58th Annual PCA Conference

Name: From Checking to Choosing: ACT for Health Anxiety and OCD (1 CE)
Start: 2026-11-06T14:15:00-0500
End: 2026-11-06T15:15:00-0500

From Checking to Choosing: ACT for Health Anxiety and OCD (1 CE)

Friday November 6, 2026 2:15pm - 3:15pm EST

Session Feedback (for CEs)

Health Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) often present with entrenched reassurance seeking, catastrophic misinterpretation of bodily sensations, and rigid avoidance patterns that can overwhelm both clients and clinicians. Traditional CBT approaches remain valuable, yet many clients continue to struggle with experiential avoidance, identity fusion with anxiety, and difficulty engaging in value based behavior. This presentation introduces an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy framework for treating Health Anxiety and OCD that integrates psychological flexibility, exposure with acceptance, and values driven action (Hayes et al., 2019).

Drawing from contemporary the work of Dr. Steven Hayes, this session will demonstrate how clinicians can help clients shift from symptom elimination efforts toward building a meaningful life alongside uncertainty. Participants will learn how to use metaphors such as the train of thoughts analogy, defusion strategies, willingness practices, and values clarification to interrupt the reassurance cycle. Case examples will highlight how ACT processes can be adapted for clients with illness anxiety, somatic preoccupation, and OCD related checking or health related compulsions, drawing on Veale and Willson’s (2014) model of health anxiety and Winston and Seif’s (2017) work on intrusive thoughts. Attendees will leave with practical, experiential interventions they can immediately apply in telehealth or in person settings.

Speakers

Molly Myers, MA, LPC, NCC

Assistant Professor, Evangel University

Molly Myers is a doctoral candidate in Counselor Education & Supervision, an adjunct instructor across multiple colleges in Pennsylvania and Virginia, and a practicing clinician with a small private telehealth practice. Her work centers on trauma‑informed, experiential, and culturally... Read More →

Friday November 6, 2026 2:15pm - 3:15pm EST

60 Minute Education Session

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58th Annual PCA Conference

Molly Myers, MA, LPC, NCC

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58th Annual PCA Conference

Molly Myers, MA, LPC, NCC

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