I watched Oprah last night with my wife and enjoyed seeing the interventions done by Dr. Oz and Jonathon Grayson for people struggling with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). I think we all know someone who struggles with something like this or manifests these irrational behavioral tendencies.
The common thread I heard throughout every story and conversation with those struggling with OCD was fear. They were all battling fear of some sort and deep paranoia. They developed various phobias based around their erroneous beliefs, which Jonathon and Dr. Oz challenged by making them confront their fears.
Exposure and response as it is commonly referred to in psychology was the methodology used to treat these precious souls. Some of the things they made them do were a bit odd and gross to watch, like putting their hands on the floor and toilet seats (after which they were told to lick their hands).
Oz and Grayson took a 2 mile walk through the streets of Philadelphia to wear down the participants’ defenses and get them to open up. After the long walk they stopped in a back alley with some rubbish bins, one particularly which smelled like puke, old sour food, and feces. After some coaching and prodding, all participants put their hands in the slimy rubbish and licked them afterward, some putting their dirty hands through their hair.
All of this was to get the people to realize they weren’t going to die if they did what they most feared. I must say however seeing Dr. Oz putting his hands on a toilet seat and licking them afterward was terribly disgusting. My wife who watches Oprah every day was eating her dinner during the program. I couldn’t resist saying, “Oh baby, maybe you should get free from your OCD (control freak) by licking the toilet seat and drinking some toilet water.” (I know I’m bad. She finished her meal unabated.)
I was very impressed with the intervention, but probably would not have done the gross methods myself to achieve the same results. Dealing with the roots and origins of the phobia is crucial.
One African American mother confessed when a loved one died years ago she felt as if it was her fault. This erroneous belief opened the door to fear as she falsely interpreted the event. Thereafter she (and another white mother on the show with similar circumstances) began to shelter their children and freak out about every little thing as a perverse protective mechanism. What the women failed to realize was in actuality they weren’t protecting their kids as much as they were harming them by imparting a spirit of fear and thereby removing them from life itself.
At the beginning all participants were initially reminded of the pain, loss of loved ones, alienation of friends, career loss, and financial hardships caused by their phobias. This helped each commit to the coaching and unique methods used to provide them their breakthrough.
After the intervention the people all looked way better, more free, present, and regained the glow in their countenance. One gentleman who always kept one hand in his pocket to stay germ free, was outdoors with both hands out, talking about playing in the dirt and having fun. He regained himself and thereby his life.
Jonathon Grayson occasionally throughout the segment called and referred to the fear everyone was struggling with as a “monster” saying: “When you run from this monster it follows you.” He later also called it a “devil” and encouraged one woman as she sought to pray to God for power to overcome it.
I was blessed to hear the one clean freak mom (white with short curly hair – sorry I don’t remember her name) testify to her breakthrough of taking her children out for ice-cream after the intervention. Her daughter wore a white shirt and got ice-cream all over it, but mom didn’t obsess or freak out. Upon leaving the restaurant she left without worrying about tidying up, pushing in the chairs, or agonizing over anything. A personal breakthrough for her!
Dr. Oz at the conclusion of the show summed up some key principles to freedom. “Surrender, get free from those attachments.”
As we are fully present and awake to our own past dysfunction, we can boldly deal with it and get the breakthroughs we deserve to live freely and be whole.
Truly what we resist does persist. Face your fears and live free!
Paul F Davis – Interventionist and Transformation Coach, Worldwide Minister, and Author
RevivingNations@yahoo.com (or) gmail.com
407-284-1705, 407-967-7553
Paul Davis is a worldwide minister who moves in the miraculous to touch and transform humanity.
Paul has a unique ability to hear the voice of God, naturally bring forth the supernatural in a playful & heartfelt fashion, unlock and simply explain divine mysteries, impart life changing revelation & usher in powerful manifestation bringing heaven to earth.
Paul has touched over 50 countries building dreams, transcending limitations & seeking to reconcile nations.
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