Posts Tagged with family and loved ones ocd support group

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JOIN THE AUGUST FAMILY & LOVED ONE’S OCD SUPPORT GROUP ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 8TH AT 11AM PT! FREE & ONLINE!

Chris Trondsen, LMFT, a clinician with OCD, and his mom, Liz, are excited to remind you about our August virtual, free Family and Loved Ones OCD Support Group. 

The support group is held every second Saturday of the month. Our next group is Saturday, August 8th, from 11am to 1pm PT.  Please read the information for the August 8th Family & Loved Ones’ OCD Support Group:

For the month of August, we are excited to offer a special presentation with a panel of OCD experts. For the first part, Nathan Peterson, LCSW, who runs a successful practice in Texas, has over 26 million views on his OCD educational YouTube channel, and recently wrote a book, “Your OCD Will Hate This Book” will be doing a presentation for family members, loved ones, spouses, and siblings of someone with OCD titled, “The Do’s and Don’ts of OCD support”. This presentation will suggest evidence-based interventions that someone loving a person with OCD can do to support their loved one as they navigate their treatment journey. These do’s will provide the type of support that will make it more likely that your loved one gets the most out of treatment and helps restore balance in your family. The don’ts will be a list of things that often feel useful but actually can interfere with the work your loved one is doing in therapy.

After that, there has been a request to discuss common co-occurring disorders that many of your loved ones experience in addition to OCD that often makes treatment challenging. We’re splitting up these co-occurring disorders into two presentations; August 8th will be Part One.

 Michelle Massi, LMFT, who owns her own practice in Los Angeles, California, is a (Behavior Therapy Training Institute) BTTI faculty member, and runs the largest consulting and community group for OCD therapists.  She will discuss the intersection of OCD and depression. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 (DSM) states that about 65% of people with OCD will also have a depressive disorder. Co-occurring depression is one of the most common disorders that people with OCD experience.

Doctor Rebecca Sachs is a sought-after speaker on topics related to the treatment of OCD and autism. She has been a featured presenter at the IOCDF conference, a guest on the IOCDF livestreams, and is on the faculty of the IOCDF’s BTTI. She will discuss the intersection of OCD and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). There is a high rate of co-occurrence of OCD and autism, which requires the treatment to be modified. Due to the traits of autism and the symptoms of OCD having similarities, it is important that your loved one works with a provider with expertise in both.

 Finally, Dr. Christina Dichiara who, during her training, was mentored by Dr. Edna Foa, who established exposure and response therapy (ERP) as the gold standard evidenced based treatment for OCD, is an expert on OCD and PTSD.  With nearly two decades of experience, she will talk about how posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and trauma impact the treatment of OCD. 

Each individual will give a presentation where they will discuss the co-occurring disorder and how it differs from OCD, how having both can make OCD more challenging to treat, and how OCD treatment is modified to address these co-occurring disorders. This presentation will provide greater insight if your loved one has a diagnosis of one of these co-occurring disorders. If they don’t, you may see that your loved one is actually also experiencing the co-occurring disorder but has never been diagnosed.

The presentations will be followed by a Q&A session with all four presenters. The presenters will address questions family members of loved ones have about OCD or these related disorders. You can ask questions about the specific topics brought up in group, or general questions about your family’s experience with OCD. This group is perfect for family members, loved ones, spouses, siblings, or anybody supporting somebody with OCD to learn how to best support them, as well as getting information on common co-occurring disorders that may be relevant to your situation. 

Scroll below to get information on our presenters.

Nathan Peterson, LCSW, started working with OCD and anxiety-related disorders in 2013. He has worked in outpatient mental health clinics, non-profit agencies, inpatient clinics/hospitals, schools, institutes and in private practice. 

He has completed the TLC Foundation training for hair pulling and skin picking. Additionally, he attended and completed the official Behavior Therapy Training Institute (BTTI) for adults and pediatric patients. In his solo practice, he focuses solely on OCD and anxiety-related disorders.

Nathan uses exposure and response prevention when working with OCD/Anxiety, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for generalized anxiety disorder, CBIT for tics and Tourette’s. 

Website: http://www.OCDandAnxietyCounseling.com

To view Nathan’s videos on OCD, visit OCD and Anxiety YouTube channel

Michelle Massi, LMFT, is a licensed marriage and family therapist and the founder of Anxiety Therapy LA, specializing in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety, and panic attacks. She has over 20 years of experience treating these conditions. 
 
Michelle previously worked at the UCLA OCD Adult Intensive Treatment Program as the Associate Clinical Director and at the UCLA Childhood OCD, Anxiety & Tic Disorders Program.  She is now a faculty member of the IOCDF’s BTTI and has presented at the IOCDF Conference many times. In addition, she also offers training and consultation to clinicians, clergy members and family members.

Dr. Rebecca Sachs, the founder of CBT Spectrum, has expertise in treating individuals with Autism, Anxiety, and OCD and related disorders.

Using Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), including Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy, Dr. Sachs employs research-supported techniques to help a patient develop an action plan.

Dr. Sachs treats patients of all ages, however she has a unique ability to connect with teenagers and young adults.

Board Certified in CBT, Dr. Sachs is often sought out to treat extreme symptoms and complicated cases, and she tailors her approach to each patient’s circumstances.

Dr. Christina DiChiara is the Director of Education and a staff psychologist at the Center for Anxiety & Behavior Therapy (CABT), with almost two decades of focused experience treating trauma, OCD, and anxiety.
 
Before joining CABT, she trained and served as a staff psychologist at UPenn’s Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety. She has almost a decade of experience working in VA healthcare, predominately as a psychologist on the PTSD Clinical Team at the VA Medical Center in Philadelphia, where she served as the Military Sexual Trauma Coordinator, Evidence-Based Psychotherapy Coordinator, and Telemental Health Co-Coordinator.
 
She is certified in Exposure and Response Prevention, a certified Prolonged Exposure therapist and supervisor, and a certified Cognitive Processing Therapy provider, with a clinical style that’s all action, collaboration, and heart.

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Join the July Family & Loved One’s OCD Support Group on Saturday, July 18th at 11am PT! Free & Online!

DATE CHANGE! Chris Trondsen, LMFT, one of the group’s facilitators, will be at the annual International OCD Foundation conference July 9-12th in Seattle (https://iocdf.org/ocdcon). That falls on the 2nd Saturday of the month, the day we typically hold the group. Therefore, the Family and Loved Ones OCD Support Group will meet on the THIRD Saturday in July, on July 18 at 11:00 AM PT.

We will return to our regular schedule in August. Our August meeting will be held on the 2nd Saturday of the month, August 8, 2026.

Here is information for the July 18th Family & Loved Ones’ OCD Support Group. To learn more about each presenter, please click on the links below. Email info@ocdsocal.org to request the Zoom link:

Dispelling Myths: What Effective CBT / ERP for OCD SHOULD Look Like & the 8 Most Common Reasons It May Fail! – Chris Trondsen, LMFT and Kimberley Quinlan, LMFT

This talk will focus on two topics. The first is an overview of what everyone should expect and receive when engaging in frontline OCD treatments. We will lay out a clear trajectory of what top-notch OCD treatment should look like from start to finish and how to ensure that you are receiving adequate care. The information in this presentation is relevant whether you are new to a diagnosis and starting to seek out care, or you have been in consistent OCD treatment for some time!

The second topic is identifying eight potential roadblocks you may be encountering, even if you are in the right treatment. These roadblocks include inadequate clinician pacing, meaning rushing a client into exposures prematurely and aggressively. Another is sessions turning into talk therapy with no active exposure during the treatment session. We will discuss these and six additional roadblocks we often see that lead to recurring errors in treatment and offer solutions.

The aim of this talk is to have audience members leave with a crystal-clear understanding of what proper OCD treatment looks like, solutions for common pitfalls, and increased knowledge on how one gets better from OCD treatment. This will address the age-old complaint that “OCD treatment did not work for me.”

We will see you on Saturday, July 18th for the 2-hour support group from 11-1pm PT & email info@ocdsocal.org for the link!

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Join the Family & Loved Ones’ OCD Support Group this Saturday, June 13th at 11am PDT!

Chris Trondsen, LMFT, a clinician with OCD, and his mom, Liz, are excited to remind you about our June virtual, free, 2-hour Family and Loved Ones OCD Support Group. To join, simply email info@ocdsocal.org and ask for the Zoom link.

The support group is held every second Saturday of the month. Our next group is this Saturday, June 13th, from 11am to 1pm PT!

Please read the information for June 13th Family & Loved Ones’ OCD Support Group:

Are you finding it difficult to maintain a loving relationship with the person in your life with OCD while at the same time creating boundaries so as not to give in to the disorder? As a supporter of a loved one with OCD, one of the most difficult challenges is balancing having a close relationship with them while at the same time reducing accommodations, reassurance giving, and enabling of OCD. This topic is the main focus of our 2-hour support group for family members and loved ones this upcoming Saturday, June 13th, from 11am to 1pm PDT.

Whether you are a parent of a young child, a teenager, a young adult, or a full-grown adult, this talk is for you. 

Are you a spouse or in a relationship with someone who has OCD, or a sibling or loved one? This talk also has you covered! You, too, are trying to maintain a tight-knit relationship with someone you care for deeply but are also finding that you receive pushback when you refuse to drop your boundaries to give in to your loved one’s anxious demands.

We are joined by two special guest speakers, expert clinicians Jennifer O’Connor, Ph.D., and Elena Fasan, MSW, LCSW, who will focus the discussion on the delicate balance of supporting your loved one without enabling or interfering with their treatment.

Here is more information on the presentation, including the title and description:

Supportive Parenting in OCD: How to Stand Up to OCD While Holding onto Your Relationship with Your Loved One

Parents are the most powerful resource for their child with OCD during their recovery process, but it can be very difficult to stand up to OCD’s demands while still holding onto a strong relationship with your loved one. The presenters will explore common reasons why parents and other caregivers struggle to reduce accommodations and support at-home exposures, even when the importance of these steps is well understood.

A clear formula for supportive parenting will be offered, along with an opportunity to practice supportive communication through role playing. Attendees will leave with a greater understanding of how to reduce OCD’s presence in their children’s lives, no matter their age or if they do or don’t live at home and boost their confidence in their ability to cope with distress—all while maintaining a strong emotional connection with them. Additionally, there will be a discussion on how to be a supportive spouse, sibling, or family member to someone with OCD, and the unique challenges that come with these roles.

Learn more about the special guest presenters for our June support group:

Jennifer O’Connor, PhD – Dr. Jennifer O’Connor – PhD psychologist specializing in OCD, anxiety & eating disorders

Dr. Jennifer O’Connor is a licensed clinical psychologist and an expert in the field of anxiety and eating disorder treatment.  Dr. O’Connor has been featured as an anxiety specialist on the Anderson Cooper Show, CNN Headline News, and A&E’s “Obsessed,” a TV series documenting CBT treatment of individuals with OCD.  Dr. O’Connor trained at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles/ USC’s Keck School of Medicine where she specialized in pediatric and adolescent mental health.  Dr. O’Connor then served as a direct patient care psychologist for 7 years in hospital and residential care settings, treating eating and anxiety disorders in children, teens and adults before transitioning to private practice in San Clemente.  She has been practicing as a licensed psychologist since 2005 and has served as Adjunct Faculty at University of West Alabama Online Counseling and Psychology Program since 2010.  Dr. O’Connor relies on evidenced-based practices including exposure therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and dialectical behavior therapy to help her clients discover freedom in their daily lives.

Elena Fasan, MSW, LCSW –  Meet Elena Fasan – Children’s OCD & Anxiety Collective

Elena Fasan (she/her) is an LCSW and psychotherapist specializing in the treatment of OCD, anxiety disorders, and related disorders in children, adolescents, and emerging adults. She is the founder and director of the Children’s OCD & Anxiety Collective and sees clients in person in Pasadena, CA, and virtually in CA, WA, FL, and some international countries. Elena trained at UCLA’s Child and Adolescent OCD Intensive Outpatient Treatment Program at the Semel Institute and worked at the OCD Center of Los Angeles as a staff therapist before going into private practice. She is passionate about providing evidence-based treatment grounded in CBT, including ERP, ACT, HRT, ComB, and SPACE and advocating for young people diagnosed with OCD and related disorders. Elena also has a special interest in educating and helping parents, caregivers, and others who support those young people. Her background in childcare and her academic study of child and adolescent development and then social work inform her work and collaboration with clients, parents, and families. She is also an educator, with experience working as an adjunct lecturer in the Department of Child and Adolescent Development at California State University, Northridge, her undergraduate alma mater.

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We look forward to seeing you this Saturday! To join, simply email info@ocdsocal.org and ask for the Zoom link.

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Dr. Alec Pollard is the Special Guest for the Saturday, May 9th, Family & Loved One’s OCD Support Group from 11am to 1pm PDT!

Chris Trondsen, LMFT, a clinician with OCD, and his mom, Liz Trondsen, are excited to remind you about our May, virtual, free Family and Loved Ones OCD Support Group. It will be held Saturday, May 9, for two hours, from 11 AM – 1 PM PDT. This support group is every second Saturday of the month, from 11am to 1pm Pacific Time. It is a free, virtual support group available to anyone from anywhere!

To join the support group, email info@ocdsocal.org and simply request the event’s Zoom link or for more information!

Our guest for the Saturday, May 9th, Family and Loved Ones’ OCD Support Group is author, speaker, trainer, and leader in the field, C. Alec Pollard, Ph.D. As group facilitators, it is our mission to bring top-notch guests to each of our support groups to address different aspects of loving and supporting someone with OCD. The support group is 2 hours, from 11am to 1pm Pacific Time, and will start with our guest, Dr. Alec Pollard, discussing relevant information to attendees with a loved one suffering from OCD. The second half will feature a question-and-answer segment where attendees can ask live questions, or ask them publicly or anonymously in the chat! Here is more information on the details to be discussed on May 9th, as well as information on our guest speaker, Dr. Pollard!

We often hear from attendees that they are struggling to get their loved one into OCD treatment, either for the first time or to treatment after a previous negative experience with therapy. Alec will address this problem, including ways to discuss treatment with your loved one, how to reduce accommodations and enabling, reducing home stress, and ultimately, what you, the loved one, can do to improve the situation even if your loved one is not involved in the treatment plan.

Additionally, many of you have a loved one in OCD treatment, yet they are falling short of hitting their treatment goals, and it feels as if they are not giving their “all” in treatment. Alec Pollard, Ph.D., will address potential treatment-interfering behaviors (TIBs) at play, the role of supporters, ways to help your loved one be more successful in treatment, and, ultimately, how to address a loved one in treatment who is not experiencing much success.

Dr. Pollard will draw on both his clinical expertise and material from his popular book, “When a Loved One Won’t Seek Mental Health Treatment.” You will learn ways to improve your family’s current situation, even if your loved one is not in treatment or is not interested in collaborating if they are. This talk will be for family members, loved ones, spouses, friends, and anyone supporting a person in their life with OCD. People with OCD, educators, therapists, and anyone interested in the material are welcome to join!

Alec Pollard, Ph.D., will then answer your questions during the Q&A before the group’s conclusion!

Here is Dr. Pollard’s bio:

Dr. Pollard is Founding Director of the Center for OCD and Anxiety-Related Disorders at Saint Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute and Professor Emeritus of Family and Community Medicine at Saint Louis University School of Medicine. He is a licensed psychologist who works with a range of obsessive-compulsive and anxiety-related disorders, with a special interest in obstacles that inhibit the pursuit of recovery or interfere with effective participation in treatment. He is on the Scientific and Clinical Advisory Board of the International OCD Foundation and chairs the organization’s Training Committee, including a national training initiative called the Behavior Therapy Training Institute.  Dr. Pollard is former chair of the Clinical Advisory Board of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America and has authored or coauthored over 100 publications, including his most recent book entitled When a Loved One Won’t Seek Mental Health Treatment: How to Promote Recovery and Reclaim Your Family’s Well-Being, now available in Spanish.

We will see you Saturday, May 9th, from 11 AM – 1 PM PDT!

The event is open to loved ones, family members and spouses of someone with OCD, as well as people with OCD—or anyone else interested.

To join the support group, email info@ocdsocal.org and simply request the event’s Zoom link or for more information!

The support group facilitators:

Chris Trondsen suffered with severe OCD and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) until receiving specialized treatment. No longer under the control of the disorders, Chris is now a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) at the Gateway Institute in Costa Mesa.  He received his bachelor’s degree in human development and psychology from California State University, Long Beach. Additionally, Chris earned a Master of Science (M.S.) Degree in Counseling at California State University, Fullerton.  Chris is on the Board of Directors for the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF), as well as in leadership for four of their special interest groups (SIG) including the BDD SIG, Trauma & Grief SIG, and others. He also currently serves as the Vice President of the IOCDF’s Southern California Affiliate (OCD Southern California – OCD So Cal), leading efforts in OCD awareness and education in the local community. Chris is a national speaker on OCD and was the keynote speaker at the International OCD Foundation’s yearly conference in 2011. He continues to be a regular presenter at the IOCDF’s annual conferences. At the annual conference, Chris helped create the Young Adult Track, which is now an essential part of the conference’s program.

Website: Chris Trondsen: LMFT & OCD Specialist – The Gateway Institute

Liz Trondsen is the mother of a son with mental illness. When her son, Chris, was diagnosed at age twenty, she was able to locate a treatment center in Los Angeles where he received excellent cognitive behavioral therapy. From a young man consumed with obsessions and compulsions, Liz watched her son regain his life, graduate college, and now work to help others fight this disorder. Liz helps to facilitate a Family Support Group online that brings families and people with OCD together to provide support, suggestions and hope to one another. Liz graduated from CSULB with a bachelor’s in science in Dietetics and Food Administration and completed her dietetic internship in Detroit, Michigan.  Liz spent her career working in hospitals, as a Food Service Director and a Clinical Nutrition Manager.  Since retiring in 2024, Liz has focused her interests on nutrition and mental health.  With the others on this panel, she has presented twice at the IOCDF conference and presents an update annually to the Family and Loved One’s OCD Support Group. 

Website: https://ocdsocal.org/about-us/board-of-directors/