Talking Back to OCD: The Program That Helps Kids and Teens Say No Way -- and Parents Say Way to Go » (New Edition)

John S. March, MD, is Chief of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Duke University Medical Center. A widely published author of books for professionals, including OCD in Children and Adolescents, his research defines the state of the art for treatment of young people with OCD and other anxiety and mood disorders. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. March is active in the teaching and training of mental health professionals. Recently, he served as one of the principal investigators of a National Institute of Mental Health-funded project that compared ways to help kids and teens beat OCD. He lives in Durham, North Carolina.
 
Christine M. Benton has over 25 years of experience as a writer and editor of books on psychology, self-help, consumer health issues, and other topics. She is coauthor, with Russell A. Barkley, PhD, of Your Defiant Child.

No one wants to get rid of obsessive-compulsive disorder more than someone who has it. That's why Talking Back to OCD puts kids and teens in charge. Dr. John March's eight-step program has already helped thousands of young people show the disorder that it doesn't call the shots--they do.

This uniquely designed volume is really two books in one. Each chapter begins with a section that helps young readers zero in on specific problems and develop skills they can use to tune out obsessions and resist compulsions. Dr. March demonstrates how to:

*Create a nickname for the illness to remember that OCD isn't you

*Make a symptom chart so you can plan when and where to start talking back

*Break the disorder's rules about the rituals

The pages that follow the instructions for kids and teens show their parents how to be supportive without getting in the way, including tips for:

*Separating the OCD from your son or daughter

*Asking your child's permission to stop helping with rituals

*Offering praise without imposing expectations

After just a few months' practice, your family will get back to spending time on things that matter, instead of following pointless orders from the illness. The next time OCD butts in, you'll be prepared to boss back--and show an unwelcome visitor to the door.

Library Journal

According to March (chief of child & adolescent psychiatry, Duke Univ. Medical Ctr.), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can be fought with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which retrains the brain. This readable book, based on March's manual for therapists, OCD in Children and Adolescents, is for young people with OCD and their parents. In an encouraging tone, March explains that OCD is a "brain hiccup," and he provides neurological causes for the disorder. The majority of the book details a system of eight steps to follow within a time frame of three to five months. The first part of each step specifically addresses the child; the second part is aimed at the parent. Both parts include particular considerations for teenagers as well as tips on how a therapist can help. Worksheets, graphs, and quotes are scattered throughout; an appendix covers how to find a therapist, and additional resources are listed. There are other books on OCD for parents, such as Aureen Pinto Wagner's What To Do When Your Child Has Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Strategies and Solutions, but this is the only title aimed at both the sufferer and the parents; its emphasis on OCD as an illness motivates the child and parents to isolate OCD from the individual. Highly recommended.-Janet Clapp, Athens-Clarke Cty. Lib., GA Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.

Introduction
I. Up Close But Not So Personal: A New Look at OCD for Parents (and Kids)
1. What Is OCD?
2. What Does OCD Look Like?
3. What Causes OCD?
4. How Is OCD Treated?
II. Eight Steps for Getting Rid of Obsessions and Compulsions
5. Step 1: What Kind of Treatment Is This, Anyway?
Step 1: Instructions for Parents
6. Step 2: Talking Back to OCD
Step 2: Instructions for Parents
7. Step 3: Making a Map
Step 3: Instructions for Parents
8. Step 4: Finishing My Toolkit
Step 4: Instructions for Parents
9. Step 5: Beginning to Resist
Step 5: Instructions for Parents
10. Step 6: I'm in Charge Now
Step 6: Instructions for Parents
11. Step 7: Eliminating OCD Everywhere
Step 7: Instructions for Parents
12. Step 8: Keeping OCD Away for Good
Step 8: Instructions for Parents
Summaries of the Steps How to Find a Therapist Resources Appendix: Scales, Checklists, and Other Forms