Hoarding Specialist Certificate

The Level II Hoarding Specialist Certificate builds on the Level I Certificate of Study in Understanding Hoarding Behavior.

An ICD subscriber who has earned the Level II Hoarding Specialist Certificate has completed at least 12 hours of education in topics particular to working with the population affected by hoarding issues, in addition to six hours of general education in Chronic Disorganization. They have read a minimum of four books related to hoarding issues and passed an exam based on that reading.

Requirements for Hoarding Specialist Certificate

The requirements of this certificate are

  • Current ICD Premium or Premium+ subscriber.
  • Received the Certificate of Study in Understanding Hoarding Behavior.
  • Complete required readings:
    • Overcoming Compulsive Hoarding, by Fugen Neziroglu, Jerome Bubrick and Jose Yaryura-Tobias, 2004. A book for people who hoard and for their families. This book provides background on the phenomenon of hoarding and gives direction on how to address it, both as self-help and as family intervention. Helpful to professional organizers in developing a general understanding of hoarding or a plan for assisting a specific client.
    • Compulsive Hoarding and Acquiring workbook, by Gail Steketee & Randy O. Frost, 2007. A self-help workbook for people who hoard. Useful for professional organizers to help clients articulate their specific challenges and to walk them through the change process. (Note: A companion guide was also published for therapists who provide clinical treatment for hoarding.
    • Buried in Treasures: Help for compulsive acquiring, saving, and hoarding, by David F. Tolin, Randy O. Frost, & Gail Steketee, 2007. Introduction to the phenomenon of hoarding for people who hoard and their families. Helpful to professional organizers in conceptualizing the problem of hoarding and ways to address it.
    • Digging out: Helping your loved one manage clutter, hoarding, and compulsive acquiring by Michael A. Tompkins, & Tamara L. Hartl, 2009. Introduction to harm reduction—the improvement and not necessarily the elimination of a problem behavior—as it applies to hoarding behavior. Helpful when working with the client’s family and with clients who are unable or unwilling to dismantle their hoard fully.

• Enroll in the Level II Hoarding Specialist Certificate and pay the fee.
• Access and complete the six required classes in the ICD® Vault.
• Access and pass the Hoarding exam in the ICD® Vault.

Upon completing the classes and passing the exam, your certificate will be automatically available in your transcript in the ICD® Vault.