Take Control of OCD: The Ultimate Guide for Kids with OCD

Following the model of Janet Price and Jennifer Engel Fisher’s Take Control of Asperger’s Syndrome (2010), Zucker—a psychologist experienced in treating anxiety disorders—addresses affected young readers directly and offers a structured set of self-help strategies for coping with diagnosed obsessive-compulsive behavior. Suggesting that the chapters be read in order for best results, she opens with a nontechnical explanation of the disorder’s genetic and neurological roots, then goes on to discuss creating written behavioral “ladders,” using relaxation techniques effectively, building self-awareness, handling uncertainty, and managing stress. The author systematically recaps her main facts and points in each chapter with bulleted lists and closing summaries, and she adds brief quotes and case studies from her own practice, claiming that the widely embraced “Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy” she outlines here is a proven blueprint for success in controlling OCD. Includes lists of organizations and multimedia resources. Grades 6-9. --John Peters

Bonnie Zucker, Psy.D., is a licensed psychologist in Washington, DC, where she has helped hundreds of children overcome OCD and anxiety in private practice at Alvord, Baker, & Associates, and at the National Center for the Treatment of Phobias, Anxiety, and Depression. She was named one of Washingtonian Magazine's Top Therapists in the fields of OCD and phobias in 2009.