OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE & RELATED DISORDERS IN CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS, & ADULTS

Course overview

Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders (OCRDs) represent a group of complex mental health conditions that can significantly impact daily function, emotional well-being, and quality of life. This 6-hour live webinar provides Florida-licensed massage therapists with a foundational understanding of OCRDs, including Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Hoarding Disorder, Trichotillomania, and Excoriation Disorder. Led by board-certified neuropsychologist Dr. Michael E. Howard, the course explores how compulsive behavior, intrusive thoughts, and anxiety cycles develop and become disabling. Special attention is given to the neurological underpinnings of OCD, as well as contributing genetic, environmental, and epigenetic risk factors. Massage therapists will gain insight into how mental health conditions, especially those involving repetitive movement, somatic tension, or emotional distress, can influence muscular tension, pain perception, and client care. The course also outlines evidence-based treatments and emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary awareness and trauma-informed practice in massage therapy.