2024 Mad Topics Panel Symposium on Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Welcome to the 2024 “Mad Topics: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) & Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Education” professional panel symposium discussion resource page, where you can find all things Mad Topics, OCD & ADHD-related and can even rewatch the symposium recording.
"I am not alone" - A response from one of the attendees regarding their main takeaways from the Mad Topics panel, held Monday, April 8th, 2024 at Tennessee Tech University. Over 100 students, educators, mental health professionals, and community members attended to learn about OCD & ADHD in education (more watched the live stream!).
This panel represented a personal and professional dream of Kinsey Simone, PhD, an instructor in the College of Education. Dr. Simone was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) as a child and focuses her research efforts on effectively reducing stigmas towards invisible disorders, and this symposium represented the first of hopefully many Mad Topics events.
We are so proud of our campus and surrounding community for attending this panel, which provided a unique opportunity to hear about OCD and ADHD through both a person-centered approach (shared lived experiences) and a clinical approach (available resources, treatments, and symptoms/practical strategies in the classroom).
The 2024 Mad Topics attendees heard from experts, including Dr. David T. Culkin, a prominent figure in the OCD world and author of OCD and Marriage, who traveled to Tech for the panel and shared about his lived OCD experience and the history of Mad Studies, sanism, and ableism; Dr. Kinsey Simone, an instructor of educational quantitative research and the Mad Topics founder, who shared her lived experience with OCD and the current stigmas towards OCD within education; Dr. Leann Taylor, a senior lecturer who shared her lived experience with ADHD, including challenges and successes along her journey; Dr. Edward Beason, who discussed disability stigma and ways to support students with disabilities; and Dr. Amy Callender, who discussed special education, invisible vs. visible disorders, and her experience diagnosing ADHD/OCD as a school psychologist in the past.
» Meet the 2024 Panelists, Moderator, & Student Leaders
Attendees of the 2024 Mad Topics panel symposium on OCD and ADHD in education wrote down some burning questions that they had for panelists! The below resource packet provides the responses of panelists to attendees’ burning questions.
» See the 2024 Mad Topics Post-Panel Resource Packet
Many of the panelists and the moderator from the 2024 Mad Topics symposium are currently conducting IRB-approved research on the effectiveness of Mad Topics interventions in increasing community mental health literacy and decreasing stigmas. Publications and other resources surrounding Mad Topics will be uploaded here as they become available!
Talking about mental health can sometimes be uncomfortable. We have mental health professionals at all Mad Topics events who are available to direct attendees to supportive resources. Virtual attendees and readers at any point can call the TN Tech Center for Counseling and Mental Wellness at 931-372-3331 or the Eagle Eye After Hours Crisis Hotline at 855-206-8997.
Center for Counseling and Mental Health Wellness
Did you know?
- Some courses offer students extra credit for attending Mad Topics!
- Educators can receive Professional Development Hours for attending Mad Topics!
- Licensed mental health professionals should determine whether this panel is suitable for Continuing Education Unit (CEU) hours for their division, as per Board of Psychology requirements. Mad Topics symposia aligns with requirements for a professional workshop (see 1180-01-.08, 2.C.2.) and/or academic preparation (see 1180-01-.08, 2.D.ii), and could also pertain to cultural diversity due to discussion of disability stigmas (see 1180-01.-08, 1.d.). It is up to each licensed professional to determine the merit of this event for their specific CE requirements.
To learn more about extra credit, PD, and/or CEU opportunities, email ksimone@tntech.edu. Information is also available at all Mad Topics events and on Mad Topics programs.