Would I Benefit from taking an Online Course for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)?
This blog post was created to help you decide if you would benefit from an online course for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
We get lots of people reaching out wanting to know if they would benefit from an online course for OCD instead of receiving face-to-face mental health services from a trained clinical therapist. If you have questions about online courses vs therapy, this is the blog article for you.
How do therapy and online courses differ?
Seeing a therapist who knows how to treat Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs) can be like having a personal trainer. You’ll benefit from a structured schedule, guided “homework” between sessions, and professional advice, and you may be more motivated to follow through when you feel accountable to another person. They can push you through some discomfort knowing it will make you stronger—it can be difficult to do on your own, especially in the beginning.
Perhaps the biggest difference between a personal trainer and a properly trained therapist, however, is accessibility. While even small towns may have personal trainers to choose from, OCD and BFRB therapists can be few and far between. And even well-intentioned therapists may not know how to approach these disorders from an evidence-based treatment plan with Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) at its core.
That’s where online courses come in. If there’s no therapist in your town or even within comfortable driving distance, you can get the tools you need from an online course. It’s more like exercising on your own by holding yourself accountable at the gym, at home with videos, or even with an online personal trainer, you check in with now and then. You’ll motivate yourself, with some help!
Is an online course right for you?
Some people really need the outside motivation a therapist offers, while others can succeed with less formal options, such as an online course like these.
Consider the following questions while you weigh your options:
1) Are you a self-starter? You’re tired of Anxiety taking over your life and you are motivated to reclaim back this part of your life. You know you are ready to tackle obsessions and compulsions and get your life back without the structure of weekly therapy.
2) Do you feel ready to change your reaction to Anxiety & OCD, but need some advice and leadership?
Maybe you have listened to podcasts such as Your Anxiety Toolkit and The OCD Stories, or read a ton of books on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and feel like you know what you need to do, but need advice on how to make it apply to your specific obsessions and compulsions.
Maybe you’ve already seen a therapist and need a tune-up now and then, or you understand how OCD and BFRBs are treated but expect you’ll run into roadblocks now and then. (That’s a healthy and reasonable expectation!)
3) Are trained and specialized OCD (or BFRB) therapists miles or hours away from you, geographically? You deserve the correct, evidence-based tools even if you can’t receive therapy in person! If you are not able to access a specialized Anxiety, OCD or BFRB therapist in your area (or access online therapy), learning how to utilize the right tools through an online course might be a great way to get you going in the right direction.
4) Are you ready to DO HARD THINGS?
If you know anything about Kimberley, you know she is a huge advocate for DOING HARD THINGS! She says every day, it is a BEAUTIFUL DAY TO DO HARD THINGS! We know that fear is a normal part of daily life, but we also know that facing our fears and staring anxiety in the face it the BEST way to manage it.
If you answered yes to any of the above, online courses for OCD and BFRB's may be a great next step for you to take.
We are so thrilled to share the launch of Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP) School, an online course for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder & Anxiety disorders such as health anxiety, panic disorder, and social anxiety. Click HERE for more information.
ERP School is a complete online course that teaches how to apply Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP) to your Obsessions and Compulsions.
ERP School is an online course for OCD which was carefully created to cover the most important components of Exposure & Response Prevention (the gold standard treatment tool for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
The ERP School includes the following modules:
- The Science behind Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP)
- Identifying YOUR Obsessions and Compulsions
- Different Approaches to Practicing Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP)
- Gradual Exposure & Response Prevention
- Scripting and Flooding.
- Opposite Action Skills
- Interoceptive ERP
- Let's Get Creative with ERP
- Managing Uncertainty and Discomfort with Mindfulness
- Troubleshooting Common Issues and Concerns
- BONUS Material: OCD Sub-types and Themes
We are also so proud of Mindfulness School for OCD, a mindfulness-based online course for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
Mindfulness School for OCD teaches Kimberley's 7 Mindfulness foundations to help manage intrusive thoughts, uncertainty, physical discomfort, compulsions, and panic attacks. This online course for OCD also includes modules to help those who struggle to implement mindfulness to Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). Click HERE For more information
