Neil Howell
Psychotherapy
Evidence-Based Treatment for
Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD),
Treatment Resistant Depression,
Treatment Resistant Anxiety
RO DBT for OCPD: The First Treatment
Designed Specifically for Disorders of
OverControl
What is Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy (RO DBT)?
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Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy (RO DBT) is a cutting-edge, evidence-based treatment designed to address emotional over-control. With over 25 years of research supporting its efficacy, RO DBT has been shown to help individuals struggling with conditions like Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD), chronic depression, and anorexia nervosa.​
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Many people who experience treatment-resistant depression often find that traditional therapies don’t seem to work because the underlying causes of depression are not addressed. If you’ve been through good quality treatment and continue to struggle with depression, you may find that this approach gives you insight and skills you’ve not found elsewhere.
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Overcontrol involves four characteristics stemming from a combination of genetic and environmental factors that culminate in particular ways of coping:
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Low receptivity and openness, especially when faced with something novel, discrepant or perceived as threatening.
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Low flexible control which often shows up as having rules, schedules, lists, structure and/or planning, preparing, fixing and/or moral certitude (the “right way”) in a way that interferes with relationships and sometimes interferes with just getting things done.
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Inhibited emotional expression and low emotional awareness, such as smiling when angry or having a neutral expression despite feeling intense emotion or being unaware of what one is feeling.
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Feeling emotionally disconnected from others, having aloof or distant relationships, avoiding intimacy and vulnerability.
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In RO DBT, we take a different approach. We work on how to reign in those often well-intended qualities that are interfering in you living the life you want to lead. Through RO DBT, clients learn how to engage with life in a way that feels more fluid, fulfilling, and connected.​
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How I can Help You​
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I specialize in treating OCPD using RO DBT, a treatment that has been proven effective in clinical trials for people who have struggled with treatment-resistant depression or other mental health challenges that haven’t responded well to traditional therapies. Here’s how treatment with me works:
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Individual Therapy: In our one-on-one sessions, we’ll explore your challenges and goals, diving into the specific areas where over-control is preventing you from living the life you want. We’ll track the things that are interfering in your progress, work on skills for how to deal with those challenges, and identify custom homeworks to help you gain mastery.
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Weekly Skills Classes: These classes are designed to help you develop the skills necessary for engaging with life in a healthier way. You’ll learn evidence-based strategies to increase emotional flexibility, build relationships, and foster self-awareness and live by your values—all key components for overcoming OCPD.
Why Choose RO DBT for OCPD?
As a licensed psychotherapist with extensive training in RO DBT, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), I focus on a highly specialized treatment approach for individuals with OCPD. I am also a Senior Clinician on the RO DBT team, with years of experience helping clients untangle the complex interplay of emotional over-control.
My approach is tailored specifically to help people like you who may feel "stuck" in their treatment or like nothing is working. By addressing the root cause of emotional over-control, RO DBT helps you break free from the patterns that are holding you back.
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What to Expect in Treatment
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Gain a deep understanding of how emotional over-control, perfectionism, and rigidity contribute to OCPD and treatment-resistant depression.
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Learn skills to overcome the barriers of emotional isolation and build healthier, more flexible ways of thinking and interacting with others.
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Develop tools to create more meaningful and fulfilling connections with the people in your life.
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Begin to engage in life in ways that may have felt difficult or even impossible in the past.
Is RO DBT Right for You?
If you’ve struggled with treatment-resistant depression, been given a diagnosis of OCPD or feel stuck in cycles of emotional over-control, RO DBT may be exactly what you need. Through this therapy, we address the root causes of your emotional struggles, helping you break free from patterns of isolation and rigidity that may be making your depression harder to treat. If you are interested in learning more or have questions, please contact me.