OCD Treatment for Adults
Dealing with OCD is exhausting and the more we give in to OCD the smaller our world gets. There are several modes of therapeutic support that is available for treatment of OCD. At Melbourne Wellbeing Group (MWG), which is the clinic Celin works at, the following options are available when it comes to therapeutic treatment of OCD for adults.
Individual Therapy:
The therapeutic approach that has the strongest evidence base behind it when it comes to treatment for OCD is called Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). ERP is a type of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) that has been formulated for OCD treatment specifically. For mild cases of OCD, ERP can be quite effective on its own. For moderate to severe cases of OCD, a combination of medication prescribed by a psychiatrist who has worked with OCD before, as well as therapy delivered by a psychologist who has experience with OCD is efficacious. If you are not on medicine, a lot of healthcare professionals usually advise to try therapy first and see how you go. It is a discussion worthwhile having with your GP though if you also want to try medicine alongside therapy, The clinicians at MWG have several years of experience with OCD treatment. To book in with the team visit their profiles here or give the team a call on (03) 9882-8874.
Group Therapy - Monthly Support Group
The support group for adults is an informal monthly check in for adults with OCD. It is facilitated by one of the qualified psychologists at MWG. The clinician runs the group by checking in to see how everyone is going, troubleshooting ERP tasks and working through a pertinent topic that the group may be interested in. The group is opt in and opt out each month. Give the team at MWG a call on (03) 9882-8874 in advance to register for the session you’d like to attend. The monthly support group is a really great way to also meet others experiencing similar issues.
Group Therapy - Closed Group Program:
This 6-week group program is for adults (18 years plus) with OCD. It is a program designed for you to learn how to expand your world again and learn ways to cope with the mess of life, emotions, and anything else that OCD uses to stay in control. Keep in mind that this program is delivered in a small group setting which means that you will get the opportunity to meet other people experiencing similar challenges. Group therapy can be a wonderful way to learn from others as well as from the clinicians facilitating the group.
MWG are currently taking referrals for this program. Please call our team on (03) 9882-8874 to express interest or download the information pack below. You can also email your expression of interest here.
To download the information pack about this group please click here. For information on our other group offerings please click here.
Treatment for OCD: Adults, Kids, and Teens
OCD Treatment for Teens and Kids
Living with OCD is not easy when you’re a young person. It impacts the young person as well as the people around them. OCD can be distressing, scary, disabling and exhausting. And, it can feel very lonely – it’s no wonder that one of OCD’s many nicknames is the “secret problem”. So what are the treatment options for kids and teens with OCD?
Group Therapy
Group therapy is a fantastic way for teens living with OCD to access additional therapeutic support in the company of peers who are going through similar difficulties.
Treating OCD: Breaking the Rules and Messing Things Up is an exposure and response prevention (ERP) group therapy program for teens with OCD. The program is run at Melbourne Wellbeing Group. The goal is to use the group therapy format to help young people with OCD learn how to let go of the control that OCD has over them and instead to embrace the mess – to be emotionally messy, to tolerate having a messy mind and to be comfortable with mess in life in general.
To be put on the list for this group please send us a direct email by clicking here. To download the information pack for this group, please click the link here. You can also access our webinar for parents here. For information on our other group offerings please click here.
Support Group
Similar to the adult group, the support group for teens is an informal monthly check in for teens with OCD. It is facilitated by one of the qualified psychologists at MWG. The clinician runs the group by checking in to see how everyone is going, troubleshooting ERP tasks and working through a pertinent topic that the group may be interested in. The group is opt in and opt out each month. Give the team at MWG a call on (03) 9882-8874 in advance to register for the session you’d like to attend.
Individual Therapy
One on one therapy is available for both kids and teens, while the group program is available for teens only as it’s more age appropriate. As with adults, the mode of treatment for individual treatment is ERP, however with teens and younger clients, it is delivered in an age appropriate manner.. This means that sometimes, when appropriate and if safe to do so, we will involve relevant family members in treatment. This can be tricky to manage at times with older children and teens, since the limits of confidentiality can impact what can and can’t be shared with family and caregivers. Rest assured that transparent discussions are had and support is provided as best we can within the realm of the work we do.
If kids and teens are refusing treatment, we can also work with parents and caregivers using SPACE informed treatment. SPACE is a program developed by Professor Eli Lebowitz from Yale University which looks at teaching parents and caregivers strategies to reduce OCD symptoms without the young person needing to be in therapy. For research on the SPACE program you can learn more here.
