Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Help is on the way: Support for individuals, couples and families in the community.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder that affects more than 450,000 Australians. People with OCD are besieged by intrusive and unwanted thoughts, images or impulses (obsessions), and are compelled to perform behavioural and mental rituals (compulsions). Obsessions and compulsions are distressing, exhausting and time consuming, and cause significant interference in the sufferer's family and social relationships, daily routines, and their capacity to fulfil their goals in employment and education. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) has been found to be an effective treatment of OCD and this treatment approach is used the the group therapy program offered by the Psychology Clinic and the Brain and Psychological Sciences Research Centre (BPsyC).
Program Details
The program is a 12-week Group CBT program for the treatment of OCD. It focuses on providing participants with information about OCD, practical strategies on managing OCD symptoms, general anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, and provides strategies for preventing or managing future relapses. STOP therapy has been shown to significantly reduce symptoms of OCD over 12-weeks, and that these gains are maintained in the 6 months following treatment. The treatment is offered as twelve 1.5-hour weekly sessions at the Psychology Clinic at Swinburne University.
Program Fees
The program cost $420 for the 12 weeks. You may be eligible to receive Medicare Rebates. Medicare rebates are only available for sessions attended. A Mental Health Care Plan and a GP referral for psychological group therapy are needed to obtain a Medicare rebate for the cost of the group.
Join the Group
The next STOP therapy program is planned to commence in April 2012. To find out how you can register to participate in this group please contact the Clinic's Project Officer by phone (03) 9214 5528 or email psychprojects@swin.edu.au
Free OCD Help!
OCD STOP! is a comprehensive online psychological treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) based on the face-to-face Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) already in use at Swinburne University’s Psychology Clinic.
OCD STOP! online treatment is already known to help reduce symptoms of OCD. Researchers at Swinburne’s Brain and Psychological Sciences Research Centre (BPsyC) and National eTherapy Centre (NeTC) are now looking for people with OCD who would like to take part in a further study investigating who can most benefit from the online OCD STOP! program.
Participants in the study will receive treatment for their OCD free of charge.
OCDSTOP! is confidential, and participants can continue with other treatments.
The 12 week online treatment program provides information about OCD, and helps participants learn how to control their anxiety and better manage their OCD. During the study participants receive assistance in the form of weekly email contact with a qualified therapist.
The order in which participants receive treatment components will vary from person to person, but everyonewho takes part in the study will have the opportunity to complete the full CBT-based treatment for their OCD.
To find out more, or to apply to join the program, email: ocdstoptrial@anxietyonline.org.au
After contacting us by email, you will receive a unique log-in and a link to the OCD STOP! program page. From there you will be provided with more information about the study and what is involved. If you wish to proceed you will then be contacted by a researcher who will talk with you about your symptoms and find out whether you are eligible to participate.