Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Exposure Therapy N555

Course Summary

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions) that significantly impair daily functioning. This condition affects 1-2% of the US population and is often chronic. Exposure Therapy, a form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), is a first-line treatment. Exposure therapy involves gradually exposing individuals to feared stimuli while preventing compulsive behaviors, which helps reduce anxiety and weaken the link between obsessions and compulsions. This educational activity reviews the diagnostic criteria for OCD, the principles and techniques of exposure therapy, and considerations for when such therapy may not be effective. It is designed for mental health professionals and therapists and aims to improve their understanding and management of OCD using exposure therapy.

Course Format

Homestudy

Course Syllabus

• Introduction
  • The Therapy Challenge
  • DSM-5-TR Criteria: OCD and Other Anxiety Disorders
  • Exposure Therapy
  • Treatment-resistant OCD
  • Is It OCD or Another Anxiety Disorder?
  • How OCD Negatively Impacts Daily Life
  • Takeaway Points for Clinicians and Therapists

Authors

Susan Depasquale, MA, MSN, PMHNP-BC

Susan DePasquale is a board certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Her current practice is with families, youth and adults who have mental illnesses in both inpatient and outpatient settings, including telepsychiatry for Montana, Washington and Wisconsin communities. She completed her Masters of Art in Political Science at the University of Victoria, British Columbia, Masters of Science in Nursing at Seattle Pacific University in Seattle, Washington with a focus in neurogastroenterology and the Post-Masters of Science in Nursing at the Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana with a focus in psychiatry. She has worked with small and rural healthcare teams in British Columbia and the Northwest Territories, Canada, and in teaching and research hospitals such as Providence Health and Virginia Mason Medical Center Digestive and Liver Disease Departments in Seattle. Since 2012, she has been actively involved in online continuing education program development for nurses and health teams.

William Cook, PhD

William Cook, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist who worked for 15 years in private practice in Montana before leaving his practice to work full time as the Director of CE4Less. He earned his doctorate degree from Texas A&M University, and focused much of his psychology practice in the area of child and family counseling, as well as psychological testing. Dr. Cook likes new challenges, foreign traveling to Africa and areas of Europe and the near East, scuba diving, running, music, and spending time with his family.