James M. Claiborn Ph.D. ABPP ACT

Specialist in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

On this page I have listed a little more information that may be of interest.

I earned my Ph.D. at Texas Tech University in Counseling Psychology in 1978. I was first licensed in 1980 and currently hold a license as a psychologist in Maine, New Hampshire and New York. I have worked in a variety of settings including general and psychiatric hospitals, mental health centers, nursing homes, and outpatient practice. I have consulted to sleep centers and pain clinics. I practiced in New Hampshire for over 20 years. In 2004 I obtained a license as a psychologist in Maine and began working in Portland Maine. I opened an office for independent practice in South Portland Maine in August 2005.

I specialize in work with anxiety disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and OCD spectrum disorders with individuals of all ages. Since cognitive behavioral therapy is the treatment of choice for obsessive-compulsive disorder and it is often difficult to locate a therapist who is trained and experienced in this type of work many people choose to travel to find help.

The kind of therapy I do is called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). I have extensive training in this type of therapy including completion of the Extramural program at the Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and Research. The Academy of Cognitive Therapy certifies that therapist is competent in cognitive therapy. I am a Founding Fellow of the Academy. I am a Diplomate of the American Board of Professional Psychology in Counseling Psychology. I am a member of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, The American Psychological Association and The New Hampshire Psychological Association.

I have expertise in using CBT to treat anxiety disorders, such as OCD, panic disorder, PTSD and phobias, and a range of other problems including depression, chronic pain and schizophrenia. I have presented nationally and trained others in treatment of anxiety disorders, body dysmorphic disorder, sleep disorders and cognitive behavioral therapy. I have been on faculty of an Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation Behavior Therapy Institute, I am available for presentations, and continuing education workshops.

Articles I have written on Body Dysmorphic Disorder, hoarding and skin picking are available here.

I gave a presentation on cognitive conceptualization of anxiety and psychosis in Enna Italy in 2006. I have made the text and slides available as pdf files here : Conceptualization Talk and Conceptualization Talk Slides

One of the tools many people have found useful in working on OCD including hoarding problems is a Dysfunctional Thought Record or DTR. Here is one you can try out DTR. Instructions for the DTR are here. Instructions

I have published two books with co-author Cherry Pedrick. The first is called The Habit Change Workbook. This book explains how to change a number of problem habits ranging from skin picking and hair pulling to gambling. The second book called The BDD Workbook is about dealing with body image distortions including Body Dysmorphic Disorder. Both books are now available from local bookstores or on line book sellers such as Amazon.

Here is a link to Amazon and several books I recommend.

You can email me at Dr Claiborn.

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