What to Do When Your Brain Gets Stuck

by Dawn Huebner, Bonnie Matthews (Illustrator)

Describes what obsessive-compulsive disorder is and how it works, and teaches young readers techniques to reduce and overcome it through writing and drawing activities and self-help exercises and strategies.

Genres: Psychology, Parenting, Nonfiction, Childrens, Mental Health, Counselling, Self Help

96 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Dawn Huebner, PhD, is a Clinical Psychologist and Parent Coach specializing in childhood anxiety. She is the author of 20 books for children (and one for therapists), including bestsellers What to Do When You Worry Too Much and Outsmarting Worry.

Dr. Huebner recognized the need for lively, easy-to-read take-home materials to help children practice the strategies they were learning in her office. She created a format effective for 6-12-year olds – the What to Do Guides for Kids - teaching complex psychological concepts using metaphors, language, and humor easily understood by children. Subsequent books maintain her distinctive voice while adding a layer of detail and sophistication appreciated by older children and teens.

All of Dr. Huebner’s books echo her philosophy - that children can and should be taught to help themselves, and that they are capable of overcoming even stuck-seeming challenges.
Dr. Huebner’s books sell briskly around the world, and have been translated into 23 languages. She has been featured on the TODAY Show, CNN.com, WebMD and many other news and information outlets, and is frequently interviewed by popular parenting magazines. Dr. Huebner’s TEDx talk on Rethinking Anxiety has been viewed over a million times.

Dr. Huebner enjoys hearing from readers. She is always at work on her next book...

Reviews

[Bahar · Rating 5 out of 5]

من روانشناس نیستم و متأسفانه در این مورد اطلاعات خیلی کمی هم دارم، ولی بیماری اختلال وسواس جبری رو خوب میشناسم و خیلی سعی کردم باهاش مقابله کنم. OCD یا اختلال وسواسی- اجباری یه نوع اختلاله که ممکنه سال ها باهاش زندگی کنی و فقط اذیتت کرده باشه و چیزی ازش ندونسته باشی و با خودت گفته باشی خدایا من چمه؟🥲
حالت فکری ای که تو رو همیشه از بقیه عقب میندازه، کارها دیرتر انجام میشن و چه بسا خیلی از کارها رو هم نتونی هیچ وقت انجام بدی، گاهی باعث شرمندگی میشه و دیگران بابت عذرخواهی هات و شاید ترس هات ازت تعجب میکنن و بهت میخندن.
اینکه بفهمی که تو همچین مشکلی داری خودش یه بخش مهم از قضیه اس و درمان و کنار اومدن باهاش هم شدنیه.
چند وقت پیش که داشتم توی یه کتاب فروشی قدم میزدم اتفاقی چشمم به این کتاب افتاد و علی رغم اینکه لحظه اول به نظرم خنده دار اومد که کتابی با این شکل و شمایل برای من بزرگسال مفید باشه ولی با علم بر اینکه میدونستم حوصله خوندن کتاب های حجیم روانشناسی رو ندارم خریدمش و دیدم اتفاقا چه قدر جالبه و چه قدر طبقه بندی شده و قشنگ همه چیز رو گفته و میخوام ازتون خواهش کنم که اگه بچه شما همون طور که توی کتاب گفته:(نگران مسموم بودن غذاشه، دائم سوال های تکراری میپرسه، خیلی معذرت خواهی میکنه مبادا به کسی آسیب زده باشه و ...)  حتما حداقل کاری که میتونید براش انجام بدین خرید این کتابه، توی کتاب همه چی به زبان ساده و برای بچه ها گفته شده و به اون ها راهکارهایی یاد داده که چه طور با نداهای ذهنی شون در مقابله با یک موضوع که وسواس رو تحریک کرده پاسخ بدن.
از متن کتاب: اختلال وسواسی- اجباری دو بخش دارد، بخشی که مربوط به فکر شماست که وسواس نام دارد و بخشی که به دنبال فکر ها می آید و اجبار نام دارد و این احساس را ایجاد میکند که شما باید یک کار را انجام دهید.

[Lorna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know, I'm an adult and this is a kid's book. But my counselor recommended it and I'm glad because it was excellent. The book does a great job of explaining how OCD works and gives tools to treat it.

[Loriann Oberlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many parents with children who worry obsessively think that OCD only applies to frequent concerns about germs (the obsession) and then washing hands all the time (the compulsion).

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is much more complex, and this book published by Magination Press does an excellent job of stepping parents and children through understanding this.

While chapter two of the book does include the hand-washing example—because it's so classic most likely—the graphic images and thought bubbles throughout the book show characters grappling with what-if questions, always/never limitations, pressures in the form of "I better do..." or "I need to...," as well as "should/must/ought" phrasing.

This is a workbook but I usually tell clients to possibly scan the pages or make photocopies so that the child can fill them out, draw, or color them at different times. By doing so and dating the papers your child produces, you may see improvement AND have something to take into your child's therapy session.

I like how the author educates about fight or flight responses, becoming aware of anxiety in one's own body, and then uses cognitive therapy to work on or challenge automatic thoughts.

Remember, the author reports that OCD always wants more and OCD is a slow learner, meaning this takes time. It may also take your child forming an alliance with a trusted therapist to guide you through these steps.

[••• Emilee ••• · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a helpful guide for navigating OCD in an easy and accessible way. It’s meant for children, but I found it really helpful concerning my own OCDs. OCD sucks and it can make you feel super stressed and anxious and depressed. At least that’s how I feel often! But using these tools can literally slowly erode your OCDs power. I’m going to be using these tools to try and fight my current OCDs!

[AnandaTashie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really kid-friendly and accessible with helpful explanations and exercises. I checked it out from the library, but decided to purchase a copy as well.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book to read with children to help them understand and deal with compulsions and fears.

[Anita Guerrero · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great tool to help anyone that is suffering from OCD.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book but does not address obsessive thoughts enough. Focuses more on compulsions.

[Taylor Jenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone with OCD, I found this book to be EXTREMELY helpful and useful! I would recommend it to anyone with OCD or who knows someone with OCD- even if you don’t have OCD it’s really helpful!

[Kaylie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Easy to understand. Not sure if it will work for my son.

[Stephanie Ziebarth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A friend loaned this book to me because she was so impressed with this series. I am too! This specific one focused on OCD, and I felt it handled the topic in a very non-threatening, encouraging, practical way. Other topics in the series include anxiety, negativity, anger, sleep problems, and nail biting.

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have no idea if this book would be helpful for kids or not, but it was incredibly wonderful for me as an adult. The metaphors and tools are ones that I anticipate using frequently going forward. Highly recommended for anyone with OCD.

[Brandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great intro to dealing with OCD. It’s elementary of course, but the basics are good to know.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

useful and helpful

Great tips for managing OCD, designed for kids but just as applicable to adults. Lots of good tips and tricks in straightforward language.

[Justin Pickett · Rating 5 out of 5]

My son and I both have OCD. He went through a tough spot recently and we bought this book. It is outstanding. We read it together. It uses a helpful analogy (a boy in a grocery store demanding candy) to illustrate how OCD demands you do things to feel comfortable (similar to pacifying the boy in the store by giving him candy.) The book then goes over the types of demands (or tricks) that OCD often makes, details the consequences of giving in to those demands (i.e., the demands get worse), and outlines several concrete steps for how to push back against OCD (e.g., limit any response, change the ritual). Throughout the book are numerous cartoons and activities (e.g., finding hidden items in a picture, drawing activities you feel you need to redo, writing in possible ways to respond to OCD-related thoughts) that keep kids engaged while reading and that are also entertaining and useful for active learning. My son has made substantial improvements. I also feel like reading this has helped me get better at handling my own OCD.

“This book is going to teach you to stop OCD's tantrums. It's going to teach you the tricks that OCD plays to frighten you. And then you are going to learn some tricks of your own, but we're going to call them tools.” (p. 25)

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Currently still reading this through with the kiddo but I've finished it before even showing him. This lays out the CBT method really well in ways that a child can understand participate in the story/examples.

Having a kiddo who suffers from OCD is one of the hardest things I've ever had to navigate with parenting and I appreciate this sort of help so much. This book uses humor but also just lays out the facts of OCD in a way that doesn't seem scary or make a child feel like they are broken.

[Rach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Useful book for professionals, parents and children who are working with/experiencing OCD symptoms. The book provides an explanation of OCD and also tools in order to manage their symptoms. All of which is provided in a child-friendly mannner. I like how the book encourages parents to read the book with the child and also to take it one chapter at a time in order for them to practice the tools.

[Terresa Wellborn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helpful for all ages. Breaks OCD down in a simple way that is approachable for parents and kids, in a fun workbook format. Easily readable for parents in about 20 min., to get a better grasp on how to approach parenting a kid with OCD.

Btw, if you haven't yet, check out Huebner's other books that are similar to this treating anxiety, nighttime fears, etc. They're all excellent.

[Ashlee Thomas Watt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very simple yet informative guide to understanding and overcoming OCD. This is a hereditary mental illness, which runs in my family, and I immediately read the symptoms and said, “Yep that’s me.” Hahaha. I’m grateful that I came across this book, and that it’s helping me navigate what’s going on inside my head. This will be a resource for the rest of my life!

[Myra Scholze · Rating 5 out of 5]

My therapist sent me home with this and it was a surprisingly helpful resource. I love that's it's simplified for kids but still relevant to adults. Also, where was this 15 years ago?! I would've found it very reassuring and helpful in my elementary days as well.

[Mahboube · Rating 5 out of 5]

کتابی بسیار کاربردی و کمک‌کننده در زمینه وسواس کودکان که با واژه‌هایی ساده و تصاویر جذاب به عینی‌تر کردن هرچه بیشتر مفاهیم پیچیده شناخت وسواس و ارائه راهبردهایی برای مقابله با این اختلال برای کودکان پرداخته است.
ترجمه قابل‌قبولی از این کتاب توسط انتشارات ارجمند منتشر شده است.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent resource for families and clinicians working with children with OCD. Beautifully illustrated and accessible to kids. I'm a pediatric OT and I shared it with a family. I loved all of the useful analogies.

[Josephine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Workbook with worksheets and specific, actionable, CBT-based strategies and psycho educational information for kids.

[Shonna BE · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very great point of entry to explain OCD to a child, or even to an adult client that’s feeling overwhelmed with the concept of having an OCD diagnosis.

[Cary Erickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic for kids and adults!
Very kid frie n
Very easy for kids to understand it can be reread multiple times

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a practical and incredibly useful book for parents and children dealing with childhood OCD. Concise chapters include information on various OCD manifestations and tools to use to manage them. Explanations are clear and child-friendly. Activities like drawing and writing about OCD are included to help children understand and manage their particular circumstances. Parents and children will want to use this book together. I highly recommend all the titles by Magination Press which is a publishing arm of the American Psychological Association.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book for children and addresses both OCD and can be applied to any child or adult that has obsessive thought processes(circular thinking). I personally used the techniques in the book with my children but did not read the book to them. The book focus on the label OCD. I attempt to give my children coping mechanism and not labels that can result in excuses for behavior.

[Hannah Knakal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really thought this book was pretty helpful..... I have OCD, and I get really "stuck". I thought there was some really good coping skills. I didn't give it 5 stars because it at times sounded silly, and childish. It also reminded with me of my problem and disorder. And at times it didn't help me..... but definitaly a book to read with your child that is having trouble!...:)

[Brian Breese]

This book incorporates cognitive-behavioral strategies to help kids say NO to OCD. Throughout the book there are prompts for kids to draw or write out ways that they experience OCD to help make the strategies personally relevant and practical. In the end, kids are equipped with the tools to stave off these unwanted thoughts and experience freedom.

[Kat]

This book has been helpful for me to understand and cope with my OCD as an adult. I read it at the suggestion of a friend who also has OCD and found it helpful. I imagine this would also be helpful for getting others to understand their loved one’s OCD, as it is widely stereotyped and misunderstood by most people.