Dear Friends,
Towards the end of 2020, four members of OCD Louisiana’s Board of Directors passed the torch along to new volunteers, resulting in a leadership team bringing us into 2021 with a wider range of perspectives on mental health and who represent additional regions of Louisiana. Our outgoing members, all based in the Greater New Orleans region, tirelessly worked with us from the very beginning and were each essential in bringing OCD Louisiana to fruition. We’d like to extend our deep appreciation to outgoing members Leslie C Higgins, PsyD (Vice President), Melissa Dufrene, PsyD (Secretary), Suzanne Chabaud, PhD (Board Member-at-Large), and Gail F Pesses, MSW, LCSW (Board Member-at-Large). Michele N Carroll, PsyD, who will move from her position as Treasurer to Vice President, and I (continuing in the role of President) are happy to welcome new members Caitlin Bussey, BS of Lafayette (Secretary), Chance McNeely of Baton Rouge (Treasurer), Ashley Rush, MA of Lafayette (Board Member-at-Large), and Ashley Royerre Talley, MS, CCC-SLP of Slidell (Board Member-at-Large), to the Board of Directors of OCD Louisiana.
The addition of our new members brought renewed energy and new ideas to the affiliate. We were able to meet more regularly and collaborate on projects of interest. A focus of our efforts was on outreach to the community-at-large via social media campaigns, fundraising events, distribution of our newsletter, and connecting with local organizations. As many of us continued to rely on the internet to stay connected, we used our website and social media presence to keep the community apprised of virtual events held by the IOCDF, other affiliates, and OCD-related organizations, as well as opportunities to contribute to the understanding of OCD and related disorders by participating in research studies. We were excited to attend some of the IOCDF’s virtual events including the Faith and Mental Health Conference and the OCD Conference.
In addition to further developing our website as a whole, two of our board members published articles for our blog. Chance McNeely shared his experiences with peer support for OCD, as a recipient and a peer. Michele Carroll wrote a piece focused on how to choose a therapist. Michele also was a panelist for IOCDF’s virtual discussion “OCD in the Military” due to her work as a psychologist serving Veterans. For OCD Awareness Week, OCD Louisiana hosted an “Ask Me Anything” with Jon Hershfield, MFT, which can be viewed on our website. We sat down with Jon to discuss his experiences and insights as an OCD clinician, author, and advocate.
As part of our commitment to increase access to evidenced-based treatment, we have continued to provide opportunities for providers and trainees to learn more about OCD and related disorders. Our board members provided training to psychologists and trainees on ethical concerns and common missteps related to exposure therapy for OCD, as well as on differentiating between OCD, post-traumatic stress disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. We also offer a free, monthly consultation group for professionals, which has grown in membership, particularly after advertising to licensed professional counselors in Louisiana. It has also been a wonderful way for clinicians to network with those from all around the state.
With less worries about gathering outdoors, OCD Louisiana scheduled the 1 Million Steps for OCD Walk for September of 2021; however, Hurricane Ida had other plans. Ida, a category 4 hurricane, may have knocked Louisiana down, but we did not let her stop us from getting back up. Our community showed such resilience as it came together to rebuild and restore. A small, but mighty group gathered in October 2021 in LaSalle Park for the New Orleans OCD Walk to raise awareness about our mission. Although the storm uprooted many trees, the path was clear for us to keep moving forward.
During this coming year, we hope to further develop our website to include the excellent books, podcasts, and other resources that have come out recently. We will surely hold at least a few virtual and in-person events, including the 1 Million Steps for OCD Walk in the fall. Volunteer recruitment is a priority so we can further build our community. We will continue to host our professional consultation group and give presentations to trainees and professionals in mental health and related fields. To further advance our mission of increasing access to care, we will sponsor clinicians to receive training in treatment for OCD and related disorders with funds raised during 2021.
We cannot thank the IOCDF enough for all of the hard work they have done this year to serve the OCD community and support the local affiliates. We continue to be very grateful for their assistance and financial support and look forward to continuing our work with our parent organization. Most of all, we want to thank our fellow Louisianans who came together to support each other with compassion and kindness.
Warm regards,
Kristin E Fitch, PhD
President
OCD Louisiana