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.
