Our Core Beliefs (OCB) Promoting Hope and Health with OCD Bryan Ballard, Julia St. Jean, Adira Weixlmann

Our Intent... Category Track: Young Adult. Everyone. To create Hope for those struggling to understand OCD. Foster the development of healthy coping skills. Highlight inspiring experiences. Provide opportunity for Q&A into specific topics. Thanks for coming!

If an idea helps you -- keep it. If it doesn’t help you -- ditch it. The Takeaway... For you to walk away with tools to promote happiness and health in your life. A Guidepost… If an idea helps you -- keep it. If it doesn’t help you -- ditch it. And that’s it.

Roadmap: Our Core Beliefs Acknowledge and Accept Toolbox, Part II Support Practice Toolbox, Part I Nurture Yourself

Acknowledge and Accept Admit to yourself OCD is significant and commit to becoming better. Your OCD today will not be the same as the one you experience years down the road Take the first step. OCD changes over time, and can change in a positive way. Misconception of OCD “permanence,” the way you feel today will be forever. Not at all true.

Support Community to support YOU, not your OCD. Therapy--find someone to help you grow with your OCD. Give OCD less air time. Big Takeaways - No enabling. Process of finding a therapist. Seek seek, not enabling (Talking about OCD can be a huge compulsion)

Toolbox, Part I: Managing the Compulsions Challenge the Compulsions. Set SMART Goals. Be gentle with yourself. You’re most likely not going to bench press 300lb on your first workout. Take Pride in your Accomplishments.

Toolbox, Part II: Working with Obsessions Awareness Mindfulness Shifting focus Mindfulness is another SKILL that needs to be DEVELOPED

Practice Bringing your Toolbox to the Real World Life Transitions Stressors Success Stories

You are not your OCD. You are a person first -- A person with OCD. Nurture OCD can influence why you’re passionate, determined, resilient, smart, and successful. You are not your OCD. You are a person first -- A person with OCD. Empower yourself, not your OCD -- Stop using heavy language around OCD. Believe in yourself. After Believe in yourself - Go towards what you like, not avoiding what you don’t like.

“Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of both inflicting injury and remedying it.” - Albus Dumbledore

They can empower you through OCD. These are ours. Beliefs They can empower you through OCD. These are ours.