Autism & Co-Occurring OCD: Treatment Considerations

Rebecca Sachs, PhD

Rebecca Sachs, PhD

About the Presenter

Dr. Sachs is a licensed psychologist specializing in the assessment and treatment of individuals with OCD and Anxiety or Autistic individuals who also experience difficult co-occurring disorders. Board Certified in CBT and an expert in the top recommended treatments for OCD and related disorders, Anxiety Disorders, and school refusal, Dr. Sachs is a sought after clinician and speaker on topics related to the treatment of OCD, Anxiety, and Autism Spectrum Disorders, and how to optimally treat individuals with co-occurring disorders. Dr. Sachs is part of Spectrum Services in Manhattan and maintains a private practice there, as well as at another location in Manhattan, NY and in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Autistic individuals are at an increased risk of developing co-occurring psychiatric conditions such as anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) at various points across the lifespan. However, these individuals are often unable to access Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) for Anxiety/OCD. Many therapists want to use CBT tools to address Anxiety/OCD in Autistic patients, but may erroneously believe that autism is intrinsically different and that they cannot effectively use CBT to treat this population. This talk is designed to bridge the knowledge and confidence gap and help attendees understand what treatment looks like when working with Autistic individuals who present with co-occurring OCD.

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Language Disclaimer: Over the decades, many different terms have been used to discuss autism. AANE is shifting to identity-first language and the term “Autistic” to describe our community, but we continue to respect each individual’s choice of language to describe their own neurotype. Even though this presentation was made before our language shift, we have decided to continue to share it for its valuable information and insight. Learn more about our language and history.

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