Dr. Sarah Schall of The Collective Treatment Programs to Present on AI’s Impact on OCD Recovery at IECA Annual Conference

The Collective Treatment Programs is proud to announce that Dr. Sarah Schall will be a featured speaker at the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) Annual Conference in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Schall will present “AI and OCD: Supporting Recovery in Young Adults” on Wednesday, May 20th, from 9:15 AM to 10:15 AM.

As Artificial Intelligence becomes an omnipresent tool for students and young adults, its impact on mental health—specifically Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)—is becoming a critical area of concern. Dr. Schall’s presentation will explore the intersection of emerging technology and traditional OCD symptom presentations.

For young adults struggling with OCD, excessive researching and reassurance-seeking are common compulsions. While AI tools are often marketed as helpful resources for quick answers, they can inadvertently intensify these compulsions by providing a false sense of “misleading certainty.” What begins as an attempt to find a “helpful” answer can rapidly spiral into compulsive checking and digital reassurance-seeking, which ultimately reinforces doubt and strengthens the OCD cycle.

“In an era where answers are available in seconds, young adults with OCD face a unique challenge,” says Dr. Schall. “AI can act as a catalyst for compulsive behaviors, making it harder for individuals to sit with uncertainty. My goal at IECA is to provide Independent Educational Consultants (IECs) with the tools to differentiate between productive research and compulsive cycles, ensuring they can better guide families toward effective treatment options.”

Key takeaways from the session include:

• Identifying the nuances between compulsive vs. non-compulsive digital behaviors.
• Understanding how AI tools can exacerbate “rabbit hole” researching.
• Strategies to support young adults as they navigate the complexities of mental health treatment in a tech-driven world.

The IECA Annual Conference is a premier event for educational consultants worldwide, providing professional development and insights into the evolving needs of students. To learn more about the conference and Dr. Schall’s session, visit https://www.iecaonline.com/education-events/annual-conference/.

About Dr. Sarah Schall & The Collective Treatment Programs:

Dr. Sarah Schall is a leading voice in the treatment of adults at The Collective Treatment Programs. The Collective offers an 8-week OCD clinic structured to offer multi-modal, evidence-based care, ensuring a comprehensive approach to symptom resolution. The core of the program integrates highly effective group modalities, specifically Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), the most established treatment focused on gradually reducing the power of obsessions by facing fears without performing rituals, and Inference-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (I-CBT), a distinct cognitive strategy that targets the underlying reasoning process and obsessive doubt, notably without the use of exposures. These are augmented by Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Narrative Therapy to address the broader psychological impact of OCD for a neurodivergent person. To learn more, visit https://themhcollective.com/the-ocd-clinic-virtual-talk/