To learn more, and to register, go to ocd2014.org.
This 2-day Cognitive Behavioral Treatment Group, led by Dr. Reid Wilson, is a treatment opportunity for individuals with OCD who might not otherwise have access to an intensive OCD treatment program. Components of this program include: how to alter rigidly held belief systems, how to let go of obsessions, how to gain mastery over compulsions, and how to increase courage and determination. There are two sessions offered this year in Los Angeles, one before and one after the conference:
This treatment opportunity will be held at the conference site at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles, CA. The group will be limited to 8 participants on a first-come, first-served basis. This program has sold out for each of the past 3 years we’ve offered it.
All participants must be referred by a mental health professional who has given the diagnosis of OCD. The cost is $375*.
To register, please download the application and referral form from: http://www.ocd2014.org/program/reidwilson/
This 2-day Cognitive Behavioral Treatment Group, led by Dr. Reid Wilson, is a treatment opportunity for individuals with OCD who might not otherwise have access to an intensive OCD treatment program. Components of this program include: how to alter rigidly held belief systems, how to let go of obsessions, how to gain mastery over compulsions, and how to increase courage and determination. There are two sessions offered this year in Los Angeles, one before and one after the conference:
This treatment opportunity will be held at the conference site at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles, CA. The group will be limited to 8 participants on a first-come, first-served basis. This program has sold out for each of the past 3 years we’ve offered it.
All participants must be referred by a mental health professional who has given the diagnosis of OCD. The cost is $375*.
To register, please download the application and referral form from: http://www.ocd2014.org/program/reidwilson/
Cases of hoarding that create public health and safety risks need a community-level response. Over 120 hoarding task forces, coalitions, and working groups have formed in communities throughout the US and abroad. This session provides an opportunity for members representing a range of human service disciplines to learn about promising practice models and how to implement them in communities large and small, urban and rural. Leaders of successful community case management, peer led and treatment model programs will providestep by step guidance for replicating programs in this interactive workshop.
*Additional registration fee: $125 for all professionals / $100 for IOCDF Student/Trainee Members.
The clinical significance of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) has long been recognized. According to the World Health Organization, OCD is among the 10 most disabling medical conditions. Other disorders that share some similarities with OCD have gained greater recognition in recent years and are now grouped together in one DSM-5 diagnostic category called Obsessive-Compulsive & Related Disorders.
This training program is designed to provide clinicians an overview of the nature and treatment of the various subtypes of OCD and related disorders such as body dysmorphic disorder, hoarding disorder, hair pulling disorder (Trichotillomania), and skin picking disorder (Excoriation). Topics to be covered include clinical features and diagnosis, current assessment methods, review of evidence-based treatments (e.g., exposure and response prevention), adjunctive therapies, and family issues. The program will include lecture, slides, and case illustrations.
*Additional registration fee: $125 for all professionals / $100 for IOCDF Student/Trainee Members.
Being a therapist with OCD comes with a unique set of opportunities and challenges. On the plus side, we have the personal experience that enables us to truly empathize with our clients who are struggling with mental disorders. However, we also have some special challenges. How do we handle it when our OCD is triggered by something said or done in session? How do we manage the OCD tendency to feel that we have to be “perfect” because we are therapists? How do we help clients with some of the very same issues with which we might struggle, such as shame and self-criticism? Join us for this new support group, where therapists with OCD will meet to interactively discuss all these issues and more. In addition, we’ll discuss how to form your own ongoing therapist phone support group with the other therapists you’ll meet tonight.
In this program, Dr. Weg will demonstrate how storytelling can be a great way to learn about OCD and develop better responses to it. Dr. Weg will ask participants to share their perceptions as to how each story is relevant to the world of OCD. This program is for kids of all ages, who will find it captivating, entertaining, and educational. Parents should accompany their children. ALL are encouraged (but not required) to come in their PJs — Dr. Weg will be wearing his!
This group will provide a place for kids to talk about their lives and feelings. Using creative art and group games, kids will meet others going through similar struggles, gain skills in expressing themselves, identify uncomfortable emotions and sensations, and learn tools to better respond to the “bully” in their brains. This group will be a relaxed, pressure-free, and safe environment for all kids.
OCD in a loved one can be confusing and difficult for parents, siblings, partners, and friends. Oftentimes, loved ones of those suffering with OCD and related conditions feel alone and confused about how they can best understand, support, and help the sufferer. This support group will provide a forum for connection, support, and understanding of the condition through education and sharing. The group will provide insight into the obsessive-compulsive cycle, common distorted thinking patterns in OCD, and compulsive behaviors exhibited by the sufferer. It will also provide suggestions for how to be supportive without enabling or worsening the condition. Attendees will be encouraged to participate in role play situations that will help them to better understand how to appropriately respond to OCD in their loved ones. Participants will also learn the importance of self-care and how to continue to maintain patience and compassion for their loved ones.
This support group is for families who have a child(ren) who has been diagnosed with OCD. This group will be a prime opportunity for families to discuss their experience with OCD with other families. This group will allow families to discuss ways to help their children from their personal experiences, as well as discuss options with the group facilitator.
This support group will present an opportunity for the families of teens at the conference to meet each other and form bonds that often last not only throughout the conference, but over the years as well. For the families of teens with OCD, members will learn that they are not alone in their struggles with their teen’s OCD and that other members’ teens also have the normal coming of age and behavioral issues as well as OCD. We will have the opportunity to discuss questions about behavior therapy, setting limits, teens interacting with friends, family, and teachers, who and what to tell others about your teen’s OCD, and how it impacts YOUR lives as well.
This support group will provide an opportunity for teens at the conference to meet each other and form bonds that often last long after the conference ends. For Middle and High School students only (no parents!), teens will learn that they are not alone in their struggles with OCD and that other members also have the normal teen issues as well as OCD. We will have the opportunity to discuss questions about behavior therapy, interacting with friends, family, and teachers, who and what to tell others about your OCD, and how it impacts school and social life.
Do you feel like you’ve taken a back seat to OCD? Does it sometimes seem like the OCD bully has hijacked your relationship and is holding your loved one hostage? It can be very frustrating to have such extreme feelings; loving your spouse, but hating the OCD and how it impacts your lives. When our emotional tank is filled with negative feelings, it drains our ability to support ourselves and our loved one in a healthy way. This support group is designed as a safe, confidential, accepting forum for spouses of those who suffer with OCD to share feelings and receive validation, support, and encouragement. Group topics will focus on strategies to process feelings in a healthy way, self-care, and establishing good communication skills.
When a sibling has OCD, other siblings in the family may grapple with many issues. They may struggle with how to support their sibling without accommodating; they may feel isolated from their peers who do not have OCD in the family; or they may feel lost in the shuffle with little place to share their own emotions
and experiences. This support group will offer siblings an opportunity to connect with other siblings of OCD sufferers and provide a safe place to share personal thoughts and feelings. It will also allow the opportunity to constructively problem-solve the unique issues related to having a sibling with OCD.
OCD symptoms and treatments are sometimes so strange that illustrative stories can often be the best way to communicate and learn about them. In this workshop, Dr. Weg will read stories to the adult participants and then ask them to share their perceptions of how each story represents certain aspects of the experience of OCD and/or its treatment. We strongly encourage (but do not require) all participants to join the presenter in coming in their pajamas. We are looking to create a warm, cozy and intimate environment that is fun, educational, and compelling, and will serve to help build a shared sense of community. Fuzzy slippers are optional!
Join this social activity to meet other adults affected by OCD, and get competitive with team trivia. Sign up as a team (up to 6 people), or come as an individual and we will find a team for you. Open to all conference attendees, age 21+.
This orientation is for adults with OCD, family members, social supports, and treatment providers. The presenters will discuss the logistics of the conference: the who, what, where, why, and how. Presenters will also answer questions about the IOCDF, specific sessions, and anything else related to the conference.
This panel will feature experts discussing some of the different therapeutic approaches and strategies to treating hoarding issues. Topics will include how to engage the individual, how to involve the family in the most effective way, motivational challenges that people with hoarding face and why it’s so difficult to commit, motivational interviewing, and engaging the patient from the perspective of other professionals who work in Departments on Aging, Housing, and Health. Ample time will be allotted for questions.
This workshop will explore issues and challenges related to the experience and treatment of scrupulosity. The panelists will give brief presentations on scrupulosity, followed by a therapist-audience Q&A dialogue and an open conversation about unique challenges that arise when OCD becomes entangled with religion or morality. Throughout the workshop, the conversation will remain connected to practical treatment issues of clinical application and adaptation.
This is a fun workshop for kids to help them improve their ability to identify and address obsessions and compulsions. Children will use Disney characters to learn about and discuss things that could be considered obsessive-compulsive and work to create treatment plans to help the characters confront their fears.
This interactive game will help kids struggling with OCD learn about common OCD symptoms and how to overcome them. Kids will also discuss how the behaviors they identify in the characters relate to their own experience of OCD.
This session is for kids and teens, as well as their parents. The presenters will discuss the logistics of the conference and provide an overview of the presentations, workshops, and activities designed specifically for kids and teens. Presenters will also answer questions about the IOCDF, specific sessions, and anything else related to the conference.
This presentation will provide an overview of the state of the field of the neuropsychology of OCD, including a synopsis of specific domains (such as attention, executive functions, memory and visuospatial abilities). Subsequently, current issues and controversies, such as the question regarding a causal and etiological role of cognitive functions in OCD, as well as methodological and theoretical caveats, will be discussed. Finally, a proposed conceptual framework and future directions for research in the field will be suggested.
This lecture will focus on transcultural adaptation of assessment and treatment of health anxiety/ hypochondriasis. The speakers draw on their significant clinical and research expertise to provide a cognitive behavioral conceptualisation of this disorder and examples of ways to implement treatment. We will address the limitation and strengths of CBT when working across cultures. The lecture will conclude by presenting ways to account for cultural factors when assessing and treating patients with health anxiety/hypochondriasis.
Medical applications of marijuana have been highlighted in the news recently, particularly given its legalization in several jurisdictions and decriminalization in others. Advocates for the use of marijuana in the treatment of OCD have applauded these changes, though the scientific perspective regarding the benefits of marijuana for OCD raises serious questions about safety and efficacy. Accordingly, this panel will discuss the limitations and potential merits of marijuana usage in OCD.
This orientation is for older teens and adults under age 30 who have OCD, or are a family member or friend of someone with OCD. Come and learn about one of the newest tracks at the IOCDF’s Annual OCD Conference and meet others like you! The presenters will discuss the many workshops, support groups, and fun evening events that are in store for young adult conference-goers. This session is intended for new conference attendees, as well as veterans who have been coming for many years.
Four experts in the behavioral treatment of OCD will address four important questions that are frequently asked by patients: If I do not want to take medication, or I cannot tolerate the side effects, will ERP still be effective? How do I minimize the cost of ERP treatment? How do you use response prevention on mental rituals? How far should my therapist take the extremes of exposure? Each expert will give a brief response to each question, with time allotted for audience questions.
This workshop reviews common hoarding disorder (HD) features and likely causal factors, as well as the chief distinctions between HD and related disorders (e.g., OCD, major depression) to clarify diagnoses and treatment decisions. Presenters will provde a model for understanding HD and methods of assessment. Cognitive and behavioral methods for treating hoarding will be discussed, including motivation enhancement, skills training, cognitive strategies, and behavioral practice.
Back by popular demand, come and participate in a hands-on experiential workshop for individuals with OCD and social anxiety. One of the major difficulties associated with OCD is its effect on social functioning. For example: not enjoying a night out with a group of friends because of being in the bathroom due to repeatedly washing hands. Symptoms may be secondary to OCD or co-occurring as a social anxiety disorder.
The presenters will engage attendees in a series of interactive activities and points of discussion designed to stimulate and expand how ERP is conceptualized with co-occurring OCD and social anxiety. Participation in the interactive “social experiment” that will take place in and around the conference setting and will break participants up into small groups for ERP activities. Learn how to face OCD-related social difficulties more effectively by testing out some new concepts and behaviors with the support of peers.
OCD can present problems for students when symptoms interfere with organization, homework, studying, or completing projects. We will discuss how students with OCD can compensate for difficulties with cognitive retraining. Attendees will examine various support models for students with OCD. Tools will be provided for elementary, secondary, and college students. Parents will be given ideas on instrumentation, accountability, and trouble-shooting. Students will learn how to make school easier, faster, less trouble, and more fun.
Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the best supported first-line interventions for people with OCD. However, treatment alternatives and augmentation strategies are commonly used for partial- and non-responders. We will review and discuss established models as well as promising therapies for treatment-resistant OCD. This session will summarize evidence-based treatment options, highlight emerging future directions, and facilitate audience interaction.
This talk is meant to motivate and inspire youth struggling with OCD. You can live out your dreams and make a difference, and every day you fight OCD is a victory to be proud of. The presenter will share his personal experience of OCD as a teen. Attendees will work together on being open about OCD and not letting it control what they want to do. Teens can use OCD as their superpower, and they can all inspire each other to live the life they dream of - we are ALL a team and in this together!
Emotional contamination is a form of OCD in which the client fears contact with a place, person, or thing associated with some undesirable emotional or physical characteristic. Compulsions include washing and cleaning rituals, avoiding words, objects, people, or places related to the feared person, place, or thing. Exposure and response prevention is extremely useful and will be demonstrated through case studies illustrating variations in how emotional contamination presents itself, and is effectively treated.
Every family can have trouble parenting a child with OCD — distress, disrupted functioning, and accommodation are the norm. This workshop will provide clinicians with strategies to help families support exposure therapy in the most effective way. We’ll review strategies for disengaging from accommodation, neutralizing heated emotions, and problem-solving during difficult and/or unexpected OCD episodes. Strategies for managing parental stress and responding to issues that come up around medication will also be discussed.
In this workshop, attendees will identify their personal motivators and leave empowered to approach therapy with strength and determination. This room will be a ‘no negativity zone’ where we will focus on our strengths and abilities! The panel will share how personal motivation helped them in treatment, and young adults will be encouraged to share their own treatment successes and proud moments. Attendees will be asked to discuss a recent ‘failure;’ through role-playing, panelists will turn that ‘failure’ into a positive learning experience.
This panel hopes to foster a better understanding of the roles psychiatrists, therapists, and consumers play in OCD treatment and the expectations each party has of the other. Too often communication breaks down when consumers attempt to navigate a treatment plan that includes CBT/ERP, medication management, and their own needs. Consumers will discuss challenges they faced interacting with treatment providers, psychiatrists will discuss balancing legal/ethical considerations with therapeutic interventions, and the therapist will discuss how to effectively communicate to both psychiatrists and consumers. The panel will conclude with a Q&A from the audience.
Workshop participants will be invited to interact with the presenters and each other while applying specific treatment skills to address hoarding behaviors. Experiential activities will include motivational enhancement, case formulation and goal setting, organizing and problem solving skills, changing beliefs about possessions, and removing clutter. Presenters will also discuss the roles of in-home supports and additional community resources for addressing hoarding.
This is a fast-paced, interactive, hands-on introduction to Exposure and Response Prevention. It will begin with a brief discussion in which participants will identify one of their personal obsessions and its related compulsion(s). Participants will then break into groups led by a member of the presenting team. Each participant will present their obsession and compulsion while peers design an ERP assignment with guidance from the group leader. Where possible, participants will actually do the assignment with group support. A wrap up session will highlight basic guidelines for effective ERP.
Fighting against OCD and winning the battle is not easy. In this experiential workshop, children will be given an overview of OCD in order to understand the rationale for ERP. Kids will be introduced to ERP and learn how to fight OCD. Kids will learn about using a “toolbox” that they can fill with ERP tools, including naming OCD, fear thermometers, and fear ladders, and how to apply each tool against OCD. Under the guidance of the presenters, kids will have the chance to create their own fear ladders and use these tools to take the first steps at applying ERP to fight OCD.
Families frequently have difficulty locating qualified professionals to assess, diagnose, and treat PANDAS/ PANS. Comprehensive assessment and treatment for PANDAS/PANS requires the efforts of several qualified professionals, including medical and psychological providers. Practical suggestions for improving cross- discipline collaboration for PANDAS/PANS will be presented, based on extensive clinical experience. These suggestions will include ways to clear barriers, set up innovative ways of communication, and highlighting the importance of patient-focused care.
There are many types and levels of treatment available for kids and teens with OCD. However, many families are often unsure what to consider when determining the best treatment for youth. This workshop will provide families with information about the levels of care, and speakers will clarify the benefits and limitations of each level. Ways to determine when one type of care is warranted over another will also be discussed, as well as how treatment may differ for each setting. Factors that may contribute to poor treatment response in each of these settings will also be reviewed, and ways to address these factors will be discussed.
Four panelists will present data from their IOCDF grant funded projects. Discussions will include results from: 1) an experimental investigation of attentional processes in scrupulous and contamination-focused OCD; 2) a postpartum OC symptom prevention program; 3) an investigation of the psychophysiological correlates of hoarding; and 4) a family history study of hoarding that suggest that hoarding is familial. Finally, Dr. Sabine Wilhelm will reflect on the implications of the research and suggest future directions.
In this lecture, first-line medication treatments for OCD, including answers to questions such as “Is there
a best SSRI for OCD?” and “Is Clomipramine better than SSRI’s?,” will be discussed. We will also address approaching patients who don’t respond to initial SSRI treatment, including discussion of common reasons for medication resistantance, how to determine whether initial medication should be switched or augmented, and augmentation strategies. Novel treatments currently being studied will be reviewed, and myths about medication treatment for OCD will also be discussed.
College is a time of excitement, new experiences, and transitions, all of which can provide a perfect storm of factors that exacerbate OCD. In this workshop, we will discuss ways to best cope with OCD in order to preserve a positive college experience. We will address issues including diagnoses and treatment options, college adjustment, roommate relationships, and dating. You’ll hear perspectives of a treatment provider and recent graduates. This workshop is designed for those preparing to enter or already in college, as well as their support networks.
The following authors will be available to sign their books and briefly answer your questions at the IOCDF Bookstore:
-Alison Dotson
Being Me with OCD: How I Learned to Obsess Less and Live my Life
-Jon Hershfield, MFT, & Tom Corboy, MFT
The Mindfulness Workbook for OCD: A Guide to Overcoming Obsessions and Compulsions Using Mindfulness and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
-Eric Storch, PhD, & Dean McKay, PhD, ABPP
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Its Spectrum: A Life-Span Approach
All attendees from Southern California are welcome to attend.
Because of its complex and multifaceted nature, OCD presents a significant challenge to all those involved in media projects. People on both sides of the camera must find a way to portray the disorder accurately and convey the hope that treatment offers. In this presentation, longtime news anchor and OCD author Jeff Bell moderates a discussion of these issues with a panel of experts. With the help of audio and video clips, panelists will offer case studies of OCD media coverage. Additionally, panel members will discuss the specific challenges confronting the OCD community in depicting the disorder and its treatment, and pass along practical tips and advice that attendees can use to help share the “OCD story” in their own communities.
This workshop will review recent neuropsychological and neuroimaging studies of Hoarding Disorder (HD). HD is marked by abnormalities in executive functioning and neural activity that are distinct from those seen in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Presenters will discuss several neuropsychological studies of various topics, including implicit category learning, effects of pharmacotherapy, error processing and response inhibition, brain activity during visual conflict and response inhibition tasks, and pre-treatment neuroimaging predictors of response to pharmacotherapy for HD.
OCD can make someone feel desperately isolated, and the thought of letting someone in, even someone we know and love, feels terrifying. But who to tell? What to say? And do I have to? This workshop will directly address these and other questions with the goal of helping attendees evaluate if, when, and how to broach the subject of their OCD in personal, professional, and intimate relationships.
The presenters will provide the latest research on PANDAS/PANS. Guidelines for the diagnosis of PANDAS/ PANS will be presented, as will suggestions for medical and laboratory evaluation of acute-onset cases. Updated treatment options will be presented, including the latest findings of clinical trials of IVIG and antibiotics. Data from recent microbiological and immunologic investigations also will be presented for discussion. The session will conclude with a discussion of “hot topics” in PANDAS/PANS research.
OCD has significant effects on families and their functioning. This unique workshop will cover parent and interdisciplinary perspectives related to family challenges arising in the context of OCD. Parents will share their journey to obtain proper OCD diagnosis and treatment for their teen. Dr. Stewart will report on her study exploring obstacles and how they are overcome by parents adapting to their children’s illness. A novel approach to treatment incorporating simultaneous OCD child, teen, and parent groups and a ground- breaking family-based approach for management of OCD treatment refusers will be described by clinical psychologists. The workshop will end with a panel discussion with all speakers.
Teens struggling with OCD can face many difficulties socially, academically, and in their own families. Further, many teens or their families may be skeptical about taking the steps to get treatment for OCD, often hoping that it will just go away or that it can be “grown out of.” The teens on this panel will describe what it was like to discover they have OCD, how they got treatment for it, and what successes they have had as well as struggles they continue to face. So, bring your questions if you are a teen or a family member of a teen to hear encouraging words and advice on how to fight your OCD!
In this clinically-oriented workshop we will cover new strategies derived from an “inhibitory learning approach.” We will discuss using fear tolerance to teach patients to manage their anxiety regardless
of habituation, as well as combining exposure media during ERP to deepen extinction learning. We will demonstrate how to help patients consolidate learning using linguistic processing, and present alternatives to the traditional hierarchy to enhance outcomes. Finally, we will explain the importance of expanding intervals between sessions and practicing exposure in multiple contexts.
Click here to view the slides for this presentation.
The primary task of the strategic therapist is to motivate the client to adopt a new therapeutic frame of reference. This workshop will discuss the three phases of the model, and the treatment protocol that directs the entire therapy process. The primary goal is to induce clients to voluntarily, purposely, and aggressively seek out and embrace uncertainty and anxiety as their ticket out of suffering. This workshop will define that treatment process and illustrate each stage with professionally-videotaped segments of therapist interaction with an OCD client during the initial session of treatment.
Click here to view the slides from this presentation.
Trying to have a social life with OCD can seem impossible - many people with OCD worry about dating and find forming and maintining close relationships to be difficult. The panel will also focus on issues young adults face as they navigate a social life. Through role-playing, panelists and attendees will act out scenarios that practice social skills such as telling others about your OCD, mock dates, dealing with intimate moments, and handling an OCD surprise attack. We will provide practice scripts for use at home. This workshop will allow attendees to share their own examples and will leave time for questions.
All attendees from Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana are welcome to attend.
This workshop will present the latest clinical science of PANDAS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcal infection) and (PANS) Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome. Panelists will discuss the recognition and diagnosis of PANDAS/PANS, with particular emphasis on distinguishing acute- onset cases from “garden variety” OCD; the medical and immunological evaluations; treatment of acute illness and prevention of future episodes; and guidance on incorporating antiobessional medications and CBT into the treatment plan for PANDAS/PANS.
This workshop will discuss the treatment of Hoarding Disorder (HD) from the patient’s perspective. Patients with HD will talk about their experiences with hoarding and with treatment. In addition, a family member will discuss her experience watching a loved struggle with hoarding, and then go through treatment. These inspiring people bring stories of hope and clarity to individuals with HD, and their loved ones. A panel discussion will follow whereby audience members can ask questions of each presenter.
This roundtable will address factors that may predict likelihood of treatment resistance in OCD and related disorders. Current evidence-based pharmacological interventions for treatment-refractory OCD and related disorders will be reviewed, as will novel treatments currently being investigated. Other somatic interventions being studied for treatment-refractory cases, such as Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, Deep Brain Stimulation, and Psychosurgery, will also be discussed. Time will be provided for audience member questions.
This is an interactive workshop for children demonstrating the effectiveness of apps and other mobile technologies to help kids create exposures to fight their OCD symptoms. Activities will include creating your “Worst Day Ever” exposure story complete with personal drawings, “songifying” your OCD fears and worries, and creating your own special effects exposure video clip. This active and engaging workshop will demonstrate yet another way that exposures can be fun and motivating for kids.
For families who encounter behavioral outbursts (whether in response to or outside of OCD symptoms), treatment components specifically targeting these issues is needed to support ERP. This workshop aims to provide help and hope through the lens of one family’s experience. Joined by their therapist, the choices and specific strategies used throughout treatment will be candidly reviewed from both professional and family perspectives. Emphasis will be on offering support, understanding, and practical tools for parents taking on these challenges, and engaging audience participants in considering creative, impactful ways of addressing struggles that may be encountered.
Being able to understand, verbalize, and distinguish felt experiences is a key component of psychological interventions. This plenary session will review research in clinical, social, and health psychology that offers insights into the transdiagnostic adaptive value of putting feelings into words. The ability to precisely describe and differentiate emotions has been shown to alter the association between negative emotions and emotion regulation difficulties. These findings shed light on how negative emotions and stressful experiences can be transformed by how people label and distinguish what they are feeling. Implications for the study of emotions and emotion regulation, and psychological treatment will be discussed.
Although relapse is a major concern in the OCD community, it is not inevitable. The audience will gain valuable information on how to prevent relapse and keep their OCD under control. Young adult panelists will share relapse- prevention techniques, as well as what to expect after treatment ends. We will touch upon the importance of using the tools learned in treatment to prevent relapse. Attendees will break into small groups to discuss relapse, actions they can take when faced with OCD challenges, and a transition plan of their goals as they shift their focus from OCD to the future.
All Teens and Young Adults from the Bay Area are welcome to attend.
Drop by to play ping pong with fellow attendees. Tables will be open for free play on Friday night, before the tournament on Saturday night.
Practice developing balance, flexibility, and strength with people (ages 14+) of all levels; beginners as well as intermediate and advanced students are welcome here. We practice together following our breath and our inner experience to find the level that is perfect for us. Modifications on poses are offered for varying levels. We close the workshop with a guided meditation. (Yoga equipment will be provided.)
The GOAL group presented here was started in the spring of 1981 and is the oldest and longest running OCD support group in the country. The group will begin with a brief presentation describing the structure of the group and how each part of the meeting fulfills the needs of its members. This will be followed by OCD sufferers participating in the goal planning phase of a GOAL meeting. In doing so, they will begin to gain some control over their OCD. Participants, families, and professionals will observe experienced group members guiding attendees in choosing achievable goals.
This a support group for those who may not get support or help from family and friends due to multicultural differences or cultural stigma. Examples may range anywhere from not being able to talk about the disorder, fighting about it, not being able to tell family you have OCD, or being classified as
just “crazy.” This may be due to lack of knowledge, awareness, shame, cultural morals and upbringing, restrictions, etc. This group will be an open forum for those who would like to share their stories and know that they are not alone in this situation. Together, we can help each other find resources to help reverse lack of awareness, understanding, shame, and stigma.
With aging, time gets shorter, pressures mount, and important decisions must often be made without further delay -- stressful factors for us. As we approach the years of retirement, physical and mental decline, life-changing decisions, the inevitable loss of loved ones, shrinking opportunities, and fading plans, there's no time left for avoidance and procrastination. How do we maintain our morale, our determination, and our persistence in learning how to live with OCD more productively? This support group will address changes in our lives as we grow older with OCD. What pressures and worries do we face? What resources are available to us? We have much to contribute to one another after so many years of experience with life and OCD.
This group is intended for those who suffer from scrupulosity (OCD entwined with religious and moral matters). Family members and close friends of someone with scrupulosity are also welcome to attend. Join others in a professionally-led psycho-education and support group. This will be an interactive group so that participants can learn from the leader and one another about ways to overcome scrupulosity.
Trichotillomania (aka Hair Pulling Disorder) and Skin Picking Disorder (aka Excoriation Disoder) are often secretive conditions in which individuals suffer in isolation and shame. This support group will provide
a venue for adults to openly discuss their pulling and picking in a safe and supportive environment. Participants will learn about the concept of behavioral addiction, as well as core treatment techniques for these conditions, including Habit Reversal Training, Cognitive Restructuring, and mindfulness.
Sexual and violent obsessions in OCD are common but frequently unrecognized or misunderstood. This support group is focused on helping people understand their symptoms, distinguish between obsessions and mental compulsions, and identify effective exposures to combat symptoms. Participants may also discuss their experiences of stigma, shame, and rejection surrounding their symptoms in a supportive environment.
Clinicians who have expertise in pediatrics, child psychiatry, neurology, immunology, and infectious diseases will be available to answer questions about the management of acute illness and chronic symptoms of PANDAS/PANS. Following the Q&A session, parents will be encouraged to share their experiences with "what works and what doesn't" to provide attendees with support and encouragement in the care of their own children.
The group will start with an icebreaker activity that introduces attendees to each other. Following this activity, the group facilitator will present hot topics pertaining to young adults, such as graduating, living on your own, applying for jobs, creating a social life, and other situations that are made more difficult while trying to balance OCD. This will encourage free flowing discussion to allow young adults to interact with each other, discuss what difficulties they're facing, and offer solutions that have worked for them. Before the group finishes, attendees will be invited to share contact information with others in the group to encourage interaction after the conference is over. This will allow the young adults to build friendships that continue to provide support once the conference ends.
This program is designed for children, ages 8–13. This is an experiential workshop where kids will get hands-on experience through fun and interactive discussion, activities, and learning opportunities. Kids will learn about OCD and how obsessions get maintained through rituals and reassurance seeking. Time will be spent talking about how anxiety works and we will also have ample time to do exposures together as a group. It’s sure to be a great program to start the conference off by kicking OCD’s butt!
This workshop is perfect for parents and caregivers of children and teens struggling with OCD. It’s designed to be a complement to "An Evening of Kicking OCD's Butt!" for kids. Parents will learn practical tips that they can start using right away. Discussion will focus on how parents can better understand OCD and the symptoms associated with it, how to help children through exposures, how to reduce accommodating behaviors (e.g. giving reassurance), and how to handle stressful situations (e.g. family gatherings, play dates). Parents will come away from the workshop feeling more knowledgeable and better equipped to support their child.
Most people are sure they don't like camping; for those of you suffering from OCD, this seems doubly
so. However, we have found OCD camping trips to have a profoundly therapeutic effect and, even more shockingly, people like to come back. Repeating this experiential workshop for the 14th year, we'll begin with a brief presentation about our camping trips (that you may have seen in People Magazine) and
how they can inspire you to risk getting better. Following this, participants — patients, families, and professionals — will go on a field trip throughout LA in which participants will experience the exhilaration of conquering OCD fears in a group that goes beyond your imagination. Everyone will be encouraged to support and help one another, but participants will only do what they choose to do. The surprise will be in how much more you'll choose to do during this adventure.
Un recorrido en primera persona por la experiencia de la joven artista argentina Ro Vitale en su convivencia y lucha contra el Trastorno Obsesivo Compulsivo (TOC), su proceso terapéutico en Argentina y los Estados Unidos, y cómo a partir de perseguir un sueño, se puede aprender a construir nuevas herramientas emocionales para darle lugar al sujeto que hay detrás de los síntomas. Porque no somos nuestros pensamientos, y porque existe una urgencia distinta a la urgencia de la compulsión, Ro nos invita a descubrir, desde su propia voz, algo del texto que se escribe detrás de la mordaza del TOC. Una invitación a mirarnos desde nuestra singularidad: aquella que nos habita más allá de la pobreza discursiva del TOC. Una propuesta: la de retomar contacto con nuestra identidad, nuestra creatividad, nuestros colores, más allá del trastorno.
Welcome Remarks
Denise Egan Stack, LMHC
Master of Ceremonies
Jeff Bell
Awards Presentation
Patricia Perkins IOCDF Service Award- Wendy Mueller
IOCDF Outstanding Career Achievement Award- Steven Rasmussen, MD
Keynote Address
Ethan S. Smith
This is the story of Ethan S. Smith - writer, director, actor, producer, and life long OCD sufferer. Join Ethan as he passionately, humorously, and kindly shares his journey from being bedridden in his parents’ guest room, to living across the country making it in Hollywood. Live through Ethan as he shows you incredible personal video from his most vulnerable and darkest hours to his most triumphant return to life. Ethan’s singular goal is to not only tell you his story, but also to impart the knowledge, lessons, and skills he learned along the way so that you, too, may have your own Hollywood ending.
Kids, come join the fun at your very own game show! Contestants chosen from the audience will have the opportunity to win prizes by demonstrating their knowledge of OCD, and then competing in games of skill, chance, and courage, all reflecting the OCD theme. Do you have what it takes to fight OCD with knowledge, humor, skill, and guts? Then prove it at the OCD Game Show for Kids!
Dirigida principalmente a personas con el TOC, sin embargo es de gran ayuda para familiares y profesionales de la salud mental nuevos en el tema. La plática tiene como objetivo entender qué es el TOC en general, cómo se manifiesta, cómo se diagnostica, cuales son sus posibles causas, cómo se refuerza, el papel de la ansiedad y el miedo, los subtipos del TOC y los mitos, la etiología, y las opciones farmacológicas que existen para el control de los síntomas. Para las personas que no padecen del TOC hay veces que es difícil entenderlo y sobre todo manejarlo, por lo tanto, esta plática tiene como objetivo ponernos en los zapatos de nuestro familiar, amigo, o inclusive paciente. Tenemos el privilegio de contar con un testimonio – si padeces de TOC, tal vez te identifiques con él y compartas algo de su historia. Si eres familiar, podrás entender algunas conductas o sentimientos y habrá tiempo para solucionar sus preguntas.
Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a disorder associated with significant psychosocial impact. Individuals with BDD often avoid social activities due to symptoms, may drop out of school or stop working, and may become housebound. Interpersonal relationships with loved ones and friends are often impacted negatively, and sufferers often feel isolated, guilty, and depressed. BDD is associated with high levels of impairment, hospitalization, and suicidality. Comorbidity is common and may complicate the treatment of BDD. In this presentation, the panelists and audience members will explore topics and challenges related to the experience and treatment of BDD. Patients, their families, and clinicians will have an opportunity to ask their own questions about BDD and raise issues for discussion.
OCD sufferers often get angry at other people around them when the other person will not engage in rituals, or inadvertently triggers the sufferer’s anxiety. We will investigate steps that will help defuse the situation when your OCD sufferer is angry, including learning how to not explain or defend yourself (but managing your own self-care); remembering that no one else makes anyone feel anything; choosing to validate the person’s internal state; helping them challenge victim thinking; avoiding critical questioning; letting them leave if they choose; and slowing things down to restore a sense of control.
The refusal of people with hoarding disorder to accept help is one of the most frustrating features for family members. Family members plead, nag, even threaten their loved one with the hope that he or she will accept help for their hoarding problem. However, more often these misguided attempts backfire and the loved one more adamantly and pointedly refuses help for the problem. This lecture describes the application and modification of a family-recovery model to assist family members in enhancing the willingness of their loved one to accept help for hoarding.
Being a parent is scary in its own right, but can be even scarier if you have OCD. For some OCD
sufferers, this presents in the form of horrifying intrusive thoughts of sexual behavior, violence, neglect,
and incompetence toward their children. This panel will discuss mindfulness and cognitive behavioral approaches to treating these manifestations of OCD. Topics will include obsessive thoughts of pedophilia, infanticide, moral scrupulosity, and contamination fears unique to parenting; safe and ethical ERP strategies; as well as a discussion on how to keep OCD from impairing healthy parenting.
This is a workshop for kids who have been bullied by OCD. In this workshop kids will discover how they are more powerful than their OCD by learning some super cool exercises. We may even practice an ancient Kung Fu technique! We will discuss what OCD is and what it is not. Family, school, and social issues will also be covered. Learn how to get your black belt in ERP!
In this workshop, a mother and son will discuss how their family dealt with sexual obsessions. Specifically, we will discuss how we used exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP) in our home to treat sexual obsessions, how we overcame the difficulties inherent in dealing with sexuality as a source of obsessions, and the details of how we used a reward system as motivation to undergo several sessions of ERP. Through our workshop we hope to inspire others to undergo ERP and to show how we overcame sexual obsessions.
There are many issues unique to those with comorbid OCD and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) which can complicate assessment and treatment. In this symposium, we will present the latest findings with respect
to assessment and treatment of youth and adults with OCD and comorbid ASD. Presenters will discuss the phenomenology of OCD and comorbid ASD, assessment issues and best practices, psychological treatment, common barriers to treatment, psychopharmacological treatment, and research on evidence-based treatment of OCD and comorbid ASD.
Fear of loss of impulse control (FLI) is a specific presentation of OCD, where the focus of the obsession is
the idea that one will do something out of character; often violent, sexual, and/or illegal, or at the very least embarrassing, even though there is absolutely no desire on the part of the person to do these things. This workshop will focus on the assessment of this OCD subset, and how therapists can design appropriate ERP interventions to treat this particular manifestation of the disorder. Time will be spent on how to help family members better respond to their OCD-afflicted FLI family member. Multiple case examples will be illustrated.
Click here to view the slides from this presentation.
Imaginal exposures allow patients to confront feared obsessional catastrophes through the use of a detailed narrative. Situations especially appropriate for imaginal exposures are those in which the patient fears he may change in a fundamental way, cause a distal catastrophe, when the result of failing to do a ritual is far in the future, or when an in vivo exposure cannot be simulated. In this workshop, we explain when to use imaginal exposure versus in vivo, key elements of an effective imaginal exposure, and what to do when your imaginal exposures do not work. A large part of this workshop will be dedicated to Q&A.
This workshop will provide a place for individuals who have BDD to share their personal stories and struggles, and for family members and friends to learn more about the disorder. The workshop will be facilitated by Eva E. Fisher, who will start by discussing her personal story of recovery from BDD. Then participants will be invited to discuss their personal stories and to provide informational and emotional support to one another.
Esta plática está dirigida para el público en general, se hablará en qué consiste la exposición y prevención de respuesta. Los participantes aprenderán a elaborar una jerarquía, qué esperar del tratamiento, y algunos consejos para disminuir las compulsiones, así como elaborar un plan de trabajo una vez que son dados de alta contando con las herramientas necesarias para seguir atacando al TOC. Habrá un apartado breve dedicado a la familia: qué hacer y qué no hacer para alimentar al TOC. Tendremos un testimonio durante el proceso de tratamiento.
The obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) classification in the new DSM-5 has been given its own category as OCD Related Disorders, comprised of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), Hoarding Disorder, Excoriation Disorder, Trichotillomania, and OCD not specified elsewhere. In addition, two specifiers have been added: insight spectrum and presence or absence of tics. The presenters will discuss the conceptual basis of insight, updates on recent research, our conceptualization of insight in OCD over the years, and the role of insight (or lack thereof) in several OCD Related Disorders.
This workshop will expose attendees to the practice, power, and potential of peer support for people who live with “too much stuff.” Based on the experiences of Finders and Keepers who have attended the Buried in Treasures Workshop, this presentation will explore the narratives of people clearing a path to a life less cluttered. Together, we gain insight into the nature of our acquiring/saving habits, develop plans to change our responses to our impulses, and create plans for maintaining success. Join us for an exciting and interactive workshop, and hear stories of hope by people who are getting unburied from treasures!
I will demonstrate with audience volunteers how I would approach a first session with someone coming
to me suffering from intrusive violent/sexual thoughts, including explaining why they occur, challenging irrational thoughts, and planning tolerable exposure exercises. This workshop will encourage OCD sufferers to seek treatment for these thoughts by demonstrating that effective CBT treatment does not involve forcing the patient to do “awful” things against their will, but rather is a collaborative process.
Picky eating or restricted palate can range from mildly frustrating to a serious problem calling for hospitalization. The fears and behaviors in picky eating have a strong correlation to OCD. In this experiential workshop, we will examine the various dimensions of this problem to include fears of choking, gagging, or vomiting; fears when food doesn’t look or smell “right”; or foods that could be spoiled or poisonous. Sensory issues regarding texture or taste will be included. The impact on health, family, and social settings will be described. Interventions to overcome picky eating through ERP will be presented, complete with case presentations and take home applications.
The purpose of this talk is to provide research updates regarding developments in the field of pediatric OCD. An expert panel of researchers will provide synopses of their recent studies, and ample time for audience questions/discussion will be allotted. Topics include metabolic changes in the brain in youth receiving CBT for OCD; outcome data from a group, family-based CBT trial; the feasibility and efficacy of a stepped care CBT protocol; and the efficacy of sequential sertraline and CBT treatment relative to CBT with pill placebo in youth with OCD.
Is OCD telling you to not touch this? Or think that? Or step here? Or say that? Whatever the fear, we want you to bring it on!! This experiential and supportive workshop will invite and encourage you to participate (at your own pace, of course) in group exposure and response prevention. There is power in numbers, so join us, challenge yourself, support others, and maybe even surprise yourself by the things you CAN accomplish but never believed you would.
Newer clinicians come to this conference hoping to acquire strategies they can take home to help with current cases, to understand previous cases, or to get useful practice information. Unfortunately, they
don’t often have opportunities to meet the more senior clinicians who possess information that can only be acquired through years of direct experience. This will be an opportunity to meet and network with eight very experienced clinicians in a less formal setting. Conversation can take place one-on-one, in small groups that may form, etc. The overall goal will be to answer questions that often go unanswered.
The “ruminative response style” involves repetitive, cyclic, and persistent thinking in response to one’s negative affect. Ruminative responses specific to OCD may include negative self-talk following a difficult exposure, brooding following a relapse, or excessive analysis of symptoms/treatment. To date, little attention has been paid to the role of rumination in OCD, despite growing evidence that it plays a critical role in the maintenance of numerous psychiatric disorders, including OCD. In this workshop, I will discuss four treatment-resistant case examples reflecting an instance where the patient’s ruminative response style played a critical role in the development, maintenance, and treatment of their OCD.
The following authors will be available to sign their books and briefly answer your questions at the IOCDF Bookstore:
-Joni St. John & Ray St. John
Finding X: One Family’s Solution to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
The Ray of Hope: A Teenager’s Fight Against Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
-Joan Davidson, PhD (Author), Mary Samson, & Theodore Herzberg
Daring to Challenge OCD: Overcome Your Fear of Treatment and Take Control of Your Life Using Exposure and Response Prevention
-Fugen Neziroglu, PhD, ABBP, ABPP, & Katharine Donnelly, PhD
Children of Hoarders: How to Minimize Conflict, Reduce the Clutter, and Improve Your Relationship
This symposium will present new research findings on body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), a common and often severe disorder. Topics will include anger, aggression, and violent behavior in BDD, brain connectivity in BDD versus anorexia nervosa, BDD in children with and without comorbid psychiatric disorders in Argentina, and the development of CBT for individuals with BDD by proxy. The workshop will conclude with a discussion of the clinical and research implications of each topic.
A través de esta ponencia se busca crear conciencia sobre el impacto del TOC en las familias y las necesidades que estas familias presentan. El objetivo es lograr generar interés en el TOC para estimular tanto la investigación, como el desarrollo de intervenciones pertinentes para esta población y su familia. La presentadora comparte su experiencia en el campo de la investigación, donde utilizó un método cualitativo empleando como instrumento la entrevista semi-estructurada y análisis de contenido. Los participantes podrán adquirir un mayor conocimiento sobre el TOC en las minorías (latinos), enfocado mayormente en la población puertorriqueña. Además, podrán tener un mayor conocimiento sobre cómo se afecta la familia al lidiar con un integrante diagnosticado con TOC y las áreas que se pueden modificar. Por último, podrán conocer las limitaciones y necesidades que presentan las familias al tener un integrante con TOC.
The panelists will discuss effective treatment, research findings on comorbidity, proactive recovery maintenance, medication, limitations and strategies for maximizing successful implementation of OCD treatment while maintaining addiction recovery, addiction recovery programs, inpatient and outpatient treatment options, and personal experiences from recovered patients. Additional suggestions will be offered concerning the maintenance of recovery and prevention of relapse from both conditions. Questions/concerns from the attendees will be welcomed.
Many individuals with OCD exhibit few, if any, obvious compulsions. But for these sufferers, their compulsions are occurring primarily in their own minds. While this is colloquially known as “Pure OCD” (or “Pure O”), the term is an unfortunate misnomer. So-called “Pure O” actually consists of obsessions, seemingly limitless mental compulsions, and plenty of suffering. This panel discussion will explore some of the sub-types of OCD that are often described as “Pure O,” including Homosexual OCD (H-OCD), Harm OCD, Relationship OCD (R-OCD), and Scrupulosity. We will also demonstrate how those with Pure O exhibit numerous compulsive behaviors, and will examine the treatment techniques that have shown the most effectiveness in managing this side of OCD.
This panel focuses on adapting cognitive-behavioral treatment interventions for Hoarding Disorder for clinical work with two specific populations: youth and those with impaired executive functioning. This panel provides an overview of existing research on hoarding as it relates to these populations. The presenters will address challenges, treatment implications, and therapeutic strategies. Case examples highlight challenges and the application of modified CBT for more effective interventions. Our goal is to inspire discussion amongst professionals on research-informed adaptions of CBT interventions for working with a range of hoarding clients.
The workshop presenters will lead small groups in an interactive workshop designed for participants to create their own individualized relapse prevention workbook. Topics include understanding uncertainty and risk, lapses versus relapses, maintenance strategies, costs and benefits of giving into symptoms, value identification, developing alternative behaviors in life, crisis management, behavior chains, and creation of wellness plans.
Did you know that playing games could help your OCD? This interactive workshop for kids applies the latest research on exercise and anxiety to get kids moving, while teaching them about OCD and Exposure and Response Prevention. Attendees will also participate in group discussion and learn ways of modifying games into exposures, such as the “I Don’t Know Game” and “Uneven Simon Says.” The group leader, Coach Jason, is a former college athlete who has worked hard to overcome his OCD. Jason’s inspirational message for kids and teens will change everyone’s mind about what it means to have OCD.
This workshop focuses on common themes for families managing OCD. It will be an interactive workshop; attendees will break into small groups led by an experienced clinician, who will guide a contracting exercise. This experiential workshop will give participants an opportunity for increased problem solving, communication, and support to begin to approach treating OCD as a “team.”
According to the latest research, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) are both effective treatments for OCD; however, not everyone achieves complete symptom reduction. Our clinical experience suggests that complementary elements of ACT and ERP can be combined to improve upon each modality. We have developed an “Acceptance-Based ERP” program, the goal of which is to enhance compliance and outcome in comparison to treatment as usual. This workshop will teach clinicians about the commonalities between ACT and ERP, as well as how they can be synthesized. We will present numerous case examples and conduct role plays illustrating how to implement acceptance-based ERP.
Click here to view the slides from this presentation.
This workshop will familarize clinicians with the use of the Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT) across the lifespan. CBIT is an evidence-based treatment that combines habit reversal therapy
(HRT) with a functional intervention designed to address environmental factors that trigger tics and the consequences that maintain them. The main focus will be familiarizing attendees with CBIT through the use of case material and participant role plays. Current medications for treating tics across the lifespan will also be reviewed and guidelines for using CBIT and medication, alone or in combination, will be discussed.
The word “tormenting” is frequently used to describe what it is like to live with BDD. While that is often used by patients, the same can be said for families living with the disorder as well. Family members often feel frightened, frustrated, and angry, unaware of resources that may be able to provide support. This workshop is an opportunity to learn ways to not only help your loved one who has BDD, but also to help yourself. Addressing concerns about depression, the risk of suicide, isolation, refusal to get psychiatric help, and plastic surgery will be amongst the topics addressed.
Durante esta sesión, personas con TOC y sus parientes discutirán sus experiencias viviendo con el TOC. La sesión consistirá en grupos de discusión grandes y pequeños facilitados por profesionales bilingües con entrenamiento en la salud mental latina y el tratamiento del TOC. Los temas de la discusión son: 1) ¿Qué perciben los pacientes y sus parientes como causas del TOC? 2) ¿Cómo reaccionan los pacientes a los síntomas del TOC? 3) ¿Qué es el impacto del TOC en los pacientes y en sus familias? 4) ¿Qué esperan los pacientes de tratamiento? 5) ¿Cuáles cosas han sido útiles? Después de la discusión, el grupo dividirá en grupos pequeños para hablar de sus experiencias – habrá un grupo de personas con TOC y un grupo de los parientes. Comentarios de los participantes ayudarán a desarrollar tratamientos culturalmente sensibles para Latinos con TOC y sus parientes.
Evidence-based treatment has been developed for OCD and related disorders, but patients are typically
not receiving it in routine clinical care. Even when patients do receive these treatments, they are often not well-delivered. The objective of this workshop is to discuss barriers to the dissemination of evidence-based psychological treatments, and to propose ways of overcoming them.
At best, perfectionism can be an asset; but at worst, it can be a burden when desires to be perfect can backfire. This workshop will help those who struggle with perfectionism to develop insight, motivation, and skills to be more engaged in life with less focus on perfection. Topics include conceptualizing perfectionism, the role of standards and expectations, rigidity and inflexibility, the impact on functioning and relationships, procrastination, and strategies for managing perfectionism. The workshop will use experiential exercises and skills practice.
This workshop will focus on recent developments in the treatment of hoarding. Topics include the Buried in Treasures (BIT) Workshop, a “critical time intervention” plus BIT for individuals at risk for eviction, medications, and treating late life hoarding. Participants will learn how traditional CBT compares with the BIT workshop, what medications show promise for treating hoarding, how CBT can be adapted to treat late life hoarding problems, and how a critical time intervention can be paired with BIT workshops for people at risk for eviction because of their hoarding.
Guilt is one of the main hallmarks of OCD and figures into many forms of this disorder, such as hyperresponsibility, scrupulosity, and morbid thoughts. When severe enough, it can be crippling, and can lead to seemingly endless compulsions. This talk will help sufferers to better understand what guilt is, how it affects them, how it may be an integral part of their disorder, and what can be done to effectively confront and overcome it.
This panel will explore the impact that OCD has on families and how family responses can play an integral role in treatment outcome for both pediatric and adult populations in both outpatient and intensive treatment. New instruments for measuring family variables will be discussed, as well as the role accommodation plays in predicting treatment outcome. Strategies for intervention will be suggested, including novel family approaches for treatment refusal/resistance, in addition to future areas of OCD family research.
Click here to view the slides from the this presentation.
Teens who experience violent and/or sexual thoughts may be reluctant to disclose these obsessions. This workshop aims to reduce the stigma of these unacceptable thoughts. Teens will explore their unacceptable thoughts and participate in group activities focused on understanding and normalizing the presence of these thoughts. Guidance will be provided in developing and implementing appropriate ERP techniques. Presenters will also answer family questions regarding their teen’s unacceptable thoughts. This workshop will help teens and families better understand and start a dialogue about unacceptable thoughts in OCD.
Pediatric OCD responds to both cognitive-behavior therapy and medication, with much of the research focusing on children with few additional diagnoses or complications. However, in everyday practice there are many considerations that lead to poorer treatment response. This panel will discuss methods for addressing the major factors that contribute to poorer outcomes. Topics will include comorbid presentations, complex/atypical symptoms, violent and sexual thoughts, treatment noncompliance, and barriers to effective parental involvement in treatment. Presenters will discuss the application of ERP, as well as additional augmentation strategies.
This workshop will review the rationale, clinical strategies, and professional and financial management policies of taking CBT/ERP outside the office. Case examples will be used to illustrate a variety of home/ community-based applications, and we will discuss the types of preparation necessary for considering, planning, and implementing out-of-office work. Ample time will be allowed for participant questions and sharing of experiences, for purposes of problem solving and offering support to professionals and patients seeking to offer or utilize such services.
This event is an opportunity for all conference attendees to meet the leaders in OCD research and learn about the findings presented through the displayed Research Posters. See pages 44–47 for a full listing of all of the Research Posters. Complimentary appetizers and cash bar.
All adults from the Bay Area are welcome to attend.
Join the fun at the Saturday Night Social. All attendees are invited to enjoy a light dinner, meet fellow attendees, and stay for music and dancing! The Exhibit Passport raffle will also take place during the Social, so be sure to stay to hear if you are a winner! Light dinner will be served. Cash bar.
7:00pm AWARDS PRESENTATION!
This year we will be honoring a very special guest with the 1st Annual Illumination Award for her work raising awareness about OCD and fighting stigma through her staggeringly funny and honest stand-up comedy. Please join us in welcoming comedian Maria Bamford, who will be accepting her award in person at the Saturday Night Social! We will also be honoring IOCDF Hero Award Winner, Margaret Sisson, for her grassroots advocacy work on behalf of the Foundation and the entire OCD community.
In this support group, participants will have a chance to share their stories with the only people who truly
can understand the torment of living with BDD — fellow BDD sufferers. Those living with BDD often live in isolation, rarely sharing their secret anguish with anyone. This group is an opportunity to meet others with the disorder, share stories of pain and encouragement, and receive and offer support in an environment that is both safe and confidential. Family members and friends are also welcome to attend.
Todos son bienvenidos, es un espacio en donde cada uno puede compartir su experiencia personal con el TOC, siendo una persona que padece de TOC, padres de familia, hermanos e inclusive terapeutas. A cargo de este grupo estará una persona con TOC, sin embargo también estarán presentes una psicóloga y una psiquiatra especialistas en el tema para escuchar y resolver sus preguntas.
People with life challenges use WRAP to develop and implement their own action plan for achieving their own goals. Individuals find empowerment from self-direction and responsible action. Peers work together to encourage personal accountability and provide the support necessary for continued progress. WRAP for Clutter applies this approach to people who struggle with clutter. In the group, people also find release from stigma and shame, and will use words that directly relate to behavior and experience, such as finding and keeping, instead of hoarding. Participants will receive a blank workbook to take home, with guidance in how to fill it in by an Advanced Level peer facilitator.
A person’s reluctance to seek treatment for hoarding problems can be challenging and frustrating for family members. Even when someone with hoarding problems seeks treatment, it is often a slow, gradual process that is difficult for family members. The purpose of this group is to permit attendees to share their experiences and begin a discussion of how to cope with someone with hoarding problems.
This support group aims to bring together individuals suffering with the unique challenge of dual-diagnosis OCD and addiction. The group is open to anyone who personally self-identifies as struggling with both substance use and managing OCD. This is a safe forum for members to express the tribulations and successes they have found, to seek out support and build community around this often-neglected topic. Both the group facilitators have personal experience with this topic. Participants are not required to be in any particular stage of change or sobriety to participate. We hope to increase awareness of dual diagnosis and offer support via optional contact exchange for supporting each other in maintaining recovery following the conference.
Living with symptoms of OCD and an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be difficult. For many, understanding the impact of each disorder and attempting to adaptively cope can be overwhelming. Some individuals “stumbled upon” the ASD diagnosis later in life while engaged in OCD treatment. In these cases, the individual, family members, or professional concluded that some challenging behaviors were better explained with an ASD diagnosis (vs. OCD alone). For both the individual and their family, the process of learning about “another disorder” can bring a sense of being overwhelmed, anger at earlier professionals for not “catching” the ASD, & a sense of shame. This support group will provide a forum to discuss these issues, including understanding of how a dual diagnosis impacts over time; occupational, social, and romantic impact of dual diagnosis; collaborating on treatment; maintaining motivation to engage in ERP; and collaboration with school and work.
It’s time for our yearly OCD Fashion Show and Karaoke experience for kids and teens. Have a blast while learning how creating wacky clothing and hairstyles can help you fight OCD. Participants will get an ERP- based makeover and compete for the title of the Best OCD-Fighting Fashion Show Contestant. Rap artist MC Hoffman and musicologist DJ Spielman will again lead the OCD karaoke singers, who will compete in an American Idol-style karaoke ERP competition to their favorite pop songs. With the support of fellow attendees, their cheering parents, and new friends, models on the catwalk and the OCD singers will learn how to fight OCD and think about exposure exercises in a whole new way.
After the day is done, drop by join in a ping pong tournament with fellow attendees. Try out the ping pong skills that you picked up during practice on Friday night! May the best player win!
Many individuals seeking treatment find themselves going through multiple therapists and psychiatrists prior to finding someone who truly has the expertise to help them. This presentation will discuss specific questions to ask a potential therapist or psychiatrist to ensure they have the proper skills and training to address their anxiety condition. It will offer strategies to help individuals better communicate their needs to their insurance company, ask questions to further understand their benefits and financial responsibilities based on the level of care they are seeking, and how to utilize in-network benefits when a provider is not contracted. The Mental Health Parity Act will also be discussed. This discussion is for consumers and professionals who want to better understand how to navigate this process.
Do you ever wonder why OCD occurs in some people but not others? This workshop will provide a summary of what is currently known about causes of OCD, and how genetic and other factors interact to trigger this illness. A discussion period will conclude this interactive workshop.
In this workshop, I will discuss my personal journey on how I have battled my own OCD by teaching myself and others how to live simpler lives through a system I call Organize & Create Discipline. I will discuss growing up with OCD, growing into my OCD, and how my OCD has affected me in every area of my life, even to this day.
Insomnia in people with OCD is often not addressed, and if left unchecked, poor sleep can lead to daytime fatigue, irritability, and heightened OCD symptoms. Fortunately, there are a number of strategies that are very helpful in improving sleep. In this workshop, we will explore the kinds of sleep difficulties that can occur in OCD and how poor sleep and OCD symptoms can exacerbate each other. Next, attendees will learn strategies to address trouble sleeping. Lastly, attendees will learn how to track their own sleep with the use of sleep diaries or wearable devices to help them get back to getting a good night’s rest.
It is natural to want to help a loved-one feel better by answering reassurance-seeking questions, but providing reassurance makes OCD worse. This workshop will provide information about reassurance-seeking behavior, explain how to distinguish between true information-seeking and reassurance-seeking, and demonstrate how to respond to reassurance-seeking questions in an effective way. Presenters will roleplay a reassurance-seeking situation, and then ask for audience examples. Our goal is to facilitate a fun, interactive workshop after which family members can immediately apply principles learned to help their loved one tolerate uncertainty and fight back against OCD.
This talk will describe how new data adds to overall knowledge about the outcomes of the main surgical approaches to otherwise intractable OCD. Cingulotomy, gamma ventral capsulotomy, and deep brain stimulation will be discussed. Ongoing research on effectiveness and safety in the US and elsewhere will be emphasized.
Homework and deadlines suck even when you don’t have to deal with OCD. When you add OCD to the equation, resorting to procrastination may feel like the only way out for many teens. Understanding what’s behind procrastination and its interplay with OCD is the first step toward breaking this habit. Because of the unrealistic standards and beliefs held by many people with OCD, many procrastinators are often left feeling overwhelmed and intensely anxious about their workloads. This panel will illustrate how to transform fight-or-flight anxiety into motivation, and provide specific tools to tackle procrastination and foster productivity free from undue anxiety.
The aim of this panel is to expand conceptualizing and treating complex OCD symptoms with ERP by incorporating learning theory principles more systematically. The major domains to be discussed are: comorbid presentations, complex and atypical symptoms, context-based conditioning, and augmenting ERP using functional analysis.
Several different fears can arise around food that are related to disordered eating and/or OCD. The issues to be addressed in this workshop include body-image disturbance, fear of vomiting, fear of choking, fear of being poisoned, and magical thinking with regard to food. We will outline the differences and nuances of diagnosing OC spectrum vs. eating disorder spectrum disorders, and how the treatment unfolds. Case examples and treatment plans will be discussed in detail integrating the perspectives of both ACT and ERP to help clinicians and treatment providers better work with these clients who struggle with food-related OCD and/or eating disorders.
This 2-day Cognitive Behavioral Treatment Group, led by Dr. Reid Wilson, is a treatment opportunity for individuals with OCD who might not otherwise have access to an intensive OCD treatment program. Components of this program include: how to alter rigidly held belief systems, how to let go of obsessions, how to gain mastery over compulsions, and how to increase courage and determination. There are two sessions offered this year in Los Angeles, one before and one after the conference:
This treatment opportunity will be held at the conference site at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles, CA. The group will be limited to 8 participants on a first-come, first-served basis. This program has sold out for each of the past 3 years we’ve offered it.
All participants must be referred by a mental health professional who has given the diagnosis of OCD. The cost is $375*.
To register, please download the application and referral form from: http://www.ocd2014.org/program/reidwilson/
Hypochondriasis is defined as an obsessive preoccupation with fears of having a serious disease that persists despite repeated reassurance from medical professionals that no such disease exists. Hypochondriasis, now called Health Anxiety and considered a separate disorder in the DSM-V, nevertheless has many common features with classic OCD symptoms where the fear of illness is present. This talk will cover the similarities and differences between these two disorders, outline the latest CBT shown to be effective, and offer case examples of how CBT is effectively applied to relieve the distress associated with these conditions.
Symptoms of OCD and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) can often overlap. This workshop will help professionals differentiate symptoms of each, better understand the impact of ASD diagnoses, and how psychological and pharmacological OCD treatment can be modified to maximize success. While the
entire Autism spectrum will be discussed, implications for high functioning individuals will be emphasized. Presenters will give guidance on assessment tools to help screen for ASDs. Guidelines for assessment, intervention, and theoretical and practical considerations for CBT/ERP for individuals with dual diagnoses will be provided. The workshop will discuss how psychopharmacological treatment may be impacted by dual diagnoses, and how it may be modified from a “traditional” course of OCD treatment.
Studies suggest that approximately 65% of those with eating disorders also have an anxiety disorder of some kind. When managing both an eating disorder and OCD, treatment and recovery can be extremely difficult to navigate for both the sufferer and therapist alike. This informative discussion will focus on the most effective approaches for managing eating disorders with comorbid OCD and anxiety. This presentation will help sufferers and therapists learn how to manage both disorders simultaneously using ERP, mindfulness, and other CBT tools, and to troubleshoot major impediments to recovery that often occur along the way. The session will conclude with a questions and answer period.
If someone has ever mentioned the notion of “acceptance,” it might have sounded like you were being
asked to give up and resign yourself to a life limited by anxiety. In this highly experiential and fun workshop for attendees of all ages, participants will have the opportunity to discover that acceptance doesn’t mean resignation — it can actually mean active engagement with the meaningful things in life. Please join us to construct your personalized shield — see for yourself the price you pay for “protection” and what acceptance feels like.
Combining yoga and storytelling, kids will learn mindfulness techniques as they join Little Swan in her ventures into the world beyond her nest. During her exploration, she encounters a snake, experiences fear, and seeks direction and reassurance from creatures she meets along her way. But nothing seems to help her fear! It is not until Little Swan learns to sit quietly, breathe, and pay attention to what is happening that she discovers that the key lies within her! Kids will learn fifteen yoga poses as they “become” the story, and practice breathing techniques for grounding. They will also be introduced to basic mindfulness concepts.
People with OCD depend on their families for support, and families are eager to provide help for their loved
ones. However, what happens when family dynamics are not working? Participants will be asked to choose
one of four “mini camps” — 1) Are you being held hostage by a loved one with OCD? 2) Are your other children being overlooked and ignored? 3) Is someone asking for reassurance over and over? 4) You get it, but do other family members not understand OCD and make life harder? Presenters will help each camp explore solutions to common family issues. Participants will have the opportunity to work on multiple family issues during the session. Participants will “graduate” boot camp with personal contracts of things they are willing to do to improve home life.
Previous research has indicated that pregnancy and the postpartum period are risk factors for the development of OCD as compared to those in the general population, and the occurrence of OCD is higher in these periods than previously believed. This presentation will review prevalence of OCD in the perinatal and postpartum period, and share multiple case studies using the CBT-ER/P model. In addition, information will be shared regarding the dimensions of OCD observed in perinatal and postpartum OCD, as well as a novel early intervention model. Furthermore, this presentation will share information about future directions and implications for research.
Body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs), such as trichotillomania and skin picking, receive limited exposure in professional and public domains and are lacking in trained clinicians. Comorbidity is commonplace, and some individuals with these disorders have little or no access to effective treatment that could provide symptom relief and improved quality of life. While there have been some new directions in the augmentation of CBT and novel pharmacologic interventions, not all clinicians are knowledgeable about them. This presentation will provide an overview of all empirically-supported CBT and psychopharmacologic interventions for BFRBs.
An integral part of teenage development is to become more independent and autonomous - the same holds true for teens with OCD. However, developmentally appropriate behaviors can sometimes be difficult for therapists to distinguish from maladaptive or OCD behaviors. Case examples and attendee contribution will illustrate the process of how steps toward independence may interact with and exacerbate OCD symptoms. This panel will provide strategies for therapists to recognize and respond to special teen issues in a more adaptive manner. Attendees will acquire tools to support positive steps towards overcoming OCD symptoms, and strategies to assist family members in effectively redirecting problematic behavior.
Click here to view the slides from this presentation.
Many people seek help and support for OCD on the internet. This can take the form of joining an online support group, blogging, joining chat groups, e-mail lists, seeking information on web sites, forums, getting treatment from providers via Skype or similar video conferencing formats, and more. This presentation will discuss the options, look at pros and cons, and some of the experiences seeking or providing support and help on the internet. The presenters are all active in providing internet support to people with OCD.
Experience suggests that the path to recovery can be far from simple for those who hair pull and skin pick. Treatment interventions are few, available interventions don’t help everyone, and specialized treatment is not always accessible. Limited understanding of these problems and associated stigma can persist amongst medical professionals and the public. Patients will relate their personal stories of living with these disorders. They will provide an overview of their symptoms and course, review the functional impact of the disorder on their lives, and discuss their treatment challenges and successes. Clinicians will then present their perspectives on these cases including their clinical presentation and longitudinal course, factors that impacted recovery, valuable lessons learned, and future directions in the field.
Thought-Action Fusion is when our brains tell us that if we think something, then it must be true, or that thinking it will make it true. This panel discussion offers insight about Thought-Action Fusion and the magical thinking so common in OCD. With education about these distortions and mindfulness tools, anyone can learn how to effectively battle the lies their brains tell them. Attendees will learn how to identify when they are engaging in Thought-Action Fusion and how to challenge magical thinking errors, and will have an opportunity to share their experiences and ask questions.
Dating and marriage are challenging: Add OCD, and they can feel impossible! In this workshop, presenters will recount their misadventures into romance and how OCD overshadowed it all. Presenters will share their stories and how they learned to manage OCD within their relationship. They will candidly talk about what marriage is like when one spouse struggles with OCD, and share tips for what helps and what hurts in their own marriage. At the end of the workshop, each participant will reflect on his/her experience and identify an area for improvement.
As a parent, you want to advocate for your child’s best interest. Many parents of a child with OCD are at a loss as to where to begin, and are desperate for answers. This workshop will provide tangible
tips, education, and assistance to the people who provide support and care. The goal is to help family members take the correct steps in improving their relationships with their loved ones, and becoming a viable support system while maintaining healthy boundaries and self care. Parents and family members will learn how to deal with insurance companies, navigate the waters of collaborating with schools, and strategies and tools to improve family communication and minimize unhealthy interactions.
Our ability to study the whole genome continues to expand, and with it our knowledge that there is a complex genomic risk for OCD and that a number of genes likely play a role in the illness. Furthermore, we are increasingly realizing that genetic studies need to account for the phenotypic heterogeneity of OCD. Certain symptom or phenotypic features may represent traits that are common to all OCD-related disorders, whereas other traits may differentiate these disorders. This workshop will present new findings in the genomic, neuroimaging, and neurocognitive facets of OCD and related disorders.
People with OCD know it’s not a set of quirky character traits, but what about everyone else? Media showcases the more obvious side of OCD, like hand-washing and checking rituals, and people tend to think that being clean or color-coding their books makes them “so OCD.” These common misconceptions can make people with OCD feel ashamed and embarrassed about the severity and nature of their obsessions or compulsions, leading them to keep the disorder hidden. But, reaching out and sharing our stories can help us get beyond our diagnosis and lead fuller, richer lives. Presenters will discuss their personal struggles with the shame and guilt of OCD, and how they learned to stand confidently in their diagnosis.
This workshop will focus on novel ways to augment ERP treatment for pediatric OCD, specifically focusing on adventure therapy (AT) strategies. The presenters will discuss ways that they have successfully integrated ERP principles into an AT framework. The purpose of the workshop will be to demonstrate key AT concepts and methods via experiential exercises, and to inspire therapists to use these strategies as an adjunct to ERP treatment for OCD. This approach will also be discussed within the larger context of research on novel ways to augment and enhance evidence-based treatments for OCD.
In this workshop, a panel of clinicians experienced in treating scrupulosity will answer questions from the audience. To start things off, the moderator will provide an overview of scrupulosity and its treatment, and panelists will briefly describe their approaches to the scrupulous patient. Attendee Q&A will follow.
This 2-day Cognitive Behavioral Treatment Group, led by Dr. Reid Wilson, is a treatment opportunity for individuals with OCD who might not otherwise have access to an intensive OCD treatment program. Components of this program include: how to alter rigidly held belief systems, how to let go of obsessions, how to gain mastery over compulsions, and how to increase courage and determination. There are two sessions offered this year in Los Angeles, one before and one after the conference:
This treatment opportunity will be held at the conference site at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles, CA. The group will be limited to 8 participants on a first-come, first-served basis. This program has sold out for each of the past 3 years we’ve offered it.
All participants must be referred by a mental health professional who has given the diagnosis of OCD. The cost is $375*.
To register, please download the application and referral form from: http://www.ocd2014.org/program/reidwilson/
