Chrissie Hodges, a public speaker and OCD advocate and Matthew Myles, a licensed clinician specializing in treating patients with OCD have teamed up to create a community of outreach and support here in Denver, Colorado. She spent the majority of her adolescent and teenage life engulfed in ruminatory rituals that accompanied physical and sexual obsessions without any knowledge whatsoever that she was suffering with a brain disorder and that there is help for it. At age 20 after a suicide attempt, Chrissie was diagnosed OCD and began taking medication. 1 year later, Chrissie would partake in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Exposure-Response Prevention that armed her with the tools to live a relatively normal life managing her OCD symptoms with little interference. She is a professional public speaker spreading awareness and information to the public about the different types of OCD and that help is available. Chrissie also hosts a weekly radio show 'The Stigma of Mental Illness Radio' in which guests come onto the show and talk about their experiences with mental illness and their recovery. Chrissie's mission is to make sure than anyone suffering has access to information that can help them start the road to recovery if they are suffering from mental illness. No one is alone with mental illness and there is hope for everyone who suffers. Matt's career specializing in OCD treatment began in 2002 as a counselor for the OCD Institute at McLean Hospital of Harvard Medical School. Since relocating to Colorado, he has been helping people with OCD therapy in their homes and communities as well as at his Denver office. Matt is in regular collaboration with other clinicians and doctors who specialize in treatment, research, and outreach for OCD. He also works with other therapists, graduate students and interns, school systems, and other organizations to offer trainings and consultations about OCD treatment. Matt attends the IOCDF (International Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Foundation) annual conferences, where he has presented on home and community based therapy.
