The Role of Art Therapy in OCD Treatment

Several years ago I was chatting with a seasoned therapist, who uses cognitive behavioral (CBT) techniques to treat OCD. He asked me, somewhat skeptically, whether I thought it possible to combine a science-backed, proven technique such as CBT, with the relatively new Art Therapy, which is not as yet scientifically proven — and have it be useful in OCD treatment. My answer to him, was, “It depends.” The form of CBT used in OCD treatment, known as Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), is considered the proven, gold standard treatment. It has a specific protocol that must be followed closely by a trained therapist, for it to be effective. However, many reliable sources of OCD information and support, such as www.intrusivethoughts.org, support the use of Art Therapy techniques within the parameters of ERP to augment treatment for clients who suffer with intrusive thoughts. Clients, especially children, who are newly diagnosed with OCD and may not be fully aware of the extent of their symptoms, can benefit from drawing it out. After participating in standardized testing and an initial discussion with their therapist, the drawing process can often spur new insights that maybe they hadn’t thought to mention in conversation. For example, I was working with a child who had anxiety about contamination but it wasn’t until he drew his classroom, “Where’s Waldo” style, that I was able to understand the extent of the contamination fears and begin to collaborate with ...
Source: Psych Central - Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tags: Creativity Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Psychology Psychotherapy Anxiety Art Therapy Avoidance Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Erp habituate Intrusive Thoughts worry Source Type: news