News

Researchers in the Department of Psychiatry at University of California, Los Angeles are conducting a 45-minute survey examining emotion regulation, health, and development in children with OCD ages 10-17 years. We are recruiting children between the ages of 10 and 17 who have a diagnosis of OCD and their parents/caregivers to participate in the survey.

Participation will last approximately 45 minutes (25 minutes for parent questionnaires and 20 minutes for child questionnaires) and will involve questions about your child and families’ demographic and medical/psychiatric history, followed by questions regarding your child’s obsessive-compulsive symptom severity, associated impairment, family accommodation, internalizing and externalizing symptoms, anxiety sensitivity, sleep-wake profiles (i.e., chronotype), sleep disturbance, and sleep patterns. You will then be prompted to ask your child to complete the remaining portion of the survey in private, unless assistance is needed. Children will answer questions regarding their OCD symptoms, associated impairment, sleep-wake profiles (i.e., chronotype), sleep disturbance, sleep patterns, externalizing and internalizing symptoms, and emotion regulation.

You will have a 1 in 20 chance of receiving a $25 Amazon e-gift card for participating in the survey. Upon survey completion, your child will be redirected to a separate survey link that is not connected to survey answers, where they will be prompted to enter your email address.

You do not need to complete the survey in order to enter the lottery.

Visit the following link to read more information about the survey and participate: https://uclahs.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bEhl97GxW94xQXk

Please contact Valerie Swisher at VSwisher@mednet.ucla.edu for more information

At Better Living, it’s their mission to make a difference in your life. Based in Texas, they are dedicated to providing quality behavioral healthcare nationwide. Although they are nationally known for their exceptional OCD treatment, they also offer a range of treatment options for various anxiety-related disorders. Their main focus is to deliver high-quality care and maintain a personable center. They customize treatment plans based on your goals, severity, and co-occurring problems.

What was traditionally referred to as “mental illness”, is now understood to be better treated as behavior health. You have their personal commitment to help you along your path towards growth. They look forward to helping you live your best life.

In Connecticut, they offer remote services only – these include: 

Individual Sessions

Individual sessions are available one or more times per week with a behavior therapist. They will develop a specific plan to help you reach your treatment goals with you.

The RISE Program

The RISE program is a special level of treatment adapted to the needs of those individuals that need more than 1x weekly treatment but whose symptoms do not require in-person intensive outpatient or day treatment. The RISE program is three 90 minute sessions of exposure with a therapist individually per week. This program costs less than typical intensive outpatient treatment and is offered in-person in some states and online in many states.

They will create an individualized treatment plan based on your goals and problems.  Call in for a free screening to start your treatment journey at 972-332-8733.

The One Million Steps for OCD Walk is a community engagement event that provides individuals across the country the opportunity to connect, share stories, create impact, and show those who are struggling on their road to recovery that they are not alone. The OCD Walk is an opportunity to raise funds and awareness of what it really means to have OCD.

This year’s walk will take place on Saturday, June 3, 2023 at 9:00am ET at Carson Beach | 125 William J Day Boulevard, Boston, MA 02125

Click here for more information and to register or donate.

Stress and Anxiety Services of NJ, an independent practice specializing in OCD treatment and providing telehealth services to 33 states is offering a new OCD ERP webinar training program, which begins in late April 2023 and continues with monthly webinars throughout the remainder of the year. Designed for professionals and offering Continuing Education credits for psychologists, it is also open, for a very reduced rate, to the general public. People can register for individual webinars, or for the whole series at an even further reduced rate. Link to ALL webinars.

ANNOUNCING THE 2023 FAITH & OCD CONFERENCE
Navigating OCD in Diverse Faith-Based Communities

Monday, May 1, 2023
REGISTRATION OPENING SOON!

The IOCDF is excited to present the third annual virtual Faith and OCD Conference on Monday, May 1, 2023! This unique event began out of recognition that many people living with OCD initially seek assistance from a faith leader prior to a mental health provider.

The conference was specifically created to address the needs of a diverse community — spanning all faiths, ethnicities, and backgrounds. We’ll provide education about effective treatment and ways to support those in the faith community living with OCD.

Join the IOCDF for this collaborative conversation between faith leaders, mental health providers, and the OCD community!

The conference will take place on Zoom, a HIPAA-compliant platform. Instructions on how to enter the event will be emailed beforehand.

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.

Kimberley Quinlan is the founder of CBT School, which offers Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for OCD, anxiety disorders, and eating disorders. Her training heavily emphasized the practice of Mindfulness for the management of anxiety, depression, and stress. CBT School is an online platform that offers support and educational products for those who struggle with OCD, BFRB’s and Anxiety Disorders. Kimberley provides evidence-based treatment modalities for OCD, Anxiety Disorders, and Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors such as Trichotillomania and Skin Picking. Her hope is to provide resources to those who desperately need support and help and inspiration.

Click here for more information about what CBT School has to offer.

Saturday, February 4 – Sunday, February 5, 2023

Calling all campers (and parents!)
Registration is OPEN for our 2023 Online OCD Camp

The International OCD Foundation’s Online OCD Camp is a virtual event for youth with OCD, and their families! Created especially for youth between the ages of 6 and 17, OCD Camp will feature two days of interactive sessions and activities for three age groups. In addition, the program will include sessions for parents/guardians and opportunities for fun and socialization with other families.

March 4–5, 2023 (Saturday & Sunday)

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).

This conference also provides critical information to individuals, families, and loved ones affected by HD to educate people and their families about effective and compassionate care.

The program for the Online Hoarding Disorder Conference will be released in January 2023. The full schedule will feature sessions for a variety of audiences:

• Individuals with Hoarding Disorder
• Family Members and Supporters
• Community Providers
• Clinicians and Researchers

OCD Connecticut (OCD CT) held two major events to celebrate OCD Awareness Week (October 9-15, 2022):

OCD Awareness Week Colloquium – OCD: Getting Help and Support for Recovery
An estimated 150 individuals attended the Thursday evening, October 13 session at Sacred Heart University (SHU) led by SHU professor emeritus and OCD CT clinical board advisor Dr. Christina Taylor. Panel members included OCD CT and Fairfield County OCD Support Group members. The discussion focused on OCD symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment – as well as audience questions. The presentation was part of the SHU Human Journey Colloquia 2022 Series. View a PowerPoint presentation shown at the event. See photos from the event.

The One Million Steps for OCD Walk
The 1.3 mile Saturday morning, October 15 walk at Jennings Beach (Fairfield) was designed to promote increased awareness and a supportive community for the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) and its State affiliate, OCD CT. It also enabled OCD CT to raise funds for the OCD/related disorders community. Attendees enjoyed the beautiful outdoor opportunity to meet and greet each other and exchange information while embracing life’s uncertainty, one step at a time.

Future Events
OCD CT intends to hold more events during the Spring and Fall of 2023. Virtual as well as in-person sessions will be considered to optimize our Statewide mission of education and outreach. We hope you can be part of these activities.

As always, we welcome your feedback. You can follow us on this website and on Facebook and Instagram.

Check out IOCDF’S upcoming in-person and virtual events for all members of the OCD community.

Learn more about IOCDF events, including:

• In-person & Virtual Conferences
• Virtual Livestream Programming
• 1 Million Steps 4 OCD Walk
• Trainings for Mental Health Professionals