Earlier this year we held two OCD walks! There will be two more local walks in Southern California this October! They are in Ventura County and Santa Clarita. You do not have to be in the Los Angeles area to enjoy these walks; anyone from anywhere can join! These walks raise awareness and resources for both OCD SoCal and then for the International OCD Foundation (http://www.iocdf.org) as well.
Everything raised will go towards OCD research, event scholarships, local events and conferences, accessible care, and more! For general questions, head to: https://iocdf.org/programs/ocd-walk/ or email OCD SoCal directly at info@ocdsocal.org! See more specific information on these two walks below and we hope to see you at a walk this October!
The event will be held from 2-4pm on Sunday, October 12, 2025! Event location: 11900 Mountain Trail St, Moorpark, CA 93021 To register for the walk and to receive a free, official walk t-shirt, visit: Ventura County OCD Walk Registration Page
Schedule of the day’s events: 2pm: Check-in, Registration, T-Shirt Pick Up 2:15pm: Opening Remarks & Speakers 2:30pm: OCD Walk starts 3:00pm: Activities and socializing 3:45pm: Closing Remarks
Walk Route: .5 mile loops around the park. The path is flat and mostly paved with a short dirt path section.
The initial meeting of all walkers will take place at the Picnic Pavilion right next to the playgrounds. There are parking lots for the park and can be found on both Mountain Trail St and Mountain Meadows Dr. If the lots are full, people can park in the Vons parking lot and walk across the street at 4241 Tierra Rejada Rd, Moorpark, CA 93021.
Our Santa Clarita OCD walk will be held from 10am to 12 noon on Saturday, October 18, 2025! The event is at Fair Oaks Park and the address is 17468 Honey Maple Street, Santa Clarita, CA 91387
Join us in Orange County, this Saturday, June 28, from 10am to 1pm (with 9:30am being registration). This is for the International OCD Foundation’s “1 Million Steps 4 OCD Walk” happening at the Costa Mesa Marriot hotel at 500 Anton Blvd., Costa Mesa, CA 92626!
To register and attend the OC “1 Million Steps for OCD Walk,” click here: Orange County Walk
Details about the walk below, after our speaker highlight! Following the walk, 4 of our local OCD clinicians, some with lived experience, will present a Question-and-Answer panel – ask them anything about OCD! They will also highlight some hot topics and discuss how to get better from OCD. Bring your questions! Here are more details about the panel, followed by logistical information on the walk:
Chris Trondsen, LMFT, (https://www.gatewayocd.com/chris-trondsen/) suffered with severe OCD, body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), major depressive disorder, along with the anxiety that came with these disorders, 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, Wondermind, as well as speaking at International OCD Foudnation (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 publicly sharing his recovery story. He is also a leader of multiple IOCDF Special Interest Groups (SIGs) and created the Young Adult Track at the annual IOCDF conference. He hosts a livestream (“Ask The Experts” and “Lunch and Learn”) every Wednesday, from 9am – 10am PT for the IOCDF.
Elena Fasan, MSW, LCSW, (https://childrensocdandanxiety.com) is licensed in the state of California, and can provide online therapy in Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming, Florida, and internationally, in any country other than Canada. She became a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) and founded the Children’s OCD & Anxiety Collective because of her strong desire to offer help to young people who are suffering from the symptoms of OCD, anxiety, and related disorders. She feels incredibly fortunate to have found her calling and is passionate about the work she does with her clients and their families. After graduate school, Elena received extensive training in the provision of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) while working as a therapist at UCLA’s Child and Adolescent OCD Intensive Outpatient Treatment Program and then at the OCD Center of Los Angeles, where she was employed for eight years. Elena brings a developmental perspective to her work, having earned a BA in Child and Adolescent Development before pursuing a Master of Social Work. She is also an adjunct professor in the Department of Child and Adolescent Development at California State University, Northridge.
Lauren Rosen, LMFT, (https://theobsessivemind.com) is a psychotherapist and the director of the Center for the Obsessive Mind, an outpatient clinic serving individuals in California, Florida, Utah, Nevada and Oregon. Lauren specializes in treating OCD, Anxiety Disorders & Eating Disorders and supports people using Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Exposure & Response Prevention and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Lauren has her BA and MA in Psychology from UCLA and Antioch University, trained at the OCD Center of LA and is a certified Intuitive Eating Counselor. In addition to her work as a therapist, Lauren co-hosts the Purely OCD Podcast and does social media advocacy.
Michelle Malloy, MFT, PMH-C, (https://oc-therapy.com/about-us) 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.
— Walk info:
Our walk will take place at the Marriott Hotel at 500 Anton Boulevard, Costa Mesa, California.
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.
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 and an opportunity drawing 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.
While we prefer that you pre-register, walk-ins are very welcome!
If you have any questions, please contact us at info@ocdsocal.org! We are looking for volunteers for this event. Please email us if you are interested in helping with registration or distributing T-shirts at the event.
OCD Southern California’s Orange County walk will take place at the Marriott Hotel at 500 Anton Boulevard, Costa Mesa, California.
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 when you first arrive.
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 OCD 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.
While we prefer that you pre-register, walk-ins are very welcome! If you pre-register and donate $25, you will receive an official IOCDF walk t-shirt! You can also donate that same amount in person if you would like an official walk shirt!
If you have any questions, please contact us at info@ocdsocal.org and we look forward to seeing you at our Orange County walk at the beautiful Costa Mesa Marriot Hotel! Last year, we had our largest walk yet and we hope you join us in bringing public awareness to OCD, help stomp out mental health stigma, and support the IOCDF and OCD SoCal in our mission to provide resources and research to the OCD community!
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!
