OCD Treatment Program

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Treatment Overview

The OCD treatment program includes psychoeducation, treatment planning, exposure and ritual prevention activities (EX/RP also called ERP), relapse prevention training, and home visits as needed. The program typically includes the following components:

• 1 comprehensive evaluation: This is a 2-3 hour session where you will receive an in-depth clinical interview to review all of your symptoms and provide a diagnosis. This can be done over two sessions for local clients.
• 2 treatment planning sessions: During these sessions we review your OCD symptoms in detail and develop a hierarchy to guide the treatment process.
• 15 treatment sessions: These sessions are focused on activities to reduce obsessions and compulsions; you will do an exposure exercise in session that will be assigned for practice at home.
• 2 family sessions (if applicable): If your family has been a part of your OCD, family sessions will be administered to help household members understand the disorder and learn what they can do to help.
• 2 follow-up sessions: These will take place 3-4 weeks after treatment to address any lingering difficulties and ensure maintenance of gains.

If your OCD is severe, you may need ongoing follow-up after the treatment program. If you are coming from out of the area, I will help you locate a local provider for your follow-up care, if you don't already have one. Alternately, we can do follow-up sessions by phone. Follow-up for severe cases is typically weekly for 3-6 months.

Treatment Format

Treatment is usually delivered in two 90-minute (double) sessions per week. For people coming from out of the Louisville area, intensive treatment is offered, which is generally daily 90-minute sessions over a 3.5 week period (not including weekends). Family sessions are 50 minutes. Follow-up sessions are 30 minutes. Also you should anticipate up to 2 hours of homework each day. Most sessions are in person, but we can do some sessions by phone or videoconference on an as-needed basis.

Effectiveness of Treatment

There is no cure for OCD, but clients can expect an 80% reduction in symptoms on average. Generally, those who attend sessions and do the homework will make great improvements, and those who do not follow the program will experience less improvement. For most people, this type of treatment is more effective than medication for OCD. However, some people will require both medication and the treatment program for maximum results.

Cost of Treatment

Send email to inquire, and be sure to include your location. A discount is available for Louisville area-residents. An initial phone consultation is also available.

Insurance is not accepted, but if your plan offers out-of-network benefits, you can usually get some reimbursement. You should call your insurer to make sure they will cover out-of-network providers. I am also glad to contact them to help figure out how much of the cost you can likely recoup. We can assist you with insurance paperwork. If your insurance won't reimburse for a 90-minute session, we can do 70-minute sessions instead, but then we will need more sessions than 17, so the treatment period will be a bit longer.

Lodging for Intensive Treatment

There are several hotels nearby and travel around Louisville is not difficult. You might consider staying in downtown Louisville if coming with family since there are more interesting activities downtown. There is not good public transportation, so it is recommended that you rent a car if you are not driving in. It is a 25 minute drive from downtown Louisville to the clinic. Some options for local lodging.