Rogers sites celebrate OCD Awareness Week
10/12/22 12:50:pm
OCD Awareness Week takes place each October, with the first official observance held in 2009. At Rogers locations nationwide, the week of October 9 through 15 not only provides an opportunity to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and inspire hope, but also the chance for team members and patients to have fun with a spirit week or other activities.
See below for an overview of how sites marked the week.
Appleton
The Appleton team participated in dress up days including a themed shirt day for employees working in the OCD and Anxiety program on Monday, Fancy Top and Pajama Bottom Day on Tuesday, Funky Sock Day on Wednesday, Mismatch Day on Thursday, and Wear Teal Day on Friday. The clinic décor also got into the spirit of the week, with signs turned the wrong way, items askew, and more, with employees and patients asked to resist fixing or rearranging things. Finally, the clinic also displayed a wall of coping skills and signs featuring common myths and other helpful information about OCD.
Hinsdale
The Hinsdale team celebrated with a spirit week, including days for wearing teal and partaking in Twin Day and Decades Day. Children and teens had a craft and drawing day to create their “OCD monster,” while adult patients wrote anonymous cards for patients at other Rogers sites to provide words of encouragement. Finally, patients were given pins reading, “Maybe it will, maybe it won’t” to encourage them as they build their tolerance for uncertainty.
Los Angeles
The L.A. clinic also marked the occasion with a spirit week for employees and patients. Monday was Wacky Hair or Hat Day, Tuesday was Color Day with employees choosing one color to dress in, Wednesday was We Wear Pink on Wednesdays Day, Thursday was Wear your Shirts and Pants Inside Out Day, and Friday rounds out the week as OCD Awareness and Jeans Day with employees wearing teal, white, purple, or green.
Minneapolis and St. Paul
The Twin Cities clinics teamed up for a shared spirit week calendar complete with lots of fun dress up days. Monday was Comfy Clothes/Pajama Day, Tuesday was Mismatch/Wacky Day, Wednesday was Hat Day, Thursday was Fandom Day with teammates dressing like their favorite book and movie characters, sports stars, and more, and Friday is Flannel Day.
Oconomowoc
The Silver Lake and Silver Lake North clinic marked the week with dress up days, including Mix it up Monday and Teal Tuesday, an OCD trivia game, and Face Your Fears Friday, where staff submitted photos of themselves challenging one of their fears.
Philadelphia
The Philadelphia team created an “On the road to reclaiming our lives” mural. They asked patients to identify what goals they have achieved and how they have been able to get their lives back since starting the program. This activity gave patients a sense of community and offered the opportunity to reflect on their improvements.
San Diego
Though scheduling conflicts prevent the San Diego team from holding their spirit week during the official OCD Awareness Week, they will hold events the week of October 24. Plans include a scavenger hunt, Open Mic Day, team lunch, Wear Teal Day, and Pajama Day.
San Francisco
Justin Bomberg, outreach representative; Jennifer Park, PhD, senior clinical director; and Robin Weber, clinical supervisor, attended Stanford University’s OCD Awareness Fair on October 7. Attended by those with OCD and their family and friends, the Rogers team answered questions from community members and provided information about Rogers’ services.
Seattle
The Seattle clinic partnered with OCD Washington to host a week of events. Andrea Hartman, PsyD, clinical supervisor, led a virtual presentation on Monday on “OCD diagnosis and treatment,” for local providers via Teams. On Tuesday, nurse Erika Miller hosted a slime making party for children with OCD and their siblings, which wrapped up with a pizza party. Child therapist Carly Fox presented “Parent-focused solutions to childhood anxiety” for parents of children with OCD on Wednesday. The OCD Washington board hosted a virtual networking event for local mental health professionals on Thursday. Friday is a day to wear teal, the official color used to bring awareness to OCD. The week ends on Saturday with a virtual screening of UNSTUCK: An OCD Kids Movie.
