OCD Sacramento

05/16/2026

Sneaky Rituals in the Modern World: How OCD Adapted to the Digital Age

OCD didn't go away-it updated its software. In this presentation Kristina Orlova, LMFT, explores how compulsions and safety behaviors have evolved alongside our digital lives, showing up in places we least expect: our search bars, our group chats, our wearables, and our AI chatbots.

Drawing on clinical experience and lived experience with OCD, this talk helps participants identify the subtle, modern rituals that often fly under the radar-from reassurance-seeking through Reddit threads and AI chatbots, to doom scrolling mental health content, to swapping one compulsion for another and calling it recovery. Attendees will leave with practical tools to apply ERP principles to their digital habits, and one simple question they can use as their own ritual detector going forward.

Presentation will be via zoom on May 19, 2026 from 6:00PM to 7:00PM PST. Free to the public.
Meeting ID: 737 027 1313
Passcode: 899750

Meet our speaker!

Kristina Orlova is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist specializing in OCD, anxiety, and related disorders-and someone who knows what it's like to live with OCD herself. That lived experience shapes everything about how she works: the way she explains things, the way she sits with clients, and the reason she keeps showing up for this community.

05/12/2026

📘Book of the Week: The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook by Kristin Neff, PhD & Christopher Germer, PhD.
Being hard on yourself might feel automatic, but self-criticism often increases stress, anxiety, and emotional exhaustion. This week, we're highlighting a powerful resource that teaches a healthier, more compassionate way forward.

The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook combines mindfulness practices with evidence-based exercises to help readers respond to difficult moments with kindness instead of judgment. It's practical, supportive, and designed to help people build emotional strength from the inside out.

Why we love it:
✅Provides guided exercises for practicing self-compassion daily
✅Helps reduce anxiety, shame, and self-criticism
✅Builds emotional resilience and inner strength
✅Combines mindfulness with real-life coping strategies

Self-compassion isn't about lowering standards-it's about supporting yourself with the same care you'd offer someone you love. This workbook makes that practice accessible and achievable.

⭐Review:
"This workbook offers powerful tools for anyone struggling with self-judgment or emotional overwhelm. Compassionate, practical, and deeply healing."

More than a thousand research studies show the benefits of being a supportive friend to yourself, especially in times of need. This science-based workbook offers a step-by-step approach to breaking free of harsh self-judgments and impossible standards in order to cultivate emotional well-being. ...

05/04/2026

📘Book of the Week: The Self-Compassion Skills Workbook by Tim Desmond, LMFT.
So many people speak to themselves more harshly than they ever would to someone they care about. This week, we're highlighting a resource that helps change that.
Tim Desmond's workbook offers practical, research-based exercises to build self-kindness, emotional resilience, and mindful awareness. It's approachable, gentle, and designed for real life-not perfection.

Why we love it:
✅Teaches practical tools for reducing self-criticism
✅Helps build emotional regulation and resilience
✅Includes step-by-step exercises you can use at home
✅Supports people by managing anxiety, depression, trauma, or burnout

Self-compassion isn't self-indulgence-it's a mental health skill. This workbook helps make it accessible.

⭐Review:
"With its engaging discussions and powerful techniques, anyone who wants to know how to get to a point of more happiness and life satisfaction will find [The Self-Compassion Skills Workbook] both accessible and satisfyingly specific. Very highly recommended!"-Midwest Book Review

Buy a used copy of The Self-Compassion Skills Workbook : A 14-Day Plan to Transform Your Relationship with Yourself book by Tim Desmond. Do you struggle with stress or negativity? Learn how self-compassion can help you find greater health, peace, emotional stability, and joy. Cutting-edge research s...

04/17/2026

📘 Book of the Week: Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman Ph.D.
Why do some people stay calm under pressure, communicate effortlessly, and build strong relationships—while others struggle, even if they’re highly intelligent? Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman explores this exact question and offers a powerful answer: success depends just as much on how we handle emotions as how we think.

Instead of focusing only on IQ, Goleman introduces the concept of EQ—our ability to recognize, understand, and manage emotions in ourselves and others. And the best part? It’s not fixed. It’s a skill you can build.

✨ What makes it stand out?
• Breaks down complex psychology and brain science into relatable, real-life insights
• Connects emotional awareness to everyday success—at work, at home, and within yourself
• Offers a framework for improving self-control, empathy, and communication
💡 Think of it as a guide to mastering the “human side” of life: you’ll learn how to pause instead of react, navigate conflict more effectively, and strengthen your relationships in meaningful ways.
📖 Perfect for:
• Anyone looking to improve relationships and communication
• Leaders, professionals, or students wanting an edge beyond IQ
• Readers interested in personal growth backed by science

✨ Bottom line: Your emotions don’t have to control you—understanding them can become your greatest strength.

Everyone knows that high IQ is no guarantee of success, happiness, or virtue, but until we could only guess why. Daniel Goleman's brilliant report from the frontiers of psychology and neuroscience offers startling new insight into our “two minds”—the rational and the emotional—and how ...

04/09/2026

Book of the Week: Talking Back to OCD

Ever feel like your brain is being a little… bossy? This week’s pick, Talking Back to OCD by Dr. John S. March, is all about flipping the script and taking control back from obsessive-compulsive thoughts.

Instead of seeing OCD as some all-powerful force, this book teaches you how to treat it like an annoying backseat driver—one you can absolutely talk back to.

✨ What makes it stand out?
Breaks down OCD in a super approachable, easy-to-understand way
Offers step-by-step strategies based on real psychological techniques
Empowers readers to challenge intrusive thoughts instead of fearing them

💡 Think of it as a mental toolkit: you’ll learn how to recognize OCD patterns, respond differently, and build confidence in your own decision-making.

📖 Perfect for:
Anyone dealing with OCD or anxiety
Friends/family wanting to understand and support loved ones
Readers who like practical, actionable self-help

Review: "From an internationally recognized expert on childhood OCD, this book is readable, doable, and based on the most up-to-date treatment research. I highly recommend it to parents and children!"--Henrietta L. Leonard, MD, coauthor of Is It "Just a Phase"?

No one wants to get rid of obsessive-compulsive disorder more than someone who has it. That’s why Talking Back to OCD puts kids and teens in charge. Dr. John March’s eight-step program has already helped thousands of young people show the disorder that it doesn’t call the shots—they do. This...

03/04/2026

We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to Kristina Orlova, LMFT for presenting via Zoom! Her insights were thoughtful, engaging, and incredibly valuable to everyone who attended.

We had a fantastic turnout, and it was truly a pleasure hearing her perspective and expertise. We’re so grateful she took the time to share her knowledge with our community!

Thank you again for such an impactful presentation! 👏

03/03/2026

Tonight!! Don't miss out!

Join us for The Thought Trap: When Thinking Becomes the Problem, a presentation by Kristina Orlova, LMFT.
This talk explores the phenomenon of rumination-a mental cycle that mimics problem-solving but often deepens anxiety and emotional distress. Drawing from both clinical expertise and personal experience, Kristina illuminates how rumination can function as a mental ritual and why the urge to "figure things out" can unintentionally make things worse.
Rather than promoting thought-suppression or the pursuit of perfect clarity, this presentation offers a practical and compassionate framework for recognizing when thinking has shifted into a compulsive pattern. Attendees will learn how to step out of unproductive mental loops and reconnect with a fuller, more grounded sense of living.
March 3, 2026 from 6:00pm-7:00pm
Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/s/81842944919...
Zoom meeting ID: 819 4294 4919
Passcode: 795246

02/25/2026

Join us for The Thought Trap: When Thinking Becomes the Problem, a presentation by Kristina Orlova, LMFT.

This talk explores the phenomenon of rumination-a mental cycle that mimics problem-solving but often deepens anxiety and emotional distress. Drawing from both clinical expertise and personal experience, Kristina illuminates how rumination can function as a mental ritual and why the urge to "figure things out" can unintentionally make things worse.

Rather than promoting thought-suppression or the pursuit of perfect clarity, this presentation offers a practical and compassionate framework for recognizing when thinking has shifted into a compulsive pattern. Attendees will learn how to step out of unproductive mental loops and reconnect with a fuller, more grounded sense of living.

March 3, 2026 from 6:00pm-7:00pm

Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/s/81842944919?pwd=WNrvDkfbO6ZDAJG1jYTG3yFeWYiNMJ.1
Zoom meeting ID: 819 4294 4919
Passcode: 795246

11/05/2025

Book of the week: "Face Your Fears" by David Tolin, Ph.D.
If anxiety, panic, and phobias keep you from living your life to the fullest, this week's pick offers great evidence-based skills and techniques that can help you reclaim your life.
This book teaches you how to face your fears rather than avoiding them. With the assistance of this book you can learn to:
✅Understand how fear and avoidance keeps anxiety strong
✅Gradually confront the situations, thoughts, and sensations you fear the most
✅Letting go of "safety behaviors" holding you back
✅Build long-term confidence and freedom
Whether you are struggling with anxiety, panic, obsessions, or phobias, this book is a valuable resource that turns clinical science into compassionate, user-friendly self-help.
Review: "Dr. David Tolin is a master at helping people understand why they are afraid and helping them overcome the problem. This easy-to-read guide blends compelling personal stories with up-to-date methods for assessing fears and obsessions, understanding them, and fixing the problem at its source" - Gail Steketee, Ph.D., author of "Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things" Dean and Professor, Boston University School of Social Work.

Nearly a third of all people will suffer from severe or debilitating fears—phobias, panic attacks, obsessions, worries, and more—over the course of a lifetime. Now Dr. David Tolin—a renowned psychologist and scientist at the Institute of Living and Yale featured on such programs as The OCD Pro...

09/26/2025

We're excited to see you at the Sacramento OCD Walk!
The Sacramento OCD Walk is this weekend!
Thank you for registering and supporting the OCD Walk in Sacramento on September 27th. Here are some important things to know before you go to the Walk.

Schedule
⏰8:45am: Check-in, registration, and T-shirt pick-up
⏰9:30am: Welcome remarks from Grand Marshal
⏰10:00am: Walk start
⏰12:00pm: Event conclusion

📍Location
Southside Park
2115 6th Street, Sacramento, CA 95818

🚗Parking is available on the street for easy access to the venue, and we will have banners to indicate the meeting location. There will be a free raffle, protein bars, fruit, juice, and water provided.

🚶‍♀️Walk Route
1 city block that is ADA compliant. Attendees can walk as little or much as they want.

☀ Weather
It looks like it will be in the mid-80s with plenty of sun. Be sure to bring sunscreen, a hate, and a water bottle!

Fundraising Progress
Thanks to our community's incredible support, we're just shy of our $6,000 goal. The next few days are the home stretch!

Please consider making a donation or sharing your fundraising page with friends and family to help us reach our ambitious fundraising goal.

Thank you so much for supporting the Sacramento OCD Walk! We can't wait to see you this weekend and to show NorCal what it really means to have OCD. Please reach out to [email protected] with any questions.

https://support.iocdf.org/event/sacramento-ocd-walk/e703909?c_src=kbyg