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OCD Action proudly hosted our much-awaited in-person National Conference on Saturday, 7th October, in Central London. The day was brimming with cutting-edge research, expert insights, and powerful discussions focused on accessing high-quality OCD treatment.

For those who couldn’t attend or wish to revisit the sessions, recordings of the main stage presentations will be available soon. Stay tuned!


đŸŽ™ïž Our Speakers

We were honoured to feature an extraordinary lineup of over 30 esteemed speakers at the conference. From cherished community advocates to globally acclaimed expert clinicians, each offered their unique expertise and insights on our theme of accessing support and treatment for OCD.

Biyi Desalu, OCD Action DEI Co-production Panellist

Biyi, aged 38, has grappled with OCD for more than three decades. Now on the path to recovery, he uses his personal experience to help others, collaborating with charities such as OCD Action and Orchard OCD. Biyi is an active member of OCD Action’s DEI Co-production Panel and in his spare time he shares recovery tips and advice on his YouTube channel.

Bryony Gordon, Author and Journalist

Bryony Gordon is a distinguished author, journalist, and mental health campaigner, celebrated for her candid explorations of living with OCD, depression, bulimia, and addiction. In 2016, Bryony founded “Mental Health Mates,” a UK-wide initiative that organises regular walk-and-talk meetups, offering peer support in a stigma-free environment. Her fearlessness in confronting her challenges head-on, coupled with her deep empathy, has cemented her place as a treasured role model in the OCD community and beyond.

A photograph of Catherine Benfield

Catherine Benfield, OCD Advocate

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.

A photograph of Chrissie Hodges

Chrissie Hodges, Founder of OCD Gamechangers

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’.

A photograph of Danny Gray

Danny Gray, Founder of Just Ask A Question (JAAQ)

Danny Gray is the Founder of Just Ask A Question (JAAQ), a ground-breaking online platform that transforms the way people seek and access expert health advice. JAAQ provides free answers to 50,000 mental wellbeing questions covering various topics including OCD and BDD. It features renowned medical experts like Professor David Veale, Paul Gilbert OBE, and Dr Janet Treasure. With a global presence in 120 countries and partnerships with industry leaders like Adidas and Bupa, JAAQ is at the forefront of digital health support.

A photograph of Professor David Nutt

Professor David Nutt, Psychiatrist and Neuropharmacologist

Professor David Nutt is a renowned psychiatrist and neuropharmacologist at Imperial College London. He’s led multiple prestigious organisations and serves as the Founding Chair of DrugScience.org.uk. With 40 books and 1000 papers, his groundbreaking research spans anxiety, depression, addiction, and the clinical use of psychedelics. One of his current areas of research is the use of psychedelics in the treatment of OCD.

A photograph of Professor David Veale

Professor David Veale, Consultant Clinical Psychiatrist

Professor David Veale is a Consultant Psychiatrist in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy at the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust and the Nightingale Hospital. He is also a Visiting Professor at the Department of Psychology, King’s College London. Professor Veale specialises in OCD, BDD, health anxiety and emetophobia. He has been a Trustee of OCD Action since the charity’s inception in 1994.

Diana Wilson, Co-founder of Maternal OCD

Diana Wilson is the Co-founder of Maternal OCD. She is originally from New Zealand and speaks on OCD as a sufferer through experience fearing she might harm her four young daughters, both to the wider community and within the medical community. She has spent many years facilitating support groups in Kent and London for carers and those affected by perinatal OCD. Diana is a fully recovered OCD sufferer who lives in Cornwall with her husband.

A photograph of Duke Al

Duke Al, OCD Advocate

Duke Al is a published poet, rapper, and creative practitioner who finds solace in writing to challenge his OCD. He channels his passion for words and flow to make an impact, one rhyme at a time. He is the author of ‘Bittersweet: The Highs, The Lows, Hypers and Hypos of Living with Type 1 Diabetes’, and has been featured on BBC Wales, BT Sports, BBC Sesh, and more. His work can be found on Instagram and Twitter at @dukealdurham.

Dr Gazal Jones, Senior Clinical Psychologist

Dr Gazal Jones is a Senior Clinical Psychologist at the National and Specialist CAMHS OCD, BDD and Related Disorders Service at the Maudsley Hospital. Gazal provides specialist assessment and evidence-based treatment to children and young people with OCD across the country, including home-based treatment and intensive treatment. She also delivers specialist teaching and training on child and adolescent OCD. Gazal is the diversity representative and leads on initiatives to help improve the experience of families from ethnic minorities and the consideration of aspects of diversity in OCD assessment and treatment.

Georgia Lock, OCD Advocate

Georgia Lock is an actor and voiceover artist living in London. She developed OCD at 22, and after learning what it was that she was dealing with became passionate about raising awareness of the condition. A published poet, Georgia has run poetry workshops for OCD UK, and has also worked with Childline to shed light on the disorder. She is currently working on her second poetry book, in which many of the poems are inspired by the struggles of OCD and the resilience of the OCD Community.

Idyli Kamaterou, Cognitive Behaviour Therapist

Idyli Kamaterou is a CBT therapist at CADAT (Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma), a national service specialising in anxiety disorders. She is a member of the perinatal stream assessing and treating expectant and new parents. She is also an Associated Tutor at the Psychology department of a UK leading University. Her private practice, Therapy For Me, is based in South London and offers online sessions to people around and outside the UK.

India Thomas, OCD Action Youth Engagement Panellist

India Thomas is a medical student at the University of Leeds and runs an awareness page on Instagram @medicinewithindia where she talks about OCD, medicine and life. She has lived with OCD since the age of 12 or 13 and accessed treatment both through the NHS and privately. India sits on OCD Action’s Youth Engagement Panel and is passionate about improving OCD awareness amongst healthcare professionals and students and increasing access to evidence-based treatments for OCD.

Dr Jonathan Espie, Principal Clinical Psychologist

Jonathan is a Principal Clinical Psychologist working in the NHS National and Specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service based in Denmark Hill, London, UK. The Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, and Related Disorders Team works with young people and their families providing treatment and working on research. Jonathan has worked in the NHS for over 20 years and is particularly interested in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and group work. He has also provided training internationally.

A photograph of Mairéad Ruane

Mairéad Ruane, OCD Action Youth Engagement Panellist

MairĂ©ad Ruane is a lived experience mental health activist and assistant producer working in arts and health and mental health charities. MairĂ©ad volunteers as an OCD Action Youth Engagement Panel to co-design and deliver support for young people affected by OCD and related conditions. MairĂ©ad feels driven to involve those with lived experience in service development and media portrayals of the illness to ensure lived experience voices are heard. 

Maria Bavetta, Co-founder of Maternal OCD

Maria Bavetta is Co-founder of Maternal OCD and works strategically with the Royal Colleges and national bodies to ensure women and families impacted by perinatal OCD are recognised and supported. Using insights from her perinatal OCD recovery, Maria works with the Maternal Mental Health Alliance to campaign for high quality compassionate perinatal mental health care.

Mia Hill, OCD Action Youth Engagement Panellist

Mia, a 20-year-old psychology student, runs a mental health-focused blog detailing her journey with OCD, BDD, and anxiety. Diagnosed with OCD at 12, her compulsions revolve around numbers, each corresponding to distinct intrusive thoughts. Mia has struggled with themes like POCD, Harm OCD, ROCD, and Pure O. Mia’s motivation for joining the panel is to effect positive change in OCD’s perception and treatment. She aspires to use her experiences to provide better understanding and resource accessibility for those facing similar struggles.

Michael Cooper, OCD Action Support Groups Volunteer

Mike, 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.

Nikita Roberts, OCD Action Support Groups Volunteer

Nikita (Keets) 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.

A photograph of Olivia Bamber

Olivia Bamber, OCD Action Helpline Volunteer

Olivia Bamber volunteers on the OCD Action Helpline, having previously been an OCD Action member of staff for several years, working across Media & Comms and the Helpline and Youth services. She’s battled OCD since a young age, but with good treatment and support, she is now able to manage the condition well. Olivia is passionate about using her experiences to raise awareness of OCD and to support others to access high quality treatment.

Pavitt Thatcher, OCD Action DEI Co-production Panellist

Pavitt Thatcher is a trainee integrative psychotherapist offering treatment for OCD, related disorders, and body-focused repetitive behaviours (BFRBs). She creates a safe, non-judgmental space to foster self-expression and advocates passionately for mental health. As a leading founder of BFRB UK and Ireland, Pavitt raises awareness and provides resources for those affected by BFRBs, serving as an ambassador and leader for both the UK and US BFRB communities. She facilitates peer support groups and has a decade-long collaboration with The TLC Foundation.

A photograph of Dr Rob Willson

Dr Rob Willson, Cognitive Behaviour Therapist

Dr Rob Willson PhD is a cognitive behaviour Therapist based in North London, with a special interest in OCD, BDD and Health Anxiety. He is the chair of the BDD Foundation. Rob has co-authored several books, including the bestselling ‘Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Dummies’ and ‘Overcoming Obsessive Compulsive Disorder’.

Sabrina Phillips, OCD Action DEI Co-production Panellist

Sabrina Phillips, an OCD Action DEI Co-production Panellist, is a vibrant digital illustrator dedicated to crafting colourful mental health art. Her focus extends to dismantling the stigma and misinformation surrounding OCD. With an impressive range of skills, she’s a trained crisis-line volunteer, adept social media content specialist, and a passionate advocate for young women’s economic rights. Drawing from her own lifelong battle with OCD and her unique background as a young black British woman with Jamaican heritage, Sabrina aims to spotlight and address the barriers to mental health help-seeking in the black-British Caribbean community.

A photograph of Sam Jones

Sam Jones, OCD Advocate

Sam Jones is a neurodivergent actor and certified Mental Health First Aid Instructor with a passion for raising awareness of OCD. Sam has spoken at prominent events like the Mental Health & Wellbeing Show and OCD Gamechangers, has written blog posts for #itaffectsme, and has been featured on The OCD Stories podcast. Most recently, Sam has been working as a crisis practitioner and support worker for Mind, and as a mental health coach in the National Theatre’s production ‘The Ocean At The End Of The Lane.’

A photograph of Shaun Flores

Shaun Flores, OCD Action Co-production Panellist

Shaun Flores, a powerful voice in OCD advocacy, was diagnosed with OCD at 27, igniting his mission to raise awareness of OCD and break barriers to treatment, particularly within black communities. Shaun’s journey from ‘survivor to thriver’ with OCD has been featured on BBC Sounds, Metro, and Channel 4, where he fearlessly discusses his mental health journey. Passionate about progressive change, he’s an inspiring advocate and a member of OCD Action’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Co-production Panel for People of Colour.

A photograph of Dr Sophie Suri

Dr Sophie Suri, OCD Advocate

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.

Steve Brumwell, Writer, Director and OCD Advocate

Steve has been fascinated by the silver screen since being left awestruck by the magnificence of Indiana Jones’ heroism at the ABC in Birmingham, 1981. A bit of a polymath (he is very humble as well) he has launched numerous startup enterprises but always returned to the written word. Influenced by Wilder, Lynch, Kurosawa and Lynne Ramsey, he strives to portray broad emotions in interesting ways. His work is continually drawn to the deep well of mental wellbeing by his battles with OCD since early childhood, Waving is his first project to be filmed.

Stuart Ralph, Founder of The OCD Stories Podcast
Stuart Ralph is a child and adolescent counsellor and psychotherapist who has made a lasting impact on the OCD community. As the founder and host of The OCD Stories podcast, which has garnered over 6 million downloads, Stuart has provided a platform for enlightening conversations and invaluable support. In 2018, he pioneered the first-ever UK camp for people with OCD, situated in the beautiful landscapes of Surrey. Stuart’s commitment to fostering support and understanding continues to inspire the OCD community worldwide.

Tabby Podger, OCD Action Youth Engagement Panellist

Tabby, a 20-year-old medical student, has battled OCD since a young age. Driven by her personal experience, she’s dedicated to dispelling stigma and increasing awareness around OCD to support fellow young people navigating life with the condition. Tabby’s own journey with specialist level treatment during her teenage years significantly aided her recovery and fuels her passion for advocating for improved mental health support.

Tobias Hauser, Professor of Computational Psychiatry

Tobias Hauser is a Professor of Computational Psychiatry at the University of TĂŒbingen, also holding an Honorary Associate Professor position at the Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, and the Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, UCL. His focus is on understanding neurocomputational processes related to learning, decision-making, and their deviations in developmental psychiatric disorders. With expertise in cognitive biases within OCD, Tobias explores the underlying neurocomputational mechanisms. His work spans neuroimaging, pharmacology, and computational modeling. He’s been recognised with several esteemed awards in psychiatry and is supported by prominent research foundations.

Zachary James, OCD Action Youth Engagement Panellist

Zachary James, an OCD Action Youth Engagement Panellist, is a lived experience advocate hailing from Cardiff. He spearheads the award-winning platform ‘@ocdestigmatize’ and serves as a volunteer for OCD Action’s engagement panel. Zachary’s fervent commitment lies in eradicating stigma, driven by his determination to prevent the recurrence of his challenging encounters in accessing treatment.

Dr Zoe Kindynis, Senior Clinical Psychologist

Dr Zoe Kindynis is a Senior Clinical Psychologist at the National and Specialist OCD, BDD and Related Disorder Clinic at the Maudsley Hospital. She specialises in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (with Exposure and Response Prevention) for OCD in children and adolescents. Alongside this work, she has been involved in developing and evaluating Multi-Family Therapy Groups for young people with OCD, she has taught professionals nationally on assessment and treatment of OCD and she has spoken at national and international conferences. She is passionate about Patient and Public Involvement, which has lead to several exciting projects including the video ‘OCD Is Not Me’.