Thank you to everyone for the great response to last week’s post, both via comments and email. Several readers thought my idea would be a worthwhile one for IOCDF Affiliates to adopt, and I hope these organizations will consider it. Additionally, many readers appealed for something to be implemented as soon as possible. With this in mind, I’ve created a new page on my blog called OCD Network to Recovery. If you click on this tab, you will find links to two forms. One is for those who have not yet been able to embrace therapy for OCD, and the other is for those who have undergone Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) Therapy and found it helpful. The page has instructions for getting the forms back to me, and I will do my best to match people.
I’d like to stress that what I am doing is simply facilitating connections, and I cannot make any guarantees regarding how successful, if at all, this networking will be. But I think it’s worth a try. As I look back on the horrific events of this past week, I am in awe of all those who risked their lives to help others. While I am in no way equating this network with these heroic acts, the simple lesson of helping others whenever and however we can rings true. To me, that’s what it means to be human.
So we will see how it goes, and I will keep everyone posted. Certainly if you have any comments and suggestions as to how these forms could be improved, I’d love to hear them.
ocdtalk 
Great job, Janet! Thank you for taking the network to the next step. You’re right. It’s so important for us to reach other to others.
Thanks for your support, Tina!
Thank you, thank you ! It is persons like you that make the difference.
Thanks! Working together we can all make a difference!
Thank you Janet so very much! This is hopefully one step closer to healing sooner. There is so much healing needed in the world and I thank you for being a part of ours:)
Thank you for your kind words. I do hope this will lead to some healing.
Oh I so agree – reaching out to each other is so important! It can make ALL the difference in the world for someone.
Thanks for your support, Sunny!
Good luck, Janet!
Thanks, Hook!
I’m going to forward your blog to all the therapists and supervisors I know in Los Angeles.
Thank you so much, Rachel. The more people we reach, the better!
I have one suggestion – for minors, could we get parent signatures giving them permission to participate? Or maybe there would be another way. While I’m interested in sharing with people, I’m uncomfortable communicating with someone who is not a legal adult; I don’t want to be involved in going behind parents’ back or anything like that. I’d be happy to add the parent to the communication loop. Mostly, since I’m not a professional, I want to be careful not to be in a position where I accidentally cause more problems instead of helping. As a mom yourself, you might have a better idea of how to facilitate a family-friendly approach.
I think you have a great idea here, though, and I hope many people are helped by it!
Thanks for making an important point, Abigail. I have yet to receive any forms directly from minors but if I do, I will follow-up as you suggest. So many people are willing to help others, but as you point out, there are many issues that need to be considered.