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Live Webinar

Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity OCD: Unique Diagnostic and Treatment Challenges

Jennifer Park, PhD
Tarik Hadzic, MD, PhD
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Information

Date & Time

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

  • Describe at least two factors contributing to the misidentification of SO-OCD and gender identity OCD as normative sexual orientation or gender identity development, and vice versa.

  • Identify at least two evidence-based assessment strategies for differentiating SO-OCD and gender identity OCD from normative developmental processes.

  • Design three exposure exercises that minimize stigma and avoid reinforcing stereotypes toward LGBTQ+ individuals when treating SO-OCD and gender identity OCD.

Educational Goal

The educational goal of this workshop is to accurately differentiate sexual orientation OCD (SO-OCD) and gender identity OCD from normative LGBTQ+ identity development to prevent misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment. It offers evidence-based assessment strategies and justice-oriented exposure exercises that enhance cultural competence and reduce stigma in the therapeutic process for LGBTQ+ individuals.

Description

This workshop addresses OCD presentations involving sexual orientation (SO) and gender identity OCD, reviewing current research on differential diagnosis between normative LGBTQ+ identity development and the obsessive concerns characteristic of OCD. The presentation extends standard exposure and response prevention (ERP) to include justice-oriented treatment modifications that reduce potential stigma and bias toward LGBTQ+ individuals.

Empirically supported methods and clinical case applications illustrate how theory, assessment, and intervention intersect to improve diagnostic accuracy, therapeutic outcomes, and cultural competence in psychological practice.

Target Audience

  • Addiction Professional
  • Counselor
  • Marriage & Family Therapist
  • Psychologist
  • Social Worker

Presenters

Jennifer Park, PhD
Jennifer Park, PhD is a licensed clinical psychologist and an expert in cognitive behavioral therapy. She is currently the Vice President of Clinical Services at Acadia Healthcare and oversees clinical services across all Acadia service lines. She also serves as an adjunct faculty member at Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr Park received her PhD in clinical psychology at the University of South Florida where she completed her clinical and research training with a focus on cognitive behavioral therapy in pediatric OCD and OC-spectrum disorders. She completed her pre-doctoral and post-doctoral fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Dr Park has published numerous articles regarding CBT mechanisms and treatment outcomes and has developed group CBT programs for children, adolescents and adults. She is actively involved in presenting her work at national conferences as well as providing ongoing clinical training to communities both locally and nationally.
Tarik Hadzic, MD, PhD
Tarik Hadzic, MD, PhD is the Medical Director of Newport Healthcare's National OCD Services and Southern California Programs. He is board-certified in adult and child psychiatry with over a decade of clinical experience, specializing in OCD, anxiety disorders, and Autism Spectrum Disorder in residential, partial hospitalization and outpatient settings. Dr. Hadzic treats children, adolescents, and adults with severe and treatment-refractory OCD, combining Exposure and Response Prevention therapy with innovative psychopharmacologic approaches and neurointerventional referrals.

Financially Sponsored By

  • Newport Healthcare