It’s a Family Affair

Lynn Lyons

When obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) shows up in a child, it’s likely that other family members have it, too. OCD is the ultimate cult leader, demanding acceptance of a skewed view of reality and often ruling families for generations. This workshop demonstrates how to recognize OCD, the common pitfalls of treating OCD in kids, and active strategies to get families unstuck. You’ll explore how to:

• Recognize the patterns of OCD in order to decrease the chance of misdiagnosis and ineffective treatment
• Create interventions that focus on interrupting the process of OCD in families rather than becoming lost in the content of the OCD
• Engage families in treatment by overcoming denial, exploring the rules of OCD, and using concrete explanations and homework assignments
• Communicate with parents and schools to enhance consistent responses to a child’s OCD

Lynn Lyons, LICSW, specializes in the treatment of anxious families and is the coauthor of Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents and Playing with Anxiety: Casey’s Guide for Teens and Kids. She’s the author of Using Hypnosis with Children: Creating and Delivering Effective Interventions.