Treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a standard activity of psychologists, particularly those in Community Mental Health Teams (CMHT). In 2005, NICE published guidelines recommending Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) with Exposure and Response Prevention (ER-P) as the evidence-based psychological treatments of choice. In recent years there have been significant developments within cognitive behavioural theory, including what has been referred to as the 'Third Wave'. This paper explores the contribution of mindfulness; a practice that has previously been integrated into other CBT models of treatment, to cognitive interventions in OCD, suggesting that in complements both CBT and ER-However it had previously been suggested by Freeston that mindfulness may prevent successful ER-P by becoming a neutralising technique. Examples of the application of a mindfulness-based approach are explored (MOCD), including reference to an OCD group run by the author, and areas of potential overlap are identified, in particular thought-action Fusion. It is concluded that if applied properly, mindfulness not only complements traditional CBT interventions, but could also increase their efficacy and perhaps prevent relapse.

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Aims: This paper presents a model of a group‐based intervention for the treatment of clients with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) referred to secondary mental health care services, which has been developed by the authors over the last five years. Method: Groups are not a common form of treatment design for this client group, however the available literature is briefly reviewed and the common issues that informed the design are identified. Following this additional technique of neuropsychological theories, Mindfulness, and socialisation are presented and a brief rationale for their inclusion provided. Quantitative and Qualitative outcome measures of the most recent group are discussed with respect to the utility and validity of the model. Conclusion and implications for practice: It is concluded that the group has good ecological as well as outcome validity and provided a method of linking together evidence‐based practice (EBP) and practice‐based evidence (PBE) movements.

As practitioners in both the National Health Serivce (NHS) and private practice Counselling Psychologists will be aware the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has published guidelines for the psychological treatment of the main psychiatric disorders (Depression, Anxiety, Eating Disorders, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, OCD, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Schizophrenia). NICE identifies evidencebased psychological treatments for each disorder and can, therefore, claim to identify criteria for ‘best practice’ (NICE, 2008). Based on the highest graded evidence base of Randomised Controlled Trials, (RCTs), they suggest that Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) or specialist models of CBT should be the treatment of choice. As a result of this, and wider political interest in mental health, Lord Layard (2006) published proposals that attempt to implement NICE recommendations. Although this has significant implications for the NHS, it is also increasingly relevant for private practice as insurance providers, for example, begin to identify evidence-based treatment for their clients. Treatment decisions, therefore, may become less focused on clinical assessment by the clinician and more about the request of the purchaser, e.g. private health insurance. This article discusses some of the main criticisms of the NICE guidelines, and proposes that better foundations for an ‘evidence base’ in psychotherapeutic interventions are provided by process and relational studies.

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