Who’s it for?
This training is designed for qualified and trainee humanistic, psychodynamic, and integrative counsellors, psychotherapists, and psychologists who have limited experience with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) within a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) framework. If you're concerned about the possibility of inadvertently exacerbating OCD symptoms and want to provide supportive, OCD-informed care, this training is for you.
Why This Training?
While Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is considered the “gold standard” treatment for OCD, many therapists encounter clients who may not be ready for, or interested in, ERP, or who have different therapeutic needs. Perhaps:
Your client is focused on relational, emotional, or historical issues currently.
They’ve completed CBT but need ongoing support to avoid relapse.
You’re collaborating with another professional, or your client is on a waitlist for specialised treatment.
This training aims to equip you to support clients with OCD in an informed way, bridging the gap until—or alongside—ERP.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this training, you will:
1. Gain a deeper understanding of OCD's symptomatic workings
Explore the core elements of the OCD cycle and understand how it operates differently within various contexts and subtypes.
2. Identify patterns in lesser-known OCD subtypes
Recognize and understand subtypes that are less commonly discussed, such as "Pure OCD" or OCD primarily involving mental compulsions, so that you can better address clients’ unique experiences.
3. Equip yourself with psychoeducational tools
Learn effective psychoeducation strategies to help clients understand how their OCD is maintained and how it affects their thought processes.
4. Learn the importance of symptom management
Understand why addressing symptoms should come before delving into deeper therapeutic work to provide a safe and effective environment for your client.
5. Discover 10+ considerations for talk therapy when working with OCD
Gain practical insights and key considerations for safely working with clients affected by OCD.
6. Access practical tools and strategies
Obtain a range of tools you can use within your existing therapeutic framework to support clients with OCD.
7. Understand referral options and family psychoeducation
Know when and how to refer clients to specialised OCD support and provide psychoeducation that assists both clients and their families.
This training will empower you to approach OCD with sensitivity and insight, ensuring that your therapeutic interventions are aligned with the best practices for OCD treatment, even outside of a CBT setting.
Trainer: Stuart Ralph
Stuart is co-founder of IC-OCD, and host of the weekly podcast, The OCD Stories which has been downloaded 7 million times since 2015. In 2018 Stuart won the hero award from the International OCD Foundation. He holds a MSc in mental health psychological therapies from University of London, Queen Mary, and a MA in Integrative counselling and psychotherapy for children, young people, and families from the university of Roehampton.
Stuart published his research from his MA: Ralph, S., & Cooper, M. (2022). Brief humanistic counselling with an adolescent client experiencing obsessive-compulsive difficulties: A theory-building case study. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 00, 1– 12.
Stuart has lived experience with OCD.
Key information:
Friday January 31st 2025 at 1pm UK
Training lasts for 3 hours
Price: £60 + *VAT (cost of a single session). VAT is UK only.
Training will be delivered via Zoom
Once signed up you will be emailed a zoom link two weeks before the training
If this training can help you and your clients we look forward to seeing you on Friday 31st January.
Please note: Once you’ve registered through paypal you will be redirected (after 10 seconds) back to a page on this website that will have more information for you about how to access the training in January.
Disclaimer: This is not a training on how to do CBT or ERP for OCD.