About Chrissie Hodges
Who Is Chrissie?
Chrissie Hodges accepting the 2017 International OCD Foundation ‘Hero Award’
Photo courtesy of Roberto Farren Photography
Hi there, I’m Chrissie
For over a decade, I’ve dedicated my life to supporting individuals living with OCD, especially those navigating the dark, isolating corners of taboo intrusive thoughts and Pure OCD. I know firsthand how tormenting and lonely this disorder can feel, even after diagnosis and treatment.
My mission is simple but powerful: no one should have to face OCD alone.
I create spaces – online and in person – where people with OCD can feel seen, heard, and understood. Through one-on-one peer support, weekly groups, my online community app, and live events through my nonprofit, OCD Gamechangers, I help people connect with others who truly get it.
Because when we hear our story in someone else’s voice, the shame starts to fade. And in its place, we grow self-compassion, empowerment, and hope.
Whether you’re just starting to understand your OCD, feeling stuck in recovery, or simply craving connection, you belong here. Community isn’t just helpful. It’s healing.
Credentials & More:
Chrissie Hodges is a certified Peer & Family Support Specialist through the Colorado Providers Association in Colorado State. She is the author of Pure OCD: The Invisible Side of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and the Founder & Executive Director of the nonprofit OCD Gamechangers.
Follow along:
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Instagram: @pureochrissie
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TikTok: @pureochrissie
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Facebook: Treatment for OCD Consulting
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Substack: Chrissie Hodges
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WHY I BECAME AN OCD PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST AND ADVOCATE
When I was a teenager living with undiagnosed OCD, I felt completely alone. The intrusive thoughts terrified me, but the shame and guilt about having them kept me silent. I truly believed something was fatally wrong with me.
For 12 years, I lived in that silence, convinced the persistence of these thoughts meant they had to be true. Even though I had insight, the fear never let up. At 20, I survived a suicide attempt and was incredibly fortunate to be hospitalized, correctly diagnosed, and introduced to ERP therapy.
But even with proper treatment, I still felt isolated. The shame lingered, and I craved connection with others who understood.
Years later, I relapsed with harm and relationship intrusive thoughts. I knew it was OCD, but the guilt and confusion still hit hard. That relapse became the turning point. I knew I didn’t want anyone else to feel as alone as I had.
So I started speaking out.
I began sharing my story publicly through podcasting, YouTube, and writing. I focused on the intrusive thoughts no one was talking about. I became a Certified Peer Support Specialist, working in community mental health and at the Colorado State Institution. In 2017, I published Pure OCD: The Invisible Side of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and launched my peer support practice.
Since then, I’ve had the privilege of walking alongside individuals with OCD all over the world—providing support, connection, and referrals to therapists who offer evidence-based care. I also testified at the Colorado State Capitol on legislation that banned holding people in mental health crisis in jails, and we won.
This work is the honor of my life.
Community has been the greatest healer for me. The people I serve remind me every day that I am not alone. And neither are you.
Our online community app has members who just get it! Join now to meet others, get peer support, and build your support system of healing. Click HERE to join.
What's Next?
The journey continues…and I’m just getting started.
My mission moving forward is clear: build and grow a global community for people living with OCD, especially those navigating the shame and silence of taboo intrusive thoughts. These are the themes we don’t talk about enough, because they’re hard, messy, and misunderstood. But not here. In this space, we bring them into the light. Want to join now? Click HERE
I’ll continue expanding peer support groups, growing our online app community, and finding new ways to make connection more accessible for anyone struggling.
And… stay tuned for the launch of my podcast: Intrusive Thoughts Unmasked! We’ll peel back the layers of fear, stigma, and misrepresentation to get real about what it’s like to live with OCD.
Because this isn’t just about awareness. It’s about reclaiming your story. And you don’t have to do it alone
PARTNERSHIP WITH NOCD
Many years ago, I had the fortunate opportunity to meet Stephen Smith, the founder of NOCD. Stephen was in the first stages of creating NOCD, and he was cold-calling people that were therapists and advocates for OCD. I got on a call with Stephen, and immediately felt connected to his passion and drive in wanting to make an app to help individuals with OCD connect worldwide. Stephen and I became good friends, and partners in advocacy for OCD from day one!
In the years following, I have had the honor to watch Stephen’s vision to connect individuals to therapists who can help with evidence-based therapy worldwide come into fruition. It has been an incredible feat and accomplishment in the OCD community! It has been my absolute pleasure to support NOCD’s mission, and I will continue to support their endeavors as they grow, expand, and change the landscape around the world in treatment for OCD.
Through my advocacy, I will continue to refer people to NOCD, trusting their ability to educate, treat, and connect individuals with resources who are seeking help and working toward recovery.
It is my honor to serve as an advocate alongside Stephen and all of the dedicated individuals who have worked so hard at NOCD to help so many sufferers around the world.
GET STARTED ON YOUR RECOVERY TODAY!
Chrissie Hodges' Advocacy Projects
Memoir
Chrissie Hodges is the author of the memoir on living with Pure O/Intrusive thoughts and her journey to recovery, ‘Pure O: The Invisible Side of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder’. It is available as a paperback as well as an e-book.
OCD GAMECHANGERS NONPROFIT
OCD Gamechangers isn’t just an organization, it’s a movement.
We create powerful spaces for people with OCD to come together, share lived experience, and feel seen, heard, and deeply understood. From intimate peer-led gatherings to international advocacy events, our mission is rooted in connection, compassion, and the belief that no one should face OCD alone.
Our events are different. They’re raw, real, and life-changing. We don’t just talk about OCD; we live it, together.
If our work has touched you, or if you believe in the power of community healing, please consider donating. Every dollar helps us keep our events accessible, support more individuals worldwide, and build a future where shame has no place in the OCD experience.
For more information or to donate to our OCD Gamechanger cause, please visit www.ocdgamechangers.co
POLITICAL & Social media ADVOCACY
Chrissie is an active voice in political legislation for individuals with mental illness in Colorado. She was an integral part in helping to change and create the legislation for SB207, the senate bill banning individuals with mental illness to be held in jails. Chrissie successfully advocated the position of individuals with mental illness to the Government assigned Task Force, the stakeholders on the Commission on Criminal Juvenile Justice, and to the Colorado House and Senate Representatives. SB207 passed unanimously in both branches.
Follow Me on Instagram + TikTok
I keep it real, raw, and unfiltered when it comes to OCD. My social media is where advocacy meets honesty, expect bold truths, taboo topic breakdowns, and a whole lot of “I thought I was the only one.” Come for the lived experience, stay for the spicy truths.
Instagram: @pureochrissie
TikTok: @pureochrissie
PROFESSIONAL Credentials
Chrissie is a Certified Peer & Family Support Specialist, credentialed by the Colorado Providers Association. CPFS’s re-certify every 2 years with proper continued education including ethics in peer support. Chrissie also has a Masters in Psychology from Arizona State University. She will be pursuing a Masters in Counseling from Adam’s State University in Colorado in spring of 2026.
BLOG & Youtube Videos
Check out my weekly Substack blog where I share raw, unfiltered reflections on recovery, shame, relapse, and living with intrusive thoughts. And if video is more your vibe, head over to my YouTube channel for deep dives on taboo themes, Q&As, and personal stories that remind you, you are not alone.
KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONS
Chrissie is a trained and sought-after speaker on topics related to lived experience with mental illness, stigma, and suicide prevention. Fueled by her personal experiences, Chrissie is an animated, captivating, and energetic educator and story-teller. Please contact Chrissie for her fees and accommodations for your next mental health awareness event.