Inference-Based CBT

Inference-based CBT (I-CBT) is an evidence-based treatment for OCD with over 30 years of research  supporting it. I-CBT is a modality designed by Frederick Aardema, PhD and the late Kieron O'Connor, PhD. It is used around the world and is becoming more popular in the United States in large part due to OCD specialists, who have lived experience of OCD themselves, finding merit in the treatment. 

I-CBT does not use exposures. It attempts to teach sufferers WHY they get the specific OCD doubts they get and HOW to resolve them. According to I-CBT, the problem within OCD is HOW the obsessions get created - this is called Inferential Confusion - a faulty reasoning process that involves allowing the imagination to take over the control of inference making instead of relying on typical ways of reasoning. If someone with OCD is able to demystify and unwind this process, the obsessional doubts no longer occur or cannot grab the person's attention. This also means that the distress and compulsions that come with OCD are no longer activated or seen as necessary, respectively.

I-CBT can be an incredibly powerful modality. Like all treatment modalities, it may not work for everyone. Please reach out to an I-CBT trained therapist for more information about I-CBT.

If you are clinician wishing to learn more about I-CBT through training or consultation, please visit the OCD Training School's training offerings HERE. 
 

Podcast Episodes Featuring I-CBT:

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