Can’t attend the live streamed version of this workshop? All of our workshops are also available as pre-recorded on-demand videos that you can watch when you want. All are available 10 working days after the live date presentation for up to one year.
Introduction
On Friday March 6, 2026 & Friday March 13, 2026, Drs. Guy Doron & Danny Derby will deliver a full-day workshop across 2 half-days on the identification and treatment of Relationship OCD (ROCD) within a CBT framework.
Workshop Outline
ROCD is a distressing and often misunderstood form of OCD, characterized by intrusive doubts and preoccupations around one’s relationship or partner. In this workshop we will provide a comprehensive understanding of the cognitive-behavioural framework for ROCD, based on the ROCD model developed by Drs. Doron and Derby. Attendees will learn to identify the unique cognitive, behavioural and emotional components that maintain ROCD symptoms, and will learn about effective intervention strategies to help clients struggling with these distressing symptoms.
This workshop will cover the theoretical foundations of ROCD, including its distinct features compared to other OCD presentations, and introduce specific cognitive-behavioural techniques that target ROCD-related phenomena. We will also learn about the role of mental habits in maintaining ROCD symptoms, as well as cognitive and metacognitive strategies we can use to weaken such habits. We will use didactic presentations, role playing, and experiential exercises, to gain practical skills for assessing and treating ROCD. By the end of the workshop, we hope participants will be more informed about different ways to help clients navigate the unique challenges of ROCD.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this workshop, participants will learn to:
Identify and differentiate the unique characteristics of ROCD, helping clients and clinicians understand how it stands apart from other OCD types.
Use the ROCD model to conceptualize clients' symptoms within a cognitive-behavioural framework.
Apply cognitive, metacognitive, and behavioural interventions, including Socratic dialogue, behavioural experiments, exposure with response prevention, and motivational interviewing techniques tailored to ROCD.
Implement an innovative metacognitive protocol that addresses the mental habits common in ROCD presentations.
Support clients in building healthier relationship dynamics and reducing ROCD symptoms over time.
About the Presenter
Dr. Guy Doron is a clinical psychologist and researcher in the field of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) with a particular focus on ROCD. He is a co-developer of the ROCD model and has authored numerous articles on the cognitive mechanisms underlying ROCD. Dr. Doron has extensive experience in both clinical practice and research, and his work has significantly advanced the understanding of relationship-related OCD. Dr. Doron has also co-founded the GGtude platform, a research-supported mHealth platform for mental health interventions, and co-developed an innovative transdiagnostic protocol for mental health disorders (the 'Did it' protocol'). He has been awarded several prestigious research grants, including from the European Union, Israel Science Foundation, US-Israel Binational Science Foundation, and Israeli Innovation Authority, and has published more than 85 papers and book chapters.
Dr. Danny Derby is a clinical psychologist and the director of the Israeli Center for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and the director of The School for Evidence-Based Psychotherapy and Clinical Excellence. Dr. Derby’s expertise includes ROCD, PTSD, anxiety disorders, and sexual concerns. He co-developed the ROCD model with Dr. Doron. He is highly regarded for his practical approach to treatment, integrating evidence-based techniques with a compassionate understanding of client experiences. Dr. Derby has trained hundreds of mental health professionals in cognitive-behavioral therapy for OCD, PTSD and other disorders.
Training Modalities
The following training modalities will be used:
Didactic Content: Detailed lectures covering the theory and treatment model of ROCD.
Q&A Sessions: Opportunities for attendees to ask questions and clarify concepts.
Role Play: Demonstrations of therapist-client interactions for various ROCD intervention techniques.
Experiential Components: Guided exercises to help participants practice key techniques, such as Socratic questioning, behavioural experiments, and exposure tasks.
Who should attend
This workshop is suitable for mental health professionals with an interest in learning more about relationship-related OCD. It is appropriate for clinicians at an intermediate to advanced level who are familiar with cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) and/or the treatment of OCD and anxiety disorders. Although this workshop assumes basic knowledge of CBT, we will cover ROCD-specific applications and techniques in detail. This training is ideal for mental health professionals who are looking to expand their expertise in OCD treatment, especially in cases involving relationship-related themes.
Continuing Education (CE) Credits
Bespoke Mental Health Canada is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Bespoke Mental Health Canada maintains responsibility for the program.
After viewing this workshop live, participants have the option to complete an evaluation form in order to be eligible to receive a certificate confirming the number of credits awarded. This certificate will be sent via email.
Participants who view this workshop as a pre-recorded event will need to complete an additional content-related workshop knowledge quiz in order to be eligible to receive CE credits.
Participants who complete this workshop are eligible to receive 6 CE credits.
Fees
Professionals: $175 CAD + tax
Students*: $140 CAD + tax
* Proof of student status may be required in order to qualify for a student rate.
Key References
Cerea S., Ghisi, M., Bottesi, G., Carraro., T., Broggio, D., & Doron (2020). Reaching reliable change using short, daily, cognitive training exercises delivered on a mobile application: The case of Relationship Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (ROCD) symptoms and cognitions in a subclinical cohort. Journal of Affective Disorders, 276, 775-787. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.07.043
Derby, D., Tibi, L., & Doron, G., (2021). Sexual Dysfunction in Relationship Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (ROCD). Sexual and Relationship Therapy. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681994.2021.2009793
Doron, G., & Derby, D. (2017). Assessment and treatment of relationship-related OCD symptoms (ROCD): A modular approach. In J. S. Abramowitz, D. McKay, & E. A. Storch (Eds.), The Wiley handbook of obsessive-compulsive disorder across the lifespan. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Doron, G., Derby, D., & Szepsenwol. O. (2014). Relationship obsessive compulsive disorder (ROCD): A conceptual framework. Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders, 3, 169-180. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocrd.2013.12.00
Littman, R., Leibovits, G., Halfon, C. N., Schonbach, M., & Doron, G. (2023). Interpersonal transmission of ROCD symptoms and susceptibility to infidelity in romantic relationships. Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders, 37, 100802. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocrd.2023.100802
Ratzoni N., Doron, G., Frenkel, T.I. (2021). Initial evidence for Symptoms of Postpartum Parent-Infant Relationship Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (PI-ROCD) and associated risk for perturbed maternal behavior and infant social disengagement from mother. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.589949
More information coming soon.