The BIT Workshop is an evidence-based practice.  These journal articles describe how the curriculum was tested as well as the results.

Treating Hoarding Disorder in a Real World Setting: Results from the Mental Health Assoc. of San Francisco. Psychiatric Research. Dr. Carol Mathews

Treating People with Hoarding Disorder  American Psychological Association

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What do we do in the Buried in Treasures Workshop?

• Join others who want to regain control of their collections and clutter in a private, judgment-free setting.
• Learn to resist the temptation to collect and keep "too much stuff."
• Figure out what to keep and how to organize it so they can use and enjoy it.
• Learn and practice skills found in the book, Buried in Treasures.
• The facilitators complete all exercises alongside the group members. 

***This group is not designed to be attended by anyone that isn't actively working on handling their personal clutter challenge.  It's not for family/friends or for professionals who want to learn about hoarding disorder.  If you want to offer support for family/friends or training for professionals, let us know.  There are other ways to support these individuals so they can be helpful and hopeful too!***

Curious about the BIT Workshop?  Click here to hear from some folks who have been a part of the group themselves! The video was produced by SalvoCare Eastern in Melbourne, VIC. Enjoy!

The Buried In Treasures Workshop: Does it Help?

by Randy O. Frost, PhD

While we have made great strides in developing a therapy for hoarding/clutter problems, obstacles sometimes prevent people from getting this treatment, such as the unavailability of trained therapists, the costs associated with therapy, or the personal reluctance to engage in therapy. Alternative strategies can provide help in such circumstances.

In response to a request from our local Hoarding Task Force, we have developed an action-oriented self-help support group program called the Buried In Treasures Workshop. The Buried In Treasures Workshop is a facilitated support group that is highly structured and time-limited. The workshop consists of 16 sessions spread over 16 weeks. Each session focuses on a chapter in our book, Buried in Treasures: Help for Compulsive Acquiring, Saving, and Hoarding (Tolin, Frost, & Steketee, 2nd ed. 2013, Oxford University Press). The sessions are facilitated by a person who may have (or have had) hoarding disorder or a special interest in it, and may or may not have a clinical degree. Activities include discussion of each chapter, exercises from the book dealing with acquisition, discarding, and disorganization, and homework between sessions. Our initial research (based on a 13-week version of the workshop) indicates that up to 73% of participants are much or very much improved by the end of the group (see Frost, Pekareva-Kochergina, & Maxner, 2011), and that participants improve significantly more than people on a waiting list for the group (Frost, Ruby, & Shuer, in preparation).