International OCD Foundation conference brings
worldwide treatment, support and the latest research to
San Diego, July 29 - 31

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The 18^th annual conference of the International OCD Foundation will bring together OCD sufferers, their families, and experts from Australia, Canada, El Salvador, Iceland and Israel for a global discussion on the cultural barriers affecting OCD treatment across the world.

More than 1,200 people are expected to attend the conference, to be held July 29-31, 2011 at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina. The conference is the country’s largest event dedicated to OCD and its related disorders.

The International OCD Foundation is the nation’s leading advocate for the OCD community. The Foundation funds OCD research, trains professionals to treat OCD, helps patients access treatment and support, and oversees online resource centers for information on OCD and hoarding.

The Foundation’s annual conference blends research news with on-site treatment and support, providing a unique experience for patients, families and professionals alike.

Obsessive compulsive disorder affects some 4 million people in the United States, including 1 million children and teens. Though OCD has no cure, its symptoms – which include obsessions and compulsions – can be effectively managed through cognitive behavioral therapy and medication.

“Our conference is often the first time people with OCD meet other sufferers. The connections they make at the conference, from friends to therapists, put them on the path to getting their lives back,” said Dr. Jeff Szymanski, executive director of the IOCDF. “No where else can an OCD patient be in a room with the leading researchers as they present the latest study news, then have more conversations with those experts at dinner.”

Among the program highlights:

• Dr. Jonathan Grayson, a Foundation service award winner, takes OCD sufferers into the streets of San Diego for a fast-paced treatment program called Virtual Camping. Modeled after a real camping trip, this program takes the practice of Exposure Response and Prevention Therapy and turns it up to level 10. In one evening, OCD sufferers will tackle their fears head on – and ultimately jump start treatment – by dumpster diving, touching a toilet seat, and more.
• An art therapy room, an OCD fashion show, and Teen Success Panel are among the programs geared toward children and teens. These hands-on, interactive workshops will help children learn new skills to fight OCD, socialize with others, and receive therapy from the country’s leading experts.
• The latest in OCD research, including updates on the worldwide genetics collaborative study, which seeks to identify the genetic markers of OCD, will be presented at the conference. Drug treatment research and an update on IOCDF-funded projects will be presented.
• Support groups, led by trained professionals, will be held throughout the event focusing on a variety of topics including: compulsive hoarding, scrupulosity, teen and young adults, parents of children and adults with OCD, and OCD recovery.
• Accredited programs for professionals include a day-long training in diagnosing and treating body dysmorphic disorder, a subtype of OCD, led by expert Sabine Wilhelm, Ph.D. an associate professor at Harvard Medical School, and director of the OCD Clinic and Related Disorders Program at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Registration for the conference is open to all and continuing education credits are available to qualified professionals. For more information and to register visit www.ocfoundation.org or call 617-973-5801.