Therapeutic and Practical Help for Hoarding
Dear Friends:
David Tolin, Randy Frost, and Gail Steketee said it best in their book, Buried in Treasures: “Overcoming compulsive hoarding is hard work.” Extreme clutter, mounds of possessions, and their consequences, don’t develop over night. Bringing about a positive resolution isn’t easy or quick. But there is hope and effective practical and clinical interventions.
Compulsive clutter is a multi-dimensional problem. It has personal, family, and community consequences. This is why I collaborate with a variety of professionals and lay individuals who provide different services depending upon the client and individual situation.
I work directly with a limited number of clients and families who confront extreme and unhealthy acquiring and saving of objects. I do this work during the evenings and weekends. Utilizing a “harm reduction approach” along with motivational interviewing techniques and cognitive behavioral therapy, my goals are to help the person reach a level of recovery that is self acceptable as well as responsible to the community in which he or she lives. I also consult with cities and agencies in their attempts to work with “resistant” people who hoard.
When working directly with people who hoard, I believe the most effective place to address the issues of hoarding behavior is at the residence where the saving and acquiring occurs. I am not surprised or shocked at what I encounter—I believe I have seen most every conceivable clutter or hoarding situation. However, if a residence does not provide a confidential or healthy setting for therapeutic work then other arrangements can be made.
Collaborative In-home Therapeutic Services include but is not limited to:
- Consultation
- Thorough assessment of hoarding behaviors
- Screening for other possible disorders
- Counseling
- Education
- Linkages & Referrals
Collaborating Partners and services may include but are not limited to:
- Psychiatrist
- Group Counseling
- A “Helper” in Recovery
- Professional Organizer & Cleaner
- Bio Hazard Cleaning Company
Payment for direct client services is required in full each session. At the end of each month I can provide clients with a bill which can be submitted with a claim to an insurance company. Please check with your health care provider to determine reimbursement availability.
If you are interested in briefly discussing your situation and how my services may be of help, please contact me via the Contact page or leave a message on my confidential voice mail. I will do my best to respond to you within 24 hours.
Hope, empowerment, and self responsibility—three values that I strive to instill in the clients and communities I work with. Please contact me if I may be of service.
Mark Odom