The relationship between OCD and Autism is complicated. There are lots of questions we still don't have answers for. I will describe some of the ways OCD can look like Autism, some of the ways Autism can look like OCD as well as thinking about what happens when they do overlap. I will talk about how CBT for OCD can be adapted for autistic people including looking at a treatment book written by Ailsa Russell and a new document published by the National Autistic Society about adapting talking therapies for autistic adults and children.

I am a Clinical Psychologist and BABCP accredited CBT practitioner. I have worked for the NHS since 1999 in a broad range of clinical settings across the lifespan. I worked for 8 years at the Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma at the Maudsley Hospital. Most of my work there was for the Highly Specialised Service working with people who had Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or Body Dysmorphic Disorder which hadn't responded to previous treatment. I now work for Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust as part of the Neurodevelopmental Service. In this role I assess adults for possible Autism and provide psychological treatment for adults with ADHD or Tics/Tourette’s Syndrome. I also provide consultation and training to staff about adapting talking therapies to be more accessible for Neurodivergent people. I work part time as a Cognitive Behaviour Therapist for the Oxford Health Specialist Psychological Intervention Centre.