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OCD Connecticut
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      • SPECIAL ZOOM EVENT – OCD UNFILTERED
      • SPECIAL EVENT – LECTURE BY THE DIRECTOR OF THE YALE OCD RESEARCH CLINIC
      • SPECIAL ZOOM EVENT – A PRESENTATION BY NATIONAL OCD ADVOCATE ETHAN SMITH
    • IOCDF Events & Programs
      • INTERNATIONAL OCD FOUNDATION’S BDD CONFERENCE (MAY 31, 2025)
      • 30TH IOCDF ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN CHICAGO (JULY 10-13, 2025)
      • SUPPORTING OUR FAMILIES: GUIDANCE FOR PARENTS, FAMILY, AND CAREGIVERS OF THOSE WITH OCD
      • IOCDF COMMUNITY EVENTS CALENDAR
      • IOCDF CONFERENCE SERIES
    • OCD Awareness Week
    • Studies & Surveys
      • OCD GENETICS STUDY
      • COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY (CBT) CLASS FOR HOARDING DISORDER
      • OCD RESEARCH STUDY (The OCD Academy)
      • PARENTS NEEDED! STUDY ON IMPROVING COGNITIVE EFFECTIVENESS FOR KIDS WITH OCD
      • OCD RESEARCH STUDY AT UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
      • DEEP BRAIN STIMULATION (DBS) STUDY FOR PATIENTS WITH OCD
      • KING’S COLLEGE LONDON OCD STUDY
      • STUDY FOR PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC TIC DISORDERS (CTD), OCD, AND TIC ASSOCIATED OCD (TOCD)
      • SURVEY ON EMOTION REGULATION AND HEALTH BEHAVIORS IN CHILDREN WITH OCD AGED 10-17
      • BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE IS CONDUCTING AN OCD SURVEY
      • STUDIES ON OCD GENETICS, TIC GENETICS, AND TRICHOTILLOMANIA/BFRB GENETICS
      • OCD STUDY: EMOTION REGULATION, DEVELOPMENT, AND HEALTH FACTORS IN CHILDREN WITH OCD
      • IS THERE A CONNECTION BETWEEN MOVEMENT AND COMPULSIVE DISORDERS AND NEUROINFLAMMATION IN THE BRAIN?
      • NEW OCD STUDY FOR TEENAGERS BETWEEN 13 AND 17 YEARS OLD
      • DARTMOUTH COLLEGE IS SEEKING VOLUNTEERS FOR A STUDY ON OCD
      • VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR A STUDY ON OCD (Kent State University)
    • Past Events
      • 2025
        • SPECIAL ZOOM EVENT – A PRESENTATION BY NATIONAL OCD ADVOCATE TOM SMALLEY
        • INTERNATIONAL OCD FOUNDATION’S ONLINE OCD CAMP (FEBRUARY 1-2, 2025)
      • 2024
        • SPECIAL ZOOM EVENT – A CONVERSATION WITH MARTIN SEIF, PH.D.
        • 2024 ONLINE OCD CONFERENCE
        • CONNECTICUT PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION CONVENTION VIRTUAL WORKSHOP
        • THE 2024 ONE MILLION STEPS FOR OCD WALK IN FAIRFIELD, CT
        • COLLOQUIUM – OCD: GETTING HELP AND SUPPORT FOR RECOVERY
        • OCD AWARENESS “MEET AND GREET” EVENT
        • SUMMER SOCIAL GATHERING ON AUGUST 28, 2024
        • 29TH ANNUAL IOCDF OCD CONFERENCE
        • SUMMER SOCIAL GATHERING ON JULY 23, 2024
        • SPECIAL EVENT – LECTURE BY THE DIRECTOR OF THE YALE OCD RESEARCH CLINIC
        • SPECIAL ZOOM EVENT – GUEST LECTURER TO SPEAK ABOUT OCD IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS: ASSESSMENT, DIAGNOSIS, AND CBT
        • ONLINE HOARDING DISORDER CONFERENCE (MAY 4–5, 2024)
        • 2024 IOCDF FAITH & OCD CONFERENCE
        • ADAA ANXIETY & DEPRESSION CONFERENCE (APRIL 11-14, 2024)
        • INTERNATIONAL OCD FOUNDATION’S BDD CONFERENCE (MARCH 16, 2024)
        • INTERNATIONAL OCD FOUNDATION’S ONLINE OCD CAMP (JANUARY 27-28, 2024)
      • 2023
        • SPECIAL ZOOM EVENT – GUEST LECTURER TO SPEAK ABOUT INFERENCE-BASED CBT FOR OCD
        • IOCDF Online OCD Conference (October 21-22, 2023)
        • COLLOQUIUM – OCD: GETTING HELP AND SUPPORT FOR RECOVERY
        • THE ONE MILLION STEPS FOR OCD WALK IN FAIRFIELD, CT
        • SUPPORTING YOUR CHILD WITH ANXIETY AND/OR OCD – Q&A
        • OCD Awareness “Meet and Greet” Event (07/24/23)
        • 28TH ANNUAL IOCDF OCD CONFERENCE (2023)
        • THE ONE MILLION STEPS FOR OCD WALK IN BOSTON, JUNE 3, 2023
        • 2023 FAITH & OCD CONFERENCE
        • Online Hoarding Disorder Conference
        • Online OCD Camp
      • 2022
        • ONLINE OCD CONFERENCE (November 4-6, 2022)
        • OCD Awareness Week 2022
          • OCD AWARENESS WEEK SUMMARY
          • THE ONE MILLION STEPS FOR OCD WALK IN FAIRFIELD, CT (OCD CT Event)
          • OCD AWARENESS WEEK COLLOQUIUM – OCD: GETTING HELP AND SUPPORT FOR RECOVERY (OCD CT Event)
        • 27th ANNUAL OCD CONFERENCE (2022)
        • THE ONE MILLION STEPS FOR OCD WALK IN BOSTON, JUNE 11, 2022
        • Mental Health Awareness Outreach Event – Webinar
        • 2022 FAITH & OCD CONFERENCE
        • 2022 ONLINE OCD CAMP
      • 2021
        • Online OCD Conference (October 2021)
        • Online Hoarding Conference
        • Online OCD Camp
        • ONLINE OCD CAMP FOR KIDS AND FAMILIES
        • IOCDF Conferences 2021
      • 2020
        • ONLINE OCD CONFERENCE (Summer 2020)
        • ONLINE OCD SUMMER CAMP
      • 2019
        • 2019 OCD Conference in Austin, TX (July 19 to 21, 2019)
      • 2018
        • 2018 OCD Conference
        • 1 Million Steps 4 OCD Walk This June!
        • OCD Basics & Beyond Program – Mansfield Center, CT (March 12, 2018)
      • 2017
        • OCD Basics & Beyond Program – Mansfield Center, CT (November 11, 2017)
        • OCD Capital Walk, Washington, DC (October 14, 2017)
        • OCD Basics & Beyond Program – Clinton, CT (October 14, 2017)
        • OCD Basics & Beyond Program – Woodbridge, CT (October 11, 2017)
        • Annual OCD Conference in San Francisco, July 2017
        • 1 Million Steps 4 OCD Walk 2017
      • 2016
        • Living With OCD – An OCD Awareness Event (October 15, 2016)
        • “Living With OCD” – An OCD AWARENESS WEEK Event (New Haven, CT, October 15, 2016)
        • Annual OCD Conference in Chicago, July 2016
        • 1 Million Steps 4 OCD Walk 2016
      • 2015
        • 2015 IOCDF Conference
  • Resources
    • Find Help
      • Learn About OCD
      • Living With OCD
      • OCD Cycle
      • List of Connecticut Providers
      • How to Find the Right Therapist
      • Treatment Programs
        • REACH Adult OCD and Anxiety Disorders Track Program (Bridgeport, CT)
        • The Institute of Living (Hartford, CT)
        • Yale Child Study Center
        • NOCD
        • Find Treatment for Inference-Based CBT
    • Support Groups
      • Support Groups in Connecticut
      • Find a Support Group
    • Books and Multimedia
    • Links & Resources
    • IOCDF Newsletters
  • Research in CT
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An Affiliate of the International OCD Foundation

OCD Connecticut

OCD Connecticut

Welcome to the OCD Connecticut Website!

News

Published June 3, 2024

29TH ANNUAL IOCDF OCD CONFERENCE

2024 OCD Conference

The Annual International OCD Foundation’s (IOCDF) OCD Conference brings together individuals and families living with OCD, mental health professionals, and researchers to educate and empower the community. This July, the International OCD Foundation invites you to learn about the latest treatments, research, and practices in OCD and related disorders. We can’t wait to see you in Orlando!

This year’s conference will take place in Orlando, FL on July 25-28, 2024 at the Hyatt Regency Orlando.

Welcome to the largest international conference dedicated to OCD and related disorders!

This year’s event will feature three days of in-person programming for the entire OCD community, including:

  • Individuals with lived experience
  • Family members & supporters
  • Mental health professionals
  • Researchers

IOCDF has a great lineup in store for our community. Click here to view registration rates and policies. We can’t wait to see you all!

“This is the world’s largest gathering of those who are dedicated to solving the problem of OCD. Researchers, clinicians, those with OCD, and their families all come together to teach, to learn from each other, and to share support. Whether you are looking to learn about today’s cutting-edge treatments or the best coping strategies for families, this conference is for you.” — Reid Wilson, PhD

Learn More & Register
Published May 24, 2024

SPECIAL EVENT – LECTURE BY THE DIRECTOR OF THE YALE OCD RESEARCH CLINIC

Christopher Pittenger, MD, PhD

As part of our Lecture Series, we are thrilled to announce that we are sponsoring an event featuring Christopher Pittenger, MD, PhD, director of the Yale OCD Research Clinic, as the keynote speaker. Dr. Pittenger will share his groundbreaking research on novel treatments for OCD, shedding light on the latest advancements in the field. He will also provide a comprehensive overview of the basics regarding OCD, treatment, medication, etc.

Dr. Pittenger, a renowned psychiatry researcher, is a leading figure in the field. He earned his MD and Ph.D. from Columbia University and later returned to Yale University, his undergraduate alma mater, for research and residency. Pittenger’s research focuses on the brain’s role in creating thought, feeling, and consciousness, as well as how brain dysregulation leads to mental suffering. His work has been particularly focused on OCD and Tourette syndrome, and the cortico-basal ganglia circuitry. He co-founded the Yale Program for Psychedelic Science, focusing on how molecules like psilocybin and LSD can teach us about brain and behavior, potentially leading to new treatments for neuropsychiatric pathology. Pittenger is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the International OCD Foundation and OCD Connecticut, and a Fellow of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, American Psychiatric Association, and American Neurological Association.

The event will take place on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, at 7:00 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 [email protected].

Published May 17, 2024

GUEST LECTURER SPOKE ABOUT OCD IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS: ASSESSMENT, DIAGNOSIS, AND CBT

Denis Sukhodolsky, PhD

On May 15, 2024, we were honored to welcome Denis Sukhodolsky, PhD, clinical psychologist and professor at the Yale Child Study Center, to conduct a virtual Zoom presentation entitled: OCD in Children and Adolescents: Assessment, Diagnosis and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. Dr. Sukhodolsky spoke about the phenomenology and clinical assessment of OCD in children and adolescents. Particular attention was paid to the diagnosis of complex presentations and co-occurring neurodevelopmental disorders. In addition, principles and methods of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for OCD, also known as exposure and response prevention (ERP), were reviewed with illustrations of application to specific symptom profiles.

Dr. Sukhodolsky is a clinical psychologist and professor at the Yale Child Study Center, where he conducts research on psychotherapy for children with neurodevelopmental disorders. He also works with children and their families at the Center and teaches a course on cognitive-behavior therapy for child psychiatry fellows at the Yale School of Medicine.

His website is https://medicine.yale.edu/profile/denis-sukhodolsky/.

Dr. Sukhodolsky graciously allowed us to share his slide presentation on our website. To view the presentation, click here.

Published April 18, 2024

AVOIDANCE PREDICTS WORSE LONG-TERM OUTCOMES FROM INTENSIVE OCD TREATMENT

Medscape

According to a recent investigation, behavioral avoidance may reduce the long-term effectiveness of exposure and response prevention (ERP), a popular treatment for OCD. Click here to read more.

Published April 1, 2024

OCD CT WELCOMES A NEW BOARD MEMBER

We are happy to welcome a new board member, Sara Carpenter. She will act as a Board Member at Large. Sara is passionate about raising OCD awareness in the hopes that people affected with OCD will be able to access proper diagnosis and treatment sooner. She is enthusiastic to make significant contributions to our affiliate.

Published March 27, 2024

REACH ADULT OCD AND ANXIETY DISORDERS TRACK PROGRAM

Yale New Haven Health-Bridgeport Hospital

OCD affects approximately one person in 40 and causes great suffering and disability. Effective evidence-based treatments are available but are difficult for many patients to access. Specialty programs can provide expert psychotherapeutic care and pharmacological management that is difficult to access in other settings.

The OCD and Anxiety Disorders Track Program, which accepts government and Connecticut state insurance, has grown quickly and has succeeded in its first year in providing effective, expert care to patients in southern Connecticut seeking help with the symptoms of OCD and related conditions.

The OCD treatment community is small, but the need for high-quality intervention is high. Click here to download the REACH OCD IOP program flyer. If you have any questions, you may contact the Program Director, Brian Zaboski ([email protected]), Medical Director, Fatima Motiwala ([email protected]), or Program Manager, Jennifer Naughton ([email protected]). You can also call Bridgeport Hospital’s REACH main phone number (203-384-3377). Their website is: https://www.bridgeporthospital.org/services/mental-health/reach-program.

Published March 3, 2024

OCD RESEARCH STUDY AT UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON

University of Wisconsin-Madison OCD Study
Published March 2, 2024

DEEP BRAIN STIMULATION (DBS) STUDY FOR PATIENTS WITH OCD

Stanford Medicine Brain Stimulation Lab

Stanford Medicine is currently recruiting patients with OCD for a Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) clinical trial. DBS has provisional FDA approval for treating OCD under the Humanitarian Device Exemption (HDE) and has shown significant benefit for many patients, but 40-50% of patients who have gotten DBS for OCD do not respond to the treatment. The purpose of their trial is to use multiple temporary implantable electrodes to identify the optimal stimulation locations in the brain for each patient that most effectively relieve their OCD symptoms, and then implant a DBS device with permanent electrodes at the best stimulation sites. The hope is to use this research to personalize OCD DBS treatment more effectively to improve patient outcomes.

Because this is an invasive clinical trial, they are enrolling patients with markers of severe OCD with a high degree of treatment resistance. Participants will need to meet the following criteria:

  • Between the ages of 22 and 75.
  • Have had OCD for more than 5 years.
  • OCD is their primary psychiatric diagnosis.
  • No substance use disorder in the last 2 years.
  • No lifetime history of bipolar disorder or a psychotic disorder.
  • Severe OCD symptoms.
  • Failure to respond to multiple trials of medications, including two SSRI trials at maximum FDA approved dose, a trial of clomipramine, and at least 1 trial of augmentation with an antipsychotic medication.
  • Failure to respond to Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP).
  • No history of severe head trauma, implanted devices, or metal in the head.
  • Does not plan to become pregnant in the next 3 years.

If you or someone you know would be a good candidate for this study, please reach out to Stanford Medicine at [email protected].

Learn More & Register
Published March 1, 2024

KING’S COLLEGE LONDON OCD STUDY

Kings College London OCD Study

Click here to download the survey’s information sheet.

Published February 27, 2024

ONLINE HOARDING DISORDER CONFERENCE (MAY 4–5, 2024)

IOCDF Online Hoarding Disorder Conference

The Online Hoarding Disorder Conference offers an opportunity for professionals — from therapists and social workers to firefighters and other public safety officials — to learn how to work effectively and compassionately with individuals with hoarding disorder (HD).

Professionals will hear from leading researchers and experts in the field and will walk away with a new understanding and practical strategies for working with those affected by HD.

The Online Hoarding Disorder Conference also provides useful information to individuals with lived experience, families and supporters affected by HD, community providers, clinicians and researchers to educate about effective and compassionate care.

The program for the Online Hoarding Disorder Conference will be released in early 2024. The full schedule will feature sessions for a variety of audiences:

  • Individuals with Hoarding Disorder: Those with lived experience with hoarding disorder. Programming focuses on recovery options and building motivation for treatment.
  • Family Members and Supporters: Non-professionals who have been affected by hoarding disorder in their families or other relations. Programming focuses on communication skills and effective support systems.
  • Community Providers: Professionals outside of the mental health space who work with or on behalf of those with hoarding disorder, such as human service providers, housing authorities, case managers, first responders, government officials, etc. Programming focuses on strategies for addressing hoarding disorder in communities, including interventions and collaboration models.
  • Clinicians and Researchers: Mental health professionals who treat and/or research hoarding disorder. Programming focuses on skills training and enhancing the clinical understanding of the disorder.
Learn More & Register

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