During this year’s OCD Awareness Week, on Saturday, October 16, 2021, from 10am to 12 noon PST, OCD Southern California is offering a free and interactive virtual event! This event includes presentations from members of the OCD SoCal board discussing various OCD topics!
These topics include presentations from experts on: exposure and response prevention treatment, OCD medications, and how to reduce family accommodation. Additionally, a panel consisting of individuals in recovery from OCD will share their lived experiences.
Finally, the event will conclude with a presentation from a special guest, Kimberley Quinlan, LMFT. She will be discussing her newly released book, “The Self-Compassion Workbook for OCD.”
All are welcome to attend, and the second half of the presentation will allow attendees to ask questions on any material presented. It is a fantastic opportunity to educate the public on OCD, so please also invite family and loved ones who would benefit from learning more about this disorder.
We will be sending out the specific Zoom link to those on our OCD SoCal mailing list, so if you or someone you feel would be interested in attending are not on that list, please email us at: info@OCDSoCal.org.
This year OCD Awareness Week is from Sunday, October 10th until Saturday, October 16, 2021!
OCD Southern California Conference 2021: A Virtual Event
Join us for the 5th annual OCD Southern California conference–a virtual event this year! We are thrilled to present the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF)’s National and Lead Advocates as our keynote speakers. We are pleased to introduce our speakers:
Ethan S. Smith was born with OCD and struggled the majority of his life until receiving life-changing treatment in 2010. Ethan was the keynote speaker at the 2014 Annual OCD Conference in Los Angeles. He serves as an IOCDF National Advocate. He has devoted his life to reducing stigma around OCD and mental health, to education, and to supporting the OCD community.
Elizabeth McIngvale, PhD is the director of the McLean Houston OCD Program. Elizabeth is a National Advocate for the IOCDF and serves as a board member. She was diagnosed with OCD at age 12 and underwent both inpatient and outpatient therapy. Elizabeth engages in clinical work, research, and advocacy with the goal of improving access to care and OCD treatment.
Valerie Andrews received an OCD diagnosis in 2011 and, following treatment, began advocating in hopes of bringing awareness and inclusion within her own community and communities of faith. Her goal is to continue working as an IOCDF Lead Advocate and promoting change for women of age, color, and faith.
Tom Smalley, MS, CSCS was diagnosed with OCD at the age of 16 and shortly after became passionate about spreading awareness about OCD. Tom was the recipient of the 2019 IOCDF Hero Award. He speaks at the Annual OCD Conferences and has appeared on a variety of blogs and podcasts. Tom is particularly passionate about athletes and OCD and the stigma of mental health in sports.
Chris Trondsen, MS, AMFT, APCC, suffered from undiagnosed, severe OCD and BDD from childhood. Following treatment, Chris began advocating for mental health and shared his story on TV, newspapers and podcasts. Chris began speaking at Annual OCD Conferences, including giving the keynote with his mom at the 2011 conference. He also helped start the Young Adult Track at the annual conference.
Each of these advocates is a person with OCD who devotes time to support others with the disorder and to advocate for better mental health services.
Following the keynote speakers, there will be a total of 30 break-out sessions offered during three consecutive time slots. Ten breakout sessions will be offered during each time slot. More information about our presentations, led by some of the top OCD experts in the United States, is now posted on our website: ocdsocal.org. We are also offering community discussion groups, two documentaries, and a mindfulness/yoga workshop during the lunch break. The conference will end with a Summary Q&A Panel and an opportunity drawing for various prizes.
Up to 5.25 CEs available for LMFT, LPCC, LCSW and psychologists.
Saturday, October 10th, 2020 at 11am PST (Zoom link included below)
To celebrate, and kick off OCD Awareness Week, OCD Southern California will be presenting four of our Southern California Board members on a Zoom presentation.
This event will take place on Saturday, October 10th, at 11am to 1pm PST. The board members will speak for about an hour, answer your questions, and then conclude with a Family and Loved One’s OCD Support Group for the remainder of the time.
The OCD So Cal board members will be presenting on the following topics:
“Kids, Teens, and OCD” – Jenny Yip, Psy.D.
“Family Accommodation” – Barbara Van Noppen, Ph.D., LCSW
“Treatment Resistance” – Melissa Mose, LMFT
“Medications” – Sean Sassano-Higgins, M.D.
The Family and Loved One’s OCD Support Group will follow the above mentioned presentation, and question and answer segment, for the remainder of the event. The support group will be hosted by OCD So Cal board members Chris Trondsen, M.S., AMFT, APCC, Liz Trondsen, and Patricia Bosvay.
We hope to see you there! For questions, please email us at: Info@OCDSoCal.org.
Zoom link to join the event:
OCD SoCal is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: OCD SoCal: Support For Families Time: Oct 10, 2020 11:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Meeting ID: 942 1738 4942 Passcode: 413816 One tap mobile +16699006833,,94217384942#,,,,,,0#,,413816# US (San Jose) +12532158782,,94217384942#,,,,,,0#,,413816# US (Tacoma)
Dial by your location +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown) Meeting ID: 942 1738 4942 Passcode: 413816 Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/ac6JXofJ1C
OCD Awareness Week is an international effort taking place during the second week in October each year to raise awareness and understanding about obsessive-compulsive disorder and related disorders–with the goal of helping more people to get timely access to appropriate and effective treatment. Launched in 2009 by the IOCDF, OCD Awareness Week is now celebrated by a number of organizations across the US and around the world, with events such as OCD screening days, lectures, conferences, fundraisers, online Q&As, and more.
Current planned events (please keep checking back for more possible events announced):
1. Sunday, October 13, 2019; 1pm to 5pm- In Orange County, OCD So Cal is holding an outdoor OCD Picnic Event that will include clinicians discussing and answering questions on OCD, success stories from individuals in OCD recovery, OCD information booths, a catered lunch, bounce house, classic games such as a water balloon toss and watermelon eating contest, music, fun in the sun, and more! This free event is aimed for adults, families, children, and friends! RSVP here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ocd-awareness-orange-county-tickets-72137963591
Wakeham Park 3400 Smalley Rd., Costa Mesa, CA 92626
2. Wednesday, October 16, 2019; 7pm to 9pm- “The Diagnosis, Characteristics, and Treatment of OCD–and the ADHD Connection!” OCD Southern California’s Vice President, Chris Trondsen, M.S., AMFT, APCC, will be presenting on OCD and ADHD. The talk will focus on individuals dealing with both OCD and ADHD, how the disorders are both different and similar, how to treat an individual with both disorders with medication and therapy, why doctors misdiagnose and confuse these disorders, as well as a general overview of the diagnosis, characteristics, and treatment of OCD!
H4K Coaching, Training, and Therapy Center 145 W. Main Street (upstairs) Tustin, CA 92780
3. Saturday, October 19, 2019; 9:30am to 2:00pm- “A to the Z of Breaking OCD.” OCD Southern California is hosting an event at Rogers Behavioral Health in San Diego, CA. This educational presentation will include breakout sessions led by clinicians focusing on the following topics: OCD Medication Management, Dealing with Resistance to OCD Treatment, Treating Co-Existing Disorders of OCD, and “I Got My OCD Controlled.. Now What?” The event will include a Q&A segment and lunch, as well as a tour of Rogers’ new facility!
Rogers Behavioral Health 17140 Bernardo Center Dr. 3rd Floor San Diego, CA 92128
4. Saturday, October 19, 2019; 2pm to 5pm- OCD Southern California is hosting an event in Los Angeles, CA. Location and details to be announced soon!
Location in Los Angeles To Be Announced Soon!
For more information, please email info@OCDSoCal.org and indicate that you would like to join our mailing list to be notified with up-to-date information about our 2019 OCD Awareness Week events!
