About this course
You’ve seen the shows featuring houses so filled with belongings that living in them becomes nearly impossible. We watch family members tearfully beg or angrily demand that their loved ones let go of the “stuff” while a team of organizers and workers with contractor bags and shovels looks on. It’s difficult to watch and even harder to intervene. Perhaps you were relieved that none of your clients seemed to struggle with this issue—until one day, a client drops a bombshell: “I think I have a hoarding problem.”
How should we respond when an existing client reveals the chaotic mess in which they live? What lies behind the piles and mountains of belongings? Why do they struggle to let go of certain items? And how long has it taken for their situation to reach this point?
In this evidence-based introductory training, we will focus on the underlying vulnerability factors commonly associated with the development of hoarding disorder (HD). We’ll also address the implicit biases that can influence our conversations about clutter and hoarding, which may deter individuals who hoard (PWH) from seeking help. Additionally, we will discuss how research has shown that HD is distinct from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), the counterintuitive approaches to clinical treatment, and the unique impacts that PWH may have on their families and communities.
