NOTE: These events below are just some of the virtual and in-person offerings from OCD Southern California. Each year we host our Speaker Series, an in-person event featuring presentations by OCD specialists from the Southern California area. We also join the IOCDF in hosting “One Million Steps for OCD Walks” in various counties in SoCal. We also host The Online OCD Conference, a Global low-cost, virtual event in November–with this year it being held Saturday, November 7 and Sunday, November 8. More details to come but below is information on the conference and other upcoming events.
Please check this page frequently, as well as our home page, as we announce information on our Speaker Series, participation in the International OCD Foundation’s “One Million Steps for OCD” walks, OCD Awareness Week events, holiday party, online conference, and even more events! Scroll down to learn more about our featured events and how you can register to be in attendance!
The 2026 In-Person Speaker Series Event
https://ocdspeakerseries.eventbrite.com
Register Today for OCD SoCal’s Saturday, May 30th, 10am – 3pm, In-Person Speaker Series! We are currently offering discounted, early-bird registration so sign up today!
OCD Southern California is happy to announce that registration is now open for the 2026 OCD SoCal Speakers Series!
We are also pleased to announce that we will be offering 3 Continuing Education credit for professionals (LMFTs, LPCCs, LCSWs, and psychologists)!
To register for this event, click on: https://ocdspeakerseries.eventbrite.com.
What is new this year is that OCD SoCal is holding one Speakers Series event in one central location at Orange Coast College! We invite everyone in Southern California to join us under one roof!
This low-cost, in-person event will feature presentations by local, Southern California OCD treatment providers. They will facilitate panels and presentations on OCD and related disorders. This will also be an excellent opportunity to meet and connect with others in similar situations as you and your family in the local OCD community.
These events are for individuals with OCD, their family members and loved ones, mental health providers, students and the general public. Talks for the general public will be presented throughout the day.
Ticket Prices:
Early Bird Tickets (ends April 20): $10.00
General Admission (ends May 14): $15.00
May 15 – May 30: $18.00
We are pleased that we are able to provide 3 CE credits for clinicians (LMFT, LPCC, LCSW and psychologists). Please register using the Professional Ticket at a cost of $45.00.
Beverages and a catered lunch will be provided. Parking is free.
More information will be provided soon on the agenda, the program and the speakers on the Speaker Series page on our website: ocdsocal.org/speakerseries
For further information on the Speakers Series, please contact us through email at info@ocdsocal.org.
Once again, we will be hosting one Speaker Series event this year in a central location and invite all of the Southern California OCD community to join us and connect in one location!
To register for this event, click on: https://ocdspeakerseries.eventbrite.com.
To learn more about the 18 presenters speaking at our Sat., May 30th OCD Southern California Speaker Series, please click here: https://ocdsocal.org/4914/meet-the-18-presenters-speaking-on-saturday-may-30th-at-our-in-person-ocd-socal-speaker-series/
The 2026 Online OCD Conference, A Global Event
The Online OCD Conference, A Global Event—hosted by OCD SoCal, is coming BACK this year! Thank you for making last year’s event so successful and demanding its return! The conference proposal system is open and we are now accepting proposals for our Saturday and Sunday, November 7-8, 2026 conference! If you would like to speak at our conference, please go to: Online OCD Conference Proposal Submission Page (this is a Google Doc, so you may need to log into your Google account to access the form).
OCD Southern California has been hosting conferences since 2015, and in 2021, OCD SoCal created the Online OCD Conference and transitioned to a virtual platform. This year’s event will be held Saturday and Sunday, November 7-8, 2026.
We hope you clear your calendars and are able to attend live on Saturday, November 7th through Sunday, November 8, 2026! The 2026 conference is from 9am to 6:30pm PST (including after hours community discussion groups and interactive events) on Saturday the 7th, and 9am to 3pm PST on Sunday the 8th.
Our conference has been a cornerstone for global collaboration, bringing together experts, innovators, and thought leaders from around the world.
Whether you’re a seasoned speaker or new to presenting, we invite you to participate in the OCD Online Conference. This globally connected event brings together varied voices from around the world. Our proposal system is now officially open! We welcome innovative ideas, fresh perspectives, and research that resonates across borders from mental health providers, researchers, individuals with lived experience and their families, and others interested in speaking on OCD and related disorders.
OCD SoCal values perspectives from individuals with lived experience. To maximize the number of voices represented, we are unable to accept proposals for single presenter talks at this time. If you are interested in speaking, we encourage you to collaborate with your therapist to form a panel. Panels allow for a richer exchange of insights and can offer both valuable information and inspiration to a broader audience.
If you would like to speak at our conference, please go to: Online OCD Conference Proposal Submission Page
The deadline for proposals is Wednesday, May 20, 2026.
When opened, the Proposal Form will have answers to FAQs. We hope you consider submitting a proposal! Email us at info@ocdsocal.org with any questions!
Here are some stats from our previous conference evaluations that will help you brainstorm potential topics to submit on starting Monday, April 6:
2025 Conference Attendee Information:
Nearly 1400 attendees (N = 1382)
At least 15 countries
At least 39 US states
Session Information:
53 sessions
- 1 Keynote
- 46 Break Outs
- 5 After Hours
- 1 Wrap Up Panel
29 CE sessions
Speaker Information:
112 speakers
Satisfaction:
97.2% of attendees gained something useful (agree or strongly agree)
96.5% of attendees plan to attend future conferences (agree or strongly agree)
Affordability & Accessibility:
Nearly 80% of attendees (79.6%) said that its affordability (low costs/scholarships) influenced decision to attend conference (somewhat, a little, a great deal)
Nearly half of attendees (47.7%) had never attended an OCD conference before (neither in person nor online
What are people asking for more of?
Topics:
OCD Subtypes
Comorbidities (especially trauma, OCPD, ASD)
OCRDs
Identity/culture
Kids
Talks that incorporate:
Accessing treatment & concrete resources
Case Examples/Hands On/Practical Strategies
If you would like to speak at our conference, please go to: Online OCD Conference Proposal Submission Page
We hope you consider submitting a proposal!
Our free, virtual Family and Loved Ones OCD Support Group
Chris Trondsen, LMFT, a clinician with OCD, and his mom, Liz Trondsen, are excited to remind you about our May, virtual, free Family and Loved Ones OCD Support Group. It will be held Saturday, May 9, for two hours, from 11 AM – 1 PM PDT. This support group is every second Saturday of the month, from 11am to 1pm Pacific Time. It is a free, virtual support group available to anyone from anywhere!
To join the support group, email info@ocdsocal.org and simply request the event’s Zoom link or for more information!
Our guest for the Saturday, May 9th, Family and Loved Ones’ OCD Support Group is author, speaker, trainer, and leader in the field, C. Alec Pollard, Ph.D. As group facilitators, it is our mission to bring top-notch guests to each of our support groups to address different aspects of loving and supporting someone with OCD. The support group is 2 hours, from 11am to 1pm Pacific Time, and will start with our guest, Dr. Alec Pollard, discussing relevant information to attendees with a loved one suffering from OCD. The second half will feature a question-and-answer segment where attendees can ask live questions, or ask them publicly or anonymously in the chat! Here is more information on the details to be discussed on May 9th, as well as information on our guest speaker, Dr. Pollard!
We often hear from attendees that they are struggling to get their loved one into OCD treatment, either for the first time or to treatment after a previous negative experience with therapy. Alec will address this problem, including ways to discuss treatment with your loved one, how to reduce accommodations and enabling, reducing home stress, and ultimately, what you, the loved one, can do to improve the situation even if your loved one is not involved in the treatment plan.
Additionally, many of you have a loved one in OCD treatment, yet they are falling short of hitting their treatment goals, and it feels as if they are not giving their “all” in treatment. Alec Pollard, Ph.D., will address potential treatment-interfering behaviors (TIBs) at play, the role of supporters, ways to help your loved one be more successful in treatment, and, ultimately, how to address a loved one in treatment who is not experiencing much success.
Dr. Pollard will draw on both his clinical expertise and material from his popular book, “When a Loved One Won’t Seek Mental Health Treatment.” You will learn ways to improve your family’s current situation, even if your loved one is not in treatment or is not interested in collaborating if they are. This talk will be for family members, loved ones, spouses, friends, and anyone supporting a person in their life with OCD. People with OCD, educators, therapists, and anyone interested in the material are welcome to join!
Alec Pollard, Ph.D., will then answer your questions during the Q&A before the group’s conclusion!
Here is Dr. Pollard’s bio:
Dr. Pollard is Founding Director of the Center for OCD and Anxiety-Related Disorders at Saint Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute and Professor Emeritus of Family and Community Medicine at Saint Louis University School of Medicine. He is a licensed psychologist who works with a range of obsessive-compulsive and anxiety-related disorders, with a special interest in obstacles that inhibit the pursuit of recovery or interfere with effective participation in treatment. He is on the Scientific and Clinical Advisory Board of the International OCD Foundation and chairs the organization’s Training Committee, including a national training initiative called the Behavior Therapy Training Institute. Dr. Pollard is former chair of the Clinical Advisory Board of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America and has authored or coauthored over 100 publications, including his most recent book entitled When a Loved One Won’t Seek Mental Health Treatment: How to Promote Recovery and Reclaim Your Family’s Well-Being, now available in Spanish.
We will see you Saturday, May 9th, from 11 AM – 1 PM PDT!
The event is open to loved ones, family members and spouses of someone with OCD, as well as people with OCD—or anyone else interested.
To join the support group, email info@ocdsocal.org and simply request the event’s Zoom link or for more information!
The support group facilitators:
Chris Trondsen suffered with severe OCD and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) until receiving specialized treatment. No longer under the control of the disorders, Chris is now a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) at the Gateway Institute in Costa Mesa. He received his bachelor’s degree in human development and psychology from California State University, Long Beach. Additionally, Chris earned a Master of Science (M.S.) Degree in Counseling at California State University, Fullerton. Chris is on the Board of Directors for the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF), as well as in leadership for four of their special interest groups (SIG) including the BDD SIG, Trauma & Grief SIG, and others. He also currently serves as the Vice President of the IOCDF’s Southern California Affiliate (OCD Southern California – OCD So Cal), leading efforts in OCD awareness and education in the local community. Chris is a national speaker on OCD and was the keynote speaker at the International OCD Foundation’s yearly conference in 2011. He continues to be a regular presenter at the IOCDF’s annual conferences. At the annual conference, Chris helped create the Young Adult Track, which is now an essential part of the conference’s program.
Website: Chris Trondsen: LMFT & OCD Specialist – The Gateway Institute
Liz Trondsen is the mother of a son with mental illness. When her son, Chris, was diagnosed at age twenty, she was able to locate a treatment center in Los Angeles where he received excellent cognitive behavioral therapy. From a young man consumed with obsessions and compulsions, Liz watched her son regain his life, graduate college, and now work to help others fight this disorder. Liz helps to facilitate a Family Support Group online that brings families and people with OCD together to provide support, suggestions and hope to one another. Liz graduated from CSULB with a bachelor’s in science in Dietetics and Food Administration and completed her dietetic internship in Detroit, Michigan. Liz spent her career working in hospitals, as a Food Service Director and a Clinical Nutrition Manager. Since retiring in 2024, Liz has focused her interests on nutrition and mental health. With the others on this panel, she has presented twice at the IOCDF conference and presents an update annually to the Family and Loved One’s OCD Support Group.
Website: https://ocdsocal.org/about-us/board-of-directors/
Upcoming 2026 In-Person and Online Events!
Information coming soon on our upcoming events. Including our in-person Speaker Series and opportunity to speak at our November Online OCD Conference, we will hold a virtual Speaker Series, “One Million Steps for OCD” Walks, OCD Awareness Week events, a holiday party, and more. Keep checking our website for up-to-date information on all the events OCD SoCal has to offer!
