🗞️ Research News

A few recent highlights:

1. More explanations for how obsessive-compulsive concerns take hold: Australian researchers across three institutions ran an experiment which indicated that a “feared self” (dreading secretly being a bad, dangerous, or immoral person) drove stronger obsessive-compulsive reactions when people also have an inflated sense of responsibility.

2. Researchers in Spain conducted a huge “review of reviews” and reaffirmed what works best for OCD in young people. They synthesised 28 systematic reviews and meta-analyses (representing almost 25,000 participants), and concluded that cognitive behavioural therapy, with exposure and response prevention in particular, has the most research evidence for children and adolescents with OCD, with medication a useful add-on in more severe cases.

3. There’s also a new high-level update on the science of what’s happening in the brain and body in OCD. It covers how OCD runs in families, the brain circuits involved (which often settle down after successful treatment), and the emerging role of a chemical messenger (glutamate). It also stresses that biology and psychology work hand-in-hand, and that the most promising future treatments will likely combine both. This is a good big-picture update for any professional wanting to understand OCD beneath the symptoms.

🙋 Get involved in research

If you’re interested in helping others with OCD, consider participating in research or sharing it with others. Here’s what’s currently recruiting:

Are you a fiction reader with lived experience of obsessive-compulsive disorder?

Researchers at the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) are interested in any fictional portrayals of obsessive- compulsive disorder you’ve come across (‘OCD fiction’) and what it was like for you to read them.

This project, which is being undertaken as part of a UniSQ Master of Editing and Publishing, aims to offer preliminary insights into the responsible representation of OCD in fiction and to identify opportunities for further research.

You’re invited to contribute via an anonymous online survey. Participation is voluntary, and you may provide as much or as little information as you feel comfortable sharing.

To learn more, access the survey and/or get in touch with the research team, visit the survey landing page.

Exploring learning and decision-making in OCD

Researchers at UNSW Sydney are inviting adults with OCD and individuals with anxiety or depression to take part in a research study exploring how people learn from feedback and make decisions. Details are provided in the below flyer. Interested in taking part? Contact the research team at ocdRLstudy@unsw.edu.au.

Researchers: If you’re recruiting for a study involving OCD (with HREC approval in Australia) contact us for inclusion in the next newsletter.

🔎 Directory updates

Looking for support with OCD? Here are the most recent additions to our directory:

• Dylan Fuller is a psychologist and clinical registrar based in Parramatta, who provides therapy (including ERP) for adolescents to older adults.

• Dr Maggie Hall is a clinical psychologist based in Melbourne, who provides assessment and therapy (including ERP) for adults and older adults.

• Dr Nisha Sethi is a clinical psychologist in Gordon (NSW), who provides assessment and therapy (including ERP) for adults.

These clinicians join over 150 others with a special interest in treating OCD. You can find support by searching the directory here.

Providers: Learn how you can join the directory.

📆 Upcoming professional training

Clinicians: two live, interactive online workshops with Dr Gayle Maloney (Perth OCD Clinic) are coming up later this year:

Imagery Rescripting for OCD (ImRs-OCD) Treatment in Adults.

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD Treatment in Adults

✅ You’re all caught up

Thanks for your interest in OCD News in Australia. This newsletter exists to connect people with OCD, providers, and researchers.

If you know someone who might be interested in staying up to date, forward this email or share the newsletter archive with them.

Warmly,

David Cooper PhD

Clinical Psychologist
Project Lead (Digital) at OCD BOUNCE

🔎 Directory updates

Looking for support with OCD? Here are the most recent additions to our directory:

• Dr Nick Marsden is a clinical psychologist in Corrimal (NSW), who provides assessment and therapy (including ERP) for children, adolescents and adults, plus case consultation for professionals.

• Amber Burden-Hill is a clinical psychologist in Corrimal (NSW), who provides assessment and therapy (including ERP) for children and adolescents.

• Alix Ringbauer is a clinical psychologist in Balgownie (NSW), who provides assessment and therapy (including ERP) for children, adolescents and adults.

• Cassandra Shinners is a clinical psychologist who provides assessment and therapy (including ERP) for adolescents and adults, plus family therapy and case consultation, exclusively online.

• Max Dang is a psychologist at Melbourne Wellbeing Group in Surrey Hills (VIC), who provides assessment and therapy (including ERP) for children, adolescents and adults, and offers sessions in Vietnamese.

These clinicians join over 150 others with a special interest in treating OCD. You can find support by searching the directory here.

Providers: Learn how you can join the directory.

🌟 Research news

A few recent highlights:

1. Australian researchers have encouraged the medical community screen for obsessions and compulsions and explained how OCD can be told apart from other conditions that involve repetitive thoughts or behaviours. This is important because OCD is still too often missed and misdiagnosed.

2. International researcher have conducted a major review to highlight how common and distressing “harm-related” themes are in OCD. The researchers pooled together the results from 110 studies and found that these types of unwanted and intrusive thoughts have been experienced by around 70 percent of people with OCD. They’re also most distressing symptom for about one quarter of people with OCD. These thoughts are so often misunderstood (sometimes even by clinicians), so the authors emphasise they are a common experience in OCD and not a sign that someone is dangerous.

🙋 Get involved in research

If you’re interested in helping others with OCD, consider participating in research or sharing it with others. Here’s what’s currently recruiting:

OCD symptoms in autistic adults

A study run through the University of Western Australia is exploring whether current self-report measures of OCD work well for autistic adults. Researchers are inviting autistic adults (18+) with and without an OCD diagnosis, and non-autistic adults (18+) with an OCD diagnosis. Participation involves a short set of online questionnaires (about 20–40 minutes). Complete the pre-screening survey here.

Researchers: If you’re recruiting for a study involving OCD (with HREC approval in Australia) contact us for inclusion in the next newsletter.

📆 Upcoming professional training

Clinicians: two live, interactive online workshops with Dr Gayle Maloney (Perth OCD Clinic) are coming up later this year:

Imagery Rescripting for OCD (ImRs-OCD) Treatment in Adults (live online workshop on 4th September 2026) for treatment-resistant OCD. Includes 10 pre-recorded training modules, clinical skills demonstration videos and worksheets, plus a live, interactive online skills workshop via Zoom (max 12 participants). Find out more and register.

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD Treatment in Adults (live online workshop on 6th November 2026) a comprehensive overview of ERP for adult OCD. Includes 12 pre-recorded modules, clinical skills demonstration videos and worksheets, plus a live, interactive online skills workshop via Zoom (max 20 participants). Find out more and register.

✅ You’re all caught up

Thanks for your interest in OCD News in Australia. This newsletter exists to connect people with OCD, providers, and researchers.

If you know someone who might be interested in staying up to date, forward this email or share the newsletter archive with them.

Warmly,

Dr David Cooper
Clinical Psychologist
Project Lead (Digital) at OCD BOUNCE

We’re delighted to highlight some fresh scientific findings from Australian OCD researchers, announce new clinicians added to our support directory, and share upcoming training opportunities for health professionals.

🌟 Research news

Here are a few of the recent highlights from OCD researchers in Australia:

1. Clinical researchers in Perth have been refining an add-on to therapy that introduces imagery rescripting for people who haven’t recovered from OCD after exposure and response prevention (ERP). They guide people through memories that shaped the beliefs that maintain their OCD. Early results look promising, though this needs more testing.

2. A large analysis of population health data accross 10 countries (including Australia) revealed that 1 in 25 people experience OCD at some point in their lives (and almost 1 in 30 at any given time). It’s often chronic without treatment and only 1 in 5 people got help in the last year. The researchers concluded OCD is “undertreated” and “often-overlooked” and called for more attention to improving access to treatments.

3. A new review by researchers at Griffith University examined programs that train parents to deliver therapy for OCD for their kids using online tools and video support from therapists. These programs help overcome barriers like lack of specialists and long wait times (which helps to improve access to treatment).

🔎 Directory updates

Looking for support with OCD? Here are the most recent additions to our directory:

• Naomi de Weger is a clinical psychologist based in Thornbury (VIC), who provides assessment, therapy for adults and families + case consultation/supervision for professionals.

• Dr Leander Dellers is a clinical psychologist who provides assessment and therapy for adults exclusively online.

• Dr Vedanta Suvarna is a clinical psychologist based in Palm Beach (QLD), who provides assessment and therapy for adolescents and adults.

These clinicians join over 150 others with a special interest in treating OCD. You can find support by searching the directory here.

Providers: Learn how you can join the directory.

📆 Upcoming professional training

Clinicians: There are two fantastic training opportunities with Australian OCD experts in early 2026:

New developments in treating OCD: The latest cognitive and behavioural strategies to help you get your client unstuck in 2026 (from 16th February) with Prof Jessica Grisham and Dr Danielle Einstein. Includes two-part workshop and four monthly group supervision sessions. Find out more and register →

Imagery Rescripting for OCD (ImRs-OCD) Treatment in Adults (self-paced + workshops on either 12th February, 27th March, 4th September or 6th November) with Dr Gayle Maloney. Includes six hours of online leaning, plus a five-hour interactive skills workshop on one of the above dates. Find out more and register →

🙋‍♀️ Recruiting for research?

Researchers: If you’re recruiting for a study involving OCD (with HREC approval in Australia) contact us for inclusion in the next newsletter.

✅ You’re all caught up

Thanks for your interest in OCD News in Australia. This newsletter exists to connect people with OCD, providers, and researchers.

If you know someone who might be interested in staying up to date, forward this email or share the newsletter archive with them.

Wishing you all the best in 2026.

Warmly,

Dr David Cooper
Clinical Psychologist
Project Lead (Digital) at OCD BOUNCE