Self-compassion was the theme of the 3rd annual Houston conference of OCD TEXAS, support and advocacy organization for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and related disorders, held on Saturday June 1, 2013.

Christen Sistrunk, who wears many hats serving as a Behavior Therapist at the OCD & Anxiety Program of Southern California, OCD TEXAS Secretary and the Houston Meeting Coordinator, opened the program by welcoming attendees and sharing the mission of the day’s meeting, which was to offer support for those individuals suffering with OCD, as well as their friends and family members, and treatment professionals.

Throstur Bjorgvinsson, PhD, ABPP, Director of the OCD & Anxiety Program of Southern California, gave an introductory talk reviewing the basics of OCD symptoms and treatment. Attendees then heard the first key-note address from co-authors Sheri Bloom and Suzanne Mouton-Odom, PhD, who shared about their book, “Out of the Rabbit Hole: A Road Map to Freedom from OCD”.

Local professionals Emily Anderson, PhD, Michael Soderstrom, LPC-S, Sondra Kaplan, LCSW, Ginny Fullerton, and Constantina H. Boudouvas, LCSW; sat together on a Professionals Panel answering questions from attendees about OCD and various treatment options. After a lunch break attendees heard from John Hart, PhD about Self-Compassion and Values Based Therapies. Following Dr. Hart was this year’s second key-note address from Alexander May. “Zander” was a former patient of the OCD & Anxiety Program of Southern California and gave a harrowing tale of his trials and tribulations with his OCD starting with his life prior to diagnosis and into the present. Prior to the close of the day several OCD sufferers sat on an OCD Success Panel to answer questions from attendees and share their experiences both with their OCD and treatment. The afternoon concluded with various support groups being offered for guests to attend.