This training is now available on-demand (click here).

The Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP) for OCD Training is a four-hour online workshop scheduled for Friday, May 16, 2025, from 2:00 PM UK time (6am California, 9am Boston, 11pm Sydney). Designed for qualified and trainee counselors, psychotherapists, and psychologists experienced in working with OCD, this training explores the integration of FAP in OCD treatment.

What is FAP?

Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP) focuses on shaping interpersonal behaviors within the therapeutic relationship to help clients connect authentically with themselves and others. Despite research showing the critical importance of close relationships for psychological well-being (Waldinger & Schulz, 2023), evidence-based individual therapies rarely teach clients how to emotionally connect with others. FAP aligns with the exposure-based approach of ERP and ACT by shaping emotional awareness and authentic self-expression (e.g., expressing genuine feelings despite fear of rejection) to foster meaningful connections and reduce psychological suffering.

Why this training?

Evidence-based therapy is shifting from treatment protocols (e.g., ERP for OCD) to a more sophisticated integration of evidence-based treatment methods tailored to the needs of individual clients. Therapies like ERP and ACT are widely used for OCD, but these therapies view OCD through intra-personal factors (obsessions, rituals, avoidance) rather than interpersonal factors (emotional awareness, authentic self-expression, observing one’s impact on others). A growing number of seasoned, evidence-based clinicians are addressing how interpersonal factors contribute to OCD.

What will you learn?

1) How to do OCD case conceptualization using functional analysis of both intra-personal and inter-personal behavior (precisely identifying complex interpersonal behavior creating disconnection/connection)

2) How to develop treatment plans (including OCD-focused ERP plans) that target interpersonal behaviors creating connection and disconnection in your client’s life

3) How to attune to the complexity of your client’s inner experience and

help them express it to you and others in ways that are authentic and connecting

4) How to take interpersonal risks in a genuine way as a therapist to fit the needs of your particular clients

As part of this training, segments of the trainer’s recorded therapy sessions will be shown and analyzed to demonstrate exactly how FAP can be used effectively with OCD clients who are not responding to traditional evidence-based therapies for OCD. Participants will have the opportunity to present OCD cases they are struggling with, learn how to conceptualize their problems from a FAP perspective, and role-play FAP interventions with the trainers and other participants. Participants will also have the chance to engage in real-plays (sharing their own authentic experience of interpersonal behaviors they struggle with as therapists) in the context of FAP-focused interactions with the trainers. The goal here is to help illuminate the principles of FAP through real-time, experiential learning.

Trainers:

The workshop is led by experienced OCD clinicians, Nate Gruner, LICSW, and Meaghan Cleary, LMHC, both affiliated with McLean Hospital OCD Institute.

This training is now available on-demand (click here).

Audience:
Counsellors, psychologists, and psychotherapists experienced in OCD/ERP/CBT who want to integrate ACT skills.

Motivation:
While ERP is the “gold standard,” many clients struggle with motivation, overwhelming emotions, rumination, compulsions, shame, and resistance. This course teaches ACT and compassion-based skills to address these challenges.

Goals:

-              Learn a progression of ACT tools to apply to ERP for rumination, intense emotions and urges

-              Practice these skills for oneself and guiding others

-              Develop knowledge in interpreting client’s experiential feedback, and the markers of skill application being helpful or unhelpful - through interactive practice and skilful debriefing

-              Gain motivational skills to help clients engage in ERP from ACT, drawing upon values and goals, workability and self-compassion

-              Explore the barriers to applying skills in ERP

-              Helping clients with shame and mental resistance with compassion

-              Delivering values-based ERP

-              Ensuring ACT skills are values enhancing rather than compulsive

Course Structure (3 hours):

-              Introduction to ACT skills, compassion and Values-based ERP

-              Practicing fundamental ACT skills – skills such as different levels of dropping anchor, urge surfing, dipping in and out of the stream for rumination and monitoring, motivation skills

-              Problem solving sticking points and difficulties with practices

-              Application of skills in ERP, 3 levels of Values-Based ERP

-              ACT and CFT approaches to self-compassion for shame

-              Common Barriers and solutions

This training is now available on-demand (click here).

Are you a counsellor, psychologist, or psychotherapist outside of a CBT framework but want to support clients with OCD without exacerbating symptoms? Working Safely with OCD is a unique training designed for therapists like you who want to understand OCD’s complexities while keeping clients safe.

While ERP is the “gold standard” for OCD, clients often need additional support—they may not be ready for ERP, are already working on emotional issues with you, or have had CBT before. This training fills that gap, equipping you to work safely with OCD in your current approach to not make symptoms worse.

This training will empower you to:

• Recognise OCD patterns and subtypes

• Provide supportive, informed care until clients are ready for ERP or specialised treatment

Support your clients with confidence and compassion. Join us to work safely with OCD, tailored to your therapeutic approach.