Practice Being Brave: Owning My OCD

by Molly Gambrel, Ros Webb (Illustrator)

CJ is a spunky girl who loves animals. At a young age, she starts to have some uneasy thoughts that occur over and over again. These thoughts bother her! They cause her to worry all the time and make it hard for her to concentrate at school. She soon learns she has something called Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. With the help of Dr. Bree and her parents, CJ begins a journey to understand OCD. She discovers six special tips to help her and other kids like her. Most importantly, CJ must Practice Being Brave to take charge of her thoughts and improve her OCD.  Families with a child suffering from OCD often feel lonely and confused. The Practice Being Brave story gives children a chance to relate to the scary and uncertain feelings that OCD can bring and to realize that other kids have faced similar challenges and have persevered. The book defines the concept and a common experience of OCD and introduces some basic principles of OCD treatment in an accessible and age appropriate format that lets children and parents learn together. I believe many families will benefit from this excellent OCD resource.  Brittany M. Rudy Ph.D.Clinical Director, Child Psychologist (OCD specialty)Synergy Psych – Greenville, SC

30 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 1, 2019

Reviews

[Shala · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a person with OCD and a therapist specializing in the treatment of the disorder, I love this book! Practice Being Brave: Owning My OCD will teach kids with OCD that they’re not alone and that they can stand up to OCD and win. CJ has lots of spunk and personality, and children who have OCD will relate to how CJ's worries had started to make life not very much fun. But with the help of Dr. Bree and her parents, CJ learns that she's not her OCD (she even names it “Mr. Pickle”) and that if she'll practice being brave, Mr Pickle will stop bothering her so much, so she can get back to doing the things she loves. Wonderfully illustrated and full of hope, compassion, and practical guidance, Practice Being Brave: Owning My OCD will help children with the disorder feel understood and inspired to take back their lives from OCD.

[Danica San Juan, LMSW-C · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a therapist who specializes in OCD. One of my adult clients who has OCD gave this to me as a gift. Although I don't work with kids, this is the cutest explanation of owning one's OCD!