Nine patients with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) have completed an innovative form of group treatment with Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust’s (LPT’s) cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) department.
Due to the restrictions of Covid-19, a team of three experienced therapists moved the delivery of this face-to-face group to an online format.
The group sessions support education of OCD, treatment methods and strategies. Smaller groups and one-to-one discussions are also held to maximise patient engagement and individualisation of treatment.
Exposure response prevention (ERP), which is a part of OCD treatment, can take place in a patient’s own home – enabling them to experience intrusive thoughts in their own environment. ERP is then used to capitalise on these triggers.
Despite complex OCD, all nine patients were able to be discharged due to their positive response to treatment. Each patient was given a collaboratively developed, individualised plan of how to prevent and respond to relapse and crisis.
Patients provided the following feedback:
“I actually liked doing the therapy online.”
“It was helpful to hear the other people in the session give their accounts of OCD.”
“We could relate to each other.”
“I have a huge part of my life back.”
Given the department’s positive experience with remote group delivery, it is likely that future groups will use both remote and face-to-face group treatment based on a patient’s need.