News

Elise Petronzio is the founder of the ocdopus, an OCD advocacy & recovery shop. Elise has had OCD since she was at least six years old. She often thought about things she would love to buy for herself or her friends with OCD. As a result, she started taking those ideas and making them into products that people could actually buy and give to each other.

the ocdopus sells hats, shirts, stickers, sweatshirts, accessories, and jewelry. People give these products to their friends, family members, children, therapists, clients, and support groups. These items spread awareness of what OCD is and what the recovery process entails, in addition to showing solidarity in fighting both the disorder itself and the stigma surrounding it.

These products would make great gifts for the holiday season!

Join the IOCDF for the largest national conference dedicated to OCD!

November 4–6, 2022 (Friday–Sunday)

This year’s conference will feature three days of learning, community building, and virtual programming for the entire OCD and related disorders community, including:

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

Learn more and register at onlineocdconference.org. Download a conference flyer.

Sessions will be broadcast live via Zoom, meaning anyone from anywhere can attend!

What’s more, content will be available for 60 days following the event, giving you time to access ALL of #OCDCon.

We are happy to welcome a new board member, Audrey Medd. She will act as our Secretary. Audrey will also be our social media outreach liaison. Audrey is passionate about OCD advocacy and would like everyone out there to know that they are not alone in this struggle. Her hope for OCD CT is to bring awareness, education, and support to help people and families struggling with this debilitating disorder.

The Massachusetts General Hospital is currently recruiting for a new research study that will use a MR-PET scanner to examine the brains of adults with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder or Tourette Syndrome. The study will include two visits at the Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging. Participants will be compensated up to $200 for their time.

Participants must be:
– Between the ages of 18 and 40 years old
– Diagnosed with either OCD or TS

For more information, please contact Hooker Research Group staff at

617-643-7811
OR
[email protected]

Download a flyer with more information

OCD Connecticut recently relocated from Old Saybrook to the Fairfield/Trumbull area, and a new Executive Board has been elected: Laura Damm and Anne Yacoviello (Co-Presidents), Urb Leimkuhler (Vice-President), and Rocco Clericuzio (Treasurer and Webmaster).

OCD CT was founded as an IOCDF Affiliate by Susan Schuster and, up through 2021, it was led by Jennifer Piper and Michelle McLain (Co-Presidents), Susan Schuster (Vice President), Collin Schuster (Secretary), and Robert Schuster (Treasurer).  Under their leadership, OCD CT mobilized educational programs and support resources for the people of Connecticut, including a grant to the Fairfield County OCD Support Group to offer virtual meetings via Zoom during the Pandemic.

The Clinical and Scientific Advisory Board members, led by Christina Taylor, Ph.D. and Diane Sholomskas, Ph.D., who will continue to serve, include Amy Cawman, LCSW, Heidi Grantz, LCSW, Christopher Pittenger, MD, Ph.D., and Denis G. Sukhodolsky, Ph.D.

As a first order of business under the new leadership, OCD CT is planning a fundraising walk and an educational and awareness event during OCD Awareness Week in October 2022.

July 8-10, 2022 (Friday–Sunday)
(Pre-conference events on Thursday, July 7)

The Annual OCD Conference informs and empowers the OCD community by bringing together health professionals, researchers, individuals with OCD, and their loved ones, with the goal of educating all attendees about the latest treatments, research, and practice in OCD and related disorders.

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!!

Welcome to one of the largest national conferences dedicated to OCD!

This year’s Annual OCD Conference will feature three days of programming dedicated to obsessive-compulsive disorder and related disorders for the entire OCD community, including:

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

The One Million Steps for OCD Walk provides a supportive community, increases awareness, and raises funds for the IOCDF and its Local Affiliates, enabling them to continue their mission. Funds raised benefit the OCD and related disorders community.

Click here for more information and to register or donate.

ANNOUNCING THE 2022 FAITH & OCD CONFERENCE
Monday, May 9, 2022 • 12–5pm ET

Registration is open for the second annual Faith and OCD Conference, happening virtually Monday, May 9! Join the IOCDF for this collaborative conversation between faith leaders, mental health professionals, and the OCD community.

Navigating OCD in Diverse Faith-Based Communities

What They Will Cover

Attend virtually, from anywhere!

Many people living with OCD initially seek assistance from faith leaders. This conference addresses the needs of a diverse community — spanning all faiths, ethnicities, and backgrounds. They will provide education about effective treatment and ways to support those in the faith community living with OCD.

Who Should Attend

Individuals with faith-based OCD, faith leaders, and mental health providers

Individuals & Families — Hear from faith leaders and mental health professionals about how to build a supportive network for recovery — and receive messages of hope shared by those impacted by OCD.

Faith Leaders — Hear from community members with faith-related OCD and learn how to recognize symptoms. Learn about treatment options and how you can help in the recovery process.

Mental Health Professionals — Hear how OCD and treatment intersect with your clients’ faith practices. Learn how to adapt your practice by integrating faith leaders and families in the development of treatment plans. CE credits provided.

Researchers at Suffolk University and the New England Center for OCD and Anxiety are seeking youth participants (13-17 years old) and their parents to participate in a study that aims to assess how cognitive processes, particularly executive functioning, relate to treatment engagement in youth with OCD.

They are looking to recruit youth participants, 13-17 years old, who have tried at least two sessions of therapy for OCD. The study can be completed entirely online and will take participants approximately 35 minutes to complete. For their time, youth participants will receive a self-help book for teens with OCD and a chance to win one of two $100 Visa gift cards in a raffle at the end of the recruitment period as compensation.

If you are interested or have questions call, text, or email the study team:

Katrina Daigle, MA, MS
Study Co-Investigator
[email protected]
617-394-8876

Click here to download a flyer containing more information.