The OCD Workbook for Kids: Skills to Help Children Manage Obsessive Thoughts and Compulsive Behaviors

Does your child have OCD? In this much-needed Instant Help workbook, kids will learn to identify obsessions and compulsions, understand them, and use simple tools based in exposure and ritual prevention to cope with and overcome this difficult disorder. If your child has obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), he or she may suffer from obsessive thinking, use rituals to soothe anxiety, and act compulsively in ways that are disruptive and sometimes harmful. As you know all too well, OCD can greatly interfere with school, friends, and home life. So, how can you help your child be their very best? With this evidence-based workbook for kids, your child will learn how and why they struggle, and gain a greater understanding of what OCD is by identifying common symptoms, including contamination concerns, fear of harm, need for order/symmetry, and excessive doubting. Your child will then be gently guided to name their own symptoms and rate the extent to which each symptom causes them anxiety. The workbook also provides a framework for children to apply exposure and ritual prevention strategies to anxiety-provoking situations independently or with help from you or a caregiver. Detailed instructions for completing exposure exercises will be covered, including how long exposures should last, and how often they should be repeated. Finally, the workbook will show you and your child how to build a solid support system of family, friends, teachers, and professionals to aid you in managing OCD symptoms and building a lifestyle that will help you both deal with your child's symptoms more effectively. If your child's OCD is holding them back from living the happy childhood you want for them, this easy-to-read and practical workbook can help them cope with symptoms and really thrive - at home, in the classroom, and well into adulthood.

"We know that you can't just talk about obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) if you want improvement, you have to do something! The authors put wisdom, energy, and life in their book, as they join with youth to build coping skills via activities that are developmentally appropriate in tone, style, and language. OCD is treatable, and this workbook is helpful for youth to understand OCD and for therapists to accompany therapy. The exercises come with both readable examples and advice for how to 'stay strong' when it gets tough. Puliafico and Robin are a team of experts bringing their expertise to life in this readable and helpful book."
- Philip C. Kendall, PhD, ABPP & Laura H. Carnell, Distinguished University Professor & Professor of Psychology at Temple University

"Puliafico and Robin have done a great service for children with OCD and their parents. The activities in the workbook are clear, structured, and guided by the research on childhood OCD conceptualization and treatment. As a guide to accompany treatment with a trained clinician, the exercises here will undoubtedly serve as a great way to facilitate treatment and provide children with relief. I recommend it enthusiastically to parents of children with OCD and providers who regularly treat this condition."
- Dean McKay, PhD, ABPP, professor of psychology at Fordham University

"The OCD Workbook for Kids, Puliafico and Robin have created a masterpiece in the form of a step-by-step approach for helping children struggling with OCD (and their parents) in understanding and addressing this impairing condition. The writing style is fun, clear, and kid/parent friendly, and the text describes the core treatment components in an easy-to-understand manner. Given the difficulty that so many families of a child with OCD experience in accessing effective care, this book has the promise to help many children live their fullest, happiest life."
- Eric Storch, PhD, professor and All Children's Hospital Guild Endowed Chair at the University of South Florida

"As a child and adolescent psychiatrist that works with children diagnosed with OCD and their families, this workbook provides a much-needed resource for not only children and families living with OCD, but also for providers. The authors present the material in a way that is both understandable and engaging for young readers, and the many examples, activities, and handouts provide ample guidance for children, parents, and therapists."
- Moira A. Rynn, MD, consulting professor and chair in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Duke University Medical Center