H-C (Compulsive Hoarding Community) : For hoarders with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and a strong desire to improve their living or work spaces. This is both a working list and a community. Members are required to be in the action stage within 60 days of joining. In order to remain in the group we require a once per month minimum posting of 1) actions and 2) responses to discussion threads. Advisor: James Claiborn, Ph.D., ABPP. List moderators: Paula and Vildy.

This is a private and unlisted Yahoo group; all information and conversations are confidential. Postings will not show up in any search engine. Maximum membership is 105 to 115, depending on where newly admitted members are in the joining process. Overflow applicants will be placed on a waiting list upon request.

Important note:
THOSE APPLYING FOR MEMBERSHIP WILL RECEIVE AN AUTOSEND DOCUMENT, SO CHECK YOUR BULK, SPAM OR TRASH FOLDER IF YOU DON'T SEE IT IN YOUR INBOX.

Our approach is based on the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) treatment model* and protocol developed by psychologists Randy Frost and Gail Steketee (workbook pictured on the right). We use Randy Frost and psychologist Tamara Hartl's definition** of clinically significant hoarding in our group:

(1) the acquisition of, and failure to discard, a large number of possessions,

(2) living spaces that are sufficiently cluttered as to preclude their intended use, and

(3) significant distress or impairment in functioning caused by the clutter.

* We do not use an addictions or 12 step model because our disorder is not about physiological dependence.

** Frost, R.O.; Hartl, T.L., "A cognitive-behavioral model of compulsive hoarding" Behavior Research and Therapy (1996)

If you have questions, please write to the list managers at: H-C-owner@yahoogroups.com