation for positive change. I wish it had been in print when I was first diagnosed.”
—Paula Kotakis, San Francisco OCD support group facilitator


“Three individuals with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), guided by the author, a talented therapist, tell the stories of their illness and their treatment in blow-by-blow detail. Any person who suffers from OCD, loves someone who suffers from OCD, or treats OCD, should read this book.”
—Jacqueline B. Persons, PhD, director of the Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Science Center and clinical professor in the department of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley


“Daring to Challenge OCD is a long overdue, step-by-step treatment manual that offers hope to those struggling to tackle the complexities inherent in exposure and response prevention therapy. Offering personal, firsthand accounts of what it's like to go through the treatment process, this easy-to-read, wonderfully well-written tool is a must-have for those needing to guide their own treatment and who may not otherwise have access to expert therapists. The compassionate approach in this book will help many overcome their fear of treatment and embrace their new journey toward recovery of their OCD.”
—Robin Zasio, PsyD, LCSW, president of the International OCD Foundation, featured doctor on A&E's Hoarders, and author of The Hoarder in You

From the Publisher