The International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) works hard to raise public awareness about OCD and related disorders and our programs. Visit the links below for some of the many news stories featuring the IOCDF and its affiliates.

• Chicago Tribune (October 21, 2016) — The challenges of dating with OCD
• Metro Boston (October 17, 2016) — Foundation marks 30 years of building awareness of OCD
• Washington Post (October 11, 2016) — What obsessive-compulsive disorder does to a young mind when it grows unchecked
• NECN’s The Take (October 10, 2016) — Raising OCD Awareness
• The Atlantic (September 29, 2016) — Hoarding in the Time of Marie Kondo
• Mashable (September 12, 2016) — The scary, intrusive thoughts you can only confess to a search engine
• AMI Newswire (September 9, 2016) — New partnership may help treat obsessive compulsive disorder
• WGN TV (July 29, 2016) — OCD sufferers fight anxiety with improv comedy
• Psychology Today (July 27, 2016) — The International OCD Conference: A Focus on Compassion

Christina J. Taylor, Ph.D. and a member of the Fairfield County OCD Support Group, spoke at the “Living With OCD” event, sponsored by OCD Connecticut, at the Yale Child Study Center on October 15, 2016.

This annual day-long program is an educational and supportive forum for members of the community about OCD, its symptoms, its effects on families, and current evidence-based treatments. Dr. Taylor spoke about her recently published book, OCD: A Workbook for Clinicians, Children and Teens – Actions to Beat, Control & Defeat Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

Held during OCD Awareness Week, this event featured Taylor and a panel of people living with OCD.

Dr. Taylor is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Sacred Heart University and has a private practice in Fairfield, CT.

To learn more about OCD Awareness Week, go to the IOCDF website at iocdf.org/programs/ocdweek.

Each month the IOCDF’s Spotlight blog brings you the latest in research news and information on OCD. Spotlight is also available via email so you can receive the latest research news and information directly in your inbox. Sign up to receive future issues by going here and selecting the “Spotlight” option on our email signup form.

The Intensive Program for OCD at Bradley Hospital in East Providence, RI provides treatment to children and adolescents, ages 5 to 18, who experience significant impairment in their daily lives due to OCD and obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders. The program is one of many renowned programs and services that bring families from across the country to Bradley Hospital, the nation’s first psychiatric hospital devoted exclusively to children and adolescents. For more information, you can contact Amy Cousineau, LICSW (Clinical Social Worker) at 401-432-1516 or ACousineau@lifespan.org.

The Anxiety & Phobia Treatment Center at White Plains Hospital in White Plains, NY plans to offer a six-week workshop for people suffering with OCD starting in May. According to the National Institute for Health, approximately 2.2 million adult Americans have some form of OCD. Their approach will be a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy one that includes exposure experiences and ritual prevention. The workshop will consist of weekly group sessions and individual sessions with one of their anxiety specialists. Please click here to go to their website for more information.

Christina J. Taylor, Ph.D, a member of our Clinical and Scientific Advisory Board, announces the release of her new book, “OCD: A Workbook for Clinicians, Children and Teens; Actions to Beat, Control & Defeat Obsessive Compulsive Disorder”. This book is a user-friendly, creative and interactive book to help children and teens take control of OCD. With specific chapters for each type of OCD, children and teens will learn cognitive behavioral strategies to overcome their obsessions and compulsions. The book is available on Amazon.com and Pesi.com.

Some people with OCD manage to mask their behaviors so they’re less obvious. For others, social situations trigger compulsions. Click here to view an infographic that illustrates some things you might notice in a person with OCD.

The TLC Foundation is currently seeking volunteers to participate in research studies regarding BFRBs, or Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors, that include trichotillomania, skin picking disorder, chronic nail biting, cheek biting and similar behaviors. By participating in BFRB research, you will help researchers develop better ways to diagnose and treat BFRB disorders. There are several internet-based surveys and regional participation opportunities that need your help! Click here to go to TLC’s website for full details.

The iCounselor OCD iPhone app teaches you skills to resist obsessions and compulsions! All material was written by a licensed psychotherapist (LCSW) with twenty-five years of counseling experience. This app is compatible with the iPhone or iPod Touch. Requires iPhone OS 3.0 or later. For more information and to download the app, go to http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/icounselor-ocd/id338431800?mt=8.

“40 BAGS IN 40 DAYS” is a Facebook page where you can face a challenge designed to help you get the clutter out of your home. You can have a bag, less than a bag, or more than one bag a day. Furniture or big items count, as well as boxes. Heck it all counts. 🙂 The overall goal is to tackle your home a spot at a time, GET RID OF STUFF, pace yourself, and be detached. Good luck!