Click here to download the study’s information sheet.

The OCD Advantage is an online forum created by Joseph Ettinger. Joseph has struggled with OCD his entire life. He’s been on and off medications, has done ERP therapy, and tried every tactic in the book. And now, he has completely restructured his relationship with OCD. For so long, he struggled to find an online community that truly felt like a community. He struggled to feel like he was getting to know others; there was a lack of interaction, collaboration, networking, and more. That is why he started The OCD Advantage. Joseph plans to make this the most collaborative, interactive, and networkable community to date. In time, you’ll find vibrant dialogue and collaboration, resource sharing, courses and lessons that he is putting together, virtual meet-ups, and more. But above all else, you’ll find AUTHENTIC AND LASTING FRIENDSHIPS BEING FORMED. Click here to go to the forum.

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

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].

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.

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.

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.

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.

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].