Full-time OCD advocate Tia Wilson is stomping out stigma in nearly everything she does, and she does it with such irresistible humor and creativity you almost forget she’s schooling you on mental health! Thank you, Tia, for sharing your story with us and for giving us hope that life with OCD can be fulfilling and…
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Speaking Out to Destigmatize OCD: Shaun Flores
After Shaun Flores was diagnosed with OCD, he knew he had to share his story to help others—and he has not stopped since! He didn’t see other Black men speaking about their struggles with mental illness, but instead of giving in to stigma and the fear of being judged he has gone full steam ahead,…
Read MoreThriving in Relationships When You Have OCD: Amy Mariaskin
Help me welcome the amazing Amy Mariaskin! When our beagles were both 15.5 years old we introduced them to each other on a Zoom call—they didn’t seem to know what was going on, but the point is that we tried to foster a connection, and that’s what Amy is all about. Whether she’s working with…
Read MoreThe ocdopus: Elise Petronzio
We’ve all seen “cute” OCD jokes on things like T-shirts and mugs (and scented candles and hand sanitizers and soaps and…), and many of us with obsessive-compulsive disorder don’t think they’re funny. A lot of us think they’re actually harmful to people with OCD and get in the way of spreading awareness of what OCD…
Read MoreAmplifying OCD Awareness: Mara Wilson
Late one night I was thinking of what I could ask Mara Wilson for our Q&A, and I had what felt like such a profound thought: Mara was in Mrs. Doubtfire. OCD is the doubting disease. Having OCD feels like being engulfed in flames of doubt… But I spared Mara from this observation—it was less…
Read MoreOCD Hope Drive: Jeff Bell & Liz McIngvale
Have you wanted to dip your toe into advocacy but aren’t sure how? Jeff Bell, founder of The A2A Alliance and founding partner of Project Hope Exchange, and Liz McIngvale, founder of Peace of Mind Foundation, have an idea for you: Leave a 30-second message of hope for others with OCD. Let’s learn more, beginning…
Read MoreBlogging About OCD: Morgan Rondinelli
Please help me welcome Morgan Rondinelli to Tuesday Q&A! I loved getting to know her better through her answers, and realized how much we have in common—and not just in our OCD stories. When she included the “fun fact” that she recently declared a minor in writing, I knew she was a girl after my…
Read MoreVlogging About OCD: Kat Hashway
Welcome to Tuesday Q&A, dear readers! Last month at the OCD Conference in Chicago, I ran into a family from my home state, a mother and her daughter who has OCD. As her mom and I chatted, this 9-year-old girl grew antsy—her mom gave me a look and said, “She saw a YouTube vlogger earlier,…
Read MoreDraw 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 More15 Things People With OCD Want You to Know
I love talking about OCD, and it’s always interesting to see how my words are used in the final product! It’s an exercise in letting go and giving control to someone else. This time my interview—as well as several others from both people with OCD and those who treat it—was worked into a list of…
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Alison Dotson 