At OCD Louisiana, we believe that every child in our state deserves the tools to face their fears with confidence. Our Courageous Campers program began as a specialized, week-long therapeutic camp in New Orleans, blending evidence-based interventions with the spirit of adventure.
After seeing the life-changing impact on our campers, we are excited to announce our next chapter. We are currently exploring creative ways to adapt the core components of Courageous Campers to reach more children and adolescents across Louisiana. We are in the early stages of feasibility planning—thinking outside the box to determine how our evidence-based “magic” can best serve families where they are.
Recognizing the Crisis: Why We Are Rethinking Our Reach
OCD is one of the most misunderstood mental health conditions. It is not simply a “quirk,” and the phrase “a little bit OCD” minimizes a painful reality. In truth, OCD is a serious and debilitating psychiatric disorder.
Across Louisiana, individuals and families are struggling while OCD goes unrecognized. Effective treatment exists—but only if it is identified. In 2025, the International OCD Foundation released a landmark report, America’s OCD Care Crisis. The findings were a call to action:
- OCD affects approximately 1 in 33 Americans—nearly 10 million people nationwide.
- Up to 75% of people with OCD may never receive an accurate diagnosis.
- Even among those diagnosed, only a small fraction receive evidence-based treatment like Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), the gold standard for care.
The crisis is not that treatment does not exist. The crisis is that most people never reach it.
A Strategic, Evidence-Based Shift
For us, this data was not abstract; it was clarifying. In Louisiana, prevalence estimates suggest that well over 100,000 residents may be living with OCD. Many are children whose symptoms are misinterpreted or adults who have quietly adapted their lives around rituals and intrusive thoughts.
As a small organization, in collaboration with Rise Center for OCD and Anxiety, we have proudly run a high-quality treatment camp. However, the national data forced us to confront a larger truth: if most people with OCD are not even being identified, expanding intensive programming alone is not enough.
Awareness and identification must come first. In 2026, we are shifting our focus toward broader initiatives. We are moving away from a “fixed” camp model to explore scalable, flexible solutions. We are asking ourselves: How do we move the needle for the most people?
What Made Courageous Campers Special?
The foundation of our future planning is built on the success of our original camp model. Our one-week program was designed exclusively for children and adolescents (ages 8–15) navigating OCD and anxiety disorders (social anxiety, specific phobia, illness anxiety, or separation anxiety). Our camp was designed with evidence-based Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) principles, all wrapped in the excitement of a hero’s journey.
Every epic quest begins with a rallying cry! Our campers started the day with a high-energy Courage Chant, gathering as heroes united on a bold adventure. This was about stepping into the mindset of a brave explorer, reminding themselves that they had the strength to face whatever the day brought. With spirits lifted and courage blazing, they were ready to take on the day. The first adventures took campers through a series of hero-themed quests designed to gently guide them toward anxiety-provoking experiences. Along the way, they encountered challenges that mimicked real-world sensations and practiced staying present and choosing courageous action in the face of fear. Watch below to hear their mighty voices in action—and catch a glimpse of the thrilling challenges they overcame!
Each day was packed with high-energy activities that wove ACT and ERP skills into every challenge. Our team of clinicians subtly integrated each camper’s individualized exposure goals into the fabric of camp. Whether they were facing fears of the dark, storms, social situations, or “sticky stuff,” every activity became a step toward building bravery and flexibility.
Campers got crafty with their minds! By transforming fear monsters into silly creatures — and rewriting scary thoughts in glittery, colorful ways — they learned to see thoughts for what they really are: just thoughts, not facts or threats. And just like that, the fear started to lose its power.
In the Caverns of Sensation, our heroes tested their reactions through sensory challenges, such as tasting “surprise” jellybeans and navigating tactile gauntlets, building a willingness to experience uncertainty and uncomfortable sensations. They practiced Language Level-Ups turning unhelpful thoughts into silly ones by singing them, writing them backward, or saying them with a mouth full of marshmallows.
Each spin of the Wheel of Destiny unveiled a challenge, sometimes passing a hero’s fate to the wise sages or another fellowship, turning every spin into a daring test of courage and growth on their epic journey!
Throughout the week, our heroes saw firsthand how making space for difficult thoughts—rather than fighting them—helped those thoughts feel less overwhelming. By integrating fun into the hard work of facing fears, we proved that bravery isn’t about being fearless; it’s about feeling the fear and doing it anyway.
Courageous Campers was born from a shared vision between OCD Louisiana—an official affiliate of the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF)—and Rise Center for OCD and Anxiety, an independent private group practice in New Orleans.
The Foundation of Our Mission: Leadership & Partnerships
The mission of Rise Center for OCD and Anxiety is to provide effective, compassionate treatment and exceptional training, while OCD Louisiana is dedicated to providing education, resources, and support necessary to promote statewide awareness and increase access to effective care. Our program is grounded in a proven clinical foundation and was developed and led by Drs. Melissa Dufrene, Kristin Fitch, and Megan Lilly. They were supported by a dedicated team of volunteers, all committed to the Rise and OCD Louisiana values of clinical excellence and compassionate support.
Getting Off the Ground
OCD Louisiana and Rise Center for OCD and Anxiety launched Courageous Campers in July 2024 as part of the Plant a Summer Camp Program. This milestone was made possible by the generous grant-funding of JACK Mental Health Advocacy (MHA) and sponsorship by Dufrene Surveying and Engineering and Children’s Hospital New Orleans.
The program was developed with consultation from JACK MHA clinical staff and the IOCDF. We cannot thank these organizations enough for their invaluable assistance; they were pivotal to the success of Courageous Campers 2024 and instrumental in helping us pave the way for our next chapter.
Exploring New Horizons
We are currently considering various possibilities for the future, which may include:
- Developing scalable modules that can be shared with community leaders.
- Increasing public awareness so symptoms are recognized earlier in schools and homes.
- Strengthening referral pathways to clinicians trained in evidence-based care.
- Expanding accessible formats for families and providers
- Continuing our free monthly consultation group to bolster the expertise of Louisiana clinicians.
Before people can access treatment, they must know what they’re seeing and experiencing. Your support helps us stay agile as we research and develop the most effective ways to widen the circle of care in our state.
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