Registration is open for OCD SoCal’s Inland Empire Speaker Series. The event is happening at the Chino Hills Community Center at 14250 Peyton Dr., Chino Hills, CA, 91709 on Sunday April 7, 2024 from 10am – 2pm PST. A lunch, beverages, and parking are provided. For more information and to register for the event, click here: The Inland Empire Speakers Series is Sold Out.. Here are the event’s speakers in alphabetical order by first name:
Bio: Chris Trondsen suffered with severe OCD, body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), major depressive disorder, along with the anxiety that came with these disorders, until receiving specialized treatment. No longer under the control of the disorders, Chris now works as a licensed clinician in the mental health field, treating OCD, BDD, and related disorders at The Gateway Institute in Costa Mesa, California. Chris has shared his story of recovery on the Montel Williams Show, Dr. Drew, Fox 5 San Diego, Vox, Vice, Buzzfeed, NBC, Wondermind, as well as speaking at IOCDF annual conferences. He is Vice President of OCD Southern California and also serves on the Board of Directors of the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF). Additionally, he is one of the IOCDF’s lead advocates publicly sharing his recovery story. He is also a leader of multiple IOCDF Special Interest Groups (SIGs) and created the Young Adult Track at the annual IOCDF conference. He hosts a livestream (“Ask The Experts” and “Lunch and Learn”) every Wednesday, from 9am – 10am PST, with co-host Dr. Liz McIngvale.
Melinda Ramos
Bio: Melinda Ramos is a death care worker, small business owner, and proud mom to a small black pug named, Juelz. She enjoys watching wrestling with her pug, thrift store shopping and creating art. Her biggest pet peeve is when folks use OCD as an adjective. OCD isn’t a cute quirk, it’s a debilitating disorder.
Roy Robbins
Bio: Roy Robbins is an ordained Lutheran pastor and has served at Christ Lutheran Chino for over 8 years. Roy and his wife of 46 years, Jeanine, live in the parsonage and serve the church as a team. They have two children and 7 grandchildren. Roy is a late life pastor, worked for many years at Hughes Aircraft Co., and has owned 2 brick and mortar used bookstores. Roy enjoys reading, watching his beloved (while suffering) Anaheim Ducks and spending time with family. His dream is to write a book explaining to the world that OCD is not a joke or a funny little quirk.
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We look forward to seeing everyone at the IE event. Make sure to register before the event is sold out! For more information and to register for the event, click here: The Inland Empire Speakers Series is Sold Out.
The Inland Empire Speaker Series is being held on Saturday, April 22, 2023 from 10am – 1pm PST. Check-in for the event will open at 9:30am. We suggest you arrive early for check-in and then the event will begin promptly at 10am. If you have not registered for the event, there are still low-cost tickets available. Your registration includes a catered meal, beverages, and free parking. For more information and to register, visit: OCD SoCal Speaker Series – Inland Empire Tickets via EventBrite
Here is a list with details of the sessions being offered:
Registration: 9:30amPST
When you arrive and enter the Carolyn Owens Community Center, turn right and walk down the hallway. You will reach an OCD Southern California sign at the end of this hallway. When you see the sign, turn right again to enter the Multipurpose Room where the event is located. The check-in desk is located outside of the Multipurpose Room. You do not need to bring your EventBrite ticket; we have the names of everyone who registered and will check you in at the check-in table.
Introduction and Welcome: 10 – 10:10amPST
OCD Southern California board member Chris Trondsen, LMFT, APCC (http://ocdsocal.org/about-us/board-of-directors/) will welcome attendees, go over the day’s events, and announce additional important information. Then the event’s presentations will begin.
There will be five sessions total, with four talks running consecutively and the final (fifth) session featuring all of the day’s speakers for an “Ask the Expert” Q&A Panel.
Session I: 10:10 – 10:40amPST
How to Find the Right Therapist and Receive an Accurate OCD Diagnosis – Eda Gorbis, Ph.D., LMFT, and Alexander Gorbis, AMFT http://www.hope4ocd.com/index.php
Obtaining treatment from an inexperienced therapist who is not trained in evidence-based therapy for OCD can actually cause more harm than good. Therefore, in this discussion, the presenters will give an overview of what to look for in a therapist when seeking out OCD treatment. They will cover the difference between a general talk therapist and a clinician who specializes in the treatment of OCD and related disorders. Additionally, they will discuss what goes into the assessment process and how to receive a proper OCD diagnosis. A discussion on differential diagnosis (such as generalized anxiety disorder) and comorbidities (depression, PTSD) will conclude this presentation.
Session II: 10:40 – 11:10amPST
There Is Always Hope: Parenting a Child with OCD – A mother and father of a teenage daughter with OCD
It can feel as if there is no hope when your loved one is experiencing OCD. Years of suffering, misdiagnosis, and poor treatment is what many experience early on in their journey. Treatment can be challenging and feel like a never-ending battle. Inspirational, success stories are needed to provide hope and proof that someone with OCD can get better–and that is what you will hear in this talk with a family who has lived this experience. For this lived-experience panel, a mother and father of a tween daughter with OCD will share their story of how the family came together through an OCD diagnosis. The parents will open up about their journey and share what helped them navigate this experience successfully! OCD is a family disorder and this mother and father will discuss pivotal moments in their daughter’s recovery, including early symptoms, finding an OCD specialist, supporting their daughter through treatment, and their changing role as their daughter’s symptoms improved.
Session III: 11:20 – 11:50amPST
Recovery Is Possible! How to Be Successful in OCD Treatment – Chris Trondsen, LMFT, APCC http://ocdsocal.org/about-us/board-of-directors/ and Michelle Malloy, MFT, PMH-C https://oc-therapy.com Individuals with OCD often feel hopeless, thinking there is no relief to the intrusive thoughts looping in their heads and the hours of exhausting compulsive behaviors. Sometimes someone with OCD has started the treatment but gave up early on because it felt too difficult. This talk will offer solutions on common roadblocks that can come up in treatment. The presenters, two licensed clinicians, will help you understand how the OCD treatment works and why it is so successful for many. The presentation will also address the first steps in getting started with exposure and response prevention (ERP). Additionally, the speakers will share how to address mental compulsions, reduce physical compulsions, find motivation and engagement, be on the offense in treatment, and the overall mindset needed to recovery. Relapse prevention and transitioning out of therapy will also be addressed! This will be a crash course on the evidence-based, front-line treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Session IV: 11:50 – 12:20pmPST
The Heroic Journey To Overcome OCD! A Story of Two Women’s Fight Against The Disorder – Sophia Fitts, Miranda Gomez, and Chris Trondsen, LMFT, APCC (moderator) http://ocdsocal.org/about-us/board-of-directors/
When suffering with OCD, it can feel as if recovery is impossible. Often trapped in a stuck cycle of intrusive thoughts and hours of exhaustive, compulsive behaviors, with no end in sight. Individuals with the disorder often feel hopeless and lost on how to get better. Sophia and Miranda will share their experience on how they were able to escape these hopeless times. Both will discuss how they were able to find a proper OCD diagnosis, find specialized care, stay motivated throughout the treatment, and finish strong–allowing them both to live a full and fulfilled life. They will share the ups-and-downs of treatment and what they did to become successful in managing OCD symptoms. This lived-experience panel will be moderated by licensed therapist, Chris Trondsen, Vice President of OCD Southern California.
Lunch: 12:20pmPST
OCD Southern California is providing beverages and a catered lunch from The Corner Bakery. There will be different food options to choose from; you will select your preferred option at check-in. The lunches are provided in a portable dinnerware. We ask you to bring your food to your seat in the Multipurpose Room as we begin the final session presentation.
Session V: 12:20 – 1:00pmPST
Ask The Experts: Summary Q&A Panel – All of the event’s presenters
Please join us for an opportunity to ask questions of a panel consisting of all of the event’s presenters. This is an opportunity to ask any of the questions you were unable to ask during the day; that talk’s presenters will be able to answer your questions at this panel. The panel will consist of leading OCD experts and individuals with OCD.
Event Concludes: 1:00pmPST
On your way out, please make sure to sign up for OCD Southern California’s mailing list and to sign up for our free, virtual Family and Loved One’s OCD Support Group!
