OCD Online Support Groups – Meeting Guidelines

How to get the most from our meetings and meeting guidelines

If you've registered for one of our online OCD support groups we have created some guidelines which will help the smooth running of meetings and ensure all users get the most from our meetings.

Meeting Guidelines:

• The OCD Support Group sessions are for UK residents with OCD or family members/partners/friends of OCD sufferers. The themed sessions are for people who are affected by that week's chosen theme.  
• Our charity is only funded to offer services for UK residents and advice offered will be UK specific, we are unable to make the groups available to anyone living outside the UK at this time.
• Unfortunately, we cannot register healthcare providers onto the sessions in a professional capacity at this time. Please contact us here: https://www.ocduk.org/contact-us/ or visit: www.ocduk.org for a variety of educational resources. 
• Meeting access is via the link on your original registration email that Zoom would have automatically generated and sent you. If you have misplaced that email you can re-register by following the link on our meetings page here or you can email our meeting host using the contact email address below, but please do that at least 90 minutes before the meeting start time.
• The zoom meetings are primarily online video sessions to provide a more traditional support group setting. However, we appreciate not everyone has access to appropriate visual equipment to support this. Therefore, there is an option for people to telephone in to the zoom group sessions if they wish to do so. Please contact us for more information about using this option.
• Please note, if you access the meeting by dialling in, the telephone number you use may be visible to other group participants. You can withhold your number when dialling in to prevent this from occurring.
• We do encourage all users to come on camera if they are able to, even if just briefly at the start or when they are talking. But don’t worry if you don’t feel able to, you can use a still image if easier. To show the still image you will need to register for the free Zoom account, and in your profile upload a suitable profile image. That way when your camera is not in use, the profile image will show.
• Similarly, everyone is welcome to speak, but no one is obliged to. Sometimes when people are new to the groups they choose to use the chat box instead of talking, or just listen in until they feel confident to participate in the group.
• For reasons of confidentiality, only those participating in the meeting ideally should be in the room. It can be off putting for other groups guests to see someone else in the background.
• You can control your own mute when you wish to talk/comment, but please leave yourself muted when not talking. If you would like to speak about your OCD experience or comment on the existing conversation then please click the raise hand icon located under 'reactions' at the bottom of the screen on PC or under the 'more' menu on other devices (see image screenshot) and we will direct the conversation to you when we can.
• When you first login to the meeting, on the participant list you can rename yourself to use an alias if you prefer by clicking the ‘more’ button against your name (see image screenshot).
• Please be mindful of other users in the language that you use.
• Please remember to respect everyone's privacy and confidentiality.
• Please do not to post any personal information in the group chat box (such as your telephone number or email address) as this is visible to all group members. If you would like to connect with a particular group member outside of the support group, we can facilitate the exchange of contact details via email after the group if both parties are interested in this.
• Please do not send direct messages to the group hosts during the support group as they will not be able to answer messages whilst hosting. If you have a question you would like to ask privately, please email us at groups@ocduk.org so we can respond after the group has concluded.
• As a charity we can only recommend treatments that are in line with the NICE guidelines.
• We will sometimes save the chat transcript and send excerpts via email to support group participants if useful resources are shared. All identifiable data will be anonymised in the chat transcript.
• After the group, a follow up email containing information about upcoming groups and any resources mentioned will be emailed to all participants. Sometimes we cover a lot of topics so although we endeavour to include everything in the follow up email, we may miss off a resource that you would find helpful. If this is the case please email us at groups@ocduk.org and we will be happy to locate the resource for you.