Articles by Jennie Kuckertz

OCD SoCal invites you to join us for our 2017 OCD Southern California Conference, to be held March 25, 2017 from 10am-3pm (Mariners Church, Life Development Building 2^nd Floor, 5001 Newport Coast Drive, Irvine, CA 92603). This conference is an opportunity to learn more about obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and its treatment, provide support for individuals with OCD and their families, and gain practical knowledge about a variety of issues that may arise with OCD and related disorders. This event is particularly designed for individuals affected by OCD and their families, however we encourage clinicians, researchers, and students interested in learning more about OCD to attend.

Keynote Speakers:

Jonathan Grayson, PhD, The Grayson LA Treatment Center for Anxiety & OCD
Keynote address: Living with Uncertainty: It’s the Only Choice

Ethan Smith, National Spokesperson for IOCDF
Keynote address: Family Matters and OCD: Sharing the Lessons I’ve Learned

Breakout Groups* (1pm-3pm):

*participants select two groups

Ask the Psychiatrist: An Interactive Discussion on Medications for OCD (led by Sean Sassano, MD)

Children’s OCD Activities and Crafting (led by Renewed Freedom Center)

Exposure and Response Prevention Workshop (led by Jon Grayson, PhD and Thröstur Björgvinsson, PhD)

Family Contracting (led by Melissa Mose, MFT and Jennie Kuckertz, MS)

How We Did It: Tips and Tools For Successful OCD Treatment (led by Chris Trondsen and Ethan Smith)

Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders (led by Eda Gorbis, PhD)

Seating is limited, please register by March 11 (click here for registration link). Cost is $25 for adults 18+, $15 for teens 12-17, and free for children 11 and under. Lunch will be included in the registration cost for all individuals who register before the March 11 deadline. Scholarships and volunteer opportunities are available, please email us (info@ocdsocal.org) for more information.

If you do not wish to pay by credit card: Please email us at info@ocdsocal.org to RSVP, and send a check postmarked by March 11 to the following address:
OCD SoCal
PO Box 99998
San Diego, CA 92169

OCD SoCal is pleased to introduce our new president, Dr. Barbara Van Noppen, and incoming board members. Dr. Van Noppen joins the board with over 30 years of experience in the treatment and study of OCD and is on the Scientific Advisory Board of the International OCD Foundation. Dr. Van Noppen is an associate professor of clinical psychiatry at the University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine and Behavioral Sciences where she teaches and supervises cognitive behavioral therapy. Dr. Van Noppen is internationally recognized for her work including family members in CBT for OCD.

Additional incoming board members include (officers denoted with *):

Patricia Bosvay* – OCD parent advocate (Treasurer)
Jonathan Grayson, Ph.D. – OCD therapist
Jennie Kuckertz, M.S.* – OCD therapist and researcher (Secretary/Communications Specialist)
Melissa Mose, LMFT* – OCD therapist (Membership/Mailing List)
Sean Sassano-Higgins, M.D. –OCD psychiatrist
Chris Trondsen* – OCD therapist (Vice President)
Liz Trondsen* – OCD parent advocate (Event Coordinator)
Barbara Van Noppen, Ph.D., LCSW* – OCD therapist and researcher (President)
Jenny Yip, Psy.D. – OCD therapist

The board held their first meeting in November to start planning OCD SoCal’s next event. SAVE THE DATE: MARCH 25, 2017! MORE DETAILS TO FOLLOW.