Pure O OCD: Identification and Treatment
Most clinicians are familiar with the clinical presentation of OCD:
- A patient with significant overt compulsions (e.g., hand washing) that consume hours during the day, negatively impacting functioning.
- A patient who prefers things extremely orderly and neat, and becomes significantly dysregulated when objects are out of place.
- A patient who needs events or experiences to occur a specific number of times or in odd or even multiples.
Clinicians are usually quick to identify these clinical presentations as OCD.
However, many patients struggling with what is colloquially known as “Pure O” OCD may be misdiagnosed. In this form, obsessions are present without significant overt compulsions. Instead, “covert” compulsions or “mental checking” behaviors predominate.
Without an accurate diagnosis, these patients may not receive the treatment they need. Worse, they may receive a treatment that maintains or even worsens their symptoms.
This course will provide practical instruction to clinicians seeking to accurately identify and diagnose “Pure O” OCD subtypes. Participants will also learn to treat “Pure O” OCD using exposure and response prevention modified specifically for a “Pure O” presentation.
2 hours CE. Recorded video format (non-interactive)
Course Overview
ESTIMATED COURSE LENGTH: 2.08 hours
CE CREDITS: 2.00 continuing education/contact hours for social workers, psychologists, counselors, and marriage and family therapists
TARGET AUDIENCE: Mental Health Practitioners
LEVEL OF INSTRUCTION: Intermediate
PREREQUISITE(S): None
INSTRUCTIONAL METHOD: Recorded video format (non-interactive)
ACCESSIBILITY ACCOMMODATIONS: Closed captioning of audio components. In order to request further accessibility accommodations, please email support@psychhub.com.
COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS: To obtain your CE certificate, learners must complete a pre-test (not scored), progress through all course segments, complete a participant evaluation, and obtain a score of 80% or higher on a post-test. Learners are expected to complete the quiz within 3 attempts. If unable to do so, the learner will need to re-review the course segments.
FINANCIAL/COMMERCIAL SUPPORT STATEMENT: This course has no commercial support.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST: This course has no potential conflict of interest or outside commercial support. Psych Hub's conflict of interest statement is found in the footer of the training center.
GRIEVANCE AND REFUND POLICIES: Grievance and refund policies are found in the footer of the training center.
PARTICIPATION COSTS: The cost to participate in this CE activity is included in the subscription registration fee.
COURSE CREATION DATE: 8/20/2019
Learning Objectives
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Distinguish between “Pure O” OCD and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), and provide effective psychoeducation about this difference to patients
- Build a fear hierarchy for exposure-based treatment of clients with a “Pure O” presentation
- Implement at least three exposure techniques to address "Pure O" symptoms of OCD
Course Outline
- Introduction
- "Pure O" - Hiding in Plain Sight
- Worries vs. Obsessions
- Exposure and Response Prevention
- "Pure O" Treatment
- Demonstration: Assessment Session
- Demonstration: Exposure Session
- Roadblocks
- Other Tools
- Long Term Work