Join OCD Southern California in Orange County on Saturday, June 29th at 10am (registration at 9:30am). We will be joining the IOCDF’s “One Million Steps for OCD” Walk and we invite interested individuals to join us in Orange County! The walk will take place at the Marriott Hotel near South Coast Plaza. The address is 500 Anton Boulevard, Costa Mesa, California, 92626.
When you arrive, please join us in the Lakeview Salon and Terrace on the first floor of the hotel, past the bar and lobby. Look out for signage and volunteers.
Following registration and t-shirt distribution at 9:30 AM, the Opening Ceremony will begin at 10:00 AM. The walk will start at 10:30 AM. Coffee will be available.
The walk route is a one-mile loop around the Sparkling Pond. The walkway is flat and paved. Walk at your own pace, bring your friends and your dogs and meet new members of the community!
The walk will be followed by speakers with lived experience, a Q&A and light refreshments. Final remarks at 1:00 PM.
The fee for parking in the Marriot Costa Mesa parking structure has been waived for the Orange County OCD Walk. Please see the concierge prior to leaving for parking validation.
If you have not yet registered, walk-ins are very welcome!
If you have any questions, please contact us at info@ocdsocal.org. We look forward to seeing you at the Orange County walk!
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!
Each year, the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) sponsors “One Million Steps For OCD” walks around the country to bring together members of the local OCD communities to raise awareness, hope, and funds to the support the important programs of the IOCDF and partnering local affiliates, including OCD SoCal.
Join OCD SoCal for one our “One Million Steps For OCD” walks happening in San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange County, or Inland Empire on Saturday, June 4, 2022, to raise awareness, hope, and funds to the support the IOCDF and OCD Southern California!
Schedule for all walks is as follows:
Check in, onsite registration, and t-shirt distribution Opening remarks and group photo (opt-in) Walk Picnic, presentations, and community mingle events
(For specific start times for each activity, please visit each individual location’s registration page since times vary based on location)
Walk meet up locations: San Diego – La Jolla Shores Hotel, Garden Patio (8110 Camino Del Oro, LA Jolla, CA 92037) Los Angeles – Pan Pacific Park (7600 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036) Orange County – Wakeham Park (3400 Smalley St., Costa Mesa, CA 92626) Inland Empire – Cypress Trails Park (6571 Schaefer Ave., Chino, CA 91710)
OCD SoCal is proud to partner with the IOCDF in hosting walks in San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange County, and Inland Empire. You can learn more about the history of the “One Million Steps For OCD” walk and how to get involved in your local OCD SoCal walk by visiting the IOCDF website.
So sign up today and join us as we spread OCD awareness to our local communities!
