On March 21, I shared a link to IntrusiveThoughts.org on my author Facebook page and said, “I am so excited about this new website!” And I really was. Not only was it all about the intrusive thoughts that plague those of us with OCD, it mentioned all the secret shameful ones like pedophilia and harm, and—and!—it’s gorgeous.…
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Draw Your Monster: Sean Shinnock
It’s the Tuesday of OCD Conference week, and I’m excited to be hosting someone you’ll have a chance to meet, learn from, and be inspired by this weekend. Sean has taken huge leaps in his recovery in the past few years, moving out of his dad’s house to residential treatment in Boston to living on his…
Read MoreBook Review: When a Family Member Has OCD
Since I have OCD myself, I’m not the target audience of When a Family Member Has OCD: Mindfulness & Cognitive Behavioral Skills to Help Families Affected by Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (New Harbinger Publications, December 2015) by Jon Hershfield. Loved ones are. That said, I highly recommend this book for both family members and individuals with OCD. Using anecdotes, charts,…
Read MorePure O in the News
Have I mentioned how excited I am about the new website IntrusiveThoughts.org? Well, I am! Excited, that is. Ten years ago when I was diagnosed there wasn’t a ton of information out there about taboo intrusive thoughts, which is what I was struggling mightily with. Lee Baer’s book The Imp of the Mind was a tremendous help,…
Read MoreFrom Adversity to Advocacy: Interview With Jeff Bell
I’ve been volunteering with OCD advocate Jeff Bell’s great organization, A2A Alliance, and earlier this week he interviewed me for their new series, A2A 1-on-1. It was so much fun!
Read MoreSelf-Harm and OCD: Tim Blue
Tim Blue and I met the way I’ve met so many of my incredible “OCD friends”—at the national conference the International OCD Foundation puts on every summer. (Seriously, you should go!) He’s such a nice guy, and we have a lot in common, which is always refreshing. In fact, that’s kind of the idea behind…
Read MoreAn OCD Treatment Pioneer: Michael Jenike
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…
Read MoreIdentifying and Supporting Students With OCD
I’ve had OCD since I was a kid, but I didn’t actually know that until I was in my late twenties. That’s why I’m glad my publisher, Free Spirit, asked me to write a post about how to spot signs of OCD and support any students who might have it. It’s not easy! Anything you might…
Read MoreOCD 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…
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Alison Dotson 