In 2014 I attended my first OCD Conference, and I kept hearing snippets of conversation about this man, Dr. Michael Jenike. It was “Jenike this” and “Jenike that.” I finally asked my hotel roommate who Jenike was. “You haven’t met Jenike?!” In 2013 Dr. Jenike had granted me permission to use his very helpful checklist for finding an…
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OCD Support in a Small Town: Kevin Putman
Tuesday, Tuesday, Tuesday! Welcome Kevin Putman, one of last year’s recipients of the IOCDF Hero Award—and with good reason. He’s done a tremendous amount of awareness building in his small community in Michigan and has shared his unique idea for OCD advocacy with the larger community as well: Ping Pong 4 OCD. Maybe you’ve played ping…
Read MoreLeading the International OCD Foundation: Jeff Szymanski
I know what you’re thinking: How do you pronounce that name? As far as I can tell, it’s something like Shhhhhmanski. But here’s the thing: You can probably* just call him Jeff! He certainly deserves the respect and honor of being called Dr. Szymanski, but he’s friendly and open enough that you’ll find yourself on a first-name basis. *For…
Read MoreSupport for Teens: Wendy Mueller
I don’t know what’s harder to believe, that it’s Tuesday already or that it’s December already. Here in Minnesota we’re finally getting our first inches of snow. Today’s guest, Wendy Mueller, is always eager to remind me that where she lives—Southern California—she never has to deal with snow or cold temperatures. But Wendy’s full of…
Read MoreTrauma and OCD: Clint Malarchuk
Welcome to Tuesday Q&A! This week we’re hearing from Clint Malarchuk, a man who is supposed to be tough, who isn’t supposed to admit to feeling weak—but he’s shattered misconceptions and is speaking out, particularly about his struggle with OCD, to help others. Clint is tough, by the way. And he’s really, really nice. Really. I…
Read MoreTackling Taboo Thoughts: Lee Baer
If you follow my blog or know anything about me at all—at least as far as my OCD story goes—you know how much I respect and admire Dr. Lee Baer, author of The Imp of the Mind: Exploring the Silent Epidemic of Obsessive Bad Thoughts. When I finally made an appointment with an OCD specialist and croaked out…
Read MoreFinding Support at the OCD Conference: Carol Rettner
This week I’m hosting Carol Rettner, a kind, hilarious, and brave woman I met at the OCD Conference in L.A. in 2014. When I met Jeff Bell and mentioned I was from Minneapolis, he asked if I’d met Carol—I hadn’t—and later introduced us. He also told me that until recently Carol hadn’t left Minnesota for…
Read MoreOCD Conference in Boston
I blogged for the International OCD Foundation again this year, recapping the conference events from my own perspective. Enjoy! Although there is so much more to the conference than I wrote about, I hope you see how wonderful the experience can be and make plans to go to Chicago next summer. OCD Conference: Boston Edition…
Read MoreOCD Conference!
The 22nd annual OCD Conference is just around the corner! I’m looking forward to four days with hundreds and hundreds of people who either have OCD, treat OCD, or want to learn more about OCD for any number of reasons. It’s in Boston this year, so I’m especially excited because I’ve never been there. I…
Read MoreInternational OCD Foundation Spokesperson: Ethan S. Smith
It’s a big week—the week of the 22nd annual OCD Conference! It’s in Boston this year, where the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) is based, and I’m so excited to be a part of it again. But enough about me. Last year Ethan Smith, a Los Angeles-based actor, writer, producer, and director, delivered the conference keynote.…
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