Mastery of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Therapist Guide (TherapyWorks) [Paperback]

Michael J. Kozak (Author), Edna B. Foa (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2, 1999 | ISBN-10: 0127850503 | ISBN-13: 978-0127850504

This cognitive-behavioral program for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has as its foundation the use of ritual prevention, and prolonged actual and imaginal exposure exercises. Therapists will learn the best methods for assessing OCD and formulating a treatment program tailored to their client's particular OCD symptoms. Sample lists of exposure items are provided for fear of contamination, fear of supernatural harm, and fear of causing harm to others by acts of negligence.
Sample exposure plans are also provided for washers, checkers, and hoarders. A Monitoring Forms Package is available so the client can increase self-awareness of ritualistic behavior and the circumstances that evoke that behavior.
The Therapist Guide is designed to help mental health professionals assess and treat OCD. It is divided into three sections:
o Methods of assessing OCD
o Efficacy of available treatments and how to arrive at treatment recommendations
o A guide to cognitive-behavioral treatment by exposure and ritual prevention

Additional chapters provide information on relapse prevention, dealing with obstacles to progress, and modifications for children and clients with mental retardation.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Michael J. Kozak, Ph.D., is associate professor of Psychiatry at Allegheny University of the Health Sciences and clinical director at the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety. He was a member of the workgroup of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder for the DSM-IV.

Edna B. Foa, Ph.D., is professor at the Allegheny University of the Health Services and director of the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety. She has published several books and over 100 articles and book chapters, has lectured extensively around the world, and was chair of the OCD work group and co-chair of the PTSD work group of the DSM-IV.

Product Details

• Paperback: 150 pages
• Publisher: Academic Press (April 2, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0127850503
• ISBN-13: 978-0127850504
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,148,980 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Mastery of OCD: An Indispensable Treatment Manual, November 21, 2000

By 

Dr. David Tolin (The Institute of Living, Hartford CT USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mastery of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Therapist Guide (TherapyWorks) (Paperback)

Over two decades of basic and applied research, Kozak and Foa have established themselves as two of the world's leading authorities on OCD and other anxiety disorders. This book represents the accumulation of years of scientific data and clinical experience and is a "must-have" for clinicians working with OCD patients.

The primary strength of the manual is its concise, no-nonsense description of exposure and ritual prevention (EX/RP), a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy with proven efficacy. Kozak and Foa take the reader through a session-by-session account of EX/RP. Treatment planning, descriptions of exposure exercises, and relapse prevention are all described in terms that even non-behavioral therapists can understand. In addition, common obstacles to succesful therapy are discussed, along with potential solutions.

The concise nature of the manual is also its primary limitation. Therapists seeking a detailed understanding of the biological, cognitive, and behavioral aspects of OCD will probably be disappointed. Similarly, alternative treatment strategies such as pharmacotherapy and cognitive therapy are not described in much detail. However, if you are seeking a "bible" of EX/RP, presented clearly and concisely, this book will certainly be a vital resource.