News

As part of our Lecture Series, we were honored to host a virtual Zoom event featuring a presentation by Reid Wilson, Ph.D., on Thursday, October 9, 2025, at 7:30 pm. The topic of discussion was How to Do Self-Help: Metacognitive Strategies and Tactics.

Dr. Wilson has spent his entire 30-year career in the field of self-help for anxiety disorders and OCD. He is Director of the Anxiety Disorders Treatment Center and is an international expert in the treatment of anxiety disorders, with books translated into nine languages.

In his presentation, Dr. Wilson discussed his book Stop Obsessing!: How to Overcome Your Obsessions and Compulsions and talked about the treatment principles behind OCD and the 6-Moment Game: Strategies & Tactics, a self-paced online course designed to help you take down OCD.

Dr. Wilson, a highly acclaimed author, has written and co-authored several influential books, including Stopping the Noise in Your Head, Don’t Panic, and Stop Obsessing! Dr. Wilson also co-authored Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents, and Playing with Anxiety focusing on children’s mental health.

Beyond his writing, he developed a self-help program for fearful flyers, “Achieving Comfortable Flight”. He also served as the expert for WebMD’s Anxiety and Panic Community. Dr. Wilson’s expertise has led to appearances on major television shows like The Oprah Winfrey Show and Good Morning America, and he was featured as a psychologist on A&E’s “Hoarders.” His significant contributions to the field have been recognized with top awards from both the Anxiety and Depression Association of America and the International OCD Foundation.

Dr. Wilson’s website is anxieties.com.

This event has been recorded. Links to the recordings are below:

• Video
• Audio Only

In celebration of International OCD Awareness Week, Sacred Heart University’s Human Journey Colloquia 2025 Series presents “Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: Getting Help and Support for Recovery.”

This free and public event will feature a panel discussion on the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of OCD. The discussion will be led by Dr. Christina Taylor, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Sacred Heart University and co-facilitator of the Fairfield County OCD Support Group, along with members of the support group.

The panel will be held on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, at 2:00 PM in the Loris Forum of the Martire Building at Sacred Heart University at 5401 Park Ave, Fairfield, CT.

Have you ever had scary thoughts pop into your head that you just couldn’t stop thinking about?

They’re called intrusive thoughts, and they are distressing, repetitive and unwanted. They can be triggered by big life changes or mental health issues.

NPR’s senior visuals producer LA Johnson, who struggled with these thoughts after giving birth to her second child, talks to mental health professionals U’nek Clarke and Brooke Smith about how to manage them. She illustrates her experience and the expert advice in a comic.

Editor’s note: This comic will discuss mental health topics and suicidal ideation. If you are in crisis, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline to connect with a counselor.

To read the entire article on the NPR website, click here.

OCD Connecticut was honored to host a special private screening of ANXIETY CLUB, a new documentary that provides a humorous and heartfelt look at anxiety through the eyes of some of the most brilliant (and anxious) comedians working today. The screening was held on Tuesday, August 19, 2025 at 7:00 pm ET.

ANXIETY CLUB, which had its world premiere in November 2024 at DOC NYC film festival and recently won a Mental Health America Media Award, follows Tiffany Jenkins (a comedian and author with millions of followers) as she undergoes exposure therapy. Meditation teacher Tara Brach, Ph.D leads comedian Joe List through a guided meditation to help him transcend his fears and anxieties. Tiffany, Joe, and comedians Marc Maron, Aparna Nancherla, Mark Normand, Baron Vaughn, and Eva Victor offer candid reflections on their relationship with anxiety through exclusive interviews, standup performances, sketch videos and more. Watch the trailer for ANXIETY CLUB.

After the screening, there was a discussion and Q&A with the film’s director and producer, Wendy Lobel, and comedian Baron Vaughn. You can watch a recording of the discussion and Q&A session here: https://vimeo.com/1112319103/6108cbe6dc.

You can watch the film at https://www.jolt.film/watch/anxietyclub.

Click here to go to the conference website.
Click here to download the conference flyer.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (O.C.D.) is often misunderstood as simply involving visible rituals like hand-washing or repetitive behaviors, but it can take many forms, including intrusive and distressing thoughts about harming others or doubts about personal relationships. These varied expressions, such as “relationship O.C.D.” or “sexual orientation O.C.D.,” are not separate diagnoses but different manifestations of the same condition. Misunderstanding these symptoms can lead people to feel ashamed or fearful, making them reluctant to seek help. Recognizing the diverse ways O.C.D. presents is crucial for both public awareness and accurate diagnosis.

O.C.D. is characterized by persistent obsessions—unwanted thoughts, urges, or images—and compulsions, which are repetitive behaviors performed to relieve anxiety. These symptoms can consume hours each day and significantly affect quality of life. The disorder varies widely between individuals, including differences in symptom themes, insight into the condition, and the presence of tics. Common themes include contamination, fear of harm, perfectionism, and taboo thoughts. Treatment typically involves antidepressants and exposure and response prevention therapy, which helps patients confront their fears without performing compulsions. Understanding a patient’s specific O.C.D. type allows therapists to tailor effective, targeted treatment strategies.

To read the entire article on The New York Times website, click here.

As part of our Lecture Series, we were honored 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 shared his personal journey with OCD and discussed the challenges of media portrayal and public perception of the disorder. He emphasized the importance of proper treatment, including exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), and addressed the global disparities in OCD awareness and treatment. The presentation also covered topics such as addressing stigma, supporting family members with OCD, and the progress made in OCD awareness and representation in media over the years.

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.

He 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, received the inaugural IOCDF Legacy Award in 2025, 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.

Click here to view Ethan Smith’s 2014 Keynote at the IOCDF Annual OCD Conference.

This event has been recorded. Links to the recordings are below:

• Video
• Audio Only

As part of our Lecture Series, we were honored to host a presentation by Christopher Pittenger, MD, PhD, director of the Yale OCD Research Clinic on June 3, 2025. Dr. Pittenger discussed his groundbreaking research on novel treatments for OCD, highlighting recent advancements in the field. His presentation also offered 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.

Dr. Pittenger’s 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 took 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.

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/.