Mini Workshop 1 - Advanced Techniques for Helping Clients to Accept Uncertainty in Preparation for Successful ERP Treatment

It is widely accepted that intolerance of uncertainty is often a core component of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Although many clinicians recognize this, they often fail to either make sure the client knows what accepting uncertainty would mean for them and/or insuring that the client has really agreed to accept the goal of learning to live with uncertainty. Too often, we have seen clients not benefit from an otherwise will designed program of exposure and response prevention, because they essentially never accepted the goal of treatment. From the client's perspective, deciding to live with uncertainty is a great risk. And although the reasons we provide for taking this risk follow a few principle, each presentation of OCD has its own challenges, risks and reasons for risking treatment. In this advanced workshop, clinicians will be provided with the tools and knowledge to help the client to risk treatment through didactics, case examples and participants' questions.

Recommended Reading 1: Carleton, R.N., The intolerance of uncertainty construct in the context of anxiety disorders: theoretical and practical perspectives. Expert Rev. Neurother, 2012, 12, Issue 8, 937–947.

Recommended Reading 2: Grayson, J.B. The Complications and Intricacies of Fostering Acceptance. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice, December, 2023 30(4):503-506

Recommended Reading 3: Twohig, M., Hayes, S.C., Masuda, A. Increasing Willingness to Experience Obsessions: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as a Treatment for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Behavior Therapy, 2006, 37, Issue 1, 3-13.