OCD Interest Group - Ask the Experts

We are restarting this group after a brief hiatus. The first meeting will be a special session for people with OCD and their friends and family members.

Bring your questions and concerns. Questions about washing, checking, hoarding, religious anxieties, and sexual obsessions are all welcome. Learn about symptoms, treatment options, and new research.

Experts:

Dr. Monnica Terwilliger Williams practices at the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety, at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry where she works with Dr. Edna Foa, treating adults with OCD and other anxiety disorders. Prior to joining the University of Pennsylvania faculty, Dr. Williams completed her undergraduate studies at MIT and UCLA. She received her Master's and Doctoral Degrees in clinical psychology from the University of Virginia, where she conducted research in the areas of major mental illness, tests and measurement, and ethnic differences. She completed her clinical internship at McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital Site. Dr. Williams has published multiple book chapters and academic publications, including a recent article entitled “Homosexuality Anxiety: A Misunderstood Symptom of OCD.” She has been active with the OC Foundation and also serves on the board of directors for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Main Line chapter.

Dr. Mark Powers received his Bachelors degree in psychology in 1996 at the University of California at Santa Barbara and his Masters degree in psychology in 1997 working with Dr. Joseph Wolpe on anxiety disorders. From 1997 to 2000 Dr. Powers worked with Dr. Michelle Craske and Dr. Alexander Bystritsky as a pre-doctoral fellow at the University of California at Los Angeles on anxiety disorders. Next, he received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Texas at Austin in 2006 working with Dr. Michael Telch. While pursuing his Ph.D. he also completed a pre-doctoral fellowship at Boston University and Harvard University with Dr. Michael Otto in 2005 and a clinical internship at the University of Washington in 2006. Dr. Powers was an Assistant Professor of clinical Psychology at the University of Amsterdam with Dr. Paul Emmelkamp from 2006 to 2008. Dr. Powers now works with Dr. Edna Foa at the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety at the University of Pennsylvania as an Assistant Professor of clinical psychology in psychiatry. Dr. Powers has over 50 publications including book chapters and journal articles. His current research focuses on mechanisms of change in anxiety disorders.