5 Reasons Why Group I-CBT for OCD Might Be the Missing Piece in Your Recovery

If you are someone who experiences OCD, you might be wondering what group I-CBT for OCD is and if it can be helpful for you. If you have experienced symptoms of OCD for a long time, you might wonder what is the most effective treatment for OCD. It is possible you have tried other approaches, which may have included Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). ERP treatment for OCD can certainly be effective but also might be challenging at times. Sometimes people find it harder to carry out ERP on their own and tolerating distress can be challenging for anyone, of course.

Inference-based CBT for OCD (I-CBT for OCD) is a cognitive processing therapy which does not include the component of ERP. It is an evidence-based approach that has been found to be highly effective. Within this approach, you will learn about the what and the why of your OCD. We will describe this in greater detail further on in the blog!

Individuals looking for OCD and anxiety treatment might also be looking for group therapy. Group therapy online can be extremely powerful. There are many benefits that will be discussed in detail below. Some of these include a reduction in stigma, enhanced connections, and the power of shared lived experience. Within group therapy for OCD, you will receive evidence-based group treatment for OCD and you will also benefit from the power of the group!

Read on to learn more!

1. The Power of Group Healing

The experience of having OCD can create isolation and shame for many people. This is very understandable. You might feel alone in your symptoms, and they may interfere and cause impairment in your life. This typically occurs in terms of daily functioning, socializing with others, and the ability to carry out expected duties at work or school. Both adults and youth are impacted by symptoms of OCD and people will report marked distress as a result. OCD and anxiety treatment can help with these symptoms and provide hope for wellness.

Symptoms of OCD include:

• Obsessions: intrusive thoughts, images or obsessional doubts that are unwanted and unexpected and not aligned with who the person is; these are experienced as distressing and can be impairing. Obsessions can focus on many different themes including contamination, just rightness, symmetry, harm and sexual-related intrusive thoughts.
• Compulsions: thoughts or actions carried out in response to the distress of the intrusive thoughts or obsessional doubts that are experienced. Compulsions often focus on themes related to the obsessions experienced. These can include: cleaning, organizing, behaviours being completed in a certain way, as well as mental review.

The experience of these obsessions and compulsions can be extremely distressing, confusing and time-consuming. Individuals will often report that these obsessional concerns do not align with who they are as a person and, as a result, they doubt themselves. Experiencing intense obsessional doubts and compulsions may lead to feelings of shame and isolation. It can be very difficult to want to seek recovery when you are experiencing any feelings of shame or loneliness as a result of your mental health. It is imperative to seek the best treatment for OCD that works for you and your symptoms.

What is the best treatment for OCD for you and your symptoms? You might want to consider different factors:

• Have you tried ERP for OCD before? Was it successful for you?
• Are you looking for a different approach to OCD treatment?
• Have you been wanting to connect with other people with OCD?
• Does learning within a group setting enhance your understanding of strategies and tools?
• Are you curious about Inference-based CBT for OCD?

If you answered yes to most of these questions, then group inference-based CBT for OCD might be what you are looking for! We know that therapy within a group setting can help to reduce the stigma people experience due to their mental health issues. It can also foster connection and support with peers. There is known therapeutic value in being seen and understood by peers with lived experience.

2. Learning about the obsessional story

Group I-CBT for OCD, similar to individual I-CBT for OCD, is based on a few key principles. Within this approach, individuals learn to focus on processes of “faulty” reasoning and doubt rather than reasoning used to make decisions in non-OCD situations. This helps us to learn about the obsessional story. This is the story OCD has created to pull you into the OCD Bubble and make you feel that your compulsions are the only way out. But that is not the case! Group I-CBT for OCD will show you that there is more than one story that OCD wants you to believe!

For example, an individual might go for a medical test and receive positive results. However, after hours or a few short days, they start to doubt the results. They might doubt whether their results were mixed up with someone else or if their physician did not read the results properly. They start to imagine how this might have happened and the doubt is so strong they make another appointment to review the test results and ask whether any further tests should be done.

Within this situation, we can see that the individual had evidence, in the here and now, that their medical results were clear. However, their OCD tricked them into believing that there was reason to doubt the information they were given. They stopped trusting in the information that was readily available to them and moved into the land of OCD.

When this happens, we enter into our imagination and create a story that appears to be logical, based on OCD reasoning. We often speak about being in the OCD Bubble; this is where we feel compelled to do our compulsions and have difficulty identifying the faulty reasoning used by our OCD. However, there are actually other stories that more accurately depict the reality of the situation but it is very hard to embrace this when OCD is activated.

During group I-CBT for OCD, you will learn to trust in yourself again and not your OCD. You will learn to question conclusions that are drawn from this faulty obsessional reasoning. You will gain certainty in the reality of the situation and learn to trust in your senses and your Real Self.

If you are looking for Group I-CBT for OCD we offer that here at Forward Thinking Psychologist Services! Here is how it works:

• Group sessions are held weekly. The day of the week and times do vary, depending on the group facilitators. Group sessions are often led by 1-2 facilitators.
• Every week you will learn more skills and strategies related to inference-based CBT for OCD.
• Examples of these CBT skills include: learning about inferential confusion, raising awareness about the obsessional narrative, understanding the Feared Possible Self, learning about the OCD Bubble and using the tools of Reality Sensing to navigate the tricks and cheats of OCD.
• In-between session work will also be assigned and discussed as a group when weekly meetings are held.

When working in a group setting, you will be able to share stories and experiences and learn from not only the therapists running the group but also from the lived experiences of others. Altogether, this will deepen your self-awareness and reflection on key issues involved in the OCD cycle.

Please check here to find out even more details!

3. Shared Struggles, Shared Strength

People often speak about the power of the group. What does that mean? Research has found that the effectiveness of group therapy effectiveness is a result of the content that is delivered and discussed within the group, and the sharing and support derived from being a group member. Group I-CBT for OCD is no different and will provide these same powerful benefits.

There are many different ways in which individuals can benefit from group therapy:

• Group members will often feel supported and accepted by facilitators and other members; this allows for reduced stigma and isolation concerning their mental health issues.
• Individuals might be able to recognize similarities in themselves and the symptoms that others experience, which can be comforting. They often also recognize differences between their experiences and others, which can be educational and aid in better understanding the nature of the disorder.
• Every group space provides a safe environment to discuss symptoms and relational challenges that exist due to mental health issues; hearing others validate these concerns is very powerful.
• Group facilitation benefits from therapist experience and group member sharing and input; in this way, everyone is contributing to the process of recovery.

Specific to a group for OCD treatment, members will hear about many different OCD domains. Some individuals will say they fear this might be “triggering” or result in them developing new symptoms of OCD. However, most group participants will comment on this being one of the most powerful things within the group context. They will express surprise to learn that other people share their symptoms and struggles. They also gain perspective on how OCD can often be anything and everything. This adds further evidence to the idea that OCD stories exist within our imagination and we have a lot of tools to remain in the here and now and not move into the tricky OCD bubble.

4. Structure, Support, and Accountability

As with any type of therapy, consistency can be very important. During group I-CBT for OCD, you commit to attending weekly sessions and this builds momentum for your recovery. You will have homework to complete in between sessions and this contributes to the effectiveness of the group treatment and your progress.

Although this might seem daunting, group members often help each other to stay on track! In-between session work is discussed at the beginning of each session and group members will support each other during these check-in.

For example, one session might involve learning about reality-sensing strategies to stay out of the OCD bubble and remain in the land of the here and now. Group members can help to discuss how they are using these strategies and support each other as they learn to implement them. This ongoing structure, support and accountability can help members benefit from each others’ struggles and successes!

5. Group I-CBT: Trying Something New

You might be thinking that you have tried other approaches for OCD treatment and they have not yet worked. Perhaps you have tried ERP and have had success but not enough or not long-lasting enough. Exposure therapy, while effective, can be difficult. It can be challenging to endure feelings of distress. It can also be overwhelming when you try to attempt exposure therapy alone.

You might also question what is driving your OCD and want to know more about how the OCD story forms and why it is so believable. Group I-CBT for OCD can provide you with this insight. In the context of this group therapy for OCD, you will learn about what is called the Feared Possible Self. This is the person that you do not want to become and that you fear you might be, especially when your obsessional doubts are triggered.

During inference-based CBT for OCD, you will learn about who you really are and not who your OCD says you could become should you not engage in your rituals. This is a powerful process of unravelling the inferential confusion that OCD generates and being able to embrace the real you!

It is always scary to engage in treatment, not knowing what the outcome will be. We do have strong research to support the effectiveness of Group I-CBT for OCD. Trying out something different might just be the missing piece in your OCD treatment pathway!

Forward Thinking Group I-CBT for OCD Programming

We are excited to announce that we are offering Group I-CBT for OCD. Our group for OCD programming continues to be virtual, in small group settings. This allows for essential group sharing and growth. The power of the group will be available for those who want to try and build on any treatment they have had before or for those who want to try a different approach. 

Weekly sessions for group I-CBT for OCD will include psychoeducation, key I-CBT for OCD strategies and ongoing group discussion and support. Facilitators will be clinicians who have excellent experience in Group I-CBT for OCD and who have worked with all types of complex OCD presentations. These groups will run for 12 weeks.

It would be wonderful to have you join our next group program session. To learn more about registration, please contact us. Our group programming is available virtually throughout Ontario, Nova Scotia, British Columbia and New Brunswick.

If you are ready to approach your OCD symptoms from a new or different perspective, this could be the best next step for you. Our compassionate group facilitators are looking forward to working with you. We hope to hear from you soon! Contact us today.