OCD Jacksonville to Host Family-Focused Discussion at UNF

For sufferers of anxiety or obsessive-compulsive disorder, a strong support system is critical. For their loved ones, the goal is always to better understand how to be helpful and supportive.

OCD Jacksonville, the local affiliate chapter of the International OCD Foundation, is hoping to help those loved ones get a better idea of how they can help with their upcoming discussion event.

In partnership with University of North Florida’s local chapter of Chi Sigma Iota, OCD Jacksonville is presenting “A Family Affair: How to Effectively Support Your Loved One with OCD,” a free discussion led by Dr. Jonathan Abramowitz to take place at UNF’s John Delaney Student Union on Sunday, September 8 from 2 to 6 PM.

Dr. Abramowitz is a clinical psychologist and professor of psychology and neuroscience at UNC – Chapel Hill. He’s an internationally-recognized expert on OCD and anxiety disorders, having published a number of books and academic articles on the topics. He currently serves as editor-in-chief for the Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders.

He will lead a discussion on how OCD affects family life – and how individual family environments can affect OCD. He’ll also teach the foundations to providing the best support for loved ones: setting goals and limits, healthy communication, ending accommodating behaviors, dealing with pushback, and managing one’s own stress.

The event is offered free of charge, though attendees are required to reserve their spot via email (ocdjaxevents@gmail.com). Light refreshments will be provided; doors open at 1:30 PM for registration. For more information, check out the Facebook event page for the discussion.