Join us for the 6th annual OCD Southern California conference--a virtual event this year! We are thrilled to present a diverse panel of keynote speakers who will share their inspirational stories about their struggles and triumphs with OCD.

Following the keynote speakers, there will be a total of 40 break-out sessions offered during four consecutive time slots. Ten breakout sessions will be offered during each time slot; there will be seven presentations available for CE units during the conference. More information about our presentations, led by some of the top OCD experts in the United States, has been posted on our website: ocdsocal.org. The conference will end with a Summary Q&A Panel.

Up to 5 CEs available for LMFT, LPCC, LCSW and psychologists.

Cost: $35.00 per ticket. Cost is per screen.

To obtain CEs, the cost for the conference entrance is $35 and the cost for the CEs is $50 for a total of $85.

We are pleased to introduce our keynote panel of speakers:

Alexandra Reynolds is currently a stay-at-home mom to a beautiful son. She graduated from Kennesaw State University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and turned her passion for mental health and advocacy into a challenging and rewarding career as a Domestic Violence Victim Advocate serving the Latinx and immigrant populations. As a first-generation Puerto Rican, Alexandra has been living with OCD since the age of 6 but was unable to access appropriate diagnosis and treatment until the age of 35. She lives with the additional diagnoses of major depression and complex PTSD. Alexandra is passionate about breaking the stigma around mental illness and using her lived experience to help others. She believes culture and community are important intersections in mental health and is dedicated to advocating from a place of inclusivity, compassion, and learning.

Ethan Smith and Rev. Katie O’Dunne are an adult couple who both have OCD. Katie and Ethan met through OCD advocacy and quickly became best friends. However, their friendship turned to love during the pandemic in their own personal "COVID love story." They began to connect far beyond their OCD, finding commonality in their passion for life, helping others, and making a difference in the world. Katie and Ethan have supported one another through the highs and lows of OCD (and life), learning healthy ways to authentically support one another without offering accommodation or reassurance. They truly believe that they are the healthiest, happiest versions of themselves when they are together...and that their connection far surpasses their experience with OCD. Ethan and Katie are currently both national and lead advocates for the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF).

Kendall and Chase Williams are mother and son who will share their long journey from treatment resistance to higher education. Chase was diagnosed with OCD and started receiving treatment in his late teens. Chase was able to participate in both intensive treatment and individual therapy, but Chase was very resistant to treatment and spent many years living with severe OCD. At one point, Kendall had no choice but to ask Chase to leave home; it was still many years until he was willing to once again try treatment. After a long struggle with OCD, Chase is moving forward with life. Two years ago Chase joined a choir performing at Carnegie Hall and is currently attending Berkley with a scholarship.

Shannon Shy is a retired United States Marine who is presently a civilian attorney with the Department of the Navy. A certified peer recovery specialist, he has written three books on overcoming OCD and provided peer support to hundreds of sufferers globally since 2016. Shannon served on the Board of Directors for the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) from 2011 to 2018, when he resigned to go serve in Afghanistan as a civilian advisor. Shannon provided the Keynote address at the IOCDF Conference in 2010 in Washington DC. He and his wife, Debbie, have three children and two grandchildren, and live in Dale City, Virginia.

Susan Boaz is mother to Megan Dailey, a young adult with OCD and PANS. Susan is the Current IOCDF Board President, and the Executive Director of the PANDAS Physician Network. She raises funds for Pediatric OCD, and for research and physician education regarding PANDAS. She works to educate physicians and parents, and to bring together doctors and researchers across the world. Megan is an undergraduate student at the University of North Carolina studying psychology. She has been a part of the IOCDF community since 2009 after she was diagnosed with OCD and PANDAS when she was six years old. Now, she is passionate about telling her story to help other kids suffering the same way she did. After graduation, she hopes to attend graduate school and get her PhD in clinical psychology so that she may continue helping children diagnosed with OCD.

Chris Trondsen, MS, AMFT, APCC, will moderate the panel. Chris suffered from undiagnosed, severe OCD and BDD from childhood. Following treatment, Chris began advocating for mental health and shared his story on TV, newspapers and podcasts. Chris began speaking at Annual OCD Conferences, including giving the keynote with his mom at the 2011 conference. He also helped start the Young Adult Track at the annual conference.

Each of these speakers is a person impacted by OCD who has had a unique journey of support and recovery. They look forward to sharing their stories with the OCD community.

FAQs

How can I contact the organizer with any questions?

Please contact us through our email address: info@ocdsocal.org.

Can I buy one ticket for two people?

When purchasing a ticket, you will receive a unique log-in and password to be used by one person. Only one screen at a time can be logged in with this user name and password. If multiple people are attending the conference and only one ticket was purchased, all attendees will need to watch the same presentations. We recommend that you purchase a ticket for each person attending the conference so attendees can choose different presentations to watch.

I purchased a ticket. How do I get access to the website?

Closer to the day of the conference, you will receive an email with instructions on how to access the platform.

Do you offer scholarships?

We do offer scholarships for those unable to purchase tickets. Please contact Liz at Ltrondsen@gmail.com and request a scholarship ticket at no cost.

What's the refund policy?

We will refund your ticket up to 7 days before the conference.

Can you explain the agenda to me?

The conference begins with the keynote presentation. Following a short break, the breakout groups begin. During each of the four breakout sessions there are 10 presentations offered (two will provide CE units). You will then choose one of the ten presentations to watch (see below in regard to switching rooms during a breakout session). When the second breakout session begins, you have a new list of ten talks from which to choose. Therefore, by the end of the conference you will have attended the keynote presentation, four breakout groups, and the final wrap-up session.

I am not comfortable with computers. How difficult will it be for me to participate?

Our platform utilizes Zoom, so if you are familiar with Zoom, you will easily navigate through the conference. We are using the same platform as last year, and most attendees found the conference easy to navigate.

My computer doesn't have a camera. Can I still participate? Can I attend the conference on my phone? Can I choose to not show my face while attending the conference?

Yes, you can participate in the entire conference without turning on your camera, and you can join us with your cell phone.

What if I want to attend multiple talks that are happening simultaneously?

You are able to move from room to room during a session. If you enter a virtual room to watch a presentation and decide you would prefer to attend a different talk, you can leave and enter a new room and a new talk. Think of it as if you were at an in- person conference, there would be 10 presentations happening in ten rooms. You can either go to one room and watch the presentation in its entirety, or you can go back-and-forth between rooms and see parts of several presentations.

Will the talks be available after the conference?

The talks will be recorded and will be available for 60 days after the conference for those who purchased a ticket.

Which ticket do I buy if I am a professional but do not want CE units?

Purchase the General Admission Ticket only.

Do I need to attend live to receive CEs? Do I have to attend the whole presentation?

Yes, you must attend the entire presentation live to get the CEs. Attendance will be taken at the end of the presentation.

What else do I need to do to get the CEs?

A link to a brief survey will be displayed at the end of the presentation. You will be required to complete the survey which includes providing a license number and evaluation of the presentation.

How will I get my CE certificates?

You will be emailed your CE certificate by the end of May.

Do I need to pay for the CE's up front or can I wait to be sure I am able to attend?

Yes, you need to register for the conference and pay the CE fee prior to April 30.

I'm not a professional, can I attend a workshop that offers CE's?

Everyone is welcome to attend any presentation they choose.