About Us: Introduction
OCD Education Station
OCD Chicago -- Committed to OCD Education and Support
OCD Chicago works to increase public and professional awareness of OCD, educate and support people with OCD and their families, and encourage research into new treatments and a cure.
Why We Created the OCD Education Station
OCD can be particularly difficult for young people at school, and OCD can seriously impact academic performance and social development. With this in mind, OCD Chicago created the OCD Education Station web site. Here, school personnel can learn about the disorder, how to recognize it in the classroom and manage it day to day.
The site is a resource for all school personnel who want to help make school life better for students who have OCD. Learn more
Making a Difference
OCD Chicago is a small organization with a big heart. We are a not-for-profit organization, dedicated to improving the lives of people who suffer with OCD. A resource to individuals, families, mental health professionals, school personnel, clergy and the media, OCD Chicago is the only Chicago-area organization dedicated solely to OCD.
We changed our name in 2007 to OCD Chicago so consumers could find us more easily to access the information they need. OCD Chicago was founded in 1994 as the Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago. We are a registered 501(c)(3) organization.
To learn more about OCD Chicago, you can download a copy of our brochure “Breaking The Silence”. Or, contact us to receive a copy in the mail.
Our Services
Through education and outreach, we offer hope, interaction and encouragement to thousands of people each year. In addition to the OCD Education Station web site, and our OCD Chicago web site, our services include:
OCD Education
Our highly-acclaimed OCD Guides provide current, practical information for those with OCD who want to learn how to improve their lives through understanding OCD and committing to treatment. The Guides include:
- Relief from OCD - A Guide for People with OCD
- How to Help Your Child - A Parent’s Guide to OCD
- Got OCD? - A Guide for Teens
- Overcoming OCD - A Guide for College Students
These are available as free downloads, or contact us if you wish to discuss your individual needs.
More OCD Information
Links on this web site will guide you to articles, books and web sites we’ve reviewed to make current information about OCD available. Go to our Tools and Resources section.
Treatment Referrals
OCD-knowledgeable staff at OCD Chicago can provide a list of mental health professionals in the Chicago area who are specially trained to work with children and teens who have OCD. Contact us for more information. If you live outside the Chicago area, a list of treatment providers in your state is available at the International OCD Foundation web site.
Professional Education
We offer mental health professionals the opportunity to increase their knowledge of OCD and improve their ability to treat patients effectively. We provide the most current information available.
Public Awareness
We provide OCD-knowledgeable speakers to large public meetings, organizations and the news media. Our speakers help audiences understand more about OCD and reduce the stigma of mental illness. Contact us to arrange for an appropriate speaker for your needs.
For Clergy
OCD Chicago recognizes that when people are in crisis, they often turn to their church for help and guidance. We work to educate clergy about the symptoms of OCD and how to guide individuals or families to contact OCD Chicago when they need help coping with OCD (or a related condition that may -- or may not -- be OCD).
For the Media
OCD Chicago works with representatives of the news media to provide accurate, timely information about OCD. We provide expertise as a resource for news reports, medical segments and features, and welcome contact by representatives from print, broadcast and online media.
Contact us for information about OCD or to arrange for an interview.
Who We Are
Board of Directors
Martin E. Silverman
President
Jeanne B. Ettelson
Vice President and Treasurer
Donna B. Wilkens
Secretary
Ellen Sawyer
Assistant Secretary
Susan A. Richman
Honorary Chair
Penelope P. Campbell
Scott M. Kaufman
Kenneth A. Wexler
Anne L. Wieboldt
Executive Director
Ellen Sawyer
Scientific Advisory Board
Karen L. Cassiday, Ph.D., A.C.T.
Owner and Clinical Director
Anxiety & Agoraphobia Treatment Center, Northbrook, IL
Clinical Assistant Professor
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Sciences, North Chicago, IL
Instructor, Department of Psychiatry and Psychology
Rush Medical School, Chicago, IL
Gail Adams, Ed.D.
Educational Consultant, IL
Albert J. Allen, M.D., Ph.D.
Eli Lilly & Company, Indianapolis, IN
Mona H. Berman, M.A., L.C.P.C.
Private Practice, Northfield, IL
John E. Calamari, Ph.D.
Professor & Chair
Department of Psychology
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL
Kevin L. Gyoerkoe, Psy.D.
Anxiety & Agoraphobia Treatment Center, Northbrook, IL
Brian Martis, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry
Assistant Chief of Psychiatry
VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System
Attending Psychiatrist
Anxiety Disorders Clinic
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Bradley C. Riemann, Ph.D.
Clinical Director
OCD Center at Rogers Memorial Hospital, Oconomowoc, WI
Pamela S. Wiegartz, Ph.D.
Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA