Upcoming Training and Workshop
Training program in MBCT for OCD
There are currently three possible levels of certificates and training, available through the MBCT for OCD Center, for licensed mental health professionals who want to receive training in MBCT for OCD.
1) 2,5 days MBCT for OCD Introductory Workshop
The aims of this workshop are to understand the rationale, agenda, and contents of the model, as well as sharing several exercises and practices of the program with participants and allowing them to learn the basic skills necessary to start to apply MBCT for OCD in individual treatment.
The program includes: 1. OCD phenomenology, clinical features, and etiology; 2. Rationale and cultural and scientific basis of MBCT for OCD; 3. Basic tenets and key features of MBCT for OCD; 4. Session format and structure of MBCT for OCD; 5. Video examples of MBCT for OCD in group or individual settings; and 6. Exercises with participants.
The curriculum integrates didactic, experiential and small group learning and includes static meditations as well as dynamic meditations (e.g. yoga/mindful movements, mindful walking, etc.).
The content and curriculum of each MBCT for OCD class session is explored, using videos of real MBCT for OCD groups, and descriptions of session themes, curricula, and samples of client handouts and practice transcripts.
The workshop is open to mental health professionals who work (or wish to work) with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, and in particular to psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses, clinical social workers, licensed mental health counselors, and university students in these fields.
Learning Objectives of the Workshop
After attending this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Reach a clear understanding on how OCD works and the cognitive processes and biases that activate and maintain OCD symptoms.
- Understand the central role of mindfulness meditation in facilitating the processes of decentering, disidentification, and mindful exposure, which are pivotal in dealing with obsessive problems.
- Learn the role of acceptance and self-compassion in changing OCD pathological biases and mechanisms.
- Know the rationale as well as the cultural and scientific basis of MBCT for OCD.
- Learn the basic tenets and key features of MBCT for OCD as well as the session format and structure of the program.
- Understand the curriculum and core therapeutic tasks for each of the eleven group sessions of the MBCT for OCD program.
- Understand the basic relational and therapeutic instructor’s skills and attitudes necessary to lead MBCT for OCD sessions.
- Develop and/or deepen their own mindfulness meditation practice, emphasizing both formal meditative practices and mindfulness as a mode of being in daily life.
- Learn the basic and foundational skills and perspectives necessary to start to utilize MBCT for OCD in individual treatment.
Teaching techniques will include experiential exercises, didactic presentations, videos of MBCT for OCD in group or individual settings, and hand-outs.
Certificate of Completion
In recognition of completing this training, participants will be awarded a certificate of completion from the MBCT for OCD Center.
2) 5-day MBCT for OCD Professional Training
This professional development experience allows participants to learn about the MBCT for OCD model and become qualified to implement it with OCD patients in both group and individual settings. This is an in-depth training over five days exploring each of the stages of the 11-session course. There is a strong emphasis on participants getting hands-on experience giving presentations and leading guided practices and inquiry for the 11-session course with feedback from the workshop leader. This training goes through the 11-session course in a step-by-step manner ensuring that participants understand the rationales behind the practices, the way they fit together as a whole, and have experience actually delivering them.
During this course, participants receive the curriculum and detailed lesson plans of the MBCT for OCD program, which integrates tools of cognitive therapy with the practice and clinical application of mindfulness meditation.
This intensive and highly interactive training (which can be also organized in a retreat format) emphasizes the importance of the clinician’s own meditation practice and self-inquiry. Through role-play, simulated classroom, videos of MBCT for OCD sessions and patient-practitioner encounters, it explores and deepens the actual application of mindfulness practices in working with OCD clients.
The curriculum reviews the fundamentals of the MBCT for OCD program and integrates didactic, experiential, and small group learning. It includes daily static and active meditations and, in the retreat format, periods of silence.
Furthermore, the curriculum explores our ability to clearly experience the interplay of thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations – and how awareness of these domains accurately informs or distorts our capacity to understand ourselves and work with people affected by OCD.
The content and curriculum of each MBCT for OCD class session is explored in detail, illustrated through videos of real MBCT for OCD groups. Descriptions of session themes, curricula, and samples of client handouts are provided. (In the retreat format participants need to be housed and fed on-site.)
Learning Objectives of the Workshop
After attending this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Understand the cognitive processes and biases that activate and maintain OCD.
- Learn the curriculum and core therapeutic tasks for each of the 11 group sessions of MBCT for OCD.
- Reach a clear understanding of the central role of mindfulness meditation practice in facilitating the processes of decentering, disidentification, defusion, and self-regulation of emotions.
- Identify the importance of acceptance and self-compassion in changing pathological OCD biases and mechanisms.
- Understand and experience the relational and therapeutic skills and attitudes needed to lead MBCT for OCD sessions.
- Understand the vital importance of the therapist’s ongoing mindfulness meditation practice and sustained mindful awareness within a psychotherapy framework.
- Develop and/or deepen their own mindfulness meditation practice, emphasizing both formal meditative practices and mindfulness as a mode of being in daily life.
- Develop the clinical skills and perspectives necessary to facilitate MBCT for OCD groups, including how to guide meditation and facilitate group cohesion.
- Become qualified to apply MBCT for OCD program both in group and individual settings.
Certificate of Completion
In recognition of completing this intensive training, participants will be awarded a certificate of completion from the MBCT for OCD Center. ‘MBCT for OCD Teacher Professional Training Program’ – recognizes you as an ‘MBCT for OCD teacher’ and equips you to run MBCT programs in individual and group settings.
3) 5-day MBCT for OCD Advanced Professional Training
This professional advanced development experience aims to improve and deepen participants’ knowledge and understanding of the MBCT for OCD model and the skills needed to implement the program effectively.
This intensive training includes both large and small group learning and most of the static and active meditation practices of MBCT for OCD program.
This training demonstrates the application of mindfulness practices in working with individuals affected by OCD. The curriculum reviews the fundamentals of the MBCT for OCD program, integrating didactic and experiential teaching modules. It emphasizes the importance of the clinician’s own meditation practice and self-inquiry in order to provide an effective mindfulness-based treatment for OCD.
The theme, rationale, intention, and practice skills for each of the eleven MBCT for OCD class session are explored over five days, using videos of real MBCT for OCD groups, descriptions of session themes, curricula, and samples of client handouts.
There is strong focus on participants getting ”hands on” experience giving presentations and leading guided practices and inquiry for each of the stages of the 11-session course with simulated classroom, feedback, and personal supervision from the training leader.
This training goes through the 11-session course in a step-by-step manner ensuring that participants understand the rationales behind the practices, the way they fit together as a whole, and have experience in actually delivering them. It prepares participants to work with patients with severe OCD, manage challenging clinical situations, and deepen and perfect the skills needed to lead both the practices and the inquiry.
This in-depth and highly experiential training is designed for clinicians who have already attended the 5-day Professional Training in MBCT for OCD.
Learning Objectives of the Workshop
- Deepen the understanding of the cognitive processes and biases that activate and maintain OCD symptoms.
- Strengthen an embodied mindful presence, mindful inquiry, and examine in detail the theme, rationale, intention, and practice skills for each of the eleven MBCT for OCD sessions.
- Improve and deepen the clinical skills and perspectives necessary to facilitate MBCT for OCD groups.
- Identify the difficulties and obstacles instructors can meet during the sessions working with OCD patients and how to deal with them effectively.
- Understand how to provide MBCT for OCD in individual setting.
- Receive guidelines to work effectively with severe clinical cases.
- Discuss and learn through videos from real MBCT for OCD sessions guided by the training leader.
- Improve and deepen their style and skills as instructors in guiding exercises and during the inquiry phase
- Identify in detail the components of the delivery and practice of inquiry.
- Discuss videos of group sessions from participants (if provided).
- Share exercises and practices from the program.
- Receive guidelines to perform the pre-program interview/assessment.
- Understand and improve the therapeutic relationship skills needed in working with OCD patients.
- Receive personal supervision from the training leader.
- Receive guidelines on how to use MBCT for OCD in inpatient treatment.
Teaching techniques will include experiential exercises with participants, didactic presentations, video recordings of MBCT for OCD in group or individual settings, and handouts.
Certificate of Completion
In recognition of completing this intensive training, participants will be awarded a certificate of completion from the MBCT for OCD Center. ‘MBCT for OCD Teacher Advanced Professional Training Program – recognizes you as an ‘MBCT for OCD advanced skills teacher’ and equips you to run MBCT programs in individual and group settings.
To organize Workshop and Training
Contact us if you’d like to book Dr. Didonna for a speaking engagement or organize training in MBCT for OCD.
References
- Alem-Dianati F., Moheb, N., Amiri, S. (2016). Is mindfulness a mediator factor in obsessive compulsive disorder? J Anal Res Clin Med; 4(4): 196-202. Doi: 10.15171/jarcm.2016.033
- Didonna, F. (2009). Clinical Handbook of Mindfulness. New York: Springer
- Didonna, F. (2019). Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. New York: Guilford Press.
- Didonna F. (2009) Mindfulness and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Developing a Way to Trust and Validate One's Internal Experience. In: Didonna F. (eds) Clinical Handbook of Mindfulness. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-09593-6_12
- Didonna F. (2009) Mindfulness-based interventions in inpatient setting. In: Didonna F. (eds) Clinical Handbook of Mindfulness. Springer, New York, NY.
- Didonna, F., Lanfredi, M., Xodo, E., Ferrari, C., Rossi, R. & Pedrini, L. (2019). Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: a pilot study. Journal of Psychiatric Practice®. 25(2):156-170.
- Didonna, F., Ferrari, C., Rossi, R., Iani, L., Pedrini, L., Rossi, N., Xodo, E., & Lanfredi, M. (2019). Relations of mindfulness facets with psychological symptoms among individuals with a diagnosis of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder or Borderline Personality Disorder. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice. 92(1):112-130.
- Didonna, F. & Bhattacherjee, S. (2014). Mindfulness-based training in residential settings: rationale, advantages and obstacles. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment. 20, 422–430 doi: 10.1192/apt.bp.112.011056
- Hertenstein, E., Rose, N., Voderholzer, U., Heidenreich, T., Nissen, C., Thiel, N., Herbst, N. and Kulz, A.K. (2012). Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder—A Qualitative Study Concerning Patients’ Experience. BMC Psychiatry, 12, 185. http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-244X-12-185.
- Key, B.L., Rowa, K., Bieling, P., McCabe, R., Pawluk, E. J. (2017). Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy as an augmentation treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy. 24(5):1109-1120. doi: 10.1002/cpp.2076. Epub 2017 Feb 13.
- Külz, A. K., Landmann, S., Cludius, B., et. al. (2014). Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in obsessive-compulsive disorder: protocol of a randomized controlled trial. BMC Psychiatry.; 14: 314.doi: 10.1186/s12888-014-0314-8 PMCID: PMC4239327
- Iani, L., Lauriola, M., Cafaro, V., & Didonna, F. (2016). Dimensions of mindfulness and their relationships with psychological well-being and neuroticism. Mindfulness. November 2016. DOI: 10.1007/s12671-016-0645-2
- Lu Lu, Tianran Zhang, Rui Gao, Zongfeng Zhang, Xuan Cao, Yongjun Chen, Ying Liu, Fei Zhang, Yue Zheng, Yan Sun, Yanle Bai, Jianyu Wang, Qing Fan, Haiyin Zhang, Didonna, F. (2018). Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial with functional magnetic resonance imaging and 6-month Follow-up. Journal of Health Psychology. 1–13 DOI:10.1177/1359105318780540
- Rector, N. et al. (2016). A Pilot Randomized Trial Testing Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in a Clinical Sample of OCD Patients. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02217995
