21st February 2023

Aotearoa’s first free treatment course for OCD now available

We have launched Aotearoa’s first free, online treatment designed to help New Zealanders experiencing obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The course uses gold-standard therapeutic approach Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), along with exposure and response prevention (ERP) strategies to provide New Zealanders with accessible, effective and practical support for managing the condition.  

OCD is a mental health condition that affects around 1 in 100 New Zealanders, characterised by repetitive, intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviours that often centre around a fear of harm coming either to themselves, their loved ones, or people they encounter. These thoughts can be distressing and cause shame for those experiencing the condition, and can have a significant impact on their quality of life, relationships and ability to function.  

Just a Thought clinical lead Anna Elders says OCD treatment is difficult to access across both the public and private mental health sector due to a lack of available trained experts and the specialist nature of the condition.  

“Treatment for OCD is not straight forward and needs to be specifically targeted at shifting both the cognitions and compulsive behaviours that perpetuate the condition," says Anna.

“CBT for OCD, and incorporating exposure and response prevention (ERP) is proven to be a highly effective treatment."

“With the increasing demand for mental health services in Aotearoa, online CBT is a highly effective and accessible alternative for those who may face barriers to accessing face-to-face CBT. Clinicians are able to prescribe the OCD course to patients, and can follow along with their progress on a purpose-built web portal. Research shows that eCBT is just as effective at treating mental health issues as face-to-face CBT.” 

About the course 

The user-friendly and accessible six-part course can be accessed from anywhere and completed at one's own pace, featuring an illustrated story accompanied by practical lessons, practice exercises and additional resources. The course covers various topics such as understanding OCD, identifying and challenging unhelpful thoughts, developing a self-help plan, and learning how to manage triggers and stress.  

Over 50,000 New Zealanders are already using Just a Thought to support their mental wellbeing. All courses are free, based on proven and effective cognitive behavioural therapy, and are accessible online.

For more information, and to sign up, head to justathought.co.nz/ocd