What is the OCD Group? 
The clinician who assessed your young person thought they might benefit from attending an Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) management group. We offer this treatment to young people who have intrusive or obsessive thoughts, anxiety, and compulsions. The programme aims to: 

  • Provide support and skills that are efficient for young people who experience intrusive thoughts, anxiety, and compulsions.
  • Assist young people who link intrusive thoughts, anxiety, and compulsions with their situations.
  • Provide a safe space to talk about OCD.
  • Learn coping strategies and skills known to work in managing OCD.

What does the group involve? 
Your young person will be part of a group with other young people along with two to three facilitators. The programme consists of eight to ten sessions for young people. Facilitators will also work with your parent/s or carer/s during their sessions:

  • Your young person will be encouraged to participate as much as they can in the group.   We won’t ask them to share anything that they’re not comfortable sharing.  We know it can be hard, but we encourage participants to think of the group as a safe environment to challenge themselves. 
  • Whilst taking part in the group, it is expected that those taking part will still feel some anxiety.  The fact that anxiety will not completely disappear after one or two sessions is perfectly normal.  The sessions will help those attending explore their obsessions and compulsions so they can learn how to manage them.
  • We encourage those taking part to keep to their routine as much as possible; continue to do the things they enjoy and don’t let attending the group be used as an excuse to avoid things. 
  • Your young person will only be in the group for up to two hours a week, but they will need to practice the techniques and the strategies as much as they can; practice makes perfect. 

What can be expected after attending the group? 
Once the group has been completed, there will be a review with one of the group facilitators to discuss how your young person found the group and establish what they have learned. Following the review, a decision about the next steps of their care plan will be made.

Where will the group be held?
The group will be held face-to-face and virtually in some circumstances.

Group Attendance: 
We would expect your young person to be able to attend all of the group sessions, however, we appreciate people can be unwell and have circumstances that make it difficult to attend.