Skills for Live: In-Person Intensive Programme for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

OCDCentre, Victoria, London

Why the intensive format?

Why not treatment over a longer period at less frequent intervals?

We have been treating people with OCD for 6 years as a Centre. We began seeing higher success rates in our clients who completed our intensive course when we first introduced it in 2003. The evidence we have observed from treating thousands of people with OCD is that the intensive format works more effectively than traditional weekly treatment. It's a simple as that!!

So we weren't surprised when a recent study at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine using PET scans of patients who completed 4 weeks of intensive therapy demonstrated ''remarkable and rapid benefits of intensive daily cognitive-behavioural therapy [CBT] for OCD, even for patients who had not responded well to standard treatment previously," furthermore, the lead author, Dr Sanjaya Saxena, in an interview with Medscape Psychiatry, added, "Intensive CBT should be the treatment of choice for patients whose OCD has been refractory to standard treatments." ⁽¹⁾

Why the group format?

Why not one-on-one treatment with a therapist?

Another outcome we have noticed is that the small group format is more effective as opposed to treatment one on one. We suspect that this is due to the powerful and unquantifiable benefits of having support and empathy from others who are going through the same experience as you. In short, they mentor you and you mentor them so you learn how to give and receive constructive support. We make sure our courses comprise small groups of around 6 people in order to gain maximum results. We select each group and adapt the treatment according to your OCD sub-type, e.g. contamination, responsibility, etc. and sometimes according to age. If you have reservations about working in a group, we can organise an intensive course just for you with the option to have the course in your own environment.

What benefits can I expect?

* Learn hand-on, day to day, practical skills to manage OCD from therapists who have OCD (and are managing it)

* Practice your new skills and develop an ongoing plan

* Learn how to be a therapist (we want you to be your own therapist but with our support)

* Gain support, empathy and empowerment to change your life TODAY

* Gain greater self-awareness

* Leant how to transfer my new skills and knowledge to my own life

* Set out my goals for life: what do I want NOW and in the FUTURE and how do I achieve these?

Who should attend?

If you have OCD, you are in this category! However, if you haven't really decided that you are ready for therapy, have been persuaded by someone else that this is right for you or are doing it to please your loved ones, in other words, not fully committed, then this is not the course for you. You will be a valuable part of a team with a serious goal so we would like you to be committed (with our help!) to getting your life back.

What will I receive and what are the fees?

Basic course fee £2,000

* 17+ session hours with Programme Therapist (you can expect to be involved with the programme in one way or another for 6+ hours per day with additional homework)

* 5+ hours group homework sessions

* 24 hour telephone support during the course

* complete online interactive Skills for Life Programme to use at home to support the in-person therapy

* programme for carers and families

* audio support in MP3 format

• 9 weeks follow up sessions by telephone (small fee involved)
• option to attend further intensive courses as required at much reduced fee
• OCD-specific nutritional plan

Extended course fee £3,500 (£2,000 deposit, balance can be paid over 10 months)

All the above plus (£5,500 total value):

* 2 one on one sessions with our behaviourist to ensure transfer of skills to your home

* 9 weeks follow up sessions by telephone free

• 10 months one on one sessions with Programme Therapist
• 2nd intensive course free at crucial 4-6 months mark following initial course to reinforce your new skills

Please note that this is not a residential course so the initial assessment, recommended reading , accommodation (if you are outside commuting distance), food & beverages, sundry expenses, e.g. public transport, beverages, etc. are not included. We are however, happy to arrange accommodation/travel and have special rates available.

What sort of therapy is involved?

The Skills for Life Programme is based upon 4 key working areas: education, cognitive skills, behavioural skills and anxiety management. By the time you find us you are often quite distressed and we work quickly in the initial stages to stablise the situation before working on longer term management skills. Secondly we work with you to put in place key cognitive skills. The behaviour section we have developed is quite different from examples you may have seen or read about in the media. It is, however, highly effective and our unique approach is hands-on and based upon your goals, not ours. Finally, anxiety management skills enable you to consistently implement what you have learnt on a daily basis and provide a key component in relapse prevention. We are unique in the way we understand and apply our Programme and more critically, we are driven by our own experience of OCD. Skills for Life will impact not only upon your OCD, your environment but your life in general and your relationships with those close to you.

Who supervises the programme?

Each group will be led by a Programme Therapist. Outside the sessions, the Programme Therapist is available by telephone 24 hours a day. Our Behaviourist is also available for specific questions during the course. Chez Payne-Annetts, our Practice Manager, is available 9:30am - 5:30pm GMT.

What are your success rates?

There are no guarantees because the most important component in your recovery is you but we see 80% of people make significant change to their lives if the following conditions exist:

* You have accepted that you have OCD and know that it is your responsibility to manage it

* You and your partner, family and friends are prepared and willing to set helpful boundaries

* You realise that homework and a small amount of regular long-term work is critical to your success

For more information, www.ocdcentre.com

1. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/569110

Skills for Life: Online Intensive Programme for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Why the online format?

How effective is an online approach?

A Jan 2007 study commissioned by the UK National Health Service (NHS) recommended online cognitive behavior therapy as an effective intervention for mental health disorders, including OCD. Following approval by NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) the NHS has placed the online therapy format at the very centre of their 3 year £160m initiative to provide greater mental healthcare resources across the UK. Computerised CBT (cCBT) is now widely accepted as a method of treatment in the UK: as of April all Primary Care Trusts have to provide CCBT for patients with anxiety disorders. Patricia Hewitt, Health Secretary in the UK government has stated CCBT will 'offer patients greater choice over how, when and where they are treated. Being able to access the right kind of therapy, instead of just being prescribed medication, is central to this vision for patients.' More info at www.ocdcentre.com

What sort of therapy is involved?

The Skills for Life Programme is based upon 4 key working areas: education, cognitive skills, behavioural skills and anxiety management. By the time you find us you are often quite distressed and we work quickly in the initial stages to stablise the situation before working on longer term management skills. Secondly we work with you to put in place key cognitive skills. The behaviour section we have developed is quite different from examples you may have seen or read about in the media. It is, however, highly effective and our unique approach is hands-on and based upon your goals, not ours. Finally, anxiety management skills enable you to consistently implement what you have learnt on a daily basis and provide a key component in relapse prevention. We are unique in the way we understand and apply our Programme and more critically, we are driven by our own experience of OCD. Skills for Life will impact not only upon your OCD, your environment but your life in general and your relationships with those close to you.

What will I receive and what are the fees?

The price of our Programme is the price of one in-person session with a senior therapist. We believe that if our clients are going to make a commitment to managing their OCD we are going to price Skills for Life on the basis of one session alone. So our Basic Skills for Life^TM fee which includes full access to the online, interactive Skills for Life Programme is £120. Our Supported Skills for Life^TM fee is £950 and includes full access to the programme and 10 full sessions (by telephone) with a therapist to guide and support you through the process.

What about medication? Can I do Skills for Life^TM without it?

Absolutely, you do not need medication to embark upon the Programme. However, if you are taking medication, our Programme can provide the key cognitive and behaviour skills that are vital to long-term management that medication cannot provide.

Can I do the Skills for Life^TM if I am already in therapy?

You will need to use your best judgment. We have an innovative and unique approach to OCD which may complement the therapy you are currently undertaking if it is a cognitive behavioural or acceptance based approach. Any other style of therapy may not be complementary and could be confusing if you combine the two. If you suspect this may be the case, we would be happy to advise you.

Can you describe briefly the format of the programme?

Following payment you will be able to login online and gain access to Skills for Life. It is in a simple to use presentation format (see below) with questions at the end of each section with addition tasks, exercises, notes and other helpful resources. It is designed to be completed in 4 sections over 4 weeks but you may choose to work more quickly. Each section builds upon your skills so that you develop comprehensive skills to manage your OCD. We have devised a number of exercises and downloadable MP3 audio files that are specific to your subtype of OCD. Remember, if you choose the supported option, a therapist is available for assisted coaching should you come across any difficulties or questions.

Who is Skills for Life^TM suitable for?

Anyone with OCD*but is particularly suitable for:

* Those who live remotely

* Those who wish to supplement their existing therapy (as long as it is complementary, see above)

* Those who cannot afford in-person sessions

* Those who are housebound due to disability, health issues or OCD

* Those with busy lives whose time is restricted by work, children, etc.

* Those who wish to remain anonymous and seek confidentiality

*If your OCD subtype is contamination-based (please refer to our online assessment), we need to advise you that the behaviour tasks will be difficult to implement alone. You may need the help of a partner or family member or you may wish to choose the Supported Skills for Life option.

What benefits can I expect?

* Learn hand-on, day to day, practical skills to manage OCD from therapists who have OCD (and are managing it)

* Practice your new skills and develop an ongoing plan

* Learn how to be a therapist (we want you to be your own therapist but with our support)

* Gain greater self-awareness

* Leant how to transfer my new skills and knowledge to my own life

* Set out my goals for life: what do I want NOW and in the FUTURE and how do I achieve these?

What are your success rates?

There are no guarantees because the most important component is you but we see 80% of people make significant change to their lives if the following conditions exist:

* You have accepted that you have OCD and know that it is your responsibility to manage it

* You and your partner, family and friends are prepared and willing to set helpful boundaries

* You realise that homework and a small amount of regular long-term work is critical to your success

Skills for Life: Carers Programme for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

OCDCentre, Victoria, London

The Carers Role - What can we do to help?

We have been treating people with OCD for 6 years as a Centre and in that time we have interacted with many carers, including parents, partners, siblings, other family members and friends.

Quite often it is the Carer that is our first point of contact with a new client, whether it is enquiring about our services or approach or indeed to book that important first assessment.

Once a client enters into therapy, good practice requires us to conduct confidentiality rules which means a carer can often feel left in the dark as to what is happening with their loved one. As a general rule most therapists will be unprepared to talk to family members directly when treating a client unless it is strictly relevant to treatment, even when the questions are about how to help the OCD sufferer at home.

We realise that this can leave the carer frustrated as they only want to do what's best for their loved one, but find it hard to know what is helpful and productive and what can reinforce OCD rituals.

Sometimes an OCD Sufferer is unwilling to enter into treatment, leaving the carer alone to deal and cope with the day to day strains of living with someone with OCD.

So what is available to Carers?

We at the OCD Centre have decided to address all these points.

Whether it is to help a loved one who is in therapy or for someone who isn't yet ready, we want to help carers understand what OCD is and how they can create the best environment at home to help their loved one positively without reassurance.

Carers can be vital for support in people with OCD but we have found that while successful treatment for OCD is dependent on the client and how they work, there is a noticeable influence to the extent of that success determined by family and friends.

Often a carer can reassure a client's OCD, which can undermine the course of treatment where a client has to learn to experience and manage their discomfort themselves. If they have a readily available source of reassurance, it can be too easy for a client to avoid or seek comfort by expressing an OCD compulsion and manipulating it through a family member - sometimes without them even knowing!

We always encourage carers to support their family member with OCD but there is a fine line between support and negative reassurance.

How do I know what is good reassurance (support) and what is bad?

We will teach you how to recognise OCD behaviour and to address it appropriately to the situation. We can teach you helpful language that will show your support for your love one without reassuring and pandering to the OCD.

And what about me, the Carer?

We know that living with someone with OCD can be exhausting. Often an OCD sufferer will ask a carer not to tell anyone about their condition so that can leave you feeling alone and isolated, with no one to talk to or to understand. This situation can eventually cause difficulties in your relationship with your loved one, causing yet further stress.

You can't help someone if you are feeling low or depressed yourself.

So what is available at the centre for Carers?

Our therapist is an OCD Sufferer. She is also a Carer of an OCD sufferer.

She will be able to answer any questions you have about OCD. She will be able to guide you on the right things to say (or not say) and how to interact positively with your loved one for the better.

She is also a trained counsellor. You can offload - confidentially of course - about all the problems and let's be honest upsetting experiences you may sometimes have. She will be able to offer advice on how to help yourself and give you that space to vent when you need to.

In short, she can assist you as you need her to, with the experience of a professional, a sufferer AND a Carer.

Who should attend?

Anyone who knows anyone else with OCD. You can be a partner, parent, sister, brother, other family member, or friend.

The sessions are suitable for anyone who wishes to learn more about how to help someone with OCD, especially if they are finding themselves run down and need someone to talk to or confide in themselves.

We suggest each session is done solo and individually with our therapist although discretion can be given to parents where appropriate.

What are the fees and how often should I attend?

Each session is conducted at our centre in Victoria, London or our other location in Plymouth (?)

Each session is 45 minutes and whilst we recommend 6 sessions to learn all the techniques and approaches we believe will help, you may choose to attend as many or as few as you wish.

If you are the carer of a client working with us the cost is £12 per session.

If you are the carer of a client not working with us the cost is £18 per session.

Can I bring the OCD Sufferer?

We firmly recommend that these sessions are for carers only however if your loved one wishes to attend a session and the therapist feels them taking part would be helpful, then she will advise you appropriately. We do however recommend that these sessions are for the benefit of carers only not sufferers.

No OCD therapy will be available to sufferers during these sessions.

How do I start?

Please call the practice manager at The OCD Centre on 0845 2263110 or chez@ocdcentre.com for more information or to book an initial assessment.