Throughout the year, OCD Connecticut puts on a handful of lecture series on various topics for the OCD and related disorders community in the area.
SPECIAL EVENT – LECTURE BY THE DIRECTOR OF THE YALE OCD RESEARCH CLINIC
As part of our Lecture Series, we are excited to announce that we are hosting a presentation by Christopher Pittenger, MD, PhD, director of the Yale OCD Research Clinic. Dr. Pittenger will discuss his groundbreaking research on novel treatments for OCD, highlighting recent advancements in the field. His presentation will also offer a comprehensive review of the foundational aspects of OCD, including treatment modalities and pharmacological interventions, with specific attention to emerging treatments like ketamine and psychedelics.
Dr. Pittenger, a renowned psychiatry researcher, is a leading figure in the field. He earned his MD and Ph.D. from Columbia University, where his graduate work was done with Nobel Prize recipient Eric Kandel. He then completed his residency and research training in psychiatry at Yale University, his undergraduate alma mater. By 2007, he became a faculty member at Yale and has since risen to the position of Elizabeth Mears and House Jameson Professor of Psychiatry, with additional professorships in Psychology and the Child Study Center, also serving as Deputy Chair for Translational Research.
His research is dedicated to understanding the biological roots of mental illness, aiming to translate this knowledge into novel treatments. His work has extensively examined OCD and Tourette syndrome, focusing on the relevant brain circuitry. More recently, he co-founded the Yale Program for Psychedelic Science and the Yale Center for Brain and Mind Health. He has won a number of awards, including from the National Institute of Mental Health, the Society for Neuroscience, the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, the American Psychiatric Association, and the American College of Psychiatrists. He is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the International OCD Foundation and Chair of both their Grant Review Committee and their Annual Research Symposium Planning Committee. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, the American Psychiatric Association, and the American Neurological Association.
The event will take place on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at 6:30 pm in the Cohen Auditorium located in the Yale Child Study Center, 230 S. Frontage Road NIHB E-02, New Haven, CT. For driving and parking directions to the Cohen Auditorium, click here.
Dr. Pittenger’s website is https://medicine.yale.edu/profile/christopher-pittenger/.
The Yale OCD Research Clinic website is https://medicine.yale.edu/psychiatry/ocd/.
If you are interested in attending, please RSVP to ct.ocdf@gmail.com.
SPECIAL ZOOM EVENT – A PRESENTATION BY NATIONAL OCD ADVOCATE ETHAN SMITH
As part of our Lecture Series, we are excited to host a virtual Zoom event featuring a presentation by Ethan S. Smith, a National OCD Advocate, on Wednesday, June 18, 2025 at 7:30 pm. Ethan will discuss the topic of OCD in the media.
Ethan currently lives in the Los Angeles and Atlanta areas, working as a writer/director/producer, known for Dexter (2006), I Love You, Man (2009), and Recount (2008), and as an OCD advocate and consultant.
Ethan was born with OCD and struggled the majority of his life until receiving life-changing treatment in 2010.
Ethan was the keynote speaker at the 2014 Annual OCD Conference in Los Angeles. He served as an IOCDF National Spokesperson from 2015–2017, as the IOCDF National Ambassador from 2018–2020, and currently serves as an IOCDF National Advocate. He’s devoted his life to reducing stigma around OCD and mental health, to education, and to supporting the OCD community.
To register for this event, click here.
SPECIAL ZOOM EVENT – OCD UNFILTERED
To register for this event, click here.
Click here to download the event flyer.
SPECIAL ZOOM EVENT – A PRESENTATION BY NATIONAL OCD ADVOCATE TOM SMALLEY
As part of our Lecture Series, we were honored to host a virtual Zoom event featuring a presentation by Tom Smalley, a National OCD Advocate, on Wednesday, April 16, 2025. Tom discussed the topic of OCD in sports.
Tom is the founder of Struggle into Strength Performance, LLC. He is a certified mental performance consultant (CMPC) through the Association of Applied Sport Psychology. Tom received his Master of Science in exercise and sports science from Merrimack College and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Siena College.
Tom was diagnosed with OCD in 2014 at the age of 16 and, shortly after, became passionate about spreading awareness about what real OCD is. Tom was the recipient of the 2019 IOCDF Hero Award. He speaks at the annual International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) OCD conferences and schools around the Northeast. He has also appeared on a variety of blogs and podcasts.
In January 2021, Smalley became a Lead Advocate for the IOCDF and co-founded the Anxiety in Athletes initiative—a task force and online resource center with the help of the IOCDF in an effort to break the stigma around mental health in athletics.
Smalley has a strong passion for weightlifting and began competing in 2021, eight years after his mental health forced him to halt his athletic career. He is a USAW adaptive division 2x gold medalist.
This event has been recorded. Links to the recordings are below:
For more information about Tom, you can visit his website at struggleintostrength.com.