Treatment for Hoarding Disorder: Workbook (Treatments That Work)

The Treatment for Hoarding Disorder Workbook by Gail Steketee and Randy O. Frost, one publication in the Treatments That Work catalog of Oxford University Press, is, ideally, a tool used collaboratively by a person with hoarding disorder and his/her clinician to allow the afflicted client and the clinician to tailor treatment as concretely as possible to the particular emotional, mental, behavioral and social characteristics of the client which are contributing to his challenges (and I am drawing from Buried in Treasures: Help for Compulsive Acquiring, Saving and Hoarding by David F. Tolin, Randy O. Frost and Gail Steketee, page 65 for that concise compilation of the aspects of a client's experience which creates her situation). this book is in fact explicitly designed to be approached under the guidance of a trained clinician.I've read it as part of my required preparation for the Institute for Challenging Disorganization's Level II Hoarding Specialist Certificate. I'm torn about reviewing it. On the one hand, it contains numerous, easy-to-understand and -follow thought experiments which can allow people who suspect or know that they have hoarding disorder to examine their situation from multiple perspectives. On the other, nothing about a person's life is ever easy-to-understand, and these exercises have the potential to greatly disturb their participants. For example, Treatment provides the comparative data for a client to assess the severity of his responses.So, as with other available self-help books, it might be best for someone using these tools to have support from friends, family, and professionals. Buried in Treasures has inspired a community of workshop facilitators and participants, but they are not required to have clinical training or engage in therapeutic treatment. And its authors have conscientiously designed the book for two audiences: people with hoarding disorder, and those affected by the consequences.  Digging Out: Helping Your Loved One Manage Clutter, Hoarding & Compulsive Acquiring by Michael A. Tompkins, Ph.D. and Tamara L. Hartl, Ph.D. is explicitly designed for people with no clinical training who are engaged in guiding and supporting a person with hoarding disorder who is trying to recover. Overcoming Compulsive Hoarding by Fugen Neziroglu is deliberately designed for someone endeavoring to bring his/her impulses under control without anyone else's involvement. The Treatment Handbook might be most effective as the last reference work a person reviewing his circumstances might want to take advantage of after accessing the others.All of these self-books can also provide intense insights to people suffering secondhand effects of a person's collecting habits: neighbors, employers, housemates and loved ones. I cannot plead clearly enough: anyone who has been impacted by the behaviors of a person with hoarding tendencies deserves support.Lauren Williams, Certified Professional Organizer(R), Owner, Casual Uncluttering LLC, Woodinville, WA USA

This is an excellent resource that I believe would be beneficial to work through with my client, however, doing telehealth, my client would be required to purchase their own copy, which they refuse to do, due to the cost of the workbook. I was hoping that the authors provided a link in the book to access the work pages in pdf form as many other workbooks that I have used with clients. Understanding the nature of hoarding disorder, I would think the authors would take this into consideration. No, it does not seem rational that a person with HD would spend a small fortune on worthless stuff that they do not use and refuse to invest in their mental health, but that is the nature of the disorder. Please make this book more accessible to those who need it the most.

I highly recommend. Explains the relationship between compulsive shopping and hoarding. Written by the best researchers on the subject. Very helpful.

Bought this to help with my overbuying habits. So far, it has been very beneficial. Easy to read and understand. The worksheets really help to see and understand why you buy and keep things. At this point, I'm still in the beginning of the workbook- chapter 5.

Great comprehensive approach and well address structure of the intervention.Easy to follow through for qualified licensed professionals.

It is hard for me to rate this book. It is an excellent 5-star program. I bought the hard cover therapist's guide to use with clients and this workbook for my first hoarding client who actually wants to clear his home and stop hoarding. Unfortunately, though the materials is essentially the same in the treatment guide and the workbook, it is extremely difficult to coordinate using the two. A lot of our session time was taken up trying to figure out what page and what worksheet we were referring to and where we each are in our respective books. Even graphics were different at times. It was quite confusing to us both. Finally I just had to buy a cc of this workbook for me and use it that as my guide instead of the book for therapists.Whoever did them should have worked together to sync them.

This workbook (and associated book: "Buried Treasures"), was recommended to me by a counselor. This workbook provides a summary of related info. about the various work sheets (with multiple copies provided). You can make this workbook your own by using all the lists, tips, and writing your own responses to the structured exercises about YOUR situation, experiences and progress, over time. Very helpful & motivational!

I bought the workbook first and took the test online. Nice. Yes they are knowledgeable, but nothing applied to me except I felt better to read my problem, I am afraid due to chemo brain and age 59....if I put things away I do not find them again. I have been known to start a new filing system and completely forget I did it....I hate the word haoarding and I hate when there is a stereo type.....I do not keep trash piled up, but I do buy things on sale and stock up for the end of the world as we know it...I hoped to get some more solid ways to energize to sort through and get things organized...so I bought this book thinking I was missing that part...but no....it's just more of the above....I did not read the whole thing because what I was looking for was not there.I do condone and congratulate them for doing this study and trying to help people, but it is lacking in help for me....I will go back to praying, doing things for others to give me energy to finish....and watching motivational you tubes..a goal is needed, i need something to look forward to WANT to finish moving into a house that was already full when I moved here. 8-(

Great stuff. As described!

I am using this book to treat hoarding disorder for a client and finding it very useful, I am using it in conjunction with one of their other books on treatment for hoarding.My client is finding it useful as well.

Very pleased with this really useful book. Arrived very promptly