An IOCDF Affiliate carries out the mission of the International OCD Foundation through programs at the local community level within the United States. Each Affiliate is an independent 501(c)3 non-profit organization run entirely by dedicated volunteers.
Below will be quarterly updates from our Affiliates, organized by state. Click the (+) to open each menu and read updates and find contact information for clinics near you.
www.ocdtexas.org(opens in new tab)
volunteer@ocdtexas.org(opens in new tab)
Instagram: @ocd_texas(opens in new tab)
Facebook: ocdtexasforsure
OCD Texas Affiliate: Fall 2026 Update
A message from Andrea M. Alvarez, LPC-S, President
Hello, OCD Texas community!
It is an honor to write this update as your new President — my first as I step into this role. I've had the privilege of serving on the OCD Texas Board since 2020, first as Treasurer, and I'm deeply grateful for the trust placed in me to now lead this organization forward.
A New Chapter in Leadership
This transition wouldn't be possible without the incredible mentorship of Melissa Fausteau, PsyD, who now serves as Past-President and continues to guide me as I settle into this new position. Her leadership has shaped so much of what OCD Texas is today, and I'm thankful to have her continued support.
I'm also excited to share some updates to our board:
Gabbi Funk steps into the role of President-Elect
Saharah Strout, LPC-S continues her dedicated service as Secretary
Courtney Schmidt joins the board as Treasurer
Katy Rothfelder, Volunteer Chair
Luke Collier, PsyD also joins our board as Education Chair
Azul Lozoya Gomez also joins as our Social Media Chair
Thien-An Le, PhD, is joins as Liaison
Noemi Tsai as Youth Ambassador
Together, this team is committed to expanding education, support, and advocacy for individuals and families affected by OCD across Texas.
Upcoming Events This Fall
We have a full season ahead, with opportunities to learn, connect, and show up for our community.
Webinar: Co-Occurring Autism and OCD in Youth
Friday, September 4 | Live Webinar
Join us for a timely discussion on the current evidence and clinical implications of co-occurring Autism and OCD in youth — an important topic for clinicians, families, and educators alike.
Annual Symposium
Saturday, October 10, 2026 | 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM Kevin Brady Community Center, 2250 Buckthorne Pl, The Woodlands, TX 77380
This year's Symposium features keynote speaker Dr. Patrick McGrath, Chief Clinical Officer at NOCD. Dr. McGrath brings decades of clinical expertise to a day filled with learning, connection, and community for those touched by OCD.
Annual OCD Walk – Dallas
Saturday, October 24, 2026 | 8:00 AM Finch Park, McKinney, TX
Lace up and join us for our Annual Walk as we raise awareness and funds to support OCD Texas's mission. Whether you're walking for yourself, a loved one, or in solidarity with our community, every step matters.
Get Involved
Registration for all events is available on the OCD Texas Events page. We hope to see you there — whether online for the webinar or in person for the Symposium and Walk.
Thank you for being part of this community. I look forward to serving you in this new role, and to everything OCD Texas will accomplish together this year.
With gratitude, Andrea M. Alvarez, LPC-S President, OCD Texas
Website: www.ocdnc.org
Instagram: @ocdnc
Email: info@ocdnc.org
OCD North Carolina will be busy this fall! We have five awareness walks planned throughout the state, including Raleigh, Charlotte, Wilmington, Greensboro, and Asheville. We're also resuming our OCD Lecture Series, a FREE, virtual lecture open to anyone in the OCD community. These lectures take place on the third Tuesday of each month at 7pm ET. We hope to see you there!
OCD Nevada
Website: ocdnevada.org
Facebook: @ocdnevada
Instagram: @ocdnevada
Email: info@ocdnevada.org
Since May, OCD Nevada has made significant strides in strengthening our organizational foundation, expanding our outreach across the state, and building meaningful community connections.
A major focus this quarter has been internal infrastructure. We successfully established an active, dedicated board of directors and implemented key operational systems. Alongside these workflows, we revamped our website, set up an official email system, and launched our very first organizational newsletter to maintain direct, consistent communication with our community.
On the programming side, we are thrilled to expand our flagship awareness events into both major regions of the state. Building on last year's success, we are hosting our 2nd Annual Northern Nevada OCD Walk in Sparks. Additionally, we are launching the 1st Annual Las Vegas OCD Walk, marking a key milestone in connecting with and supporting individuals and families in Southern Nevada.
Focusing on intentional ways to connect has been key to driving momentum for these events. Utilizing our updated website, newsletter, social media channels, and local business relationships has helped us spread the word and raise vital funds for the Walks.
Finally, our team prioritized national connection and learning this summer. Three members of our organization attended the Annual IOCDF Conference—two in person and one virtually—bringing back valuable insights, resources, and momentum to serve our local community.
These structural, educational, and outreach accomplishments represent a huge step forward for OCD Nevada as we continue to grow our presence and impact statewide.
info@ocdcsfl.org(opens in new tab)
https://ocdcsfl.org(opens in new tab)
We are excited to share several updates and opportunities to get involved with the OCD Central & South Florida community!
This year, OCDCSFL was proud to be present at the 31st Annual OCD Conference in Seattle, Washington. As always, it was wonderful to connect with members of our community in such a warm, welcoming, and educational setting. We are grateful for the opportunity to learn, share, and strengthen connections with individuals and professionals dedicated to OCD awareness, education, and advocacy.
In August, our very own Affiliate President, Dr. Katie Merricks, teamed up with board member, Dr. Gwilym Roddick, to present to Hillsborough County Schools in Collaboration with IOCDF and Anxiety in the Classroom.
Our upcoming “Obsession” Art Event has been postponed to a later date, which is still to be determined. We are, however, continuing to collect artwork! This meaningful exhibit will feature pieces created by those with a personal or professional connection to OCD. Consider creating and donating a piece! See our website: OCDCSFL.org for more info! Artwork may be mailed to 4400 N Federal Hwy, Ste. 123, Boca Raton, FL 33498.
Looking ahead, our annual One Million Steps for OCD event is coming up on January 23, 2027 in Payne Park Sarasota, FL —and we can’t wait! We are currently seeking volunteers to help make this event a success.
OCDCSFL is always looking to expand our board, welcome new volunteers, and explore collaboration and sponsorship opportunities. Please reach out to info@ocdcsfl.org if interested. We would love to have you join our amazing community!
midatlanticocd@gmail.com(opens in new tab)
ocdmidatlantic.org(opens in new tab)
Instagram: @ocdmidatlantic
Facebook: @OCDMidAtlantic
Hope everyone has had a good summer! OCD Midatlantic is excited about fall and the upcoming 1 Million Steps for OCD Walk in Richmond on October 10th. We recently hosted a talk presented by Mike Heady titled Inference-Based CBT: A New Hope for OCD with 150 attendees. We are currently working on plans for the 2nd Annual OCD Midatlantic Mini-Conference with Sheppard Pratt. The conference has been moved to Feb 2027 for logistical reasons but we plan to return to October for future mini-conferences. Please continue to use the website contact form to tell us about any events you would be interested in attending, virtually or in person (https://www.ocdmidatlantic.org/contact/).
info@ocdnewhampshire.org(opens in new tab)
https://www.ocdnewhampshire.org/(opens in new tab)
@ocd_new_hampshire
https://www.facebook.com/OCDNH(opens in new tab)
Things are cruising along in the Granite State this summer, with OCD New Hampshire continuing to grow both our community programming and our outreach across the state. We kicked off the season by hosting an ERP training at Riverbend Community Mental Health in Concord, featuring a Q&A with a panel of individuals with lived experience of OCD. That same focus on education and connection carried into our visit to the OCD Boston Walk, where we had the chance to share our programs and resources with neighbors across the broader New England OCD community.
Closer to home, our weekly online Adult OCD Support Group, monthly Teen Support Group, and monthly Parents of Anxious Kids Support Group continue to go strong. We’ve expanded those opportunities for connection with a new monthly online Community Game Night, giving members a casual social setting to build deeper relationships and strengthen community.
We’re bringing that same emphasis on awareness into schools, beginning our first outreach effort to offer trainings for faculty and staff on recognizing OCD and understanding how it can present in the classroom.
All of this is leading into one of our biggest community gatherings of the year: our affiliate's annual OCD Walk on October 18 at White Park in Concord. We’re excited to bring people together once again for a day of connection, awareness, and community.
ocdnjmail@gmail.com(opens in new tab)
www.ocdnj.org(opens in new tab)
@ocd_newjersey(opens in new tab)
OCD New Jersey Fall 2026 Update
OCD New Jersey will be hosting a Panel and Q&A during OCD Awareness Week at both the East Brunswick Public Library and Fairfield Public Library on Monday October 12th from 530-7pm. Please visit ocdnj.org for more information.
OCD New Jersey participated in the One Million Steps for OCD Walk on Sunday, June 7, 2026, at Oak Ridge Park in Clark, NJ. In addition to raising awareness and funds to support those affected by OCD, this event included the opportunity to get to know psychotherapy practices and other OCD resources from around the state, live music, face painting and other fun activities.
https://www.ocdri.org https://www.instagram.com/ocdrhodeisland/ https://www.facebook.com/OCDRhodeIsland/
INFO@OCDRI.ORG
OCD Rhode Island is looking to expand our volunteer committee and board! We are excited to connect with individuals, families and organizations across Rhode Island who are passionate about raising awareness and supporting those affected by OCD and related disorders. Our goal is to strengthen support in the OCD community in RI by helping individuals find effective treatment resources, reduce stigma through education, advocacy and fundraising by hosting our first Rhode Island Walk in 2027! If you are interested in helping in any of these areas, we want to hear from you! Please each out to us through email at info@ocdri.org - we look forward to hearing from you!
You can also follow us on instagram & Facebook pages to learn about free support groups, social events and more!
ct.ocdf@gmail.com(opens in new tab)
https://ocdct.org/(opens in new tab)
https://instagram.com/ocdct(opens in new tab)
https://www.facebook.com/OCDConnecticut/(opens in new tab)
As we transition out of summer, OCD Connecticut is celebrating a season rich in community connection and clinical education while embracing exciting shifts within our leadership.
Our summer programming launched on June 16 at the Yale Child Study Center, where Dr. Christopher Pittenger, director of the Yale OCD Research Clinic, explored the evolving landscape of OCD treatment. His lecture covered everything from traditional pharmacology to emerging clinical research involving ketamine and psychedelic-assisted therapies. We later gathered for an informal evening on July 28 at Sally’s Apizza in Fairfield, CT, allowing community members to relax and reconnect over world-famous New Haven-style slices. Shortly after, our virtual Lecture Series continued on August 5 with licensed naturopathic physician Dr. Jenn Rapkin. Her presentation, "Sitting with the Discomfort of ERP," highlighted body-centered techniques that help build emotional tolerance alongside Exposure and Response Prevention therapy.
Amidst these events, we bid a fond farewell to Co-President Audrey Medd, who stepped down in August. We are deeply grateful for her vital leadership and wish her the very best in her next chapter. Simultaneously, we are thrilled to welcome Paul Wetowitz and Lindsay Parshall as our new Board Members at Large, both of whom bring fresh energy and dedication to our mission. In addition, Vice President Urb Leimkuhler has been named our new Co-President.
Looking ahead, our Fall 2026 schedule is packed with robust educational programming. On September 23, Dr. Sally Winston will present a Zoom lecture titled "Bewilderment (Why Me, Why Now, Why These Thoughts?)." She will examine how the confusion surrounding our mental processes fuels OCD-related distress, illustrating why actionable information delivers true relief over simple reassurance. On October 7, Sacred Heart University in Fairfield will host "OCD: Getting Help and Support for Recovery," a colloquium featuring Christina Taylor, PhD, alongside members of the Fairfield County OCD Support Group and our board.
On October 17, we will gather at Jennings Beach in Fairfield for one of our biggest annual traditions: the 1 Million Steps for OCD Walk.
As the autumn progresses, we are partnering with the Yale OCD Research Clinic to host a community-focused "OCD 101" panel led by their clinical team, with specific date and location details coming soon. November will also bring a special fundraiser featuring comedian and advocate Kevin Turner. His unique humor sheds much-needed light on the realities of living with OCD, demonstrating the vital role laughter can play in the recovery journey.
Carrying this strong momentum forward, the OCD Connecticut team is already hard at work planning a dynamic lineup of new events for 2027.
ocd.midwest.1@gmail.com(opens in new tab)
www.ocdmidwest.org(opens in new tab)
Our chapter has several exciting updates, starting with major wins in professional development and education. We are proud to be offering a scholarship to a participant attending the BIPOC BTTI in September, an additional scholarship to the IOCDF Advanced Forum, as well as two scholarships that were awarded for an intensive ERP training in Columbus, which was led by Dr. Beth McCreary. We also had success in supporting our first Plant a Camp that was held in Michigan and had eight attendees.
Beyond clinical training, our funding and community engagement efforts are expanding rapidly. We are thrilled to announce a new grant secured through the Bill Simpson Foundation to support those with lived experience with OCD. This grant will allow us to connect individuals and families to various resources, camps, and conferences. We have six upcoming walks scheduled across our chapter to raise awareness and support. To help guide this momentum, we have opened new board positions and are actively seeking passionate individuals to step into leadership roles as our Advocacy Lead and Outreach Lead. Our chapter will also be offering educational talks for school staff members through our partnership with Anxiety in the Classroom. These presentations can be tailored to the needs of any particular school, district, or staff.
gatewayocd.com
@GatewayOCD
@thegatewayinstitute
info@gatewayocd.com
Online Specialized OCD Treatment: The Gateway Institute’s 3-Week Intensive Outpatient Program
Intensive OCD Treatment: Online Throughout California and Washington
For people living with moderate to severe Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), accessing specialized intensive treatment can be challenging. Work, school, parenting, distance, and other responsibilities may make travelling to a treatment center for three consecutive weeks difficult or impractical.
The Gateway Institute’s virtual 3-Week Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) helps remove these barriers by providing specialized OCD treatment via secure telehealth to eligible clients throughout California and Washington.
The program provides 45 hours of individualized, one-on-one treatment over three weeks, using evidence-based approaches including Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Mindfulness-Based Behavioral Therapy (MBBT), all from the comfort of home.
Why Telehealth for OCD?
One of the unique benefits of telehealth is that treatment takes place where many OCD triggers, avoidance behaviors, and compulsions naturally occur.
Through virtual ERP, clients can work directly with their therapist on real-life challenges involving their actual surroundings, routines, and everyday triggers, with real-time guidance and support.
Benefits of Virtual OCD Treatment
- Real-world ERP: Work on triggers and compulsions where they naturally occur.
- Individualized exposures: Incorporate your home environment, routines, and everyday challenges into treatment.
- Address home-based compulsions: Work on checking, washing, cleaning, repeating, reassurance seeking, avoidance, and other rituals in their natural context.
- Immediate practice: Continue applying ERP strategies in the same environment after each session.
- Greater access: Receive specialized OCD treatment without living near a Gateway treatment center, subject to therapist licensing requirements.
- No daily commute or relocation: Participate from home without travelling to a treatment center or temporarily relocating.
Everyday application: Learn and practice new responses to OCD in the places where you ultimately need to use them.
Clients spend 3 hours per day, 5 days per week, for 3 weeks actively working on OCD while remaining connected to their everyday environment.
Evidence-Based, Individualized Treatment
Each client receives an individualized treatment plan based on their symptoms, circumstances, and goals.
- Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) helps clients gradually confront feared thoughts, situations, or sensations while learning to resist or reduce compulsive responses.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps identify patterns of thinking and behavior that reinforce the OCD cycle and develop healthier responses to intrusive thoughts, anxiety, doubt, and uncertainty.
Mindfulness-Based Behavioral Therapy (MBBT) helps clients develop greater awareness of intrusive thoughts and uncomfortable emotions without automatically reacting to them or engaging in compulsions.
Changing Your Relationship With OCD
The goal is not to eliminate every unwanted or intrusive thought, but to help clients learn and actively practice new ways of responding to OCD and uncertainty.
With commitment, motivation, and continued practice, clients can work toward changing their relationship with OCD and reclaiming a life in which they control the OCD instead of the OCD controlling them.
(http://www.ocdoregon.com)
Instagram: @ocdoregon
Email: info@ocdoregon.org
It has been a busy and rewarding quarter for OCD Oregon, marked by community connection, professional development, and continued momentum in our mission to support individuals and families affected by OCD across the state.
OCD Oregon was proud to host a successful One Million Steps for OCD Walk at the Portland Waterfront this quarter. The event brought together individuals with lived experience, family members, clinicians, and community supporters for a morning of connection, movement, and advocacy. Participants walked together to raise awareness of OCD and related disorders while helping to reduce the stigma that so often surrounds this condition. The turnout and energy at the event reflected the strength of Oregon's growing OCD community, and the funds raised will directly support OCD Oregon's mission throughout the coming year. We are grateful to every participant, volunteer, and sponsor who helped make the walk such a meaningful success, and we're already looking forward to building on this momentum for next year's event.
Recognizing the importance of training the next generation of OCD specialists, OCD Oregon funded several scholarships this quarter for student clinicians to attend the IOCDF Conference in Seattle. These scholarships helped remove financial barriers for graduate students and early-career clinicians who might not otherwise have had the opportunity to attend. By investing in these emerging professionals, OCD Oregon is helping expand the pool of well-trained, evidence-based clinicians available to treat OCD in our region — a critical need given the shortage of specialists across Oregon. Feedback from our scholarship recipients was overwhelmingly positive, with many describing the conference as a turning point in their clinical training and their understanding of exposure and response prevention (ERP) and other evidence-based treatments.
OCD Oregon was also well represented on the conference program itself, with several of our board members presenting at the IOCDF Conference in Seattle. Their presentations highlighted the work being done in Oregon to expand access to care, build peer support networks, and strengthen the pipeline of trained clinicians statewide. Having board members share their expertise on a national stage is a point of real pride for our affiliate, and it reflects the depth of knowledge and commitment within our leadership team.
Looking toward the fall, OCD Oregon is currently working on plans to host a screening of an OCD-related documentary (title to be determined) in celebration of OCD Awareness Week. This event will offer another accessible entry point for individuals, families, and community members to learn more about OCD in a supportive, low-barrier setting. We'll share more details, including the film selection, date, and venue, as plans are finalized.
None of this work would be possible without the dedication of our volunteers, board members, and the broader Oregon OCD community. We're grateful for IOCDF's continued partnership and look forward to sharing more updates in the next quarter.
ocdsocal.org(opens in new tab)
info@ocdsocal.org(opens in new tab)
Instagram: @ocdsocal(opens in new tab)
Facebook: @OCDSOCAL(opens in new tab)
To learn more, visit our conference website at https://ocdsocal.org/conference
The presenters at the Online OCD Conference are top OCD and related disorders experts presenting on topics that include medication, utilizing insurance for treatment, different treatment modalities, a focus on subtypes and co-occurring disorders, and more, aimed at people with OCD and related disorders, as well as their family members, spouses, and loved ones. In addition to the presentations, we are offering a Keynote presentation and evening community discussion groups and activities.
You do not want to miss one of the largest virtual OCD conferences in the world and the community it brings!
For clinicians, we’re excited to partner with USC and OCD Training School to offer APA and NBCC low-cost continuing education credits at this year’s conference. Mental health professionals can learn from leading experts in OCD and related disorders while earning CE credit for eligible sessions throughout the conference. Please check with your state licensing board to confirm that the CE credits offered meet your specific licensing requirements.
We hope everyone can attend, and if you register, you can access presentation recordings for up to 60 days! Email info@ocdsocal.org with any questions, including scholarship, no-cost ticket requests; visit our website at https://ocdsocal.org for general information, and find the EventBrite registration link on the conference page at https://ocdsocal.org/conference.
We look forward to seeing you on Saturday, November 7, and Sunday, November 8th!
Additionally, OCD SoCal will be offering events throughout OCD Awareness Week 2026 (October 11 - 17). Please visit our website to learn more about the in-person and virtual events hosted by our affiliate during that week.
For those in the Los Angeles area, OCD SoCal is hosting a "One Million Steps for OCD Walk" on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at 10 am at Fair Oaks Park in Santa Clarita, CA! Registration is now open- join us in raising awareness, fighting stigma, and supporting those affected by OCD. We welcome EVERYONE, including individuals with OCD, family, friends, clinicians, researchers, and trainees – it takes a village! Registration is FREE, but walkers who raise at least $75 will get a t-shirt!
In its 6th year, this free, fun, family-friendly event will feature OCD success stories, interactive activities, educational resources, and a walk supporting IOCDF’s “One Million Steps for OCD.” Go to https://support.iocdf.org/santaclarita to sign up.
If you want more information on OCD SoCal or are interested in getting involved, please email us at info@ocdsocal.org, and we hope to see you at an event soon!
@ocd_washington
@OCDWashington
Hello all! OCD WA was so excited the annual IOCDF conference was in Seattle this past summer. We had a great turnout at our meetup during the conference. We were reminded of what community is: being together, shared humanity, not feeling alone. We also co-hosted a picnic in August to further the sense of community for folks with OCD and loved ones. OCD WA is excited for our annual walk October 4th at Seward Park. Each year it's been growing and we've been lucky to have wonderful PNW weather. Come find out more at our website and join us! Sept 19 Seattle OCD is having their monthly support meeting. OCD WA continues to be open to growing our board; reach out if you are interested in a one time volunteer event or to become involved in an ongoing capacity. Happy fall!
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