Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Recovery Program
Early intervention and recovery program for young people with OCD, 12-15 years old, and their parents
The OCD Recovery Program aims to assist young people to:
- understand the nature and symptoms of OCD and anxiety
- develop knowledge and skills to manage OCD more effectively
- learn alternative strategies for dealing with stress and anxiety
- work out a recovery plan
The program will also give participants an opportunity to share their experience of OCD with other young people with similar problems.
The OCD Recovery Program is based on a cognitive behavioural therapy approach which has been found to be an effective form of therapy for young people with OCD in research and clinical settings.
The young people's program has places for 6 participants, and includes:
10 x 1.5 hr sessions
1 x 1.5 hr follow-up session
8 x 1.5 sessions with parents
The parent's program will run separately but at the same time as the young people's program.
Each young person, plus one or both parents, who are interested in participating in the group will be required to attend an assessment session to determine suitability for the group. This will include measures of severity of the OCD and how much it is interfering in the young person's life, both before and after the program.
Recovery Program components:
- How to recognise OCD thoughts and behaviours
- Understand the nature of obsessions and compulsions and how they interact
- Alternative strategies for dealing with anxiety and obsessive thoughts
- Learn how to face fears and resist repeating behaviours
- Ways to deal with obstacles to recovery
- Explore feelings and concerns about OCD and its interference in daily life
- Learn new ways of thinking and behaving that will reduce OCD symptoms and negative feelings, and increase self-esteem
- Develop a recovery plan
Parent sessions include:
- Learn about the nature and symptoms of OCD and anxiety, and factors affecting treatment and recovery
- How to help your son or daughter implement their treatment and recovery plan
- Learn practical ideas and strategies for providing effective help and support
- Share and explore issues and ideas with other parents in similar situations
Course Duration: 10 sessions of 1.5 hours
Venue: To be confirmed (Ashwood/Glen Iris area)
Fee: $350.00 (fees may be reduced if sponsorship of the program is obtained)
Facilitators: Kathryn I'Anson, Psychologist, ARCVic Director;
Rod Carne, Clinical Psychologist, ARCVic Consultant;
Barbara Jones, Psychologist, ARCVic Consultant;
Iris I'Anson, Psychologist, ARCVic Consultant
For further information contact ARCVic on:
Office Line - 9886 9233 or OCD & Anxiety HelpLine - 9886 9377,
or send in the Registration of Interest form (PDF).
Supported by funding from
Auseinet
Australian Network for Promotion, Prevention and Early Intervention for Mental Health
Auseinet Small Grants Program for Consumers and Carers
To young people living with OCD - Why join our Recovery group?
Everyone gets stressed-out or worried about things, and many kids have thoughts and feelings at times that feel bad and won't go away.
Thoughts like worrying a lot about germs and dirt, or about getting hurt or sick.
The thoughts can lead to constant feelings of fear, and make you watchful for things that could be dangerous.
Often it seems better to try and avoid things that bring on the fears, or if that doesn't work, repeating behaviours that aim at making the fears go away - like washing your hands a lot, checking electrical power switches over and over, counting, or touching things in a certain way.
After a while, though, avoiding and repeating behaviours seems to take over everything - and they don't make the bad thoughts and feelings go away.
When this happens, you can feel really stuck, and like you are losing control.
It doesn't feel good and starts to mess up things with friends, family and school and gets in the way of us doing what we would like to do.
Through joining this group, we hope to give you some helpful ideas on how to deal with these troublesome thoughts and behaviours.
Rod and Kathryn are the group leaders, and they know a lot about these sorts of worries - and how to help you work out ways of getting more in control and being less worried about things.
The group will be fun, and you'll learn lots of skills and new ideas, which will help you beat your OCD.
What will I do in the group?
There will be times in the group for sharing information and ideas, doing group activities, and working on your own plan for better ways to deal with your OCD.
Everyone in the group will be about the same age and will have similar problems.
You will not have to do anything you don't want to do.
The group leaders, Kathryn and Rod, will look after everyone in the group, and will make the group fun as well as dealing with the difficult OCD stuff.
Kathryn and Rod know a lot about OCD, and they will understand exactly what you are talking about with your OCD.
Will my parents be involved?
We are offering eight separate sessions for your parents to attend so that they can learn more about OCD and ways to help you.
We would like to help your parents understand better what you are dealing with, so that they can be supportive and patient as you begin working on overcoming your OCD.
We will not tell your parents specific details about your OCD that you share in the group without your permission.
Everything we talk about with you and your parents will always be confidential to the group leaders.
Want to know more?
If you have any questions about the group ring us on our OfficeLine - 9886 9233 or HelpLine - 9886 9377, or send an email to arcmail@arcvic.com.au