In just over a week, from July 7-9 (with evening activities starting on Thursday, July 6), the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF – http://www.iocdf.org) is hosting the largest OCD conference on the planet! It is in San Francisco, California this year and we encourage you to come! Pre-registration for the conference closes on Thursday, June 29 at 12 noon PST. If you don’t pre-register online ahead of time, you can still register at the event! Onsite Registration begins on Thursday, July 6 at 2pm PST at the IOCDF registration desks at the San Francisco Marriott Marquis. The conference website http://www.iocdf.org/ocdcon is where you are able to register!
It is ideal for individuals with OCD, their family members and loved ones, mental health professionals, researchers, and anyone wanting to learn more about OCD. There will be OCD presentations, talks & support groups, as well community building activities and a chance to bond with others going through a similar situation as you.
Choose from twenty different support groups to speak to others on a journey similar to yours – make connections and leave the conference with new resources and friends.
The conference also includes a Youth Program – three days of activities for kids in elementary, middle, and high school. This is a great opportunity for your children to meet others who truly understand them.
As always, the conference will feature a keynote speaker and a Saturday night party- great food, awards, and dancing! This year’s keynote speaker is actress and comedian Maria Bamford, who has OCD, who you may recognize for her Netflix show, “Lady Dynamite.” Check out her website: https://www.mariabamford.com
Best of all – experience the OCD community! At an IOCDF conference everyone mingles- speak directly to therapists, advocates, the IOCDF staff and those with lived experience. It is impossible to leave this conference without more knowledge, new resources and friends and a great feeling of hope. Don’t miss it!
OCD Southern California board members will be there and on Saturday during lunch, we are hosting a meeting to get to know us and to learn how to get involved with our affiliate! If you are at the conference, look at the program guide for more details on our open, OCD SoCal lunch event that you are welcome to attend!
The International OCD Foundation (www.iocdf.org)’s annual conference is just a little over one week away! In San Francisco, on July 7th through the 9th, the OCD community will come together for the largest OCD conference on the planet! Past conferences had nearly 2,000 people in attendance. This event is aimed at individuals with OCD, their family members and loved ones, researchers, therapists, and anyone interested in learning more about OCD. Go to: http://www.iocdf.org/ocdcon to register and for more information.
If you still have questions about the IOCDF’s OCD conference, are on the fence about going, or you are attending and want an exciting conference preview, make sure to tune into “Ask The Experts” on Wednesday, June 28th at 9am PST / 12 noon ET. http://www.iocdf.org/live
Join OCD SoCal’s Vice President, Chris Trondsen, and his co-host, Dr. Liz McIngvale for an “Ask the Experts” featuring IOCDF staff member and program director Stephanie Cogen and President of the IOCDF Board of Directors, Susan Boaz! They will be discussing all things IOCDF conference and you can ask your questions live! It is being live-streamed this Wednesday, June 28, at 9am PST / 12 noon ET at www.iocdf.org/live!
Saturday, June 17, 2023, from 9:30am – 1pm PST, OCD Southern California is hosting the Orange County “One Million Steps for OCD” walk at Wakeham Park in Costa Mesa, CA! For more information and to register, please visit: www.iocdf.org/orangecountywalk.
Below is the agenda, a description of the day’s events, and the speakers for our OCD clinician and people with OCD panels!
Agenda of the day’s events (all times in PST):
9:30am: Check-in and T-Shirt pick up
The official walk t-shirt
If you donated at least $25 when signing up, you will get an official walk t-shirt. Please arrive at 9:30am to ensure all t-shirts are passed out so the event can start on time.
10:00am: Opening remarks, “why we walk” group sharing, and group picture (opt-in)
OCD Southern California board members, Chris and Liz Trondsen will welcome you to Orange County’s “One Million Steps for OCD” walk. We will then open it up to attendees to share ‘why you walk,’ meaning, what brings you out to the event and who are you there to support. We will then take a group picture for those who would like to join.
10:30am: Walk begins!
The walk path is on flat, grassy land. Once around the path is 0.25 of a mile. Walkers are able to dictate their own pace, the distance they complete, and the path is children, elderly, dog, and ADA friendly!
11:30am: Walk concludes and lunch service begins
We will be providing a full lunch and beverages for all attendees!
11:45am: Clinician and lived-experience panels begin
There will be two panels providing OCD education and resources. The clinician panel is made up of three local clinicians who specialize in the treatment of OCD, OCD-related disorders, and anxiety. They will each do a brief talk on an OCD related topic. The lived-experience panel consists of three individuals with OCD who have all gone through treatment and are now living fulfilled lives. They will share some tips and ways they were able to get the disorder under control. Then the panels will open up for a Q&A and all attendees are welcome to ask the panelists questions!
Bio: Michelle Malloy, MFT, PMH-C, completed her Bachelor’s Degree at UCLA in Psychology and went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology from Cal State Fullerton. She has worked in mental health for over twenty years. She received training from the UCLA Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Clinic and Western Youth Services. Michelle has completed the Behavioral Therapy Training Institute (BTTI)’s general and pediatric training programs through the International OCD Foundation and specializes in using cognitive-behavioral therapy and exposure and response prevention to treat OCD. She also treats generalized anxiety, panic disorder, and eating disorders. Additionally, she is certified in perinatal mental health and EMDR trained.
Bio: 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. She has been practicing as a licensed psychologist since 2005, and relies on evidenced-based practices including exposure therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and dialectical behavior therapy to help her clients to discover freedom in their daily lives.
Bio: Kevin Foss, MFT, has been treating OCD and related disorders since 2008. His clinical specialization spans the full range of the anxiety spectrum. This includes all subtypes of OCD, such as Harm OCD, Contamination, Sexual-Orientation OCD, Moral and Religious Scrupulosity, and more. Additionally, he treats Social Anxiety, Health Anxiety, and Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs). He has lectured at major OCD conferences including the IOCDF’s annual conference and the OCD SoCal’s annual conference. Kevin also hosts the “Fearcast” podcast!
Bio: Chris Trondsen suffered with severe OCD and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) 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, and 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. He is also a leader of multiple IOCDF Special Interest Groups (SIGs) and created the Young Adult Track at the annual IOCDF conference.
Bio: Lauren Rosen, LMFT, is the Founder and Director of the Center for the Obsessive Mind. Lauren is based in Southern California but is also licensed to work with individuals in Florida, Utah, and Nevada. In her work as a therapist, Lauren specializes in working with people who have OCD, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, and obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders. Additionally, she treats trauma and depression. Lauren also co-hosts the “Purely OCD” podcast and is co-author of the book “Intuitive Eating.” Lauren has presented at both the IOCDF and OCD Southern California annual conferences.
Bio: Kelley Franke is Licensed Marriage and Family therapist specializing in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, with a focus on Exposure & Response Prevention, in adults, adolescents, and children suffering from OCD, and other Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders. Kelley has lived experience with OCD and Anxiety and is especially passionate about working with postpartum and Perinatal OCD. Kelley completed her Masters in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University. During her graduate program she worked as a behavioral assistant at The OCD Center of Los Angeles, where she then completed her internship and received her clinical specialized training. Additionally, she received training in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy from Behavioral Tech Research through The Linehan Institute. Kelley is also the co-host of Purely OCD, a podcast on all things OCD.
12:45pm: Opportunity drawing for attendees
Each walker will get a ticket and we will be giving away prizes. Winners must be in attendance to receive a prize if your ticket is drawn!
Did you miss the Early Bird Deadline for the Annual IOCDF OCD Conference, sponsored by Neurobehavioral Institute? Then you’re in luck — it’s been extended until May 30, 2023! Click this link to register today to lock in the lowest rates for the largest in-person event dedicated to OCD and related disorders.
Also, remember that families of 4 or more receive 15% off registration fees for everyone attending. OCD affects everyone in the family, and we have sessions, workshops, and support groups that will benefit the entire household!
