After completing the complimentary 15-minute phone consultation, CalmOCD will schedule a 60-minute psychiatric diagnostic evaluation with one of our anxiety specialists or add you to our waitlist depending on our current availability.
During this evaluation, the therapist will collect background information and learn more about the patient's current functioning. The therapist will make treatment recommendations, whether they are appropriate for single sessions (45-minute or 60-minute) or if our intensive track program may be a better fit.
The therapists at CalmOCD will evaluate presenting symptoms and develop an individualized treatment plan based on the needs of the individual. No two people are alike even if they are experiencing the same OCD subtype which is why our approach is unique
If single sessions are appropriate the therapist will recommend the frequency at which these sessions are conducted. This recommendation is based on patient severity, clinical assessments, and psychological evaluation. At the start of treatment, patients respond better when they can have therapeutic support consistently and sessions close together.
Our clinicians will help the patient build a strong foundation of skills through psychoeducation on their specific diagnosis. Each patient and their family will receive a CalmOCD educational folder filled with resources they will refer to throughout treatment. The psychoeducation portion of treatment may take 2-4 sessions.
Next, the therapist and patient will work together to create what is referred to as a ‘fear structure analysis.’ A fear structure is a map of the patient's triggers and coinciding compulsive behavior.
Behavioral therapy - exposure response prevention begins. A collaborative approach occurs where the therapist and patient work alongside one another during exposures. The type of exposure the patients work on depends on the details outlined in their fear structure analysis. Exposures completed in session help the patient gain confidence so they can do them on their own.
On average, it takes approximately 10-15 sessions to build a strong foundation of skills and understand how to implement them across OCD subtypes. Patients may feel confident at this point and are discharged from treatment, while most continue as they still have areas they want to work on and improve. Severe cases of OCD may need anywhere between 30-60 sessions.