Released July 2023
My OCD friends, Here is my new book on Martin Luther and the case of OCD (scrupulosity) that he suffered in his early years. Remarkably, Luther overcame his symptoms through developing a Bible-based form of Christian therapy. In this book there is gold for OCDers!
Note: I have added to the website a “Luther book blog.” This is for people to make comments on the book, and especially to dig into the possibilities for effectively and practically employing Luther’s therapeutic strategies to overcome their own symptoms.
See you on the blog. Blessings, Dr. O
What is OCD?
OCD is a tormenting disorder. Unwanted thoughts, called clinical obsessions, charge into the mind and won’t go away. They drive a person to perform repetitive acts, clinical compulsions, to get rid of them.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy, or “CBT,” combines two forms of treatment that are closely aligned: cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy.
Every person with OCD should be familiar with the essentials of this treatment, and make an effort to put it to use.
The Therapy of Trust
In CBT as normally practiced, the therapist teaches the OCD sufferer to question the truth of an obsession at the moment it strikes, and to replace it with a more logical and realistic assessment of the situation. In the therapy of trust, the emphasis is shifted. Rather than the rationality of an obsessional fear being questioned, it is who should take responsibility for it.
Three step method for Christian OCD sufferers to employ
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Recognize obsessions when they strike
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Transfer responsibility to God
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Prove your trust; resist compulsions
