EMDR in obsessive‑compulsive disorder patients with sexual, aggressive, or religious obsessions

OCDs are difficult to treat, especially if sexual, aggres sive or religious obsessions are part of them. Various studies have demonstrated that 15–40% of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD) do not respond to it; they cannot be motivated to undergo treatment, drop out, or experience persisting difficul ties in regulating their emotions. In this practical work shop on OCD, EMDR is presented in a new procedure, following international evidence based guidelines such as NICE, APA, German DGPPN S3-guidlines. Furthermore, the new ICD-11 definition of OCD will be presented and related disorders discussed. OCD-patients with sexual, aggressive or religious obsessions experienced EMDR as a useful and moti vating therapy. Furthermore, they felt encouraged to deal with their emotions in additional psychological treatments. Our new in-vivo EMDR therapy markedly reduced OCD symptoms. EMDR is shown as an useful treat ment in working with patients suffering from OCD by using videos, live role-plays, live-demonstrations and speech. Especially, the treatment planning, the timing in therapy and the best targets to use for OCD-patients will be shown.

Conference

English

Karsten Boehm

Boehm, K. (2026, June 5–7). EMDR in obsessive‑compulsive disorder patients with sexual, aggressive, or religious obsessions. [Conference presentation]. EMDR Europe Conference, Oslo, Norway