Online Meetings
Fostering community, connection, and understanding
Zoom Discussion Group
Recurring Zoom Meeting Link:
This is our persistent meeting link. You’re invited to bookmark it for future meetings!
What to Expect:
This group started off as a book club for The Healthy Compulsive and, upon completion, evolved into an ongoing OCPD-centered discussion group that meets twice a month. The meetings are peer-facilitated by volunteers (like Cale & Greg) who have their own lived experiences with OCPD.
This is not a clinical support group or group therapy as this meeting is not led by licensed therapists or other mental health professionals. Instead, we hope to provide people with the opportunity to talk candidly about how their OCPD impacts their lives, to foster a sense of community through shared experiences and understanding, and to crowdsource resources that we’ve found helpful.
Our topic-based discussions centered around group interests and suggestions related to OCPD, like OCPD &…. Work, Emotions, Relationships, Perfectionism, Grief, Relaxation, etc. (You can check out all of our previous topics on the blog.)
Attendance is free and open to anyone with OCPD whether suspected, self-diagnosed, formally diagnosed, or anything in-between. If you feel that you are struggling with any of the symptoms associated with OCPD we hope that this group can provide greater clarity, tools, and direction.
We also welcome loved ones of those with OCPD who would like to listen in order to better support their loved ones exhibiting OCPD traits. Please note that given the shortage of OCPD-centric resources our meetings will prioritize and center on individuals living with OCPD symptoms.
This meeting is a great place to:
- learn & explore more about OCPD in a safe, reflective environment
- share your personal experiences with OCPD
- listen & ask questions about OCPD
- connect with others and build a shared sense of community
Disclaimer: this meeting is not a substitute for individual therapy with a licensed mental health professional. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please reach out to a crisis hotline or seek immediate professional help.
Group Participation Guidelines:
- While attendance is open to all and not prescreened, please honor the confidentiality of those who attend and choose to courageously share their personal stories.
- Respect everyone and their journey without judgment.
- Focus on sharing your personal experiences and avoid giving others advice about their own experiences.
- Give everyone an opportunity to share by being mindful of the length of your verbal shares. The chat section is also available and great medium for more nuanced or tangential shares or questions.
- If you choose to participate verbally, please keep your microphone on mute when not sharing in order to minimize background noise.
- If you choose to turn your camera on, be mindful of what is displayed (be appropriately clothed, in a private space, etc.) and how your body language can foster supportive listening.
- When it doubt, try to keep the content of your share PG-13. Refrain from using offensive language and exercise discretion if discussing political and religious opinions. When discussing especially sensitive topics (like assault, abuse, self-harm, suicide, violence, etc.) please limit your share to naming what happened without delving into graphic detail.
- Since this is an open discussion and not group therapy, there will inevitably be topics that some find triggering. While we endeavor to create a space that feels safe, we ultimately ask that everyone approach this is a brave space. In the event that you find yourself becoming activated by the topic, please give yourself permission to take a break, step away, and self-regulate.
- Harassment, abuse, and discrimination will not be tolerated.
Monthly Schedule:
This meeting takes place on the 2nd & 4th Thursday of each month.
Note: since this meeting frequency is not the same as “every two weeks” it may occasionally result in a two week gap between meetings instead of the typical one week.
You can click here to add the “OCPD Discussion Group Meetings” to your personal Google Calendar account so you don’t miss a session.
Meeting Time:
⏲️ The Zoom meeting will go live at 6:00pm (PDT, UTC-7) and run for approximately 1 hour & 45 minutes, bringing the official portion to a close by 7:45pm. We have members attending from a variety of time zones and life circumstances so please feel comfortable participating to whatever degree your availability allows.
Cale’s Note: I have to manually reset this timer between meetings so if it’s zeroed out there’s a good change I’ve forgotten about it. Sorry!
General Agenda:
Meeting Duration: 1 hour 45 minutes
- 6:00PM – Meeting goes live
- ~10 mins – Attendees join & settle in
- ~5 mins – General housekeeping (logistics & schedules) & recap highlights from the previous session’s discussion topic
- ~15 mins – Space for voluntary introductions for first-time attendees & brief updates for returning attendees
- ~70 mins – Focus on our group discussion topic
- ~5 mins – Summarizing discussion & forecasting upcoming session topics, wrapping up any remaining logistics
- 7:45PM – Official session concludes
- Beyond 7:45PM – * Parking Lot Time begins
* After the official portion of the meeting has concluded there is a high likelihood that the meeting will continue as it transitions into a less structured, more organic “Parking Lot Time”. Discussions during this time are free to follow the interests and discretion of the remaining group attendees.
Upcoming Discussion Topic:
Zoom Meeting: OCPD & Social Anxiety 😶
Cale’s Scheduling Note: The discussion topic for the first meeting in September (9/11) will be OCPD & Social Anxiety. I will not be available to attend and facilitate the second meeting (9/25) so we’re going to try something new and have it be open for general discussion. If anyone is…