Our Co-Founders
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Age/Major: 20, Psychology major
Hometown: San Francisco, CA
Past OCD themes: suicide obsessions
Current OCD themes: moral scrupulosity, driving fears, responsibility OCD, and emetophobia.
What inspired you to create A Penny For Your Intrusive Thoughts?
After attending a session at the IOCDF Conference in 2017 that addressed OCD topics people tend to avoid talking about, I realized how freeing it was to talk about taboo and isolating intrusive thoughts. I didn't even know some of my thoughts were OCD. About six months later I was reflecting on this panel when the idea for A Penny for Your Intrusive Thoughts came to me. When people are given the opportunity to share their thoughts anonymously, they open up about feelings they never would have otherwise. I wanted to find a way for people who have embarrassing, shameful, and taboo intrusive thoughts to share them so they could realize they are not alone.
Meet Cassie!
Meet Darcy!
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Age/Major: 20, Elementary Education major
Hometown: Boston, MA
Past OCD themes: contamination
Current OCD themes: symmetry, perfectionism, ROCD, moral obsessions
What inspired you to help in the creation of A Penny For Your Intrusive Thoughts?
I also attended the IOCDF conference in 2017, which was where I met C. Attending the conference for the first time was life-changing and opened my eyes to the amount of different ways OCD can affect people's lives. I was also relieved to see myself reflected in so many of the panels. I wasn't alone. After C expressed her idea to me months after the conference I knew that I wanted to get involved. One of the hardest parts of any mental illness, specifically OCD, is how isolated it can make you feel. I know what it is like to feel intense shame and I want to help others realize that they too are not alone.