If you have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), you might have an irrational fear of being contaminated by germs, or obsessively double-check things. You may even feel like a prisoner, trapped with your intrusive thoughts.
Despite the fact that OCD can have a devastating impact on a person’s life, getting real help can be a challenge. If you have tried medications without success, it might be time to explore further treatment options. You should know that mindfulness-based approaches have been proven-effective in treating OCD and anxiety disorders. They involve developing an awareness and acceptance of the unwanted thoughts, feelings, and urges that are at the heart of OCD.
Combining mindfulness practices with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), The Mindfulness Workbook for OCD offers practical and accessible tools for managing the unwanted thoughts and compulsive urges that are associated with OCD. With this workbook, you will develop present-moment awareness, learn to challenge your own distorted thinking, and stop treating thoughts as threats and feelings as facts.
Jon Hershfield, MFT, is the director of The Center for OCD and Anxiety at Sheppard Pratt in Towson, MD. He specializes in the mindfulness-based and cognitive behavioral treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder and related disorders. Hershfield is coauthor of the books Everyday Mindfulness For OCD and The Mindfulness Workbook for OCD and is the author of When a Family Member Has OCD, Overcoming Harm OCD, and The OCD Workbook for Teens. He is a frequent presenter at the annual conferences of both the International OCD Foundation and the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.
Tom Corboy, MFT, is the executive director of the OCD Center of Los Angeles, which he founded in 1999. He is a licensed psychotherapist specializing in MBCBT for the treatment of OCD and related anxiety-based conditions. In addition to his work with individual clients, he has trained and mentored many post-graduate interns, has presented at numerous conferences held by the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF), and has facilitated weekly therapy groups for adults with OCD since 1997.
Foreword writer James Claiborn, PhD, ABPP, is a psychologist in private practice specializing in OCD and related disorders. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Professional Psychology, and a diplomate and Founding Fellow of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy. He is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the International OCD Foundation and has presented internationally on OCD, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and other topics.
