Hoarding
I specialize in working with individuals challenged by chronic disorganization and am a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization (CPO-CD®). Hoarding behavior is one form of chronic disorganization.
Chronic Disorganization (CD) has the following four characteristics:
1. Past history of disorganization
2. Undermining of current quality of life due to disorganization
3. Failed self-help efforts to change
4. Expectation of future disorganization
Chronic Disorganization is not a medical diagnosis but a term recognized and used by professional organizers.
Hoarding Disorder is a medical diagnosis given by a mental health professional using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, version 5, May 2013(DSM-5) criteria.
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Persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions due to strong urges to save items and/or distress associated with discarding
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Accumulation of a large number of possessions that fill up and clutter active living areas of the home or workplace which compromises their intended use
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Excessive Acquisition Specifier: Compulsive buying or excessive acquisition of free things
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Clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning, including maintaining a safe environment
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Insight Specifier: Absent, Poor or Good to Fair
May believe that hoarding-related behaviors and beliefs are not a problem, are slightly problematic or are very problematic
Recommended Books on Hoarding
From Hoarding to Hope by Geralin Thomas
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Excellent for individual, family members, service providers
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Provides a better understanding of what the individual might be experiencing
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Provides an excellent overview of treatments, techniques, and insight
Digging Out by Dr. Michael Tompkins
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Great for service providers (care team members), good for family members & individual
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Focuses on Harm Reduction and a plan that all team members (including the individual) agree on what is to be done and what is “good enough”
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Does not necessarily change behavior, but limits behaviors that create an unsafe environment
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Good insight by the client is not necessary
Buried in Treasures by Dr. David Tolin
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Great “workbook” for client and client/organizer teams or client/psychologist/organizer teams
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Focuses on actions, beliefs and desensitization through client work
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Intention is to improve insight and change behaviors
Additional Resources on Hoarding
Community College of Beaver County, PA – Buried in Treasures Workshop
Institute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD) – I am certified through the ICD
Publications and resources for both public and professionals on chronic disorganization and hoarding are available at challengingdisorganization.org/content/publications-overview.
International OCD Foundation – Hoarding resource (hoarding.iocdf.org)
Confidentiality Policy
Please know that I will keep all client information and materials, both business and personal, confidential. Anything disclosed in our sessions is done so in complete confidence.