OCD In Practice: From Assessment to ERP
Date and Times:
Friday, October 23rd, 2026: 9:00am to 3:30pm
LOCATION:
Zoom link will be sent out a few days prior to the training.
Workshop Description:
Obsessive-compulsive disorder can be easy to miss and challenging to treat when clinicians aren't sure where to begin. This six-hour, practice-oriented workshop will help clinicians develop a better understanding of OCD, accurately assess and conceptualize symptoms, differentiate OCD from related presentations, and confidently begin evidence-based treatment.
Participants will learn to identify the diverse ways OCD can present and important questions to help uncover the obsession-compulsion cycle. The workshop will introduce practical assessment tools, including the Y-BOCS, and provide a framework for developing individualized OCD treatment.
Participants will learn a step-by-step ERP protocol and practice developing exposures, identifying compulsions and safety behaviors, and responding therapeutically when clients experience distress or uncertainty. ERP will be integrated with principles from ACT and Inference-Based CBT (I-CBT), with attention to how clinicians can incorporate OCD treatment into an existing integrative practice without inadvertently reinforcing the OCD cycle.
Through demonstrations, case examples, experiential exercises, and clinical practice, participants will leave with concrete tools for assessing OCD, developing treatment plans, implementing ERP, and navigating common clinical pitfalls.
Course Objectives:
By the end of this continuing education training, participants will be able to:
Identify three core features of OCD
Explain two ways OCD can be differentiated from other anxiety disorders.
Label three common safety behaviors and how they can manifest in the therapy room.
Define four targeted clinical questions used to assess OCD symptoms and severity
Describe the core components of ERP.
Build a hierarchy with five different exposures.
Audience:
Beginning and intermediate knowledge of OCD
Clinicians of all disciplines and levels of experience.
Presenter Biographies:
Dr. Monica F. Boyd, PhD, LCPC
Melissa Novak a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Sex Therapist-Supervisor, in
Chicago, IL, specializing in the treatment of sexual dysfunction, personality disorders and
anxiety related disorders. She earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Social Work from
the University of Missouri-Columbia where she focused her studies on human sexuality and
sexual therapy. In 2011, Melissa completed a yearlong fellowship program at the Depression and
Anxiety Specialty Clinic, focused on further developing skills within Cognitive Behavioral
Therapy and other empirically validated approaches. Melissa also serves as a national educator
and supervisor within the therapy community.
The foundation of her approach is grounded in empirically-validated treatments, proven
most effective in treating sexual concerns, anxiety and depression, such as Cognitive
Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Exposure and
Response Prevention (ERP) and sexual therapy. This organized approach helps focus
sessions, direct interventions and provides the structure needed to address a variety of
issues clients may experience.
Continuing Education Hours:
This program is recognized as providing 6.0 CE* Hours for:
• LPC/LCPC (IDFPR license #197.000360)
• LSW/LCSW (IDFPR license #159.001584)
• LMFT (IDFPR license #168.000268)
• Licensed Psychologist (IDFPR license #268.000146)
Questions: Email Stephen at stephen@soleilpsychotherapy.com