Synopses & Reviews
If you have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), you may suffer from obsessive thoughts and anxiety, and use compulsions to alleviate your distress. You know, more than anyone, how debilitating this condition can be. But you may also be reluctant to start treatment due to fears and misconceptions regarding therapyparticularly exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy. You may even think of a number of reasons not to go, or to drop out, but if you are committed to getting better, you need to take that important step toward healing.
ERP is a proven-effective treatment that can help people with OCD break free from the constraints of their disorder; however, starting treatment can feel frightening. Many people wonder what treatment will be like and how they will ever face some of their worst fears. They want to hear from others who have successfully completed therapy. In Daring to Challenge OCD, anxiety specialist Joan Davidson, PhD, gives a thorough overview of ERP, what to expect during treatment, and offers gentle guidance to help you finally overcome the common fears and obstacles that can stand in the way of getting the help you need. Three clients with different OCD symptoms share their personal stories and insights about OCD and treatment.
If you are considering treatment, you may ask yourself, What will my therapist expect me to do? Will treatment be too difficult for me to handle? Will I be asked to do things that put me at risk? What are realistic expectations for recovery? This book will demystify treatment for OCD so that you can face your fears and start changing your life. And if you are a therapist helping clients build motivation to engage in ERP, this book offers real treatment stories and exercises for clients, making it an invaluable resource for therapists and wonderful suggested reading for clients building motivation to commit to treatment.
Review
Two professional secrets: First, cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is more effective than medications for OCD in both short and longterm benefits, and second, exposure and ritual prevention, the effective elements in CBT, must be done by OCD patients themselves. With these secrets revealed, how can OCD sufferers obtain CBT? Ideally, by finding an expert cognitive behavior therapist to guide their therapy. Since expert therapists are in very short supply, patients can also use Coping with OCD to close the gap between what is known and available. Coping with OCD provides excellent specific guidance so OCD patients can carry out CBT themselves. It is a welcome addition to the armamentarium of OCD treatments and Hyman and DuFrene are to be commended for writing it.
John Greist, MD, distinguished senior scientist at the Madison Institute of Medicine, clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin, and director of Healthcare Technology Systems
Coping with OCD is a timely, informative, and readable book on obsessivecompulsive disorder, the 'doubting disease'. The authors give practical advice on understanding the causes of OCD, and changing the way that sufferers accept, reframe and refocus their thoughts so that they can live life in the present, maintain their progress, and get the most out of life in spite of the OCD.
Eric Hollander, MD, Esther and Joseph Klingenstein Professor and Chair of Psychiatry and director of the Seaver and New York Autism Center of Excellence at Mount Sinai School of Medicine
OCD is a common, painful, and often disabling disorder. People with OCD are tortured by intrusive thoughts and struggle with compulsive efforts to find peace of mind. The treatment of choice for OCD is cognitive behavior therapy. The standard treatment has been based on behavioral work using exposure to obsessions and refraining from compulsions. Cognitive behavior therapy is a living discipline, and in recent years exciting new ideas have formed what is known as the third wave. These ideas, in the form of acceptance and commitment therapy and mindfulness practice blend with exposurebased treatment to offer a powerful new way to separate the suffering from the experience of obsessions. There is a Buddhist saying that pain is inevitable but suffering is optional. Hyman and DuFrene have skillfully blended the third wave with proven exposurebased therapy into an accessible guide to coping with OCD. They describe the path away from suffering.
James Claiborn, Ph.D, ABPP, psychologist with a practice specializing in OCD in Maine, founding fellow of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy and member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the ObsessiveCompulsive Foundation
This book is the next best thing to private sessions with one of the country's best OCD therapists. Whether you're in treatment for OCD or not, reading this book will be worth many hundreds of dollars to you. It's packed with useful advice for everyone with OCD, including effective new treatment techniques.
Bruce Mansbridge, Ph.D., director of the Austin Center for the Treatment of OCD
Coping with OCD joins the highest tier of other patientfocused OCD books. People with OCD (and their loved ones) will appreciate the easytoread and practical nature of the text. Hyman and DuFrene provide numerous insights and directions for challenging OCD symptoms that may help the reader learn how to think and act differently and ultimately gain greater control of his or her condition.
Eric A. Storch, Ph.D., assistant professor and director of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Research in the Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at the University of Florida
This book brings Hyman's expert knowledge and clinical wisdom to OCD sufferers and their families with clarity and compassion. Built on the latest scientific evidence, it incorporrates the latest standards and directions in the treatment of OCD. Very easy to read, it tackles the bewilderment and pain that OCD brings and makes the complexities of OCD and its treatment quickly understandable. Full of practical and powerful strategies, this exceptional book will be a valuable resource for any OCD sufferer or family member. It brings sufferers hope, optimism and empowerment to take control of their lives in spite of OCD. I will recommend it with enthusiasm!
Aureen P. Wagner, Ph.D., clinical associate professor of neurology at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, director of the Anxiety Wellness Center in Rochester, NY, member of the scientific advisory board of the ObsessiveCompulsive Foundation, and author of What to Do When Your Child Has OCD and Treatment of OCD in Children and Adolescents: A Professionals' Kit
This is a timely and welcome addition to the selfhelp literature for OCD sufferers. The authors offer a straightforward and userfriendly guide to the latest approaches in treatment, integrating newer acceptance and mindfulness approaches with the triedandtrue cognitive behavior techniques that have proven so effective. The book is well written with an engaging style that communicates warmth, humor, and compassion. I will recommend it to my patients and others who suffer from OCD and to therapists who wish to refresh their thinking about OCD and its treatment.
Charles S. Mansueto, Ph.D., member, Scientific Advisory Board of the Obsessive Compulsive Foundation and director of the Behavior Therapy Center of Greater Washington
Review
If you or someone you know is suffering from the agonizing symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), read this book! Youll learn that you are not aloneand youll learn about a proven and effective treatment for OCD: exposure and response prevention (ERP). Joan Davidson explains in clear and accessible language, with plenty of practical exercises, what to expect and how to prepare for treatment. What makes this book truly unique is that Davidson includes the stories of three very different people who regained control over their lives through this treatment. Their stories are authentic, inspiring, and full of hope. This straightforward and compassionate approach to ERP is a real contribution for clientsand for clinicians, this text is an invaluable resource for improving our skills at helping clients commit to treatment.”
Laura B. Mason, PhD, clinical professor in the department of psychology at University of California, Berkeley and associate director of the UC Berkeley psychology clinic
Review
Exposure and response prevention is the most effective treatment technique for OCD. Davidson makes these scientifically proven strategies very accessible in this excellent book. Working through it on your own, or with the help of a professional, should reduce obsessions and compulsions.”
Jonathan S. Abramowitz, PhD, professor and associate chair of psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Review
Practical and matter-of-fact, yet simultaneously deep and compassionate,
Daring to Challenge OCD is made-to-order for anyone plagued by obsessions and compulsions, including family members and loved ones. Loaded with wisdom, science, and clear case examples, it authoritatively documents what OCD is and how to treat it. To my mind, this is
the go-to book on the topic across the entire field. Run, don't walk, to get this book and read it!”
Stephen P. Hinshaw, PhD, professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and vice-chair of psychology in the department of psychiatry at University of California, San Francisco
Review
Davidson, with the help of her brave and articulate clients, illuminates a healing path for those suffering from OCD and the therapists who want to help them. I recommend this book to anyone who struggles with the problem or who cares about someone who does.”
Mary Pipher, PhD, author of Reviving Ophelia and The Green Boat
Review
A fantastic book about obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and its gold standard treatment! This book provides answers to anyone struggling to understand OCD and offers a blueprint for what to expect in treatment. It describes the experiences of three individuals
each with a different kind of OCD
and provides hope and motivation for positive change. I wish it had been in print when I was first diagnosed.”
Paula Kotakis, San Francisco OCD support group facilitator
Review
Three individuals with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), guided by the author, a talented therapist, tell the stories of their illness and their treatment in blow-by-blow detail. Any person who suffers from OCD, loves someone who suffers from OCD, or treats OCD, should read this book.”
Jacqueline B. Persons, PhD, director of the Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Science Center and clinical professor in the department of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley
Review
Daring to Challenge OCD is a long overdue, step-by-step treatment manual that offers hope to those struggling to tackle the complexities inherent in exposure and response prevention therapy. Offering personal, firsthand accounts of what it's like to go through the treatment process, this easy-to-read, wonderfully well-written tool is a must-have for those needing to guide their own treatment and who may not otherwise have access to expert therapists. The compassionate approach in this book will help many overcome their fear of treatment and embrace their new journey toward recovery of their OCD.”
Robin Zasio, PsyD, LCSW, president of the International OCD Foundation, featured doctor on A&E's Hoarders, and author of The Hoarder in You
Synopsis
Do you know about the Doomsayer? He's the guy dressed in raggedy clothes, hanging around on street corners with a cardboard sign that reads, The End Is Near He's always ready to tell you that mobile phones cause cancer, air traffic fatalities are up this year, and locusts are poised to swarm the city. Having OCD is a lot like having this character living inside your head. He's with you all the time; he knows your deepest fears, and he's not afraid to use them. You try to brush him off at first, but he's so sure of himself, so persistent, that you find yourself taking his proclamations to heart. And you worry--a lot. Is my cell phone giving me tumor? What about those locusts? The anxiety of not knowing is unbearable. What can you do? A lot, it turns out. Coping with OCD offers a simple and engaging program that can get anyone with mild to moderate OCD started on the road to recovery. The book begins with a crash course on what OCD is--and what it is not. Readers will learn to think realistically about their condition and how it is likely to change over time. The book proposes a three-part program for recovery that uses safe and gradual exposure to distressing thoughts and situations, mindfulness practice, and techniques to restructure thinking. Additional chapters address shame and blame, depression, and maintaining progress.
Synopsis
When you have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), it can feel like your own mind is at war with itself. Instead of having productive and positive thoughts, you rehash the same worries and fears over and over again until they become unbearable. Did you really remember to lock the front door? What if you were to hit someone while driving your car? You may find yourself engaging in exhaustive rituals to keep these thoughts at bay. But soon, the doubts come back with a vengeance.
Coping with OCD offers a simple and engaging program that can help anyone with mild to moderate OCD get started on the road to recovery. This book begins with a crash course on what OCD is-and what it is not. You'll learn a proven, three-part program for recovery that uses safe and gradual exposure to distressing thoughts and situations, mindfulness practice, and techniques to restructure thinking. Additional chapters address how families can help, dealing with shame and blame, depression, and maintaining progress. The book also includes a helpful list of resources for further reading and additional support.
Synopsis
Coping with OCD offers a brief yet comprehensive and effective approach to dealing with the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)-a great book for people recently diagnosed with OCD and a source of in-the-moment strategies for managing symptoms for those already receiving treatment.
Synopsis
Characterized by obsessive thoughts, fears, and anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can be an extremely debilitating condition. However, many people with OCD are reluctant to start treatment due to fear, stigma, and misconceptions regarding exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy. In Daring to Challenge OCD, anxiety specialist Joan Davidson, PhD, gives a thorough overview of ERP, what to expect during treatment, and offers guidance to help readers finally overcome the common fears and anxiety that can stand in the way of getting the help they need.
About the Author
Joan Davidson, PhD, is codirector and founding partner of the San Francisco Bay Area Center for Cognitive Therapy and assistant clinical professor in the clinical science program at the University of California, Berkeley. For over twenty years she has worked as a cognitive behavioral clinician specializing in the treatment of adults with mood and anxiety disorders. In addition, she teaches, writes, and provides clinical consultation and supervision to students and licensed professionals. Davidson is founding fellow of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy and an Academy of Cognitive Therapy Certified Trainer/Consultant. She is the coauthor of
A Transdiagnostic Road Map to Case Formulation and Treatment Planning: Practical Guidance for Clinical Decision Making (New Harbinger, 2014), as well as
The Essential Components of Cognitive-Behavior Therapy for Depression (American Psychological Association, 2001) and videotape series of the same name.
Foreword writer Jeff Bell is author of Rewind, Replay, Repeat: A Memoir of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and When in Doubt, Make Belief: An OCD-Inspired Approach to Living with Uncertainty. He serves as a national spokesperson for the International OCD Foundation and is founder of The Adversity 2 Advocacy Alliance. Bell lives in Benicia, CA.
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