OCD or OCPD: Diagnosis, Treatment, and What Clinicians Miss

Course overview

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) often fly under the radar or get mistaken for each other. This 3-hour, evidence- based training helps clinicians recognize what's really happening beneath the surface so they can diagnose accurately, conceptualize clearly, and intervene effectively. Attendees will learn how to spot overlooked presentations of OCD, distinguish them from OCPD traits, and understand how these two conditions overlap and interact. Using clear clinical examples, practical tools, and guided exercises, this training will cover evidence-based assessment, case conceptualization, and treatment planning. Attendees will gain tactical skills for implementing exposure and response prevention (ERP), the gold standard treatment for OCD, and learn how to modify it when perfectionism, excessive rigidity, and dysfunctional personality features create barriers. This training will also explore how to integrate techniques from CBT, ACT, and motivational interviewing to help clients break free from fear, control, and unrelenting standards. Designed for clinicians at all levels, this training blends science and practicality so attendees walk away knowing what to look for, what to do, and how to help clients move toward lasting change.