Detailed Program Description - Obsessive Compulsive Foundation

the psychopharmacological treatment of children and adolescents with anxiety or mood disorders.
In this capacity he supervises the psychopharmacological treatment of pediatric OCD in both
inpatient and outpatient settings, often working in direct collaboration with the UF OCD Program
when medication is needed in combination with ERP treatment.
• In addition, the Division of Medical Psychology has interns and postdoctoral associates who are
trained in the areas of CBT-ERP and have received specialty training in the treatment of children
or adults with OCD, anxiety disorders, depressive disorders.
3. Is this program devoted entirely to treating individuals with OCD or will other OCD
spectrum disorders or anxiety disorders also be addressed
• The UF OCD Program therapists also provide the leading treatments to address OCD spectrum
disorders and other anxiety disorders. In general, CBT-ERP would be used for other anxiety
disorders and Habit Reversal Training would be implemented for OCD spectrum disorders.
Additionally, a wide range of comorbid conditions can be addressed during OCD treatment.
4. Please describe the core treatment components of your program (e.g., use of medication,
ERP, group therapy, etc.).
• During the first appointment, a comprehensive intake is completed. For those with OCD, an
assessment of symptom severity is conducted using the Children’s Yale Brown Obsessive
Compulsive Scale or the Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale at intake and various points
throughout treatment so that we can track improvement in various OCD symptom domains. For
those where the use of CBT-ERP is the best line of treatment, pyschoeducation is provided to the
patient about OCD and why CBT-ERP is the most effective method to treat it. A fear hierarchy
will be generated and a discussion will occur about how the patient and the treatment team will
work in a collaborative manner, at the pace of the patient, to do exercises that prove OCD wrong.
CBT-ERP will then occur until symptom severity is reduced, at which point a discussion of
relapse prevention will occur at the end of treatment. We will address other psychological
symptoms that we know interfere with treatment and, in this vein, we are always adjusting CBT-
ERP treatment to incorporate other treatment techniques to improve treatment response (e.g.,
Motivational Interviewing, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) as needed. Patients may be
referred to receive consultation with our psychiatry team regarding a medication consultation on
an as needed/as requested basis. However this occurs in rare cases as the research from our and
others clinics and our clinical experience support only using medication in combination with
therapy in very specific cases.
5. Please describe the treatment planning process at your program.
• After the intake, all treatment providers will meet with Dr. Geffken or Dr. McNamara to discuss
the case and create the best individualized treatment plan. This is a collaborative process in which
the family’s stated goals at intake are addressed. This plan will be conveyed to the patient and
their caregivers or family members, as it is important for everyone in the home to understand
OCD or OCD related disorders so that appropriate support can be provided and so family
members understand how to not accommodate to the patient’s symptoms.
6. If someone has a co-morbid condition, can he or she participate in your program Will
there be treatment for the co-morbid condition If so, can you give an example