OCD and Religious Scrupulosity/Doubt: Game-changing Transdiagnostic Techniques for Difficult Issues

Course overview

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a debilitating condition marked by persistent, intrusive thoughts or images that cause significant anxiety, often leading to compulsive behaviors or mental acts aimed at neutralizing the distress. One specific form of OCD, religious scrupulosity, involves excessive concerns about moral correctness, fears of blasphemy, or doubts about one's salvation. Psychologists, licensed mental health professionals, ministry leaders, and medical personnel will identify compulsive behaviors that include mental review, repeated confessions, seeking reassurance from others, and multiple trips to the altar for "rededication." Participants will analyze how OCD is often accompanied by co-occurring emotional disorders such as depression, panic disorder, and trauma-related conditions and will evaluate an overview of the Unified Protocol (UP), a modular, transdiagnostic treatment designed to address the core emotional and psychological processes shared by all emotional disorders. Additionally, participants will discuss the UP's eight modules, which focus on emotion regulation and exposure to distressing experiences, culminating in a relapse prevention module. Special attention will be given to adapting this treatment for those with a Christian worldview, integrating faith-based considerations into the therapeutic approach.