About this course

Learning Objectives

• Differentiate between the theoretical frameworks underlying Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD treatment, specifically identifying how Relational Frame Theory differs from Emotional Processing Theory.
• Describe the core processes of ACT, including cognitive defusion, acceptance, present moment awareness, self-as-context, values clarification, and committed action as they apply to OCD treatment.
• Compare and contrast the mechanisms of change in ACT versus ERP, explaining how psychological flexibility differs from habituation as a treatment target.
• Analyze the current empirical evidence supporting ACT as an intervention for OCD, including efficacy rates, dropout rates, and quality of life outcomes compared to traditional ERP.
• Identify at least three specific ACT techniques that address obsessions and three techniques that address compulsions in OCD patients.
• Evaluate the clinical considerations for selecting between ACT and ERP approaches based on patient characteristics, treatment history, and clinical presentation.
• Apply ACT concepts to a case example of OCD, demonstrating how to implement defusion strategies, values-based interventions, and acceptance techniques with specific patient symptoms.
• Design an integrated treatment plan that incorporates elements of both ACT and ERP approaches for OCD, recognizing when and how to implement specific components from each modality.
• Assess treatment outcomes beyond symptom reduction, including functional improvement, quality of life, and psychological flexibility measures in accordance with ACT principles.
• Formulate appropriate clinical responses to treatment challenges in ACT for OCD, including addressing experiential avoidance, cognitive fusion, and barriers to values-based action.
• Comprehensively Define OCD and Its Clinical Framework
• Critically Evaluate Treatment Approaches for OCD
• Master the Fundamentals and Application of Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)

Learning Levels

• Intermediate-Advance

Target Audience

Course Instructor(s)

• 

  Maria Rheba Estante, LMFT/LPCC

  Maria Rheba Estante, LMFT, is a compassionate and culturally attuned therapist dedicated to empowering individuals through a strengths-based approach. Drawing inspiration from Adler, Jung, Bion, Reich, and Dr. Nancy McWilliams, she integrates holistic and evidence-based modalities to foster healing, clarity, and personal growth.

  With extensive experience across private practice, digital health platforms, and school-based counseling, Maria specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Her work has spanned diverse populations, including individuals navigating OCD, anxiety disorders, trauma, and substance use challenges.

  Currently licensed across multiple states, Maria provides telehealth therapy through Centered Mind Therapy and has contributed to innovative OCD treatment approaches at NOCD. She is deeply committed to advancing mental health accessibility and clinical excellence, continuously refining treatment protocols to enhance client outcomes.

• 

  Hannah Derleth, MA, LMHC

  Hannah Derleth, MA, LMHC, is a dedicated and experienced mental health counselor licensed in Massachusetts and Indiana. She specializes in evidence-based treatment approaches, including Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD, as well as therapy for anxiety, trauma, and LGBTQ+ clients. With a strong background in clinical settings ranging from private practice to correctional institutions, Hannah has provided therapy in diverse environments, including telehealth platforms, substance use recovery centers, and correctional facilities.

  As the owner of Safe Haven Counseling and Consultation Services, she offers individualized telehealth therapy, emphasizing a client-centered, strengths-based approach. Hannah’s experience includes working with high-acuity clients, crisis management, and diagnostic assessments. She holds a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Valparaiso University and has been recognized for her commitment to providing accessible, compassionate mental health care.

Disclosure

References

• Abramowitz, J. S., Blakey, S. M., Reuman, L., & Buchholz, J. L. (2018). New directions in the cognitive-behavioral treatment of OCD: Theory, research, and practice. Behavior Therapy, 49(3), 311-322.
• American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596
• Bluett, E. J., Homan, K. J., Morrison, K. L., Levin, M. E., & Twohig, M. P. (2014). Acceptance and commitment therapy for anxiety and OCD spectrum disorders: An empirical review. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 28(6), 612-624.
• Exposure and response prevention (ERP). International OCD Foundation. (2023, December 27). https://iocdf.org/about-ocd/treatment/erp/
• National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (UK). Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Core Interventions in the Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Body Dysmorphic Disorder. Leicester (UK): British Psychological Society; 2006. (NICE Clinical Guidelines, No. 31.) 5, PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK56465/
• Rohani, F., Rasouli-Azad, M., Twohig, M. P., Ghoreishi, F. S., Lee, E. B., & Akbari, H. (2018). Preliminary test of group acceptance and commitment therapy on obsessive-compulsive disorder for patients on optimal dose of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders, 16, 8-13.
• Smith, Stephen. “Could Virtual ERP Be the New Standard of Treatment for OCD?” NOCD, NOCD, 11 Jan. 2024, www.treatmyocd.com/blog/could-virtual-erp-be-the-new-standard-of-treatment-for-ocd.
• Twohig, M. P., Abramowitz, J. S., Smith, B. M., Fabricant, L. E., Jacoby, R. J., Morrison, K. L., ... & Ledermann, T. (2018). Adding acceptance and commitment therapy to exposure and response prevention for obsessive-compulsive disorder: A randomized controlled trial. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 108, 1-9.
• Twohig, M. P., Hayes, S. C., & Masuda, A. (2010). Increasing willingness to experience obsessions: Acceptance and commitment therapy as a treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder. Behavior Therapy, 41(1), 23-36.
• Twohig, M. P., Whittal, M. L., Cox, J. M., & Gunter, R. (2015). An initial investigation into the processes of change in ACT, CT, and ERP for OCD. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 29(3), 257-277.
• Twohig, M. P., Ong, C. W., Krafft, J., Barney, J. L., & Levin, M. E. (2021). Acceptance and commitment therapy for OCD and OCD-related disorders: A review. Current Psychiatry Reviews, 17(1), 3-13.