Art Therapy in an Intensive OCD Program

The Thompson Centre Intensive Treatment program for individuals with severe Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder was launched in 2017. The program is focused on the principles and use of Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy (ERP) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) in its work with clients, however it also integrates other treatment approaches in its structure, including Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Mindfulness, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Art Therapy. Clients are expected to participate in Art Therapy group in the same way they are expected to participate in all other groups in the program schedule. Though clients comment informally on the benefits of Art Therapy as experienced in the program, study is needed to better understand and appreciate the role Art Therapy can play in helping clients with OCD to manage and where possible, ameliorate, the burden of their symptoms. Although Art Therapy has been researched to some degree, in particular its role in alleviating distress associated with various health and mental health conditions, to date there has been no systematic investigation addressing or supporting patients\'/clients\' perception of the value of Art Therapy by people who live with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). In this study, the investigators are proposing to use information from client surveys regarding their experiences in an Art Therapy group within an intensive OCD treatment program, regarding their experience and opinions about the benefits of Art Therapy within a structured, intensive program for individuals who live with severe OCD. Therefore, this proposed study would be an entirely new contribution both to the fields of Art Therapy and OCD. The hypothesis of the study is that individuals with severe Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder participating in an intensive CBT/ERP treatment program will report benefits specific to their experience in Art Therapy sessions within the program.