Understanding the Core Fear is foundational to effective treatment of OCD, and can unlock even the most baffling cases. Dr. Elna Yadin introduced the idea that each person with OCD has a ‘Core Fear,’ and that their avoidance and compulsions are aimed at preventing it. This idea is very powerful, because OCD symptoms can seem […]| Dr. Michael J. Greenberg
* Published December 2022 In his book Individual Psychotherapy and the Science of Psychodynamics, Dr. David Malan offered a simple model for conceptualizing the emotional and relational dynamics underlying OCD. This article presents my simplified version of Malan’s model, largely loyal to the original but filled in and slightly adjusted. I have found this model […]| Dr. Michael J. Greenberg
I recommend reading Awareness, Attention, Distraction, and Rumination before reading this article, since the concepts discussed there are foundational to the approach outlined below. Sensorimotor OCD (also known as Somatically Focused OCD) refers to cases in which people become hyper attentive to their bodily sensations, such as breathing, swallowing, or heartbeat. While this might not sound so […]| Dr. Michael J. Greenberg