Conference Buzz

Hello everyone- for today's Conference Buzz blog, I interviewed Dr. Sabine Wilhelm, who is an Associate Professor at the Harvard Medical School and Director of the Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Related Disorders Program at the Massachusetts General Hospital. She is an internationally recognized leader in the treatment of BDD and OCD, and has over 120 publications on this topic. She also recently wrote a self-help book and a treatment manual for individuals with body image problems and several other books focusing on the treatment of OCD and tics.

What is the name of your talk, when is it taking place?

I am leading this year's IOCDF Advanced Behavior Therapy Training Institute (ABTTI) entitled “Cruel Reflections: What you need to know about treating Body Dysmorphic Disorder“. The ABTTI will be held on the Thursday before the Annual Conference and is a five-hour training session for mental health professionals.

What makes your talk unique?

The talk is unique because of its topic, as it focuses on the treatment of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). BDD is a severe OC Spectrum Disorder characterized by a preoccupation with an imagined or slight defect in appearance. The most common appearance preoccupations involve face or head (e.g., skin, hair), but any body part can be the focus of concern. BDD is a relatively common and often disabling illness with high suicide rates. Clinicians often do not recognize BDD, and few are familiar with its treatment. The purpose of this advanced institute is to provide information on empirically-validated cognitive-behavioral interventions designed to help individuals with BDD.

What are the important things attendees will be able to take away from your talk?

Attendees of the ABTTI will learn:

• How to recognize, diagnose and conceptualize BDD
• How to engage BDD patients in treatment
• How to design various cognitive and behavioral treatment strategies, which will allow the patient to develop new ways of thinking as well as new ways of behaving

What kind of techniques will you discuss?

I will talk about a range of therapeutic techniques including: cognitive strategies for delusional and non-delusional BDD, metaphors and mindfulness exercises, strategies to address low self-esteem and over-importance of appearance, novel strategies to reduce common BDD behaviors (e.g., body checking, avoidance behaviors), mirror retraining, and strategies for involving patients’ families. In addition, motivational strategies for helping patients overcome resistance to psychiatric treatment will be presented. Finally, I will teach techniques for overcoming specific BDD symptoms such as cosmetic surgery seeking, or skin picking. Relapse prevention strategies will also discussed.

Have you been to an IOCDF Conference before? If so, how many IOCDF conferences have you been to?

Yes, I attend the IOCDF Conference every year and have been coming regularly since the late 1990's.

What are you hoping to get out of this year's conference?

I am looking forward to the presentations and the interactions with the other attendees.

If you are a mental health professional and are interested in attending the Advanced Behavior Therapy Training Institute (ABTTI) on BDD on Thursday 7/28 from 1-6pm prior to the Annual Conference, please call us here at the IOCDF office at (617) 973-5801 for more information or to register.

Good Afternoon! The first day of summer was a few days ago, which is a nice friendly reminder that the Annual Conference is fast approaching! Speaking of summer, I interviewed Mike Nush, Director of Convention Services, and Tony Reese, Lead Operations Manager at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina about their Summer Play! Program. The Sheraton’s Summer Play! Program features free poolside activities for kids and families, daily discounts on boat rentals, charters, and attractions, tennis and yoga classes, and more!

What kinds of Amenities can families expect to find while staying at the Sheraton during the IOCDF Annual Conference?

We have 3 pools at the Sheraton- 2 large pools, and 1 kid’s pool. We also have a spa and fitness center and have a variety of classes, including Cardio Tennis, Surfer’s Flow Yoga, and Stand Up Paddle Board lessons. Every day, we have a numerous other activities and games that all hotel guests can take advantage of during their free time: badminton, bocce, tennis, basketball, croquet, game room and Wii Zone, hammocks, bike rentals, and ping pong.

Guests can also take advantage of 90-minute jet ski rentals from 8:00 am-12:00 pm and discounts on kayak, paddle board, and pedal boat rentals from 2:00 pm-4:00 pm. Discounts on on-site charter services are also available, including the Adventure R.I.B. rides and Pirate Ship Adventures. For more information about charters available at the Sheraton marina, please visit the Concierge desk in the lobby.

What kinds of Kid’s Activities during the Summer Play! Program will be taking place each morning from 11:30 am-12:00 pm and afternoon from 2:00 pm-2:30 pm?

Free games and activities will be available for kids of all ages at the Lagoon Pool during these times- just show up at the Fun Desk and talk with a Fun Agent to find out. Our Fun Agents are interns from nearby colleges and are all committed to providing fun and excitement for all kids and families during their stay at the Sheraton.

Games and activities played depend on the ages of those that want to participate, but here are some activities that we play: Putting Challenge, dive stick pool games, homerun derby, tug o’ war, cannonball contest, hula hoop contest, water balloon tosses, and many more!

Which activity listed on the Summer Play! Calendar is your personal favorite and why?

Our favorite Summer Play! activity is definitely the Dive-In Movie series. Every Friday and Saturday evening at 8:00 during the summer, we show a movie on a projector screen right over the pool. Kids and families can float around on rafts or relax on lounge chairs around the pool while watching a fun family film and enjoying free popcorn. During the Conference weekend, the movie The Incredibles is showing on Friday 7/29 and Cars is showing on Saturday 7/30.

Could you tell us a little more about the family portraits that are available at the Fun Desk at the Lagoon Pool?

Our Fun Agents at the Lagoon Pool capture fun family moments outdoors during the Summer Play! Program. All pictures that are taken, whether candid or portrait, can be emailed to families to enjoy once the Conference is over- and all pictures are free!

What is your favorite restaurant at the Sheraton and why? Which of the restaurants would you say is most kid/family friendly?

Shoreline restaurant, which is open for lunch and dinner, is our favorite and is also very family-friendly. It is outside right on the water and is also next to the pool, so you can actually dine in your bathing suit! Shoreline has about 10-12 entrees and also a variety of sandwiches and appetizers, so it is sure to have a bunch of delicious and healthy options for everyone.

Harborsedge restaurant has a great breakfast buffet (which you can check out before or after the Conference, since breakfast is provided on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday), and Starbucks, which is located right off of the hotel lobby, also has a bunch of to-go options for breakfast and lunch.

What are some other fun and inexpensive attractions to check out close to the hotel? Also, what are you favorite beaches to go to- are there any that are within walking distance of the hotel?

Spanish Landing is a park that is less than a mile walk from the hotel. While it doesn’t have a beach, it does have a playground for kids and a beautiful view of San Diego Bay, so this is definitely a nice relaxing spot that Conference attendees can check out during the weekend. For beaches, Coronado Beach (which is south of the hotel) is about 5 miles, or 15-20 minutes, away and is very family-oriented and peaceful. Ocean Beach and Pacific Beach are both north of the hotel, and La Jolla (which is about 20-30 minutes away by car) has beautiful beaches as well.

Definitely make sure to take advantage of these great activities and events during your stay at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina. The Summer Play! Program calendar will be available to pick up during the Conference, and a copy will also be placed in all hotel rooms for you to peruse- also feel free to consult the Concierge desk in the lobby as they would be more than happy to answer any of your questions about hotel programs!

Hi everyone! For today's blog, I interviewed Dr. Eric Storch. Dr. Storch is the All Children’s Hospital Guild Endowed chair and associate professor of clinical psychology in pediatrics, psychiatry, and psychology at the University of South Florida. His clinical and research interests are in childhood and adult OCD, Tourette syndrome, autism, and obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders. He has published over 190 articles, edited 5 texts, and received research funding from NIH and other federal agencies for his work.

What is the name of your talk, when is it taking place, and are you presenting with anyone else?

I’m actually giving 5-6 talks this year! There are many great topics including comorbidity, PANDAS/PANS, treatment, and the connection between OCD & autism.

What makes your talks unique?

I think one of the strengths of the presentations I am participating in is that many folks speaking are also leading researchers. And, there is something valuable about being able to connect directly with the families of those with OCD.

What are the important things attendees will be able to take away from your talk?

A bunch of things --- the nature of PANDAS/PANS, psychotherapy for childhood OCD, how you conceptualize and treat OCD in the context of autism, and more- come to my talks to find out!

Tell us a little bit about you and how you became involved in the OCD community.

I’m a clinical psychologist who does research on childhood and adult OCD and related disorders. I spend much of my time considering how to treat these conditions and how to make our existing approaches work "better".

Have you been to an IOCDF Conference before? If so, how many IOCDF conferences have you been to? What is your most memorable experience?

Yes, I’ve been to a bunch. Besides interacting with the families of those with OCD, as well as my colleagues and friends, karaoke on various occasions may take the prize for most memorable experiences.

Are there any other talks or programs in particular that you are hoping to catch while at the conference?

Quite a few --- the keynote is always a terrific lecture. And, so many are presenting great talks about treatment, addressing challenges, and new research, just to mention a few!

TGIF! This week flew by- it is getting a bit busy here at the IOCDF office as we are getting closer and closer to the Annual Conference. This edition of the Conference Buzz blog is an exciting one because I will be telling you all about inexpensive ways to have fun in San Diego! Whether you have been to San Diego many times before, or this is your first time visiting, we have partnered with numerous attractions in the area to provide you with some exciting things to do with your free time during the Conference weekend. Because San Diego is such a beautiful and interesting city, and there are so many opportunities to see and do so much while you are there, it really makes it easy to make the Conference a vacation in itself.

San Diego Padres Tickets

Get your tickets fast! We've partnered with Major League Baseball and the San Diego Padres to offer deeply discounted tickets for games the afternoons before and after our Annual Conference. Tickets to the Thursday, July 28 game against the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Sunday, July 31 game against the Colorado Rockies are available to our conference attendees at up to 40% off of face value. A portion of the ticket sales will also be donated to the IOCDF! Visit www.padres.com/IOCDF for more info or to order your tickets.

Belmont Park- San Diego's Amusement Park

Located on the surf and sand in Mission Beach, Belmont Park is San Diego’s beachfront amusement park and entertainment center. Visitors can enjoy traditional and contemporary amusement park rides, ride the waves at Wave House, play mini golf, arcade and midway style games, shop and enjoy a wide array of cuisine throughout the Park which includes beachfront restaurants as well as food court style dining. Free parking is also available.

We have negotiated with Belmont Park to provide tickets at a deeply discounted rate for children and adults. To find out more information about discounted tickets to Belmont Park and to purchase tickets, please go to https://tickets.belmontpark.com and use the promo code OCDF700.

Old Town Trolley Tours and Other Hotel Discounts

If you are planning to come to San Diego early to sight-see and enjoy the city before the Conference begins, we have an exciting opportunity for you. We have negotiated with Expedia and the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina to provide IOCDF Conference attendees arriving to the San Diego early with discounted tickets for the Old Town Trolley on Thursday, July 28^th. Enjoy a two-hour, fully narrated, ride on a trolley throughout the city! Hop-on and off as much as you want among eight stops. To find out more information about the Old Town Trolley tours, times of the tours, and ticket prices for IOCDF Conference attendees, call the Concierge desk at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina at (619) 692-2216 and mention that you are a part of the International OCD Foundation Conference in July.

There are many more attractions throughout the San Diego area that Sheraton guests can receive discounted tickets for. To find out more about discounted attraction tickets for hotel guests, click here. For a list of other area attractions and local activities recommended by the Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina, click here. To order a free tourist guide from the San Diego Tourism Board, click here.

Please feel free to call us here at the IOCDF office if you have any other questions about the Conference, the hotel, and about the San Diego area. Have a great weekend everyone!

Good afternoon- I hope you all had a nice and enjoyable week and weren't hit too hard by the heat wave that hit a lot of us! Today I interviewed Ciaran Casey who is another one of our featured Conference speakers. Ciaran is a 21 year old student from County Wexford, Ireland who was diagnosed with OCD as a teenager. He is currently a 3rd year student of Sports Management at Waterford Institute of Technology where he also plays soccer.

What is the name of your talk, when is it taking place, and are you presenting with anyone else?

The name of my talk is "Sport and Exercise for OCD” and I will be presenting alone on Saturday July 30^th  from 10:00 - 11:00 am.

What makes your talk unique?

I believe sport and exercise have not been fully investigated for the positive benefit it could have for OCD sufferers. What makes this talk unique is that I am going to present interesting and helpful information including details for research on the ways sport and exercise can be incorporated into peoples lives to help them improve their OCD.

What are the important things attendees will be able to take away from your talk?

Attendees will take away a whole range of benefits and practical things they can do to help improve their OCD.

Tell us a little bit about you and how you became involved in the OCD community.

I am from Ireland and I am currently studying a degree in Sport and Recreation Management. I was diagnosed with OCD in my mid-teens in High School. I always had a passion for sport, whether watching or playing, and I am now pursuing it as a career. Outside of sport I enjoy music and traveling. I become in involved in the OCD community this year when I submitted a proposal to give a presentation at this year's Annual Conference and I was delighted to be accepted.

Have you been to an IOCDF Conference before? If so, how many IOCDF conferences have you been to? What is your most memorable experience? If not, what are you hoping to get out of this year's conference.

I haven't been to an IOCDF Conference before. I am hoping to share what I have studied and learned in the course of my degree and life which OCD. I hope to get across something I am passionate about (sport and exercise) and how it can play a very valuable, worthwhile part in helping attendees conquer and OCD.

Are there any other talks or programs in particular that you are hoping to catch while at the conference

I wouldn't say there is any in particular but I hope to be able to attend some other talks and programs while I am at the conference. 

Have a great weekend everyone and see you Friday!

Good Afternoon! Today I interviewed Angela Cavett, another featured Conference speaker. Angela is a long time resident of Oklahoma City and has has lived with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder since childhood. She is married and the mother of two young girls and two dogs. Angela is a professional musician and loves to play piano and sing and has written and produced her own one woman cabaret/comedy show entitled “So Now You Know”. She authors a blog of the same name which is an always honest and often humorous look at life as lived by a person who is mentally ill. Through her blog, she hopes to help diminish stereotypes and misinformation regarding persons with OCD. Her writing has been recognized as a “Top 25 Anxiety Blog” and has been nominated in the Oklahoma Blogger Awards as “Best Inspirational Blog 2010”.

What is the name of your talk, when is it taking place, and are you presenting with anyone else?

The name of my talk is “So Now You Know: A Journey Through Life With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder” and I will be presenting alone on Saturday July 30th from 10:00 am to 11:00 am.

What makes your talk unique?

My talk will be unique because it is my own story. I use a lot of humor in my speaking and writing. I live each day with OCD and I hope simply to be able to share stories and lessons learned. I hope that listeners can find a connection or some kind of understanding of what it is like to a little bit left of normal. Also, I am absurdly tall which usually leaves an impression on people.

What are the important things attendees will be able to take away from your talk?

People can leave my talk knowing that those of us who live with this disorder can have a great and happy life. Some days will be hard some will be easier. Sometimes we will act weird and sometimes we will laugh at ourselves. Sometimes we will cry and hurt, and sometimes we will achieve amazing things. I hope people can take away a personal face to a somewhat faceless disorder. I hope they can laugh a little and connect with others like us. And I’m pretty clumsy and often fall over or trip or bang into things so maybe they can take away the opportunity to laugh at me as well as with me. 

I will be talking about my personal experiences with OCD and the Church. I have struggled with scrupulosity and have found myself at odds with my religious beliefs at times. Maintaining faith and peace and happiness and joy while having OCD is very important to me. I want to give a little insight into what I have learned the hard way.

Overall, I am always raw and honest and sometimes humorous, and sometimes even humorous on purpose.

Tell us a little bit about you and how you became involved in the OCD community.

I have lived and struggled greatly with OCD my entire life. I have also had difficulty with panic disorder and agoraphobia. These disorders finally became so debilitating that I had trouble having a job, raising my children and even leaving my house. About two and a half years ago I finally found a doctor who was able to tie all of my symptoms and struggles together and for the first time create an active plan to help me regain control of my life. I began medications for the first time and saw vast improvements within a year. However, the faith community I had been involved in was confused and uneducated about the diagnosis of mental illness. After being told to “just pray harder” and “quit sinning so the fear would go away” and “stop using medicine as a crutch”, I decided I needed to speak up- LOUDLY. I knew that these instructions were coming from ignorance of the disorder and not malice. I began a blog called “So Now You Know” and with that blog I have meet so many people just like me. They keep me honest and grounded and real. I truly believe that hiding our disorder somehow makes it shameful. So I kept writing and learning and speaking and apparently being a little too honest for some folks. I found the IOCDF among other organizations and I am encouraged to keep learning and speaking and most importantly living out loud.

Have you been to an IOCDF Conference before? If so, how many IOCDF conferences have you been to? What is your most memorable experience? If not, what are you hoping to get out of this year's conference.

I have never been to an IOCDF conference. It has only been recently that I can travel so freely. I am hoping to meet people like myself, and also their family members. I am hoping to use this experience to help me grow and learn more about who I am as a person with OCD. I hope to participate in groups and hear from professionals.

Are there any other talks or programs in particular that you are hoping to catch while at the conference?

I am not really sure what other talks and events are available, but I’m sure there will be so much opportunity for so many new experiences. 

See you all on Friday and have a great week!

Hello everyone and happy June! We are now less than 2 months away from the Annual Conference! Amazing how time flies by. Today I interviewed Kellie Madison, a film maker who is currently working on the filming of "Machine Man", a full-length feature film about a man who suffers from OCD.

What is the name of your talk, when is it taking place, and are you presenting with anyone else?

The name of my talk is “OCD In The Media: An Inside Look at OCD in the News, on Television, and in Film”. I will be presenting with Jeff Bell, Jeff Szymanski, PhD, Robin Zasio, PsyD, LCSW, Stephanie Chelf from Teak Media, and Alice Ikeda from HOARDERS on Saturday July 30th from 11:15 am to 12:45 pm

What makes your talk unique?

In addition to talking about the presence of OCD in today's media, whether on television, in the news, or on the internet, I will be discussing a narrative feature film that we are making about OCD. It has been a challenge making this film, and we actually also just filmed a trailer for the movie which we are planning on unveiling at the Conference. We just wrapped up shooting the trailer a few days ago, and it will take about a month to edit. Audience members will be able to see the tone and style of the film in the trailer. We are hoping to raise money to get the movie made, and many big names are currently looking at the script, so we are very excited.

What are the important things attendees will be able to take away from your talk?

Attendees will learn all about the role the media plays in getting the word out about OCD.  They will also be excited to support a wide theatrical release film that aims to change change lives. OCD is very shame driven, and want to change everything about that.

Tell us a little bit about you and how you became involved in the OCD community.

I am a film maker, and a very close friend of mine confessed 5 years ago that he had OCD. It struck him that he was so embarrassed that he has a mental disorder, and I thought that the best way to educate the public and to encourage those with OCD to not be ashamed is to make a film that aims to destigmatize OCD.

Have you been to an IOCDF Conference before? If so, how many IOCDF conferences have you been to? What is your most memorable experience? If not, what are you hoping to get out of this year's conference.

I went last year, and introduced myself to all the influential people, I met everyone and told them that I am a film maker and am serious about it and wants their support. Meeting Michael Jenike was inspirational for me to keep going with this goal, just sitting in the audience listening to him speaking on a panel. Someone asked “What do we do if the patient doesn’t take insurance?” Dr. Jenike answered with “Do it for free". I think this guy is a saint!

Are there any other talks or programs in particular that you are hoping to catch while at the conference?

I am always interested in learning about new things about OCD and the new advancements in research.

I hope everyone has a great weekend and see you next week!