- Peer support for siblings · OCD -
No sibling should feel invisible.
Behind the Scenes is North America's first peer-led support community created specifically for siblings of individuals with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder — because your experience matters too.
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Reach out or join us
Whether you'd like to join a support group, ask a question, or simply connect — we'd love to hear from you. You are not alone.
Our Mission
Behind the Scenes exists to ensure that no sibling of an individual with OCD feels invisible. Through peer support, education, advocacy, and community, we empower siblings to navigate the unique challenges of loving someone with OCD — while recognizing that their own experiences and well-being matter just as much.
- Peer support
- Education
- Advocacy
- Community
About
What is Behind the Scenes?
Behind the Scenes is North America’s first peer-led support community created specifically for siblings of individuals with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). While mental health systems often focus on the person with OCD and their caregivers, siblings are frequently overlooked despite facing their own emotional challenges and responsibilities.
We provide a welcoming space where siblings can connect with others who truly understand their experiences, share stories, learn practical coping strategies, and find reassurance that they are not alone.
Beyond our monthly virtual support group meetings, we are committed to advancing awareness, developing educational resources, conducting advocacy, and building a future in which siblings are recognized as an essential part of every family’s mental health journey.
- Monthly virtual support group meetings for siblings.
- A community that truly understands your experience.
- Awareness, education, and advocacy for siblings of those with OCD.
July 9–12, 2026 · Seattle, WA
2026 IOCDF Conference
At the 31st Annual IOCDF Conference in Seattle, from July 9th to July 12th, Behind the Scenes brought the sibling perspective into the OCD community’s largest learning and connection spaces. The conference brought together more than 3,200 attendees from all 50 states and 41 countries. Our founder Austin Kang led three speaking engagements. Firstly, on Thursday evening, he facilitated the Behind the Scenes support group, which connected numerous siblings from all over the world in a unique discussion that gave siblings more community and strategy. Then, during Friday’s lunchtime slot, at the Sibling Meet-and-Greet, attendees ate pizza, answered questions that only OCD siblings could understand, and participated in an OCD-centered game of “Never Have I Ever.” Finally, Austin was a panelist in OCD Through the Eyes of Siblings, which gave the audience four sibling perspectives that all resembled the same concept: that OCD siblings are in desperate need of more support.
Outside of his speaking engagements, Austin attended the IOCDF Advocate meeting, in which he led a breakout discussion on affiliate engagement, alongside Chris Trondsen, LMFT & OCD Specialist. In this breakout, Austin helped advocates identify practical ways local OCD communities can strengthen outreach and support. Austin enjoyed this experience, as he met with the ~60 other IOCDF Advocates to strategize topics revolving around advocacy, outreach, and support.
Scholarship
The Austin Kang Sibling Scholarship
From 2025-26, our founder Austin Kang raised $6,025 for the OCD community. In recognition of his sustained leadership in sibling advocacy, OCD SoCal named the Austin Kang Sibling Scholarship after our founder. They also entrusted Austin with running the operations of the scholarship, a $500 award designed specifically to help OCD siblings attend the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) Conference in Seattle. Austin played a central role in reviewing applications, selecting recipients, and ensuring that recipients could take part in the conference. This opportunity made the conference experience a reality for many siblings who otherwise wouldn’t have been able to attend. Based on ten post-conference reflections, Behind the Scenes was able to gather information on the impact of the scholarship.
100%
of recipients said the scholarship made attendance financially possible
100%
of recipients said they would probably or definitely not have attended without it
100%
of recipients reported feeling less alone after the conference
100%
of recipients reported learning more about what their loved one experiences
100%
of recipients met other OCD siblings, learned practical coping strategies, and became more involved in the community
60%
of recipients attended their first IOCDF Conference
These responses were authorized for anonymous website use:
Nov 15–16, 2025
2025 OCD SoCal Online Global Conference
From November 15th to November 16th of 2025, Behind the Scenes was featured at OCD SoCal’s Online Global Conference. By hosting its support group, Behind the Scenes introduced a sibling-centered perspective to a worldwide OCD audience, making visible a family role that is often left out of mental-health conversations.
This appearance extended Behind the Scenes’s mission beyond its monthly meetings: sibling voices were represented in a conference designed to connect people with OCD, loved ones, clinicians, and advocates across geographic boundaries. There was an attendance list of 1355 people from 40 US states and 15 countries.
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The Ultimate OCD Sibling Guide
