Doctors from Rogers Memorial Hospital are holding a presentation to provide answers to questions for those who are dealing with obsessive compulsive disorder.
The event will be at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 18 at Waukesha County Technical College in the Richard T. Anderson Education Center.
“We will speak to the role that family accommodation behaviors have on treatment outcome. With family accommodation, caregivers may assist with rituals, encourage the avoidance of triggers, provide reassurance or excuse their child from daily responsibilities,” said Dr. David Jacobi, clinical supervisor and behavior specialist at the Child Adolescent Centers at Rogers.
Jacobi has an extensive practice background in the treatment and research of anxiety disorders and OCD as it relates to children and their families.
“Many parents struggle with finding the right balance between empathy and support and setting appropriate limits. Setting healthy limits may be a particularly challenging task for parents who suffer themselves with significant anxiety.
“Parents and loved ones can ask the experts about strategies to reduce family accommodation behaviors and improve treatment outcome,” he added.
According to information from the organization OCD Wisconsin, OCD affects 1 in 100 adults and 1 in 200 children and teens in the United States, yet it remains little understood in the general public.
“OCD is a very common, debilitating condition. It is also very treatable in the vast majority of cases when treated properly,” offered Dr. Bradley Riemann, clinical director of the OCD Center and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Services at Rogers Memorial Hospital. Riemann is a leading expert in the assessment of OCD and anxiety disorders and the use of CBT treatment.
“We are really looking forward to this. It will provide a unique opportunity to meet with the community and discuss issues related to OCD,” he said.
The panel coincides with OCD Awareness week which is held during the second week of October.
“We are so fortunate to have such renowned experts in the field of OCD in Wisconsin to share their knowledge. It can be difficult to find quality treatment, so to have three of the top doctors in the nation in our area is amazing,” Denise Folcik, executive director OCD Wisconsin.
“This unprecedented event will be filled with invaluable information for people who live with OCD and their families,” she added.
Space is limited, so RSVP to Denise Folcik drfolcik@gmail.com or register online at http://www.ocdwisconsin.org by Oct. 15.