Finding Community, OCD Action 2023 Conference

Finding Community

Being a part of a supportive community can be transformative for those living with OCD. But how do you find your community? How do you know if that space is truly supporting you in a way that is helpful to you? In this open discussion, our panel shares their personal experiences of finding safe and supportive communities at various points in their journeys.

About the Panel

Catherine Benfield
Catherine Benfield is a writer and teacher from East London. She runs the OCD website TamingOlivia.com and is currently navigating the film festival circuit with Waving, a short film she produced about OCD and intrusive thoughts starring Ralph Ineson. Catherine first experienced OCD at 5 although it took another 30 years to get a diagnosis. She talks openly about her experiences of upsetting intrusive thoughts and recovery. Catherine has been an OCD Action Trustee since 2023.

Chrissie Hodges
Chrissie Hodges is a Certified Peer & Family Support Specialist and renowned mental health advocate. With Treatment for OCD Consulting, she empowers with peer support and invaluable referrals, and as COO of Peer Recovery Services, she’s revolutionising Colorado’s mental health institutions. Chrissie is the founder and executive director of the non-profit ‘OCD Gamechangers’.

Nikita Roberts
Nikita Roberts has lived with OCD since childhood and was officially diagnosed at 18. She started blogging anonymously to cope with her thoughts and later shared her experiences on Channel 5’s “My Extreme OCD Life” documentary, aiming to challenge misconceptions about OCD and reduce stigma. Keets joined OCD Action as a volunteer in 2021 and now serves as a Lead Volunteer. In her time outside of OCD Action, Keets runs a successful arts and crafts business, which she set up after receiving treatment for her OCD.

Mike Cooper
Mike Cooper, an OCD Action volunteer and support group facilitator, has lived with OCD for over 30 years. Fortunately, he was able to reclaim his life through effective treatment and support. Mike now lives a happy and fulfilling life no longer dominated by OCD. As a support group facilitator, his focus is on fostering a warm and nurturing atmosphere within the groups, providing a space where members can be heard, valued, and supported wherever they are on their journey. His aspiration is to help to build a brighter future for all affected by OCD and its related conditions.

Dr Sophie Suri
Dr. Sophie Suri is an esteemed research associate in the dynamic School of Health and Life Sciences at Teesside University. With a fervent dedication to advancing our understanding of OCD, she serves as a research fellow with the prestigious NIHR. Dr. Suri is also an advocate for the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF), championing the voices and experiences of people with OCD. Her current research focuses on the lived experiences of adults with OCD, paving the way for transformative insights.