Over the past few weeks I’ve shared some insight from a client who struggles with chronic disorganization and Dr. April Benson, who works with compulsive shoppers. This week, I interview an expert who helps young children with hoarding — Dr. Dia from Hoarders.
What is your name, area of expertise and location where you practice?
Area of Expertise: Anxiety (Panic, Generalized Anxiety, OCD, Social Anxiety, etc) and Related (trichotillomania, compulsive skin picking) Disorders in children, adolescents, and adults.
2014 Exeter Road, Germantown TN
Do you meet clients/patients in your office or do you meet them in their homes?
Both. Depending on the situation.
What special qualifications do you have for working in your area of specialty?
I received my M.S.W. and Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, College of Social Work. I completed his cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) training at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, under the guidance of Dr. Arthur Freeman, a long time clinician of Aaron Beck’s. I went on for advanced training and supervision in the treatment of anxiety disorders with Dr. Sally Winston, a nationally recognized expert in the field of anxiety disorders. I also completed the Behavioral Therapy Institute given by the Obsessive Compulsive Foundation. I have 15 years experience.
I will be focusing my comments on hoarding and not on anxiety disorders.
Are there new developments in diagnosing / treating your area of specialty?
There are new developments coming all the time. One of the ones that impacted my practice the most is the harm reduction model borrowed from addictions. The goal is to reduce the harm as the likelihood of eliminating behavior is low.
Would you describe your approach to working with your specialty as holistic, conventional or integrative?
Conventional. I primarily use the evidenced based treatment approach called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Do you collaborate with Professional Organizers? How do you structure the collaboration? How can P.O.s help you? What shouldn’t P.O.s do?
Yes! In a variety of ways; it can be from one end of the spectrum we only have telephone contact to the other end of where we meet with the client together as a treatment team.
To your knowledge, what is the cure rate for patients/clients seeking help within your area of specialty?
Here, again, is where I see the field shifting. I don’t talk about cures, but in reducing harm.
What are some of the biggest misunderstandings regarding public perception about your field of specialty?
The biggest misconception is that person seeking help will come in and we will talk about their childhood or their mother’s. CBT is an active and here-and-now approach. Most of the work that people do occurs between sessions, practicing and doing, and not within sessions.
Note: If you are interested in assisting Dr. Dia with a research project please see the following attachment: http://metropolitanorganizing.com/sites/default/files/CompulsiveHoardingStudy.pdf
Thx Geralin. Saw you on CNN — Joy Behar’s show. Good job. David
Hello and thank you for all the information both here and in your blog, I have seen several doctors
over the years for depression don’t know what type given the broad definition but i do have hording tendances Books there is not a room in my apartment with out them newspapers although i am working on getting them recycled, but my apartment is a disaster you mention Professional Organizers i was wondering where i would go in my area i would look for them
and also the costs involved
Thank you
Anonymous
To find a professional organizer in your area who is a hoarding expert, you may use either the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization’s Automated CD Referral system at http://nsgcd.org/resources/cdreferrals/referral_search.php or the National Association of Professional Organizers Referral Directory at http://www.napo.net/referral/. Type in your zip code, go to the “Services Desired” menu, click on “Residential Organizing,” then go to “Special Populations” and click on “Hoarding”, and any other areas for which you want help.
Fees vary widely depending on your geographic location and the organizer’s experience. Many professional organizers charge by the hour, while others charge by the project.