Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Childhood OCD
This presentation was originally reviewed on October 15, 2025, and in person and live streamed online on October 17, 2025, from 10:00 am- 11:00 am ET.
The views and opinions expressed by this presenter in this lecture are their own, and do not represent the views of Sheppard Pratt.
This presentation is designed to enhance the knowledge and understanding of CBT/ERP and how it is applied to child and teen cases for clinicians already familiar with ERP. ERP for OCD is a very nuanced treatment in general, and treating OCD in children and adolescents presents unique challenges and needs as compared to adults, which will be discussed. The presentation will cover different types of exposures and how to maximize effectiveness of exposure therapy, as well as how to address common pitfalls. It will also provide recommendations for caregiver involvement and strategies for building a ritual prevention plan, including targeting the rumination cycle that maintains symptoms.
Target Audience
This activity is intended for physicians, nurses, psychologists, social workers and other mental health professionals.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this activity, attendees will be able to:
- Explain at least 3 considerations in treating childhood OCD, as compared to adults.
- Identify at least 3 strategies for maximizing the effectiveness of exposure therapy.
- Identify at least 3 strategies/components for rituals prevention plans.
There is no commercial support for this activity.
About the speaker
Dr. Gryczkowski is a clinical psychologist and anxiety specialist with over 15 years of experience providing cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)/ERP for anxiety, OCD, and related conditions. She previously taught CBT as an adjunct professor in the clinical psychology doctoral program at George Mason University for several years, which included clinical supervision, and also served as Assistant Director of Clinical Training. She has taught and supervised CBT in a variety of other settings and also provides ERP case consultation. Dr. Gryczkowski earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at The University of Southern Mississippi. Specialty training in anxiety/OCD began in her pre-doctoral internship at Indiana University School of Medicine, followed by her 2-year post-doctoral fellowship at Mayo Clinic. She works with all ages and has worked in a variety of settings, including inpatient, residential, intensive outpatient, academic medical centers, and private practice. After spending many years working as an anxiety and OCD specialist at group practices, including Alvord, Baker & Associates most recently, Dr. Gryczkowski opened her own practice in 2022 – New Hope Anxiety & OCD Center. She also has a secondary specialty in behavioral parent training.
Disclosure Statements
Sheppard Pratt holds the standard that its continuing medical education programs should be free of commercial bias and conflict of interest. In accord with Sheppard Pratt's Disclosure Policy, as well as standards of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and the American Medical Association (AMA), all planners, reviewers, speakers and persons in control of content have been asked to disclose any relationship he /she has with any entity producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients, during the past 24 months. All planners, reviewers and speakers have also been asked to disclose any payments accepted for this lecture from any entity besides Sheppard Pratt, and if there will be discussion of any products, services, or off-label uses of product(s) during this presentation.
Michelle Gryczkowski, PhD, reports that she has no relationships with any entity producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients, during the past 24 months. She will not discuss any products, services, or off-label uses in this presentation. All relationships have been mitigated through review.
Event Planners/Reviewers Disclosures: The following event planners and/or reviewers are reported as having no financial interest, arrangement or affiliation with any entity producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients, during the past 24 months: Jon Hershfield, LCMFT, Todd Peters, MD, Michael C. Hann, MD, MBA, Ronald Means, MD, Rajeev Krishna, MD, PhD, MBA, Louis Marino, MD, Devi Bhuyan, PsyD, Manan Shah, MD, Vittoria DeLucia, MD, Chad J. Lennon, MD, Faith Dickerson, PhD, Carrie Etheridge, LCSW-C, Tom Flis, LCPC, Paula Bostwick, MSN, RN, CENP, Alfredo Sagisi, DNP, MS, RN, FACHE, Maggie O'Neill MSN, RN, PMH-BC, Lisa Illum, MLIS, MEd, and Jennifer Tornabene.
Physician Statement: This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of Sheppard Pratt and OCD Mid-Atlantic. Sheppard Pratt is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians. Sheppard Pratt takes responsibility for the content, quality, and scientific integrity of this CME activity. Sheppard Pratt designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Nurse Statement: Sheppard Pratt is approved as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the Maryland Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Sheppard Pratt takes responsibility for the content, quality, and scientific integrity of this CME activity. This activity provides 1.0 contact hour for nurses.
Psychologist Statement: Sheppard Pratt is authorized by the State Board of Examiners of Psychologists as a sponsor of continuing education. Sheppard Pratt takes responsibility for the content, quality, and scientific integrity of this CE activity. Sheppard Pratt designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.0 contact hour for Psychologists.
Social Worker Statement: Sheppard Pratt is authorized by the Board of Social Work Examiners of Maryland to offer continuing education for Social Workers. Sheppard Pratt takes responsibility for the content, quality, and scientific integrity of this CE activity. This activity is approved for 1.0 contact hour in Category II credits for Social Workers.
Counselor Statement: Sheppard Pratt has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 5098. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Sheppard Pratt is solely responsible for all aspects of the program. This activity is available for 1.0 NBCC clock hours.
Available Credit
- 1.00 ACEP NBCC clock hours
- 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
- 1.00 Category II credits for Social Workers
- 1.00 Psychologists
- 1.00 MNA Contact Hours for Nurses
- 1.00 Participation
ON DEMAND WEBINAR: FOR BEST RESULTS WATCH USING GOOGLE CHROME
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Childhood OCD
Michelle Gryczkowski, PhD
Owner/Director, New Hope Anxiety & OCD Center
Bethesda, MD
Originally reviewed on October 15, 2025.
Originally broadcast live October 17, 2025, from 10:00 - 11:05 am ET.
Enduring Activity Credit Expiration Date: December 1, 2027.
Activity Time: One hour recorded webinar lecture with a 15-minute evaluation process. Total Time: 1:15.
TO EARN CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT FOR YOUR ATTENDANCE
On the OVERVIEW or REGISTER/TAKE COURSE tab, select the GREEN RECTANGLE, TAKE COURSE to begin.
Complete the Pretest and select NEXT in the bottom right corner of the screen. Use the NEXT button for best results.
The PowerPoint handout will be available for download.
After downloading the handout, select NEXT to begin and watch the video.
You may need to select play for the video to begin.
After the video follow the prompts to complete the posttest, evaluation, and attestation of credit.
Once you have completed all the components of the Course Progress bar, the certificate will be immediately downloadable.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
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Required Hardware/software
Optimal System Configuration
Flash Player: Adobe Flash Player 10.1+
Browser: Firefox 3+, Internet Explorer 8.0+, Safari 4.0+, or Google Chrome 7.0+
Operating System: Windows XP+ or Mac OS X 10.4+
Internet Connection: 1 Mbps or higher
Minimum Requirements
Windows PC: 500-MHz Pentium II; Windows XP or higher; 128 MB RAM; Video Card at least 64MB of video memory; Sound Card at least 16-bit; Macromedia Flash Player 10 or higher, audio playback with speakers for programs with video content; Firefox 1.1+, Internet Explorer 7.0+, Safari 1.0+, Google Chrome, or Opera
Macintosh: Mac OS X 10.3 or higher with latest updates installed; 1.83MHz Intel Core Duo or faster; RAM: 128MB or more; Video Card: at least 64MB of video memory; Sound Card: at least 16-bit
Hardware/Software Specifications
This internet-based CME activity is best experienced using Internet Explorer 8+, Mozilla Firefox 3+, Safari 4+. This Web site requires that JavaScript and session cookies be enabled. Certain activities may require additional software to view multimedia, presentation, or printable versions of the content. These activities will be marked as such and will provide links to the required software. That software may be: Adobe Flash, Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Windows Media Player.

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