Talking Back to OCD: The Program that Helps Kids and Teens Say "no Way"-- and Parents Say "way to Go"

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Guilford Press, 2007 - Family & Relationships - 277 pages

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.

Winner--Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Self-Help Seal of Merit


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About the author (2007)

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.
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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.

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