Miss our latest #OCDchat on Twitter? The chat transcript is now available online: http://storify.com/IOCDF/ocd-chat-monday-february-18th This month’s chat focused on OCD in kids and teens, and featured Dr. Fred Penzel from Western Suffolk Psychological Services as our guest expert, along with the IOCDF’s Dr. Jeff Szymanski. We host these Twitter chats every month, and it’s a great opportunity to… Read more »
Reminder: Conference Proposal System Closes at 5pm TODAY
This is a reminder that our Conference Proposal System for the 20th Annual Conference in Atlanta closes today (Thursday, Jan 31st). You have until 5pm EST to submit your workshop, evening activity, or support group proposal for consideration. We especially still need proposals for teen and young adult programming, as well as research talks and workshops. For more information on the conference, or to submit your proposal, please visit www.ocd2013.org.
Twitter chat with ABC News about OCD, Jan 29th at 1pm ET
We’re participating in a Twitter chat today at 1pm Eastern with ABC News’ chief health and medical editor Dr. Richard Besser. Join Dr. Jeff Szymanski from the International OCD Foundation, and other experts from across the country, as they answer your questions about OCD and related disorders. Search the hashtag #ABCDrBchat on Twitter, or click here… Read more »
Buddha Badges to donate this month’s proceeds to International OCD Foundation
This month, Buddha Badges is contributing all of the proceeds from the sale of their badges to the Walking with Nathaniel fund at the International OCD Foundation, dedicated to raising awareness about body dysmorphic disorder(BDD) and OCD in memory of Nathaniel Asselin. BuddhaBadges is a non-profit charity-drive art project aimed at selling 1-inch Buddha-themed badges for $1 each to help raise money for some good causes. So perhaps this month you will consider bringing a little Eastern wisdom into your life, and helping to support the IOCDF along the way.
New Year, New Conference, New Website
With the new year, comes a new conference, and we are busy working to make this year’s program even better. We’ve even launched a new website at www.ocd2013.org to keep you up-to-date on conference information as it becomes available.
This year’s conference will be our 20th annual OCD Conference, and will take place from July 19–21 in Atlanta, GA, our first time in Atlanta in nearly a decade. Of course, the real reason to attend the conference is the quality workshops, support groups, research posters, and evening activities that we provide each and every year. If you would like to submit a proposal to speak at the conference, run a support group, exhibit a research poster, or hold a special evening activity, the conference proposal system is now open!
Support the IOCDF While You Do Your Holiday Shopping
If you shop online this holiday season, you can easily have a portion of the proceeds from your shopping donated to the International OCD Foundation. iGive.com partners with thousands of online retailers, and donates a percentage of proceeds to charities and non-profits such as the IOCDF. To get started, click here and register at iGive… Read more »
January 2013 BTTI Registration Now Open
Registration for the IOCDF’s Behavior Therapy Training Institute (BTTI) in St. Petersburg, Florida, on January 18–20 is now open. The BTTI is a 3-day intensive training for professionals about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for OCD, and is renowned in the field as the premier training for the effective treatment of OCD and related disorders. Our… Read more »
New OCD Awareness Video — “We Believe”
IOCDF Spokesperson and Adversity 2 Advocacy founder, Jeff Bell, produced an amazing new video — with help from many of you — to share a message of hope for people with OCD. Click here to watch the video.
First Genome Study of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Begins to Reveal Hereditary Causes of OCD
It has long been thought that obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is due to a combination of both genetic and environmental causes. A new study has made significant progress in determining which of the approximately 22,000 human genes may predispose individuals to OCD. Today, Nature Publishing Group’s Molecular Psychiatry released the results of the first genome-wide… Read more »
The Privilege of Being the Executive Director of the IOCDF
We are just getting our bearings again here in the national office after our 19th Annual Conference in Chicago, which was a major success. Thank you to all 1,175 attendees! I’m sure that many of you had stories to tell your friends, families, and therapists upon your return. In this post, our executive director, Dr. Jeff Szymanski, shares some of his own memories and thoughts about the conference.