OCD & Anxiety Program of Southern California

02/06/2025

We wanted to share with you a heartwarming statement that one teenager wrote about her inspiring treatment journey. It is truly humbling to be part of her story, which she wanted to share in the hope that it might potentially help others. She was part of the first ever Bergen 4-Day Treatment (B4DT) adolescent group completed in Los Angeles in January of 2025. This milestone marks an important step in providing effective, concentrated treatment for younger clients struggling with OCD. This is what she wrote about her experience:

"The Bergen 4-Day Treatment program has changed my life in ways I never could've imagined. I came to Bergen after my first year of college, struggling with severe OCD. Each day was a battle to get through, and I felt hopeless. My life had been overtaken by OCD, and I lost touch with everything I once loved. But the Bergen 4-Day Treatment taught me how strong and brave I truly am. The team I worked with was so kind and supportive—it brings tears to my eyes thinking about the good memories I made during the program. Through all the education and tools Bergen provided, I learned how to take my life back. I know it sounds crazy, but I even had fun doing my exposure tasks! It was thrilling to face fears that had paralyzed me for years. I learned that OCD isn’t as terrifying as it seems—it’s just a crafty, annoying trickster. Leaving Bergen, I was filled with hope and confidence. I had learned to be kind to myself during such a life-changing time and to stay motivated to live my life the way I want, not the way OCD dictates. I still think about my flight home, sitting there smiling, knowing I was getting my life back. Bergen is a truly special place, and I can't recommend it enough. Now, I’m back at school, having an amazing time! I’m loving my classes, meeting new friends, trying new things, and, most importantly, I feel like me again.” - Avery

Research supporting the effectiveness of this treatment for adolescents has shown impressive results. In a 2024 study by Skjold et al., conducted across seven sites in Norway, 85.71% of adolescent participants saw a significant reduction in their OCD symptoms, and 69.05% were in remission post-treatment. At the three-month follow-up, 92.3% were considered responders, and 84.62% remained in remission.

Similar to the adult version, the youth version of the B4DT is designed to deliver the entire treatment within four consecutive days, tailored to each individual with a 1:1 patient-therapist ratio. In the youth version, parents are involved on days one and four to learn how to support their child and reduce family accommodations for OCD.

We are hosting one B4DT group per month and are excited to announce that the next adult group will begin on March 24th, 2025. If you or a loved one are interested in participating in this evidence-based, intensive OCD treatment program, please contact the OCD & Anxiety Program of Southern California at (310) 488-5850 or info@socalocd.org.

08/25/2024

International Dissemination of the Bergen 4-Day Treatment (B4DT): New Developments in South America and Africa

We are dedicated to expanding the reach of B4DT to ensure that more people worldwide can benefit from this innovative and effective treatment for OCD. In August of 2024 we welcomed committed psychologists from Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Quito, Ecuador. Their participation marked the beginning of their training in the B4DT method, aimed at extending this effective treatment approach to South America.

Earlier this summer, our B4DT groups were enriched by the participation of dedicated clinicians from Kenya, Nairobi, representing Kenyatta University and Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital. Their involvement ushered in their training in the B4DT method, with the goal of introducing this effective treatment approach to Africa. We are thrilled by the international expansion of B4DT and look forward to further collaboration with clinicians from Australia and Singapore. This will mark the presence of the B4DT on five continents: Europe, North America, South America, Asia, and Africa. As of early 2025, B4DT will be available in 6 continents as an Australian team will complete a B4DT pilot in early 2025.

Additionally, we are pleased to announce the successful completion of two B4DT groups for OCD in July and August 2024 – this was part of training the team from Quito. This effective, intensive treatment attracted participants from as close as California and as far as England and Australia. Seeing our B4DT patients make such remarkable strides in reducing their OCD symptoms within just four days remains incredibly inspiring. We are deeply touched by the bravery of our latest patients and the significant progress they’ve achieved in moving closer to the lives they envision, free from the constraints of OCD.

We continue to be encouraged by the positive feedback from our patients. A participant from our July group shared how the B4DT gave him the tools to approach his OCD symptoms in a new way to create lasting change:

"The Bergen Program was life changing! I have been struggling with OCD for years and have tried traditional therapy and medications but nothing worked. In just a few days my mind made a paradigm shift and I'm well on my road to recovery! Thank you to the OCD & Anxiety Program of Southern California!"

Additionally, a participant from our August group expressed the way in which the treatment helped her regain the life she felt was taken by OCD:

"There are no words for the fear OCD had on me. I was ashamed of myself, living in constant anxiety, and had accepted that this would be the state of my being for the rest of my life. A state where I was afraid to be a mother, afraid to be alone, afraid of every possible “What if?”. When I was approached with the Bergen 4-Day Treatment I was desperate for any form of treatment but incredibly apprehensive that anything would work for me. Almost my entire first day of the Bergen treatment I cried out of shame, fear, hopelessness and just hatred for myself. On the last day, I cried out of joy, happiness, acceptance and freedom. I could feel my “old self” starting to break free already. My life was stolen from me with OCD, and I’m incredibly grateful to have it back. There are no words for my gratitude and appreciation for the Bergen 4-day Treatment program and for the incredible clinicians that led me through it."

Moving forward, we will host one B4DT group per month, with the next in late September 2024. If you are interested in participating in this evidence-based, concentrated treatment for OCD, please contact the OCD & Anxiety Program of Southern California at (310) 488-5850 or info@socalocd.org.

Pictured: The OCD & Anxiety Program of Southern California team alongside co-creator of the B4DT, Dr. Bjarne Hansen, and clinicians from Ecuador, Singapore, Norway, and Boston.

08/10/2024

The International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) Annual Conference is a cornerstone event for the OCD community. It provides a unique opportunity for professionals, researchers, and individuals with lived experience to come together, share knowledge, and advance treatment and support. For the OCD & Anxiety Program of Southern California, attending this conference was an invaluable opportunity to engage with the latest research, contribute to important discussions, and explore new avenues for collaboration.

A key highlight for our clinic was the chance to present our latest offering, the Bergen 4-Day Treatment (B4DT) for OCD. Conversations with fellow clinicians and individuals living with OCD were met with great enthusiasm, reinforcing our commitment to spreading awareness about this highly effective treatment.

We remain dedicated to expanding the reach of the B4DT to ensure that more people worldwide can benefit from this innovative and effective approach to treating OCD. Recently, we welcomed a team of clinicians from Quito, Ecuador, who will join us in advancing this important mission.

Moving forward, we will host one B4DT group per month. If you are interested in participating in this evidence-based, intensive treatment for OCD, please contact the OCD & Anxiety Program of Southern California at (310) 488-5850 or info@socalocd.org.

06/24/2024

We are delighted to announce the successful completion of two Bergen 4-day treatment (B4DT) groups for OCD in May and June 2024. This effective, intensive treatment attracted participants from around the world, including Switzerland, Canada, the United States, and as far as China. Witnessing our B4DT patients achieve significant reductions in OCD symptoms in just four days continues to be truly inspiring. We are deeply moved by our most recent patients’ courage and the profound progress they made toward leading the lives they aspire to live, unburdened by the symptoms of OCD.

Additionally, we are encouraged by the positive feedback from our patients, who felt supported by our clinical team and found enjoyment in the process of treating their OCD. One of our recent participants shared:

"My experience at the Bergen 4 Day program was both challenging and rewarding. I’ve struggled with OCD for a couple of years now, and I can certainly say that the program pushed me to confront scenarios I would have avoided on my own. I made more progress in dealing with my fears in these four days than in the entire past year. It was also extremely important that the people were great. I felt safe with the specialists at the program and enjoyed interacting with the other patients. The program was fun, which amazed me given how un-fun OCD and ERP are."

And another participant:

"As a clinician, educator, and someone who has lived with OCD for most of my adult life, the B4D program helped me make a huge leap forward in my growth. I am now learning what life can be like as a full person. I highly recommend this program to everyone struggling with OCD and anxiety, no matter where they are in their recovery. My team were both partners and collaborators in this challenging work. The therapy and activities were tailor-made to my needs, and I felt heard, supported and seen when it was the hardest. They regularly surrounded me with kindness, compassion, and humor while working with me to both unpack and lean into my fear. As a strengths-based program, I have come to reframe my view of myself and my brain as normal. Thanks to my partnership with B4D and all the clinicians and patients that have informed the evolution of this program, I now see that I am capable of anything.”

Our May and June groups were enriched by the presence of dedicated clinicians from Nairobi, Kenya, representing Kenyatta University and Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital. Their participation marked the beginning of their training in the B4DT method, aimed at spreading this effective treatment approach to Nairobi, Kenya.

We are committed to expanding the reach of B4DT to ensure that more people worldwide can benefit from this innovative and effective treatment for OCD. In July, we eagerly anticipate welcoming a new team of clinicians from Quito, Ecuador, who will join us to continue this important mission.

Moving forward, we will host at least one B4DT group per month. If you are interested in participating in this evidence-based, concentrated treatment for OCD, please contact the OCD & Anxiety Program of Southern California at (310) 488-5850 or info@socalocd.org.

04/14/2024

We are thrilled to announce that our program recently hosted its first Bergen 4-Day Treatment (B4DT) group for OCD with Dr. Bjarne Hansen, co-founder of the evidence-based, concentrated treatment method. Patients came from across the world, including Australia, Germany, and Switzerland, and from across the United States— as far as Florida, and as nearby as Los Angeles, California. It was a tremendous experience for our patients to experience such a dramatic reduction in OCD symptoms over the course of just four days. We, as the clinical team, are truly humbled to witness our patients’ courage and individual transformations.

It is so very exciting that this effective treatment is now available to be delivered in English in Los Angeles. We look forward to hosting future B4DT groups, with the next starting May 28, 2024. Moving forward, we will be hosting one B4DT group a month, at minimum. If you are interested in participating in this evidence-based, concentrated treatment for OCD, please contact the OCD & Anxiety Program of Southern California at:
(310) 488-5850 or info@socalocd.org.

Pictured: Dr. Bjarne Hansen and the Los Angeles team, including Drs. Thröstur Björgvinsson, Naomi Zwecker, Anna Shanazari, Anushka Gokhale, and Emily Hanna (right to left).

Our team of therapists delivers evidence-based treatment for anxiety and OCD, including the Bergen 4-Day Treatment for OCD

04/06/2024

We will be at the ADAA conference in Boston next week, April 11 to 14! If you are at the conference, please come by our booth – we would love to see you. Members of our team are giving two presentations: Drs. Björgvinsson & Hansen give a State-of-the-art Clinical presentation about the international dissemination of the Bergen 4-Day OCD Treatment, and Dr. Björgvinsson presents a pilot study about the feasibility and effectiveness of the Bergen 4-Day OCD Treatment in the U.S.

Drs. Thröstur Björgvinsson & Bjarne Hansen will be presenting a State-of-the-Art Clinician Session in April at the 2024 Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) Annual Conference in Boston, MA

04/06/2024

Drs. Thröstur Björgvinsson & Bjarne Hansen will be presenting a State-of-the-Art Clinician Session in April at the 2024 Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) Annual Conference in Boston, MA